The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-02

A spIepdtdiy Clear Day Makes Them
PIaInIH fiaihie.

A spIendtdiy Clear Day makes Them
Plainly Sfsibte.
Mount Rainier peeped sereneIy from
behind fauk OF clouds about $50 yester-
day afternoon. and shone with undimin-
ished splend0r after the storms OF the past
few days. In q little while the aimos-
phere became unusually clear. and an
excellent view was afforded. From the
courthouse the prospect was never liner,
and many Of the employees Of the county
clerks Office gathered At the windows in
the equity department and explored the
rugged outlines py means OF held glass
Harry c. Gordon and Dal Roberts each
took careful survey Of the peaks, and
each declared that there had been de-
cided change IN appearance. and Edward
J.. Kellogg, who has made study OF
Mount Rainier. pointed out the particular
variations in the outline. The three peaks
are still visible. but they appeared sharper
aud much more distinct and to his eye
they were entirely different from those
formerly seen. Mr.. Roberts gave an or
iginal and accurate illustration OF the
change. lie said
Before tie disturbance the mountain
looked like this: (hosding up his hand
and crooking the index finger, so that the
middle JOINT stood high above the other
tNo). but now u looks like this: (depress-
ing The middle joint until il was nearly on
3 leyei with the others). / think an im-
meass quantity OF ice. snow and rock
must have been hurled down the steep side
OF the mountain, aud that the late storms
have covered the rocks then laid bare with
a iali of snow"
Mrs. :. Is. Selmes, who is now in Cali
fornia. IS another witness of the eruption
OF Mount Rainier. Mrs. Selmes and her
invalid daughter have been living for
some time at the Griffith house, and on
the morning of November 81 at few min
utes past 8 o'clock Mrs. Selmes happened
TO look out of the south window and was
Immediately attracted by the strange
sight on the mountain. For over half
hour she watched IL, and called her daugh-
ter's attention 10 IL. She had never seen
the mountain clearer, and there were no
clouds near. save long low cloud 10 the
left At intervals of every few seconds
huge volume of smoke. quite dark in the
center, shot up from the west rim of the
crater, and then would die down again.
The smoke looked like that from a stack of
a large steamer Mrs. Selmes is quite
positive about the phenomenon. and re-
lated the particulars to her son-in-Iaw,
Rev. u. c. Garrett. soon after the event
Mount Rainier yesterday was worthy
close examination and study. The condi-
tions for observation were perfect Scarcely
a cloud was TO be seen. and the mountain
rose like an immense pyramid OF Parian
marble. seemingly only a few steps away.
The descending sun cast soft and tender
light on the western slope. touching up
the ruffied portions here and there till
they looked like patches of spray from a
waterfall, and passing onward TO the three
peaks enlivened them with delicate tlnts.
The nearest one was somber, and almost
forbldding: the center was clothed in
faint crimson. and the one furthest away
was dazzling white and spsrkled like s.
diamond set in the sky. Aided by the sun.
the bright portions were ali the brighter
in contrast with the shaded slope to the
opposite side, an ABRUPT precipice of
ieaden hue streaked at Intervals with
black in places where the snow apparently
could no. lodge. Mount lay sat submissive
at the feet OF Rainier. and the Gym pics
and the Cascades, dressed in their garb of
| green and white. formed vast circle about
the monarch of them ALL