Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-08
MOUNTAIN OF FLAME
WILL BE THE GREAT SENSATION
AT THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
SUBLIME, GRAND, AND TERRIFYING.
A Panorama of Dante's Inferno, n
Cabaret of Death, a Theatre, b.
cycle Rink, and Lecture Halls VIII
BE Contained Within the Volcano.


some feature TO loom up above the others.
to eclipse any display tina has ever be-
fore been made, and to make the exposi-
ton talked about from one end of the
world to the other, was a problem which
long puzzled the commissioners. But It
puzzles them no longer. The sensation
has been found. II viii be nothing less
than q great volcano IN eruption, con-
stantly splitting out smoke and fame.
The building Of the volcano has been
undertaken by A. NJ. Jodice, and will be
located close to the Eiffel Tower. Its
fame-tipped apex will be a hundred
metres, or nearly so feet. from the
ground. Its disasters viii be over 400
feet, and the distance around the base
will be Ill metres. which is not far from
a quarter of a mile. To erect the fiery
mountain will cost 100000 francs, or con-
siderably over a million dollars.
Yet II is confidently expected that the
result will fully justify the great outlay
OF time and money. Where visitors enter
the exposition-grounds they will be con-
fronted with what will be to all appear
ances a natural hill. In the intervals be-
tween eruptions 1t will present a great
pastoral effect. It's sides will appear fair
and green in the sun, and will be dotted
with trees and small cottages, with gar
den patches around them. 1t will seem 2
bucolic throne Of peace and fertility. ex-
cept for one t~hing-namely. a thin but
wicked-looking thread Of smoke stealing
IRON the tOp-a harbinger Of black and
fiery terror.
one will be able TO climb up the sides
or the mountain and rest under the trees
without losing the impression Of rural
quiet, until Of a sudden a great rumbling
VIII fill the air; an immense volume OF
black smoke will belch forth from where
the thin thread wound lazily; flames will
leap forth and light with iurid glare the
smoke. rising slowly and spreading out
IKE q huge black canopy. And molten,
steaming lava will begin to pour over the
crater's sides and stream down the noun
tain sides.
Women win undoubtedly tremble and
cling TO their stalwart escorts amid this
dwe-inspirlng spectacle and seemingly i'm
minent danger. But their fear Will.
Of course, be groundless. The avalanche
Of lava will follow well-defned courses
down the mountain. In a few minutes the
leaping lanes will retire like dancers
behind the scenes. In fantastic shapes the
clouds Of smoke will go up on journeys
into space. and the volcano will resume
once more the appearance of green fer
tility, the smiling face that cloaks the
fires beneath. While the spectacle lasts,
however, II will be a greater one than
was ever before turned out by my one
but old Mother Nature, the supreme scenic
artist.
In one respect this volcano will be an
Improvement on any that are natures
handiwork. One Will find In it an open
door which will lead into the bowels Of
the earth, and once inside the visitor may
NrrnI.V rUAr. ono LII
to while away a pleasant sour in the
cabaret of death; he may take the trip
that Dante took into Inferno: ne may
gaze upon a seething lake Of fire.
The cabaret Of death will be a cheerful
place in which one may linger to partake
of a little refreshment for the excursion
INTO the deeper mysteries Of the volcano.
The place Will be hung in black. Walters
with long faces and whispering voices and
crepe tied around their tall. black
hats will serve various kinds Of liquids
on tables shaped like collins. a man
with a sepulchral voice will make dolo-
rous announcement about this vale Of
tears, and will invite the visitors into
the next chamber, where Charon, the
grim ferryman, waits 10 pilot tourists on
imaginary trips across the StyX.
After escaping from the cabaret OF
death with your life. you will be able, II
you are fortunate enough 10 be one Of
the subterranean excursionists. to enter
Dante's Inferno and see, spread out in
panorama, all Of the startling sights that
the strange and wonderful Imagination
Of the great Italian poet cOnjured up.
And then you may tarry IN the theatre
or bicycle rink. or, If these be too prosaic,
you may stand on the banks Of the lake
Of liquid fire. This spectacle which, it is
said, will be quite appalling, will be pro-
duced by a most ingenious arrangement
Of electric lights and gas in the form OF
letting flames and glowing latent heat.
The entire mechanical scheme Of the vol
cano is, in fact, quite as remarkable as
the spectacular effects. The great volumes
of black smoke that viii darken the
sky will be obtained from a surprisingly
small amount OF coal for the results OBJ
tanned.
The effect Of the leaping and darting
flames i'm the eruption Will be the result
Of cleverly-arranged ~gas-pipes, and the
lava which pours out from the crater
and down the volcanoes sides with such
startling realism will pass into reecep-
tacles from which II will be pumped to
the top again 10 DO ready for its next
trip. The signals ior the eruptions will
be given by a huge figure presiding over
the lake of fire and most impressiyely
arrayed as Vulcan, the God OF Fire.
But the volcano at the exposition VIII
not fulfil It's whole destiny by startling
and inspiring awe. Another purpose or
its projectors is 10 use 1t as a means Of
instruction. Its interior will present, with
scientific correctness and exactness, the
volcanic strata of earth. anS show how
the volcanic mounds are thrown by the
nressure of fire and steam and hot air
within.
There will be lecture halls in which
famed authorities Will describe and dis
cuss volcanoes from all standpoints, and
show brilliant stereoptican pictures by
wav of illustration. They will point out
the fact that the great majority OF VOL
canoes are situated on or near the sea
coast and will expand upon the theory
NJ which this fact is the main substan-
tiation-namely, that the interior of the
earth Is in a highly fused and heated
etote and hat volcanic action IS caused
NV water that has been converted INTO
steam and exerts a tremendous pressure
from within upon the surface OF the
oorth In accordance witt this theory,
n Is believed that volcanoes only occur
where the crust of the earth Is thin, and
are never seen where the surface mas
lately subsidized, or is still subsiding.
The lecturers will tell where these areas
lie and will describe the famous vol
canoes OF the earth, Vesuvirs and the
others. and will paint word pictures OF
their eruptions. They will dwell upon
the many manifestation of volcanic &C
tom. even where there is apparently no
Volcano. as in Java. where, in a locality
known as "the Valley Of Death" gas
pours out OF the earth so copiously as
10 form the lower stratum or the Amos
phere, and almost instantly suloca.eS
..ra h. tho GhaIfar