The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-16
COLIMA, THE TERRIBLE
AWE-INSPIRING ERUPTION OF THE
MONSTER VOLCANO.
Vibrations of the Earth Felt 100 Miles
from the Mexican Mountain that
In Now Becoming Active.


The eruption of the volcano of Collma.
now In progress, is one of the most inter-
esting and awe-inspiring seismic disturb
ances which have occurred during the pres
emf century in Mexico. Since the great out
breaks OF 1888 and 1886 the great mountain
which has dealt death and destruction
through the centuries from its double
mouth has been in a state OF almost
complete quietude. but now ii has burst
forth again in its fury, and the whole
country around is In state of terror.
The explosions occur throughout the
days and nights at intervals of but a few
minutes; writing serpents of flame shoot
out OF the crater TO great heights in the
smoke-shrouded atmosphere; mountains of
vapor are pushed up out of the furnace
heats within and drift off toward the sea
like icebergs of the air: shifting winds
bear away the volcanic dust TO powder the
land for hundreds of miles away, and for
long distances out to sea, as tribute from
the underearth to the great waters of the
Pacific.
1t is not known how many lives have
the outbreaks OF Colima. there have been
sacrifices. Most Of these have doubtless
been been silently buried by the ashes. but one
and hardly recognizable as human from the
nerceness of the heat which had overtaken
the poor victim before he could flee the en-
veloping danger. The vibrations of the
earth are felt to Manzanllo, on the Pacific
coast, and as far east as the city OF
Guadalajara, or over a territory of 125
miles square. Several sharp earthquake
shocks have occurred and done some dam.
age, but, fortunately. the temblores have
not as yet been sufficiently strong to cause
the frightful slaughters which Still make
tne people or the Pacific coast country TO
shudder in their recital
The present disturbance began over two
weeks ago, when unusual columns of
smoke were noticed from this city ascend
ing from the main crater of the volcano.
AS this is no very unusual occurrence it
caused little remark, although the late Sc
ries of earthquakes which have visited the
central Plateau of Mexico and been at
have long made the people of this district
apprehensive of impending danger from the
dreaded Colima, and its near neighbor, the
awful Jorullo.
A NEW VOLCANO
Word has just reached this city of the
outbreak of a new volcanoe in the Terri
tory of Topic and a league from the
town of Jalcotan. What has always been
supposed to be merely butte has sud-
denly burst forth into a mountain of fury,
from the crater of which ascend smoke and
vapor, and down the sides of which stream
floods of fiery lava. Full reports of this
latest volcano outbreak have not yet
OF
Territory has named a commission, headed
by expert engineer. to make full in
vestigation of the phenomenon as soon as
possible.
The new volcano of Jalcotan merely adds
another link to the volcanic chain which
stretches clear across Mexico, from the
Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific, and which
includes the famous vents Of OriZaba, Pc
rote, Popocatepetl, Ixaccihuatl, Toluca Co
lima, Jorullo, the island volcanoes of the
RevillegigedoS, off southern California, and
other noted
pose that a great rent stretches across
central Mexico, or that, more properly
speaking, earth-belting fissure along
which. are located many of the most FAM
Gus Of the worlds volcanoes passes through
I'll ahIS tho country Nsx,cs snre n it is that
tains have a sympathetic connec-
ton, as signs of disturbance in one pa
of the volcanic chain are almost certain
TO make themselves shortly felt in another
During the fall of 1894 unusual signs OF
earthquake activities had begun to mani
fest themselves throughout the entire Mex
lean zone, leading up TO the terrific ter
remetes which occurred on the night of
the ID of last November and which were
so very destructive to life and property.
leo alone. These were followed by smaller
shocks at various times up TO the present.
almost every disturbance being accompa-
MED by unusual activities in some one or
other or the volcanoes mentioned. The
outbreak of the long extinct volcano of
0Srizana, near the east coast, in March of
over wide extent of territory, and started
into life activities which have evidently
led up to the present eruption of Colima,
and the appearance of the new Jalcotan. A
new eruption of the Revillegigedos far ont
in the Pacific has been reported by vessels
passing passing the proximity of these islands. but
positive information on this point has not
yet been received by the Mexican govern
ment
HISTORY OF COLIMA.
The history of Colima during the past
three centuries is written all over with
tales Of death and horror. Previous to the
coming of the Spaniards no record was
kept of the eruptions other than the misty
traditions of the Aztecs. who told of
things awful that they were cot given
credence by the most conservative or
Spanish historians, but the general verac-
lily or which has been we'll attested in the
years since the coming of the Castilians
The first regularly recorded eruption in
Spanish archives occurred in 1876. being
very strong and inficting much damage
In 1911 occurred a second eruption, so fierce
in its raging furies that dust and ashes
were scattered over radius of forty
leagues in every direction, covering the
even the people, with suffocation. The
following century saw but notable out
break, which occurred in Ill, and which
was SO strong that for the space of three
days there was constant rain of ashes
in GuadalaJara, one hundred miles away.
1t was in the eighteenth century, in 1859.
ing the now famous volcano of Jorullo 10
arise to its present height of four
thousand feet, without warning, out
of level plain to the north of
Colima, destroying fine haciendas and
roasting to death the unfortunate inhabi-
tantS OF the region in fiery floods of lava
and oceans of swift pursuing flames over
1000 victims the roll of death in one
spot is the record left by the eruption and
earthquakes of Coima in 1906. While a
great concourse of people were gathered in
the church at Zapotlan. praying that the
impending calamity might be mercifully
averted. a rolling rumble was heard COM
ing from the mountains. This was fol-
lowed by an awful shock from which the
TO collapse. For moment the towers of
the church rocked dizzily. and the walls
swayed. when the whole structure fell to-
getner, with a deafening crash burying
in one ruin OF death priest and people TO
the number OF more than ? co., and almost
wiplng out the poulation OF the whole pu-
eb.o. Twelve years later the parish church
in this city was destroyed, with many IA
talities, and from the great eruption ashes
Zacatecas, $50 miles 10 the north. Another
interval Of repose. lasting more than half
a century. ensued. until 1863. when the new
crater was opened with a dicharge of lava
and hot rocks, which ran down the slopes
upon the farms below, and shot up into the
air like shells from a massive
mortar. to burst with a loud re-
port and scattering fragments as
they assembled to the icy air. The eruption
of 1869 is with hardly a parallel in the his
tory of volcanic outbreaks for the terrible
grandeur of the sight presented 20 wit
nesSes at the same moment when the noun
tain burst and allowed the imprisoned