The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-07-07
MAUNA LOA IN ERUPTION
BREAKS OUT THE MORNING OF
JULY FOURTH.
Madame Pele Celebrates With Grand
Display of Volcanic Fire-Two Big
Lava Streams.

Mauna Loa is in eruption. Two big
streams of lava are flowing from the
summit crater, one on the Kau side and
one on the Hilo side. The flow toward
Kau is by far the larger and parties
have approached 1t and seen its ex-
tent. Not as much is known of the
stream flowing on the Hilo side.
The outbreak occurred early on the
morning of July 4. The news was
brought by the W. G. Hall which arriv-
ed this morning. Captain Simerson
gives this account of it, I'VE were
working all night at Punaluu Monday
night loading sugar. Suddenly just
after o'clock, 4th of July morning, the
whole sky seemed to light up suddenly.
The light seemed to come from the
northwest of us and looking in that di-
rection, we saw two great cones of light
shining up almost from the summit of
Mauna Loa. The light increased rapid
ly till the whole heavens were ablaze
with the reflection. 1t became so light
that we did not need our lights on deck
on the steamer 1t was the most mag
nificent sight l ever saw"
| Purser Tuft fixes the time at which
| the outbreak occurred as about quar-
ter after o'clock. THE light" he says,
seemed to come from behind a summit.
1t shot upward to the zenith, effacing
| the stars and the heavens themselves
|
| the illumination and the grandeur of it,
of course made us all wildly excited.We
| tried to call up the Volcano House by
! telephone but were unsuccessful at that
| time. There were two distinct streams
of upward light, corresponding with the
| two streams of lava we afterwards
| found out had broken forth. a.,
I'VE afterwards got into communica-
ton with a party who were near the
| Volcano House at the time of the out.
break and who went on up the noun.
tain towards the lava flow. In this par
ty was Mr.. Patty. He said the lava flow
on the Kau side was most magnificent
one, large and rapid in it's course. He
calculated that by next Sunday II
would reach the Government road lead.
ing from Punaluu to the Volcano House
and that it would strike the road some.
where between the Halfway House anc
the Volcano House. OF the stream or
the Hilo side he had not been able t
learn as much, but 1t seemed to be much
smaller than the other.
I'VE had this grand illumination o.
the heavens with us every night until i
faded away with the dawn this morn
ing, this side of Molokai. 1 should not b,
surprised If it could be seen at nigh
from the top of Diamond Head If Their
are no clouds between to shut it off.
"At Lahaina it was clearly visible
be distinguished.
There was slight earthquake il
Kau the day before the volcano burs
forth. The people all over Hawaii ar,
very much excited over the outbreak
as is not surprising"
People at the Volcano House wer,
preparing to go as near the scene of tn
lava flow as possible, when the w. G
Hall left the last Hawaii port.
The news of the outbreak rapid,
spread on the arrival of the w. G.. Hal
and the greatest interest was manifest
ed in it. While there have been signs o
seismic disturbance on Hawaii for som
time which have been reported here b.
the officers of tn steamers touching a
Hawaii ports, the news that the vol
cano had actually broken out come al
most with the surprise of the unex
pected. That the outbreak should b.
from the summit of Mauna Loa in
stead of at Kllauea, added to the In
terest and surprise in the phenomenon
1t is an interesting circumstance tha
this outbreak should occur early in tn
morning of the first 4th of July unde
the American flag. 1t is as if Madam
Pele had become the best American o
, us all and was determined to outd
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