The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-11-22
MT. RAINIER SMOKING
ITS SUMMIT SAID TO BE In MILD
STATE OF ERUPTION.
The Dome-Lilxe Peak Replaced I,y n
Fiat TOp--Steam Seen MinEiinS
with the Smoke.

SEATTLE, Wash, Nov. 21.-Mount Ra-
nier is in a state Of mild eruption; the ap-
pearance of the summit is entirely changed
and another peak has appeared in its CEN
ter. Soon after sunrise this morning, the
sky and air being remarkably clear, clouds
OF black smoke were seen curling from
tho southwestern part of the peak, where
the crater Is located, coming at Intervals
of about fifteen seconds. The dome-like top
had disappeared and been replaced with a
fat top with a large crevasse extending
from the side. while in the center of its
summit new peak had appeared on the
north side. The snow was nearly gone from
the summit, being melted off or fallen. A
mass of rock stripped of the white cover
ing could be plainly discerned. Steam is
also seen mingling with the smoke, which
rose one hundred feet above the summit.
Mount Rainier Is a cone-shaped peak, and
stands slightly to the west of the main
Cascade range, and five miles southeast Of
Seattle. 1t rises fully nine thousand feet
above the range. 1t has three craters, one
Of which, the principal and most perfect,
is the scene of the recent volcanic dis
turbance The crater is half a mile across,
with wai4s of rock fifty feet high. Thou
sands Of jets of hot air and steam issue
from this rim. The inside of the G: ater is
filed with snow and ice, in which the
smouldering volcanoes steam jets have
formed innumerable caves, one of which
has been penetrated by explorers TO a
depth of one hundred feet, while they have
used the steam jets for cooking. 1t is
supposed that the walls of the crater, nav
ing been gradually weakened at the base.
have fallen leaving peak composed of
the rock on which the snow cone named
Columbian crest. had formed, and that the
internal fires thus freed has thus burst
forth in new vigor. The eruption became
hidden by clouds soon after p. m.
Doubted at Tacoma.
TACOMA, Wash. Nov. 2l-The story of
Mt. Ranier's changed appearance is regard
ed here as having little foundation, though
Tacoma looks at the mountain from a diff
ferent point of view than Seattle No steam
or fire have been observed from here, but
the side near this city, which is covered
with one of the largest glaciers in the
world, seems to be covered with snow 10
a greater depth than usual. Most always
in the summer time, clear day. some
steam can be seen arising from the noun
tain's crater and it is thought here that
this phenomenon has given rise to the
story. Persons have slept in the crater for
a few hours at a time, but cannot remain
long on account of the dense sulphuric gas,
which is constantly rising and which has
led some travellers to suspect that the in
terror of the mountain was in close prox-
unity to the place known in literature as
hades
Tonight, exactly at $50 o'clock, several
slight shocks of earthquake were felt here
Windows were ratified throughout the city
The first shock was most severe, being ac-
companied by rumbling noises as OF a dis
tant explosion, and simultaneously a sheet
OF flame was Observed in the eastern
heavens.
Inquiry tonight develops the fact that
several persons here saw the smoke arising
from Mount Tacoma this morning. Mrs.
Lowell, an Iowa lady. visiting friends, says
she saw at Z o'clock, just before sunrise. a
good-sized column of smoke arising from
the mountain top. It's color was gray She
thought 1t rose too rapidly TO be a cloud.
Prof. r. c. Plummer local scientist.
who has made a special study OF earth
quake phenomena in the Northwest says:
"Old Hiaton the oldest Indian in Puyallup
reservation, said through an interpreter be-
fore the Tacoma Academy of Science, on
Feb. 3, 1898. that he had many times seen
fire and smoke coming out OF Mount
Tacoma. This was when he was a boy
Gen John c. Fremont reported on Nov
13. ls4s, that Mount Tacoma was in erup-
tion According to Prof. Holden, OF the
Lick Observatory. violent eruption of
the mountain occurred Oct. 10. 1873, at
D. M In Nay. 1880, volumes or smoke were
observed issuing from the crater. On June
IT, 1884, jets Of steam were observed shoot
ing upward from the mountain at intervals
of one minute. floating eastward. Steam
was continuously issuing from the crater's
peak in volume varying with the height
of the barometer. 1T is interesting to
note" said Prof. Plummer, that several
OF the planets. inclnding the earth, are
at present in line. fact which bears out
the theories Of Prof. Alexis Perry and
others that such conditions are favorable
TO earthquakes and volcanic phenomena.
There have been 50 far twenty-five large
earthquakes throughout the world during
the month Of October and November OF the
present year.