The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-02

Sound It looks far loftier than any OF the Alps
wlpcu viewed from an equal distance, because
nearly its entire height Is before tho eye. IN
other words, instear of rising from u great
plateau or. ON the back Of q lofty mountain
wal, it springs go It's full height straight from
sea hvel. Its outline IL cXcUeiingly imposing,
being that Of u hinge dome. tho urper, part nt
which; even IN fntdsnpn,ar, Is White WITH snnN;
In white Gown to its foothills.
Sixteen or seventeen Elncicr'. How down tho
Slopes and % t prSs .mT,n.hi All t Inn c2 2a feao
lures Of mor.tiies, assures. mouths, and i,y
pyecipiccs, Which arr 20 be found among tho
mountGin within the temperate zone that ex-
hihits so extensive a glacier system.
The ascent of the mountain has not been
hitherto very diflcult when the attempt was
made late In the sun mer. There is DO such
climbing on dizzy precipices az must DO encouli-
tered on the Matierhdrn. for instance. all the
difficulty arising from soft snow. Avalanches
are frequent on its RANKS ana the snow remains
unlii July in some Of the lower ravines. Crater
Lake. which lies ON the northwestern slope or
thu mountain. Occupying a profound depression;
with prcCipitous walls On threc sides. Is Beloved
10y some t. mark the site OF u FORMER crater or
the volcano, hut during q visit which made to
IL IN 1872? | became convinced that the deprcs-
sion, whose bottom is filed by the lake, has
beet produced by a tremendous. landslip,. in
nTtT nor P the q rect ~ cs ses sn" IS vSolc,nio action. o"'
The true crater. and thai from which all
the eriintions have taken place. N on the sum
been Indicated by Il sort Of notch or scallop In
the mountain top, visible from Tacoma and
OIllt ElIFVunllbE DbllllEs = " ltktNl
among some OF the tribes OF Indians living near
Mount Tacoma that the mountain was once
mass sunk our Of sight during a great eruption.
1t is also said that stones have been shot from
me crater TO 4 Th dlstan S ot MANI miles wit TN
Mount Tacoma have, from time TO time. reported
the appearance of pull. Of steam and smoke at
its summit. but ordinarily little attention has
been paid to these indications that its volcanic
fires were only slumbcring. but not extinct.
The appearance OF the crater on the top, a
deem cavity about half a mile across, has al
ways been suggestive of a considerable degree
ttvely free from snow, while the outer slopes Of
the peak were deeply buried.
from the glaciers Of Mount Tacoma. In fact.
acting rs a cloud condenser, for the warm air
highly important part in the economy of the
Sound, region. The immensely rich
mainly OafiSii n ao%r s1Sp by the the VVs,ter derived from the h
and the same Ia true OF the thou
sands of acres OF beautiful meadov lands that
IL.
The history of Mount Tacoma as a volcano
still awaits investigation, Very little i vet
place from 1t in past time. It's great height, to-
Rether with the general steep slopes of its sides.
not been charscterized by vast flows ~ liquid
lava. 1t is not likely that such flows will occur
either at present or in the future, at least not on
n large scale. The great period OF activity in the
no doubt, occurred when the ocean
flowed nearer its foot, than It does at present.
and perhaps when the dusty plain of eastern
was covered with "a lake. All that
know OF volcanoes leads to the conclusion
that tho leaking Of sea water down To their
roots In the crust OF the earth is "a principal
cause of their explosions.
The city of Tacoma is situated more than forty
miles in an air line from the crater of the noun
tain. and Seattle is still further. so that under
no circumstance could any danger be appre-
at those points from the activity or the
But AS a spectacle a great eruption
N Tacoma would be grand beyond description.
It's huge form is seen reflected in the waters OF
Puget Sound like NeSuvlus in tho Bay OF Naples,
but Mount Tacoma Is almost four times as high
rs Mount Nesuvius and massive in proportion,
10 say nothing Of the splendid appearance pre-
'entcd by its vast mantle OF eternal snow.
GARRETT p. SERvIss.