The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-18
rnn onoWrn OF a voEozxo.
a oueer Process GoinE on vgithis ire nainit'
OF Les Angeles.

~ Los hnEelen.
From TIC Chicago THme. Hereid.
The baby volcano Of the Sicrro Santa Monica
This Ia the appellation Of tho strangost geologi-
cal formation on tho North American continent
1t showsno seismic tendency; there he's never
been any volcanic eruption. Yet It IL an In
sipient volcano.
On the gentle slope OF the mountains there
exists On aron Of land, boiling in fierce chemi-
cal action, that Is clutching deeper into tho
honrt OF the foothills and stinging it's very
vitals. Below this foothill lies q cavern,
vaster Z than the mountain itself. nllod
with liquid petroleum and vapors Of oil.
1t Is only one Of tho vast oil caverns
which lilo beneath the city Of Los An
gelos, fed by hundreds OF minor cavities. 1t IL
q gigantic lake of hot, rancid, highly imfammn-
BILE, bituminous rock oil. Toward that danger
GUS, scething liquid mass tho action OF Bulphates
in the side OF the foothill is approaching. Strong
chemical combustion, characterized by gigantic
heat, is creeping toward the lake of hot oil.
They are sure to meet. A generation, perhaps
more, may pass before the encounter. But when
the clash comes North America will DO able to
boast OF n mean and desperately active vol
cano. Local hemists biologists. and oil miners
have been watch hg THIS SIN indGi ,hSn IN V thS siGa TOT OF
| Elysian Park, n beautiful hill within the city
limits. 1t was a white spot on the surface about
one foot in diameter. from which radiated an
extraordinary amount of heat. Truly q ,pec9.
liar discovery; 1t was passed over with indim,
larger from month to month, from year toyear.
Finally it was examined and tho nature OF tho
It was found to be more serious and persistent
than imagined. Vast quantities OF sulphurio
acid gas, fed from q fi q ire, below; WerS az ii@e
and forming sulphate. OF lime. sulphato OF iron,
and sulphate Of aluminium: Carbonio acid gns
consuming the oxygen in the atmosphere. served
to keep the spot moist and the action continu.
GUS. To-day the combustion i more violent
There is no combustion in the ordinary sense
S Chemical shf asr% eom Go ton similar lila to that Of the
chemical fire engine designed 70 cast into visipie
Gro chemicals which Ish, have a still greater e So Fs affinity mt,
the flame has nothing to feed upon. !,
The chemical action in the young voISc cnoc u
Like an unconqucrabie and unauenehable
monster, it is growing bigger and bigger. deeper
noa dSsRsr; WORKING or KneTi is IN die j" way to%srd
the awful cavern beneath.
it, W rFow The IS Eer Gyis HE to- to- t aS,'e eye. .hf Biz G%oS Slisfe e
are putting out more and more on the hillside
eSGrsssGs nn oa;5 growing own e. In d size and b num tasse. In,
spot is now twenty-five feet In ametcr and III
depth unknown. How long IT. will take Z
There will be an exciting time in Los Angelo,
viii be rent with a hundred fgsures. Great gap!
will open up in its sides to give egress 70 Tn,
d %iRsiH volume ss e smoke t% %Fii pasS out w 81 sho bow
els Of the earth; followed by roaring. beichinI
Perhaps the lips of tho crater. formed viii
serve to keep the flames within the scop
Of the mountain. But there arr, greater posi-
bilities for the young volcano. Rivers Of petro
lcum wind in, and out below the roots OF man,
foothills. That young volcano has a super
chance Of making a reputation for itself, such
reputation as the world of volcanoes and earth
quaKes has never known. yesuvius. Kilauea
and Shasta will be humbled.
s.Thpra Ia nothing fopliah in the fanr that tn
grandchildren Of the present generation ma
see that hill topped with a cloud of smoke b
day and a pillar of fire by night" said Williar
| Mabury. a chemist of reputation in the grea
Southwest. The time for the beginning of az
, ton cannot be determined. for the reason tina
I the exact depth to the i~nfammable oils an
7 OF combustion are all unknown quantities
2 Should this hopeful young American volcan
I turn out successfully and produce ~solfatari
/, phenomena worthy of the mountain that CAV
l 1t birth. then it win be the first known ~instant
r in the history of the world of q similar volcant
. growth. No record Of 80 striking a phenomene
/ has ever been kept or established. And II
i baby volcano grows apQcc,