Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-15
||EW|NG A VOLCANO
|enatorial Commission in Ha-
wall.
/ RIDE OVER LAVA
he YAWNING PIT OF HALEMAU-
MAU.
cooking Into the Crater and Seeing
the Fire Thousand Feet
Below.
RIDE OVER LAVA
ecial Correspondence Of The Evening Star.


VOLCANO HOUSE. Hawaii, T. H,
September % 1902.
Senators Mitchell of oregon, Foster of
Washington and Burton of Kansas, com
rising the senatorial commission on Ha-
Faiian affairs, accompanied by ex-senator
ohn NJ Thurston of Nebraska, visited the
plcano Kiauea yesterday afternoon. 1t
ad been arranged that as soon as the
bmmission's hearings in Hilo were orer
Zip should be made to the volcano, and
b about II 80 yesterday afternoon the start
las made railway train taking the trav-
kers eighteen miles of the way. The rest
the Journey was made by carriage. seven
ehicles taking up the members of the
hrty.
Secretary of the Territory Henry Z.
ooper accompanied the senators, also
land Commissioner Boyd and a number of
kher Honolulu and Hilo citizens. the
burney up the mountain is through forests
b dense that they are utterly impassapie
Il foot. Big tree ferns, bananas, wild
Aspberries as they are called. wild roses
nd MANY other trees and creepers cover
be soil SO thickly that one cannot see any
stance into the forest on either side OF
he road AS the altitude increases the
egetat ton begins to die out to an extent,
nd there is one stretch or colo lava III
hch plant life has not yet gained huch
koting, The ferns which seem TO appear
rst and are the only plants that nave
egun to get a footing In Halemaumau
rater, are seen all along the journey.
The Volcano House.
On arriving at the Volcano House Sena-
brs Burton and Mitchell went at once TO
I'hiS
mba nkment, where there is large area OF
BIT sulphur. and heavy clouds OF steam
bur from the earth at all times. The SEN
kors gathered up some big chunks Oh SUI
hur to take home as souvenirs. a gooc
pal of surprise was expressed by the VISIT
rs at the location and appearance OF thC
tolcano House. Behind 1t and In fact all
bund except In front steam rises at Varl-
hs points in the immediate vicinity. Ihere
a small, green well kept garden In trout.
nd then the yawning pit of Halemaumau-
8 seen from the edge this Is vast black
hsin The sides are black and rise straight
+om the floor. The floor appears To be an
nbroken level stretch of black, but when
len closer 1t is found to be moundy and to
bntain deep cracks AT various points all
yer this dreary. forbidding expanse small
hite columns of steam may be saen. ana
the farther end a large cloud shows the
cation OF the active pit in the crater. 1t
as arranged that the visitors should go to
he crater after dinner.
Senators Mitchell and Foster, ex-senator
hurston and wife, Mrs. Burton and a num-
er of others made the evening trip, the la
les riding OF horseback and the man walk
3g except the two senators. who chose to
z mounted. The journey Is down a steep
ail and then two miles across the dead
iva that forms the black floor seen from
bove Here and there are warm places
nd clouds of steam are encountered. The
va is hard and sharp, but the road IS rot
very hard enc.
Half mile from the pit the norscs must
left. There is corral in which they are
ed. The eruption of 1894 destroyed the
d corral. flowing right over it that 1t
sappeared altogether. From the new corrae
} the edge OF the crater the guide leads
he way. II was weird-looking procession
bat followed. single file. with lanterns here
nd there along the line. When he came 10
crack in the lava the guide would shout,
nd the warning would be taken up along
be line. a few minutes brought All to the
ige OF the vast hole. and Secretary Cooper
h old-timer in volcano visits, said that he
w there was fire. He proved correct, for
hen the visitors looked over the edge they
w deep crimson glare, emanating from
be floor Of the pit, which was cross ID ard
fcrossed with cracks of molten lava, of in
nse redness and brightness. In the middle
as small suffering fountain of FIRE and
parks.