The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-07-23
TAME HAWAIIAN VOLCANOES
REASONS FOR NOT FEARING
 THE GREATEST SHOW

Show Than VesuVtus or Etna-Oniy Once fin II2 Years Has She shown Her Temper.
 The fearful explosion of Mont Pelee in Martinique, destroying in moment an entire city of people, naturally enough kindled a horror of volcanic ac- ton. Of course it is not strange, or absurd, if such horror should become almost hysteric in some persons. Prob ably We have no cause to be surprised- although we are so-that, as We hear, very extensive dread has infected the stream of tourists about visiting our volcanic islands.
 These fears have taken two directions, as indicated by the San Francisco pa pers. One relates to a fancied danger to the city of Honolulu as being located at the base of two recent volcanoes. The other is the alleged terribly menac- ing action of our very tame and friend ly volcano Kilauea, which we count upon as the most interesting of our at fractions. In treating of these matters may be indulged in claiming some lit tie title to a hearing, as being by no means a tyro, but having studied and written for many years past on vol canic subjects.
 To begin with the alleged dangerous neighborhood of Honolulu. Diamond Head and Punch Bowl so conspicuous in our city, are not properly volcanoes at all. but 'tuff-cones," produced by volcanic explosions long ago, lasting only few minutes. The accurately circular rims of these two bowls proves that the whole of their explosions of hot mud, shot miles aloft, lasted for a very brief space and then ceased en- tirely and forever having piled up their huge and stately mounds. Their pres ence furnished no ground of apprehen- sion, any more than would the pit left by an abandoned powder magazine at- ter blowing up.
 But one may ask: How do you know that similar volcanic explosions are not likely to occur again?" l answer, We know it simply on very strong grounds of probability. This island of Oahu IS # composed of two extremely ancient vol canic ranges, both having been original W huge domes, such as the still active Mauna Loa now is, 200 miles away. All volcanic action ceased on Oaku prob ably 1000, ,0O0 years ago, since when at mospheric erosion has gnawed out and weathered away three-fourths of their bulk, leaving only the skeleton rips or their once comedy shapes. During the same lapse of ages these mountains hayes Iowly subsided into the ocean depths some thousands of feet. This is proved by artesian we'll borings through both lava and coral far below sea level. In one instance, near Diamond Head, continuous strata or coral were found at the depth of 1,500 feet. And coral grows only near the surface of the sea- The island had sunk at least 100000 feet. , During all that million years there was left no trace of volcanic activity until a comparatively recent period when a large number of tuff-cones were thrown up, chiefly around the coasts of the island. That they are thus recent as compared with the immensely eroded hard lava mountains is proved by the comparatively slight erosion of these cones, although composed of the very sOft8 HUH TOck, WHICH Is C CCillSIlL OL AFII mud, rained down from aloft and en- 4irely different from the very hard lava. which welled up from below and streamed in burning, viscid rivers over the ground.
 Now. what was the cause of that later outburst of volcanic activity which pro- duced Punch Bowl, Diamond Head and a dozen sister cones in this region? There seems to be the strongest reason to connect it with a widespread dis turbance of the earth's crust, due to a sudden breaking up of the continental caps at the close of the glacial period, To similar convulsions from the same cause have been attributed those enor- nous lava floods which invaded Oregon and California at recent period. It is probable that the great cataclysm known as the deluge was due to the same widespread convulsive disturb ance.
 But how about danger from the ac- tive volcanoes of the Island of Hawaii over 200 miles distant from Honolulu as the bud flies? Is there no danger in visiting them? One of them. Kilauea, we count upon as our chief attraction, dS DelIlE lllG IllcSI olupclllUuS CAllIDl~ tion of fiery forces on the globe, as far exceeding Vesuvius or Etna as Niagara outdoes a common cascade. Is it safe to go near to such terrific monster? Af- ter hearing of the horrible pranks of Mont Pelee in Martinique, it is not strange that many persons should de- eide that all volcanoes are to be passed by at the greatest possible distance.
 We here do not feel so. I have wis., fted and explored the great crater or ca1dera several times from 1886 to 1894 and never with thought of personal danger or a suggestion of possible in- jury. I have passed a dozen nights in the beautiful hostelry which stands up- on the brink of the deep outer pit of the volcano, with absolute serenity which was shared by large numbers of fellow inmates. Two miles away and below in the great inner pit of Hale-a- man u-ma were foaming and crash ing the white-hot rock fountains We Z had spent many afternoons and even- ing hours in watching their fiery spray breaking through the red-hot crust oi the great fire lake, which was a thou sand feet in diameter. We had stood in the very brink of the pit without fear not a thousand feet from the fiery pillows. All night long as we slept al fhe hotel two miles away their glare