Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1898-10-28
VOLCANOES GRIM RECORD
TERRIBLE DESTRUCTION WROUGHT
BY THE LAVA FROM VEsUylUS.

/
but unable to foretell the extent OF the
eruptions.
/ Nesuvius is eight miles from Naples,
whose bay it overlooks at tho eastern
extremity Of chain extending to the
island OF Ischia. 1t is believed th t
the whole gulf of Naples was once an
immense crater, the northern end Of
great rent in the earth's crust. Etua
being the southern end and Strom-
boil about the middle.
At its base Vesuvius is thirty miles
in circumference. Its height varies
after its erupsions, but the average is
about 5000 feet. Its great crater is
some 2000 feet in diameter and about
500 feet deep.
1t consists Of two distinct parts.
The north side is a lofty, semi-cirea-
lar cliff, called Monte Somma, which
has prehistoric crater. 1t is separ-
ated from the active volcano by a
deep valley several hundred feet wide.
The Vesuvius OF the ancients was
truncated cone with base of eight or
nine miles and height Of 1000 feet.
At its summit was a depressed plain
three miles in diameter. On this
plain Spartacus, the gladiator, fought
Claudius Puleher.
| There is no record OF an eruption
of Vesuvius prior to A. ID. 70, al
though the latter-day scientists have
proved that it must haye been active
before that time. At the beginning
of the Christian era the sides of Vesu-
wins were covered with fields aud
vines and its crater was overgrown
with wild grapes.
1t is certain that the people living
near it at that time had not the slight
est idea that it was an active volcano,
for the writings of Pliny and Younger
and Pacitus show that it gave warn
ing for thirteen years before the great
eruption. There were a series Of
earthquakes and tremendous seismic
disturbances.
The great historic eruption took
place in August. The steam was con-
delsed aud poured dowa in torrents
of rain, making the lava dust pasty
substance that poured down the noun
tain side and buried Herculaneum at
the west base, Pompeii on the south
east side, Stabiae on the south side
and Castellamare, which was beyond
Stabiae. These cities were inundat-
ed and forgotten, SO that centuries
after, when the remains were dug up,
moderns could gain perfect insight
into the manners and customs of the
time OF the great eruption.
For centuries Vesuvius was quiet.
People who lived about it forgot that
it had once buried cities and killed
thousands. Again did vines cover
the crater and its sides were cultivat-
ed fields. There had been six months
of earthquakes, hut these were not
accepted as a warning.
Vesuyius burst forth in mighty fury
on Dec. l6, 1881, suddenly and unex-
pectedly. 1t continued until Feb,
1882. There was a tremendous flow
OF lava mingled with water, resulting
from the melting of the snow and
mud. Tore Annunziata, Tore del
Greco, Resina and Portia we're almost
wholly destroyed. and it estimated
that $4,000 people lost their lives.
There was another eruption in 1860.
but only ashes and steam, which
formed mud torrents, came forth.
One of the very grand eruptions oc-
CURED in 1878. Huge stones were
projected several thousand feet into
the air in a cloud of white vapor, with
large masses of molten rock. Huge
streams of lava poured down the
mountain side, carrying death and de-
struciiOn.
Vesuyius was quiet for a few years,
but in 1894 it burst forth again. Tor
re del Greco was again destroyed by
lava, which flowed down in fiery
stream quarter of mile wide at its
base and fifteen feet thick.
The outbreak which began in Oct,
1882 lasted nearly month, rupturing
the top of the coae and making a era
ter three miles in circumference and
1000 feet deep. From that time We
suvius has never been quiet.
In 1S4l Ferdinand III established
an observatory on the volcano for the
purpose of giving warning of probable
erurtions. When the eruption of May,
1855, came the people had fed in
time. The cone was again rent asun-
der and the flow of lava continued for
twenty-seven days, destroying miles
OF cultivated fields aud many houses.
Early in 1872 another eruption took
place. Crowds of people from Naples
ascended the mountain sides to wit
ness the fireworks. Three or four hnn-
dred never returned Streams of lava
twenty feet in diameter and twenty
feet wide broke from the crater's sides.
The whole mountain seemed to ex-
| plode. One rent was 1000 feet wide.
The heat broke the glass in the obser-
vatory windows. The damage done
to the crops was about $3.50, 900. We
suvius seems to sweat fire.
Since 1871 there have been few
eruptions. The last one OF impor-
tanee took place in 1876, and there
have been several minor ones with
but little escape of lava beyond the
| crater.
The eruption of 1872 was preceded
by slight premonitary symptoms.
Early in 1871 the seismograph became
unquiet and Professor Palmieri
| prophesied an outburst, which gradu-
ally increased in intensity until April
"a, 1872. Two days later there was a
rent in the cone 1000 feet wide. Mol
ten rocks, lava and ashes gushed forth
from the crater. Two fiery torrents
rushed down the mountain on either
side of the observatory joining at the
base with a third stream. In the
words of Professor Palmieri, the vol
cano 'fsweated fire."
The atmosphere was white with
crystals. The streams Of lava gave
forth dense clouds Of steam and
formed miniature volcanoes as they
sped downward. The earth trembled
and heaved like the ocean in a storm.
There was vivid lightning from the
intense electrical excitement and a
heavy downpour of rain. The streets