The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-07
yESUyIUS IN ACTION
THE TERRIBLE VOLCANO or HIS
TORY IN VIOLENT ERUPTION.
New Cfties Founded ON the Hufns OF
the Old I'm Danger-Mount Etna
Also BelchfnE Forth.

July 6.-Ine crater VI N
Etna is again pouring forth fire, smoke
and lava. Mount Vesuvius is also IN q
state OF eruption. and is reported TO De IN
worse condition than Mount Etna. Inc
town of Resina. in south Italy, built over
the ruins Of Herculaneum. is threatened.
villages in the vicinity of both volcanoes
are believed TO be in danger.
Mounts Etna and vesuvius are the two
most famous volcanoes on the earth An
eruption Of Etna is mentioned by Diodorus
Siculus as happening 1926 B. c. 1t Is To-
Gated Ia Sicily, and in mythology the tabled
FORCES Of the Cyclops were located there.
The ancient Pindar named ii the Pillar OF
Heaven.
Vesuvius has been the most terrible of all
the volcanoes. and it would be a strange
case of history repeating itself If now,
nearly nineteen hundred years after the
destruction OF the two cities of Pompeii and
Herculaneum. 1t should overwhelm the
towns built on the ruins OF H-erculaneum.
The famous historical eruption was on the
night of August "a. 20 A D., and more than
100000 people persisted. The first eruptions
Of these two famous fiery vents Of nature
is earlier than any record in history. The
great Latin naturalist Pliny lost his life in
the great eruption Isis years ago.
Vesuvius is the most celebrated volcano
in the world and rises from the eastern
margin of the Bay of Naples. in the very
midst of a region which has been densely
populated by civilized communities for more
than twenty centuries. It's history has sup
piled a large part of the on
which geological theories Of volcanic action
have been based. Its height varies from
time to time, several hundred feet, accord
ing to the effects of successive eruptions,
but averages about four thousand feet
above the sea. 1t is a double-cratered vol
cano. At the time Of its greatest dinen-
sions 1T is believed to have been twice as
high as the present measurements. BY a
colossal eruption before historical chroni-
cles the upper half of the cone was blown
away and IL was around this trunc1ted
cone that the earliest Greek settlers
founded their little colonies.
at the beginning of the Christian era,
and. for many previous centuries, no erup-
ton had been known to take place from the
mountain, and it's volcanic nature perhaps
w whs n pIan eeen t SeSpe Sineya ay sn along %DneaR ies fer.
tile slopes and built their numerous villages
around its base. The great g~eographer.
canic origin of the cone, and called atten-
ton to its evidently threaten rocks. From
his records in the first century 1csrrs Of
that for hundreds Of years previously
the sides of the mountains were richly cuI-
sparse and did not conceal the loose ashes
still remaining as evidence of the volcanic
nature Of the place: On ITS barren summit
walls of rock. doubtless the present crater
wall OF Somma being a relic of that time.
In this lofty hollow it was that gladiator
escaped by twisting ropes of vine branches
and descending through a notch in the
crater rim.
After centuries of inaction the volcanic
energy manifested itself in q succession
Of earthquakes, spreading alarm as far
and wide through Campania. At Pompeii
and an inscription found shows that it
Was rebuilt from the foundation by the
munificence of a private citizen. This pre-
great eruption that overwhelmed the two
cities at its base. The best description of
this is found in two letters of the younger
Pliny to the historian Tacitus.
For nearly fifteen hundred years after
that catastrophe Vesuvius remained feebly
fury the mountain resumed much the same
general aspect as was presented before the
eruption described by Pliny. Its crater
c Mn.ln m wsce i and at nve their %i'e' bas se
s1Tssshe over By ca MtSe' Af saaSs q series eiai Of
in violence, the volcano burst into renewed
paroxysmal activity on Dec. 16. 1851.
The vast tunnel hurled out clouds of dust
and stone. particles being carried even to
the Adriatic and to Constantinople. Though
the inhabitants had been warned, they
were unable to escape, and on this occa-
sion eighteen thousand lives were lost
Since this great convulsion which emptied
the crater, Vesuvius has never again re-
lapsed into a condition of total quiescence.
At intervals of weeks, months and some
times years 1t has broken out interruption.
The modern cone of the mountain'h been
built up by successive discharges from a
vent lying a little south of the center of the
crater. The southern section of
the ancient cone, answering to the semi
circular wall of Somma north, has almost
been concealed.
On one of the ridges near the summit an
observatory for the purpose of watching
the progress of the volcano was established
many years ago by the Neapolitan govern
meat, and is still supported as a national
institution. A continuous record of each
phase in the volcanic changes has been
taken, and some progress has been taken in
and in demonstrating the current and
probable intensity of eruptions. In 1880 a
wire-rope railway was made to carry Wis
itors from the foot OF the cone up to within
$50 yards of the mouth Of the crater. Some
twenty eruptions have occurred in the last
century. On its treacherous slope are mar
ket gardens, which supply Naples with veg
etables.
u UJJyn STUTnENr