The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-13
VOLCANOES
And A CANAL.
Effect of the Activity of the
Spouters on the Nicara-
guam Route.
A Leading Geologist Who
Claims That 1t Will Fav-
- or the Panama.
Rev York Ez,ss %cecSay Service


Philadelphia, Pa, May 1s--"Apart from
its appalling characteristics the eruption
OF Mont Pelee on Martinique, and the
volcanic disturbances on the adjacent ISL
and of St. Vincent have most import
ant bearing upon the problem OF trans
isthmian canal constructions. 1t empha-
sizes to the geologist very plainly the
danger to which canal will be subjected
which is planned on the Nicaraguan
route with active and semi active VOL
canoes located directly on the line ana
Immediately about it. On the other hand,
the route of the Panama canal Is not
menaced by either active or semi-actlve
volcanoes" .sr.
This statement was made last night by
Professor Angelo Hetlprin of this city:
Professor Heilprin Is one OF the hlgnest
authorities of geology and volcanic pne-
nomena in the country. He was recently
elected president of the geographical so.
ciety of Philadelphia and Is member OF
the academy of Natural Sciences and OF
the board of directors OF the American
Geographical Society. Professor He1lprln
said further: ~
with the emphasis which is now given
by the present eruption to the similar
catastrophe events that have preceded II
in the last half century it would hardly be
less than folly to embark upon an enter
prise Of such vast magnitude ana import
ance as Is contemplated In TINS canal
recommended by the isthmian canal COM
mission when there is a choice of routes
left to US in another region Wnlch mas
thus far shown itself to be entirely free
from destructive. manifestations OF TINS
nature. 90 -.
new volcanoes will be suddenly constl7
tuted in that region. Earthquake DIS
turbances which are so largely assoclateu
with the region and which are In great
measure dependent upon volcanic phe.
nomena are, as compared with, those OF
the Nicaraguan region, insignificant no
truly destructive earthquake having been
known in Panama since 1891
THE sudden disturba nee I'm the present
instance would seem to be due to an al
most instantaneous generation OF steam.
But Pelee as we'll as the volcanoes OF st.
Vincent and the neighboring Caribbean
islands is situated in region of extra
weakness of the earth's crust, which has
it's parallel in the Mediterranean basin on
the opposite side of the Atlantic.
This American region OF weakness ex-
tends westward from the Lesser Antilles
across the gulf into Mexico, Wnere are
some of the Hottest volcanoes OF the
globe such as Popocatepetl and Orizaba,
both now in somnolent condition, and IN
the more westerly volcano OF comma
which has been in almost continuous
eruption for ten years.
'1l6 same TSSlUu " WSdhACSS ihSAooS'
almost the whole of Central America,
the volcanoes Of Costa Rica and Mica
ragua having been repeatedly active al
most up to our own time
THE assertion has been made that there
has been a decrease In the volcanic poten-
TALLY of these VOLCANOES, but no geologlst
Is in a position to assert that this is sc
and It should be no surprise to any SUI
dent were some of the volcanoes to burst
out with the same lvigor and intensity as
did Mont Pelee or La Soufriere of st.
Vincent. 80 ~1s@'}t5a''s4s
''Tne latter have demonstrated the CON
dition Of extreme weakness which exlsts
in that entire region and which had It's
beginning ages ago In the breaking down
of the Andean system of mountains anc
the consequent forna ton OF the Caribbean
and Gulf basins. That part, Of Martinique
which has been covered with flowing Laws
will remain barren rock for centuries
and it will take almost as long for decay
to start in the cinders which have beer
spread on other parts Of the island.
Until that shall happen there will Dc
no soil on which the former luxurian1
vegetation could take root, It would no.
be surprising If the great overflow O.
lava from the volcano left 80 great
cavity underneath the crust that the vol
cano itself fell in and disappeared or ever
the whole island itself sank out OF sign
beneath the sea. It was pushed up IRON
underneath the surface Of the water IN tn
first place by volcanic disturbances am
then built up of lava and cinders by SUD
sequent eruptions.'
Professor Heilprin intends to start 10
Martinique in a few days to make sclen
tif1c observation of the eruption.