The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-06-05
Eruption of Mount Pelee.
A MEMORABLE EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF
VOLCANOES.

Terrible as Was the Outbreak and De-
structive In Its Effect Upon Human
Life, Eciipsing the Explosion of
Vesuvius Which Overwhelmed the
Towns of herculaneum and Pompeii.
1t Is Itself EcIipsed by the Terrible
Outbreak of KrakatOa.
New York sun.
Although many of the phenomena
attending it are identical with those
previously = observed, the eruption Of
Mount Pelee in Martinique is a MEM
orable event in the history of v0lca-
noes, not only owing to it's destructive
effect upon human life. but also by
reason OF two uncommon. il not un-
paralleled, characteristics. We refer
first to the fact that ths)outpour of
lava which took place on May 9th did
not mark the crisis of the eruption,
and, secondly, to the appalling quick
ness with which the population Of St.
Pierre was wiped out by the fiery
whirlwind which, just before s O'Clock
on the morning of May 8. enveloped
the town and adjoining harbor.
As regards the number of lives de-
stroyed, the eruption OF Mount Pelee,
though conspicuous, is not pre-emi-
nent among the volcanic outbreaks
which have occurred in historical
times. From this point of view. in
decd, it dwarfs the explosion OF Mt.
Vesuvius, which overwhelmed the
towns Of Herculaneum and Pompeii.
1t is itself eclipsed, however, con-
sidered as a death-dealing agency, by
the terrible outburst of krakatoa, in
the Straits OF Sunda, in 1888, which
wrought unexampled havoc on the
neighboring coasts OF Java and Su-
matra.
Neither is there anything e1cep-
tonal in the fact that incandescent
slags and cinders were shot up to a
great height, whence they were
driven by air currents 20 distant
islands, and thereon deposited in the
form of ashes or dust. The fine
ashes of Krakatoa are said to have
been carried by the uprush of gas
and vapors to the altitude OF seven
teen miles. In 1885 ashes from Mt.
Consequina foil in Jamaica, 700 miles
off, and in 1915 the dust from Mt.
Hecla, in Iceland, WAS borne to the
Orkney and Shetland Isles.
Nor is there anything anomalous
in the reported circumstances that,
since the eruption, the height of Mt.
Pelee has been diminished some hun
dreds Of feet. The cones of Etna and
Vesuvius have often been in this way
curtailed In 1772 the whole peak Of
Papanbayang, in Java, was blown off
In 1922 the summit Of Vesuvius wa,
reduced by 800 feet. In 1888, Mt
kobandai, in Japan, was shortened tc
an extraordinary extent, it being
estimated that 1857, 900, 900 cubic
yards OF rocks were torn from the
top OF tho mountain and scattered
over an area OF nearly thirty square
miles.
What was abnormal about the Mt
Pslee eruption was, we repeat, thu
fact that the great outpour Of Laws
which took place on May 5th did no
mark the crisis of the cataclysm. /
they were to Judge from precedent!
the members OF the commission ap
pointed that day in ST. Pierre wer'
justified in assuring their fellow
townsmen that the worst was over
As rule, indeed, the volcanoe
which emit lava in the greatest vol
ume are comparatively quiet in thei
action. The molten rock or lava sim
plv rises to the rim Of the crater or 0
a lateral assure, and Overflows it
when the crater or tissure is depleted
OF its liquid contents, the eruption
ceases. This is the case with tn
volcanoes OF Hawaii Where, on tn,
other hand, eruption. are periodical
and paroxysmal, as in the case o
, Etna and Nesuvius, the violent e ice
ton Of incandsscent drops and frag
ments prscedes the outbursts OF Law
from the lip Of the crater or OF rem
in the side Of the cone. 1t will prot
ABLY be found, whom scientists ar
able TO examine the desolated district
that two separate explosions Of MI
Peles occurred; one on May 5th, whic
found vent through a lateral fissur
or so-called soufrisrs Sulphur pit
and the other on the morning OF Ma
Sth. when the crater and the Who'll
top OF the cone was blown off. /
other words, there were two out
burst. Of lava, distinct locally and i
the order OF time.
For the awful suddsnnsss wit
which in from thirty seconds to thre
!, minute. the population Of ST. Pierr
was exterminatcd by q hurricane {
fire there is no recorded parable
From the relative few remains Of hi
msu bodies brought to light in He
culaneum and Pompeii, it i. mamie:
that the great ma jority Of the inhab
tants OF those places had time Il
escape from destruction. The dire
ton Of steamiBg lava can be calcl
r lated. and from the downfall Of ash.
, shelter OF some sort can cOmmonl
e b. found The fountain OF the incar
: descent cinders which normally pr
. cedes an outburst OF lava is usual
d confined to the immediate vicinity
!, the crater whence it springs. Tn;
= the inhabitants Of ST. Pierre, whic
: stood at a considerable distance FRO
Y the sruptive centre, should have bes
e caught in \ cyclone OF flame, const
Il tn.es a nav and uniuue cztastruDn