The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-22

rim of the crater has fallen in aud that
Columbia's Crest has been torn of or
swallowed up. In its place appears
ragged plateau full of terrible crevassss
and a sharp. Jagged peak rising from
about Is center.
This convulsion of nature was observed
shortly before sunrise yesterday morning.
at which time the air WAS clear and crisp
and the frs, flush OF the morning sun was
lighting the Eastern slope of the mountain.
Five reputable eye witnesses attest to the
truth Of the strange phenomenon seen by
each within that brief period before sun
rise. With the rise OF the morning Gun.
however. thick hare from the Sound
obscnred the view and the old mountain
was literally ''out OF sight al day. which
only tended to intensity the excitement
created by the report of those early risers.
The full extent of the convulsion will not
be known until the weather permits of a
closer examination. MAJOR Il. 8. Ingra-
ham. who headed the last pslrty ofexpIorers
from this CITY last July. does not credit the
report that the crest has disappeared, at
tributing such al appearance to an optical
Illusion created by the fantastic MISSING
Of the clouds of smoke and steam emitted
over the crater. but be admits that he did
Va
opinion is only theory.
The five persons who observed the phe-
nomenon under the most favorable condi-
tions saw IL from different points of view,
but they all agree on the main facts,
namely, that the mountain belched forth
smoke with force enough 10 send the
column several hundred feet into the clear
air, doing so ut interval varying from ten
10 twenty seconds; that the column of
smoke drifted across to the east. and that
the dome-like appearance of tho Great,
always Of = dazzling white. had apparently
disappeared, showing dark crevasses
down the sides as If all the snow had been
melted off by the heated discharges.
Incoming passengers on trains from
Portland also report witnessing the
strange sight yesterday morning before
the mountain was hidden by the hazy
atmosphere. One train from Portland
stopped some ten minutes at point
south of Tacoma in order To permit its
passengers to witness tho strange and
swe-inspiring sight. They say the whole
south side of the crater and all OF colum-
bias crest is gone.
CRATER OF MOUNT RAINIER
The foregoing cut Is an accurate repre-
sensation of the larger. or eastern crater,
of Mount Rainier, made from a photo
graph taken by Mr.. Strickland. who &C
oomranied Maj. Ingrahain last summer.
The highest point, or mound In the far
distance seen back Of the crater, IL Column
bias crest. The point OF sight is above
tina crater. looking nearly north, and the
cut which is composite of photographs
of different parts, shows il Us IL would
appear to one looking down on IT. Much
of the rim oi tbe crater was bare, outside
and in. while tho snow of the interior was
full OF ice caves and passages. made ny
steam escaping from the interior Its
largest diameter was about threc-fourths
OF a mile. and its center point was nearly
DO feet below Columhia's crest It's rim
was perfect. which Mould seem To indicate
that its latest activity was blowout
Moss grew quite ahuadansly on the warm
rocks The western crater is smaller, and
its walls are less rugged and not continu-
efty cap the rim is bare downward for 500
feet, being warm. with Jets of steam issu.
ing ia many places.
The following cut shows the outline OF
the summit % Mount Rainier as IL now
appears 'rote this city. The peak on the
leit il Mount Fay. the one in the center is
the new peak which appears where the
rounded sammlt formerly was and the
Jagged peak on the right Is \ rough noint
of rock, NFol-<hlv remaining from the era
tiers risa.