The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-11-29
AGAIN IN ERUPTION.

AGAIN In ERUPTION.
GRAND SPECTACLE PRESENTED BY
MOUNT vEsuvlus' BELcHlNGs
Grim Record of the Worlds Most Fa-
nous volcano-strnngc Phenomena
of the Eruptions-Tourists Flock to
See the Sight.
The people of Naples and the peas
ants living in the hills within the shad-
ow Of Mount Vesuvius have recently
been passing some very anxious days
and nights on account of the eruptive
state of the volcano. 'The gods are an
gryP' ''Vesuvius is in state of erup
toni" cry the tourists, and they flock
to Naples to get glimpse of one of the
world s grandest spectacles Vesuvius
has had many eruptions since the one
which wiped out Of existence the cities
Of Pompeii and Herculaneum, but they
have been comparatively of recent date.
For several centuries there were no dis
turbances. The natives forgot that
volcano existed. Vesuvius to them was
little more than tradition. Once more
the vines covered the crater, and the
sides of the hills were covered with
vineyards. But on Dec. 16, 1851, the
volcano burst forth suddenly and unex-
pectedly. 1t continued until February,
1882. There was tremendous flow of
lava, mingled with water, resulting
from the melting of the snow and mud.
Tore Annunziata, Tore del Greco, Re-
sina and Portia were almost wholly de-
stroyed, and it is estimated that $4,000
persons lost their lives. There was an
other eruption in 1860, but only ashes
and steam, which formed mud torrents,
came forth.
One of the very grand eruptions &C.
Cured in 1879. Huge stones were pro-
jected several thousand feet into the air
in cloud of white vapor, with large
masses of molten rock. Huge streams
Of lava poured down the mountain side,
carrying death and destruction. Vesa
vius was quiet for few years, but in
1894 it burst forth again. Tore del
Greco was again destroyed by lava,
which flowed down in fiery stream
nearly quarter of mile wide at its
base and Is feet thick.
The outbreak which began in Octo-
Der, 1892, lasted nearly month, rup-
turing the top Of the cone and making
crater three milee in circumference
and 1000 feet deep. From that time
Vesuvius has never been wholly quiet.
In 1858 there was another eruption,
when lava poured from the crater. But
it was slow moving, progressing only a
few inches day. The eruption of 1861
was violent for seven hours, and Tore
del Greco was overwhelmed for the
third time. The intense cold, which
rapidly cooled the lava, was Of immense
advantage in protecting property.
In November, 1867. there was an
eruption which continued until June,
1868. The one of 1879 was very violent,
two streams pouring down ON either
side Of the observatory. The streets OF
Naples, eight miles distant, were Gov
cred inches deep with the sooty dust
from the volcanic smoke. The flow OF
lava was three-fifths Of mile wide.
Since then there have been numerous
disturbances, but none Of particularly
disastrous nature.
Notwithstanding many works which
have been published bearing upon the
subject the exact origin Of these vol
canio phenomena is still shrouded in
considerable doubt. According to one
authority, it is highly probable that they
are intimately connected with the wa
ter Of the sea, near which all the prin
cipal volcanoes are situated. There il
reason to believe that the enormous
clouds Of steam generated during erup
tions are due to some temporary com
munication of the water with the burn
ing liquids of the interior Of the earth
and that the premonitory earthquake
are occasoned by the vapors and case
as they expand and endeavor to find al
outlet.
The redhot fluids expelled from til
volcano by means Of these vapors ar
termed lava. When, however, they ar
broken by the vapors into fragments
the largest Of these are known as lapilli
while the minute portions form volcani
sand or ashes. When freed from til
pressure of the lava. the vapors rise t
height of about 10. 900 feet, in forr
somewhat resembling pine, carryin
dense masses Of lapilli and ashes alon
with them. They are then condensed j
tho air and, descending, give rise to tn
formidable streams Of mud whic
proved especially destructive to Hercu