Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-02-03

creeping things and the fowl Of the
heavens"
II was deiuge after the pattern OF
Noahs, although smaller and the en-
tire world felt Its powerful impetus. As
IL gained space and brOadvned, how
ever, Il grew smaller and smaller and
its destructive power was lessened. In
spite OF this IN a single day, starting
from both sides, this tidal wave tray
eled half the circumference OF the
earth, with velocity that was twice
as great as that Of sound travelling
through the atmosphere.
OF course, there is no comparison be-
tween the defunct Krakaioa ard
Mauna Loa. The volcano that laid
waste the Straits OF sunda was q mere
infant when compared 10 the gigantic
Hawaiian volcano. Krakatoa was sit
uated about 200 feet under the waters OF
the Sea OF Java and was a compare
lively small affair, whereas Mama
Loa is one OF the largest OF the active
volcanoes today.
II rises 1900 feet above the sea. II
has a crater that Is 1000 feet indiameter
and is at least 600 feet deep. The esti-
mate Of 600 feet. however, is one that Is
seriously questioned and IL must be adj
mltted that no one knows how deep II
is II may be 5000 or IL may be 10000
feet under the water OF the Pacific, and
the wall that separates II from the
ocean may be only few hundred feet
thick.
A NATIONAL DISASTER.
II the bottom should drop out Of
Mauna Loa, therefore, there would be
few people left TO tell the story OF the
disaster. II the gigantic volcano should
fan into the Pacific ocean the wave
that would rise would be powerful
enough TO sweep across all the con-
tnents OF the earth. Cities and hills
would alike be RACED and every living
creature, no matter how far inland,
would be drowned.
IL Is possible that there are some
mountain dwelling peoples who would
escape such deluge, for there Is a
limit TO the height and strength OF even
50 great wave. In such a case these
mountaineers would have TO be the
lords OF the new creation, the modern
Noahs whose duty II would be to re-
populate the earth.
For many years Professor Meyer has
been making a special study Of volca-
noes, and he but recently visited Ha-
wall to make a careful investigation
Of the condition of Mauna Loa, and
It's brother volcano Mama Kea Upon
MS return TO Europe he reported that
he had found them both suspiciously
active, and he feared that they might
become dangerous at any time For
years the volcanoes have been quiet.
Occasionally they have shown some in
dications OF life, but the eruption OF
Mauna Loa on July was the first
serious disturbance that had occurred
In twelve years.
Some idea Of the force OF such an
eruption may be gained from the fact
that the disturbance OF the earth was
felt as far as San Francisco. There
Il appeared as series OF earthquakes
that shook the California coast almost
from end to end. 1t so happened that
several biologists were present at the
time. and they found considerable evil
dence in support OF the theory that the
earthquake felt in California was the
direct result Of the volcanic eruptions
on the island Of Hawaii.
II such small disturbance can he
felt so far, how much more serious Il
would be II the great Mauna Loa, or
its almost as gigantic brother should
entirely blow of It's head.
It now seems 10 be the opinion Of
scientists In general that natural
phenomena like the history Of mankind
always repeat themselves. The first
deluge OF which man has any record Is
that which is chronicled In the Bible,
and It Is now believed that that flood.
from which only Noah and his family
were saved, was due TO just such q
cause as that which is illustrated by
the falling Of Krakatoa.