The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-05-29
WORST IN WORLDS HISTORY.

an hour.
After it stops flowing a crust will
form over the top of the bed, which be-
comes hard and cool, while the body OF
it will retain fiery heat for years.
When Mauna Loa, the terror-crear-
ing volcano of Hawaii, had its awful
eruption in 1852, it belched forth a
solid fountain of lava which was 1000
feet wide and spouted 900 feet into the
air.
Other fiery fountains of the same
country have been known to perform
similar feats and have continued to 10
so uninterruptedly for several weeks.
The output from one of them travel
led fifteen miles in two hours and con-
tinued to creep along for months, de-
stroying everything in its path.
Lava is as variable in its moods after
settling down on top Of the earth as 1t
is in getting there. Sometimes 1t quick
ly becomes good soil, while on other
occasions it always remains barren.
AS a rule, volcanoes are located on
mountain ranges in the neighborhood
of the sea. Most of the oceanic ISLANDS
are volcanic. Very seldom is volcano
found far inland, and when it is so sit
uated it is generally in the vicinity OF
a lake or where body OF water has
at some time existed.
The largest ones are on the Hawaiian
Islands. In ages past their terrible up
heavals must have conyulsed the
world.
Besides them, Vesuvius. which has
a base circumference Of thirty miles, IS
pigmy. :.
The largest volcano in America is
Popocatapetl, in Mexico. 1t rises to
height of 1868 Spanish feet above tile
sea level and the circumference Of the
crater is $4,000 feet. For many years II
was dormant, but in 1894 it spit lit
tie fire and created great deal OF fear.
Since that time it has been quiet.
In the United States the most i'm
mense volcano is Mt. Rainier, near
Tacoma, Wash. 1t is more than $1,000
feet high and is supposed to be ex-
tinct.
Volcanoes on the American continent
and contiguous islands have never
caused any enormous sacrifice of life
through eruptions since white men set
tied the country until the st. Pierre oc-
currence.
There are a large number that have
always caused more or less uneaslness,
however, through their tendency to
break out, and not few in Mexico,
Central and South America have caus-
ed the deaths of considerable numbers
Of people.
On islands in the Pacific, China, ia
pan apd many Asiatic and European
countries the loss from this cause has
reached an enormous aggregate.
On islands in the Pacific,
The NEST violent disturbance ever
known to have resulted from an erup-
ton was that which destroyed Kroka-
toa, an island in the Straits Of Sunda,
on August 81, 1888.
It was also the most disastrous in
the destruction Of life since Pompeit
was buried until St. Pierre was de-
storyed.
The explosion buried the island and
about 10000 inhabitants at the bottom
of the sea in the course Of few min
utes.
The vibratory effects were felt around
the world.
It caused a tidal wave which reach
ed San Francisco and wiped out many
villages on the Island Of Sumatra,
, while it was on the way.
The noise Of the explosion was heard
in India, it was heard in Australia and
it was heard in the Island Of Roderi-
quez, 1858 miles distant.
The seismic wave Of sea was seen at
Cape Horn, $500 miles from the scene
of the calamity, and at point in SY-
matra it carried the Dutch maI-of-War
Benow two miles inland and left the
vessel high and dry thirty feet above
the level Of the sea.
An air wave was created by the ex-
plosion which travelled three times
around the world before it became dis
sipated.
While erupt.ons of volcanoes always
cause the most dread, the earthquakes
cause the greater loss Of life and prop
erty by an overwhelming amount.
1t is estimated that the destruction
of human beings through this medium
Is greater than any other agency but
disease.
From first to last during human oc-
cupancy of this planet it has been fig
ured that 100000 people have be-
come moribund as a result Of earth
quake disasters.
On this continent they have been
,nost disastrous on the Pacific coast, in
Mexico and the countries south of it.
Below is list Of the great disasters
from this cause during period COW
cred by medieval and subsequent his
tory: