The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-06-12
nina and Jar

China and Japan .... 1891 $4,000
Thousands have lost their lives from
the same cause in Mexico and other
South American countries during the
past few months.
Volcanoes and earthquakes have al
ways been the most dreaded by hui
manity of all calamities that could
befall community.
The causes producing the two geo
logical disturbances so prolific Of fear
and terrible havoc are practically the
same.
They result from the fact that the
interior of this globe is still intensely
hot, radiating heat into space and
consequently contracting in bulk.
Portions of molten rock are from time
to time elected and sudden seismic
disturbances occur which cause de-
struction like that at St. Pierre from
volcanic eruptions, or the earthquakes
which have recently killed hundreds
Of people in several of the Central
American countries.
During the existence of this world
many import ant geographical changes
natural phenomena.
Scientists have found traces Of this
in many quarters of the earth where
there have been no heavy earthquakes
or volcanic eruptions for ages and
ages.
Volcanoes range in size from a di-
minutive. cone to a huge mountain.
In both cases they are formed from
material which has been belched forth
from the earth's interior.
They can break through any kind
of geological formation, and have
come through gaanite CT immense
depths, and also through silurian
rock, such instances of their awful
power being demonstrated by extinct
volcanoes that have been discovered
in France and Scotland.
Those known as Etna and Nesuvius
emerged from beneath soft marine
strata.
They are generally V classed as active,
dormant and extinct. In many cases,
however, it is impossible to distin-
guish the latter two, and many that
have remained quiescent for hundreds
of centuries have been known to sud-
denly break forth in the most violent
manner.
Such IA one was Sornena, which
after being dormant almost beyond
time immemOrial, became active in
the first century of the Christian
era and ultimately produced Nesu-
vius.
The latter in 10 A. D., vomited
forth lava and deadly gases in such
gigantic volume and so rapidly that
| the inha bitants of the city of Pompeii
and several other adjacent towns
were destroyed as were the people Of
St. Pierre.
But Pelee, the volcano which so
quickly ended St. Pierre and its peo-
| pie, was another one which was al
ways considered extinct.
| Mt. Epomeo, on the island Of Is
CHA, furnishes another illustration
of the uncertainties of these dread
| creatures of the earth's hidden mys-
teries. 1t remained dormant for
about seventeen centuries and then,
| in 1902, burst forth with the utmost
| violence.
In operation volcano emits gases,
vapors, ashes, boulders and lava.
Sometimes the acids are as destruc-
tive to live as is the lava and ashes.
The crater of Idjen, a volcano in
Java, turned loose huge lake OF
acid water, which rushed down the
mountain side, and the poisonous
proportions of the liquid caused wide
apread destruction among human be-
ings, cat,le ana birds.
The ashes sent forth by volcano
are generally so fine that they will
penetrate house through the small
est cracks and crevices. They are
generally 50 hot that the Inhalation
of the smallest amount will cause
death.
Ashes have been known to fall over
a country covering a radius within
100 miles of the volcano from which
they were discharged. That oc-
Cured when Nesuvius broke loose in
1922.
On another occasion, when the
Cosequina volcano in Nicaragua be-
came eruptive in 1885 utter darkness
prevailed within a circle of thirty-five
miles, and eight miles away they
, covered the ground to depth of ter
| feet. Four days later some Of the
, ashes, which had been caught IN ar
3 upper-ar current, fell at Kingston
| Jamaica, 700 miles away.
: Huge stones have been sent hurting
through space for great distances by
volcanoes in violent activity. Many
5 were found in the ashes which burned
e Pompeii.
A volcano at Antuco, Chill, is sale
: to have sent stones thirty-six miles
= and Cotopaxi is said to have hurleo
e a 2O0-t0n boulder nine miles.