The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-01
A queer Trap Which Is Set in Wash
inGton to Catch the First Sig
nal Of an bathurst
MARTINIQUE GAVE NO SIGN
OUR VOLCANOES LIE MIDWAY IN
THE EARTH's CHAIN OF FIRE.
SmOldering Crnters Along the west
ern Coast That May Be Reused
to sympathetic Action

Correspondence Of the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. D. c., May 27.-WhiIe a
corps Of our seismologists are studying the
terrible antics of Mother Earth in the
lesser Antilles, others are sIyIy watching
her here and are keeping set a queer trap,
bsited to catch the slightest tremor which
might affect our portion Of her unstable
crust.
In cell beneath the Weather Bureau
building this inanimate observer is waiting
and watching. 1t rests upon a deep slab
OF cement. partly buried in the ground. An
iron stand resting upon this foundation
which superficial earth jars cannot dis
turb-suppOrt this ''seismOscOpe," composed
primarily OF a hanging weight. from whose
top extends toward a needle whose plati-
mum point fits within platinum-lined hole.
The slightest tremor of Mother Earth will
cause a corresponding jar of the balanced
weight, and each movement OF the latter
Will be greatly exaggerated by the long
needles point. Should this point touch the
rim Of its snug Enclosure an electric circuit
Will be closed through a wire extending
into the annex building of the Weather
Bureau. Here the very fraction OF the
second when the earthquake occurs will
be automatically recorded upon revolving
drum OF paper. The mark will be made by
a delicate little pen outstretched over the
white surface.
This delicate instrument has trapped
earthquakes far distant from it, some Of
which have created CONSERVATION at their
foci. but which have been imperceptible
here at the capital But. strange TO say
the great disturbance at Martinique lent
no quaver TO the carefully poised needle
Indeed, these are times when this great
spinning top on which we dwell must be
carefully watched at every point. Our con-
tinental domain lies within the very center
of the earth's greatest volcanic belt This
belt is disturbed TO our north as we'll as
10 our south. Are we specially favored by
Providence, or is our time yet to conner"
is the question which 1 have this week
been passing about among our great corps
OF official biologists.
THE GREAT VOLCANIC BELT.
Lying dormant along our western coast
are many volcanoes. forming the center OF
this great volcanic belt. which begins at
Terra del Fuego, creeps upward along the
western coast of South America, through
Central America and into Mexico, where it
broadens to cover our Pacific coast ranges
and ascends along the shore of British Co
Bering sea to descend along the Oriental
coast line of the Pacific, even farther than
the Philippines. The volcanoes of the West
Indies are onshoots from this great chain
Of fire which surrounds also the craters
rising from the bed of the mid-Pacific. In
the West Indies, in Alaska, in the Philip
pines. cones strung on this long string are
breathing fire. but within Uncle Sans do
main a peaceful quiescence obtains-and
why?
There is a possibility that our volcanoes
will become active, but the probability is
slight, in the light of science said GeoIo-
gist J. S. Diller. of the geological survey
-Of course, cannot predict such phe-.
nOmena. Previous TO the year 10 Vesuvius
was not recognized by the Greeks and Ro-
mans as an active volcano. At that time
the summit was a large crater. for CEN
tu-ies looked upon long extinct The
first warning Of a renewed eruption was
the earthquake of So. Moderate earth
quakes followed at intervals until the dis
turbance eliminated in the great catas-
trophe OF 70. which destroyed Hercula-
neum. Pompeii and Stabiae.
There is some volcanic activity in the
United States proper" added Mr.. DiHer
"Close to and at the southern edge of Las
sen peak. California, there is a spot known
as Bumpus hill. II emits hot. suIphurous
gases which in places bubble up through
boiling mud pools. a short distance east
OF the same locality there is another small
boiling mud lake. Once there was great
volcanic activity in the large volcanic field
stretching from Yellowstone Park to Mount
Rainier, and embracing large parts of
Washington. Oregon. Idaho and California.
This field was particularly active during
the Miocene period, but this was many
thousands OF years ago From that time
the activity has been gradually ceasing, and
probably ceased only within the past two
centuries. Generally volcanic action wears
itself out. but it not infrequently happens
that il repeats itself
For an enumeration OF other still steam
ing craters within our continental domain
/ am indebted to Prof. l. c. Russell, VINO
has gone to study the Martinique catas-
trOphe
Mount Hood. which bears to Portland,
Ore, the same relationship which Nesuvius
bears 70 Naples. has lately been observed
% be dotted at the top with steaming Jets,
and other openings. the sulphurous fumes
from which are sometimes so strong as TO
be overpowering, while able TO discolor Sill
YER at a distance OF half mile from where
they Issue. Clouds frequently collect in
the shelter OF Mount Hoods majestic peak
and from time 10 time these give rise &c
fear of an eruption. But no such event mas
taken place at its crater within the memory
Of man.
In California there are signs of lingering
volcanic life. In the center OF Mono valley
at the eastern base OF the Sierra Nevada
lies Mono lake, a body of intensely alkaline
water. IN this lake are two Islands, on the
larger OF which-a volcanic crater-hot
springs bubble up, while many orihces ex-
hale hot vapors These phenomena are
remnants OF volcanic energy. The smaller
island Is a partially submerged crater
which bears evidences of having been IN
eruption at a recent date To the south
of the lake rises a range of volcanoes
known as Mono craters-more than twenty
In number.
Mount Rainier. the best specimen OF
single peak within the United States proper