The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-14
RAINIER BREAKS OUT
Vapor Again Seen Pouring
From the Summit.
IT APPEARS TO BE SMOKE.
snowshoes and Toboxgan for the
"Post-Inteiligencer'' Expedition
The Phenomena seen.
IT APPEARS TO BE SMOKE

"A StcQ Gc1i cXtitefISIIL was CdNScQ
on the street yesterday by the report
that Mount Rainier was again smoking.
and interest was added by the vertical
ton OF the rumor by Weather Observer
Salisbury, who watched the mountain
through a glass al intervals during the
day. Mr. Salisbury says that between
in the morning and l in the afternoon
smoke could be plainly seen coming out
of the top Of the mountain. He was pos
tive that the substance was not vapor.
but was smoke coming out of the crater.
He said that the substance could not
have been vapor, because Ii came out in
such a manner and in such shape as
thoroughly convinced him that il was
caused by heat
From the rooms Of the weather bureau
in the New York block. all present could
plainly see the lines or puffs OF steam
rising from the crater, drifting lazily
toward the east and then spreading
like a huge cloud and floating in faky
heaps down the steep eastern side. The
summit appeared TO be of d circular
form, rising slightly toward the west.
and from the outside edges. especially
the higher side, the cloud would come
forth, at times. almost thick enough to
hide the entire basin. The summit yes
teruay looked not unlike a miniature of
the crater of Mauna Loa. clad in ice and
snow; and the rising puffs of smoke or
steam suggested a volcanic CONFUSION
in the depths of the mountain. The OBJ
ervations were made with an ordinary
pair of opera glasses and also with a
powerful binocular telescope furnished
by II. Clay EverSole. With these in
truments the cloud was brought plainly
into view. and it movements could be
easily marked. The phenomenon was
observed closely by G.. N Salisbury and
L. c. Hobbies, OF the weather office; J.
A. Mcclellan. ]. ]. McGilvra. John Ar
thur. S. l.. Crawford and Others. The
mountain was also scanned from the
court house.
of course some We're incredulous. as
usual. and the old timers. were of the
opinion that the phenomenon observed
was merely vapor from the canyons in
the mountains. forced upward by the
air currents. and. appearing above the
summit, creating the impression that it
was smoke coming from the heated era
ter. The mountains new peculiarities
proved doubly interesting on the street,
and everyone said something about
the Post-Intelligencer's explora ton par
~. which is about to leave on an expedi-
ton to the summit. and many prophe-
sled that evil would befall the members
of the party, while about as many more
were as confident that the expedition
would not result in any serious conse-
quence to any one.
Major f. S. Ingraham, who will lead
the expedition, returned from Spokane
yesterday afternoon and brought back
with him six fine pairs OF Canadian
snow shoes and a seven-foot toboggan.
The toboggan. which is strong and only
weighs ten pounds, Will be used to aid
in hauling the outfit up the mountain
and will probably prove almost as es-
sential as the snow shoes. II was in
tended 10 start this afternoon at
o'clock. but owing to the many import
ant details that must be attended 10 IT
will be impossible TO leave until tomor-
row. The party will leave on the
o'clock train for Wilkeson, and thence
the forty mile tramp To the mountain
viii be commenced.
Coming from Spokane yesterday Ma
jor Ingraham noticed the mountain
closely, IL being plainly visible at vari-
Gus points between Enumclaw and Sum-
ner. He says he was puzzled at the
appearance of the mountain and, among
other changes, noticed what appeared
to be a break in the rim OF the crater.
The new peak. which so many have
noticed from Seattle. could be observed
from different sides as the train sped
along. The new peak appears TO be at
tached TO the center peak instead OF
Liberty Cap, as was first supposed ana
as IL look from this city.
The phenomenon was also observed at
Tacoma as the following special dispatch
shows:
Tacoma. Dec I3-Speclal- unusual
amount Of steam came out Of Mount Raf-
nier today. and hundreds OF people in
spected the beautiful peak through tele-
scopes and with the naked eye. At the
county courthouse Deputy Sheriff Hicks
believed he saw places where the snow
had entirely disappeared from the noun
tain sides, and he gathered a large crowd
10 witness the sight. Some said warm
winds melted the snow, and others be-
lieved the bare spots resulted from ava
lauchss.
At the wharf. opinion was divided as 70
caused the mountain to smoke" Fred
@. PlulomeT looked at the mountain
through his telescope. and reported an
unusual quantity Of steam Issuing from
the north side Of the mountain.
From the steps OF the church OF the
viewed the mountain. the steam looked
like real smoke. c. b. Talbot. the noun
tain climber, SAID IL was drifting snow
and steam. Principally the former.