Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-02-07
TIE BIRTH OF A VOLCANO.

From tho Capitals of Spanish America.
Yzalco, in the little republic OF San
Salvador, is In many respects the most
remarkable volcano on earth, tlrst, be-
cause its discharges have continued SO
long and with such great regularity;
again, because the tumult in the
earth's bowels isgalways to be heard,
rs the rumblingS and explosions are
constant, being audible for an hum
dred miles and sounding like the noise
which Rip Van Winkle heard when he
awakened from his sleep.in the Cats
kills; aud 6nally, 1t Is the only Volcano
that has originated on this continent
since the discovery by Columbus. 1t
arose suddenly from the plain in the
spring of ITO, in the midst Of wha
had been for nearly an hundred years
the profitable estate OF SenOr Don
Balthazar Erazo, who was absent from
the country at the time, aud was
greatly amazed on his return to dlscov-
er that his magnificent coffee and in
digo plantation had, without his
knowledge or consent, heen exchanged
for first class volcano.
In December, 1859, the poems on the
hacienda were alarmed by terrific
rumblings under the ground, constant
trembllngs Of the earth and frequent
earthquakes, which did not extend
over the country as usual, but seemed
to be confined to that particular To-
cality, They left the place In terror
when the tremblings and noises con-
tinued, and returning week or tive
after found that all the buildings had
been shaken down, trees uprooted and
large craterS opened in the fields which
had been level earth before. From
these craters smoke and steam issued,
and occasionally flames were seen ia
come out OF the ground. Some brave
vaqueros or herdsmen remained near
by to watch developments, and on
February 2S, ITO, they were enter.
tained by spectacle that no other
men have been permitted to witness,
for about 10 o'clock on the morning OF
that day the grand uphesval took
place. and 1t seemed to TO them, as
they fled in terror, that the whole
universe was being turned upside
down.
First there was a series of terrible
explosions, which lifted the crust OF
the earth several hundred feet, and
out of the cracks issued flames and
lava and an immense body OF smoke.
An hour or two afterward there was
another and a grander convulsion,
which shook and startled the country
for 100 miles around. Rocks weighing
thousands OF tons were hurled into the
air aud fell several leagues distant
The surface of the earth was elevated
about 5000 feet, and the internal re-
cesses were purged OF masses OF lava
and blistered stone which fell in a
heap around the hole from which they
issued.
These discharges continued for sew
eral days at irregular intervals, accom-
, panied by loud explosions and earth
quakes, which did much damage
throughout the entire republic. ThG
disturbance was perceptible in Nlcar
aqua and Honduras. In this manneI
was a volcano born, and 1t has proved
to be healthful aud vigorous child
In less than two months from a leye
field rose mountain more than 800
feet high, aud the constant discharge
from the crater which opened theI
have accumulated around its edge
: until its elevation has Increased 200
feet more. Unfortunately the growtl
l of the monster has not been scientific
3 ally observed or accurately measured
: but the cone of lava and ashes, whic
is now 1000 feet from the foundatio
of the earth upon which 1t rests,
: constantly growing by the incessan
! discharges Of volcanic matter.