Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-05-17

al, have been the OCCASION VI
Wv ,.'ng ,imld people to wonder wha'
',.",, so,ng to happen next and whether
y. NOT their particular locality mish'
VI ~" w. ylslted by these agencies OF de-
~. 81 Naturally Utah people have
hoan asking the question with reference
- themselves and the section In wfllch
y, AVE., live Thoughtful men see no rea-
Wv %, fear locally. Among those VINO
~. ,h,s view are Dr. james H.
T nall who holds the chair Of seoiOsy
,r the University of Utah. ana VINO 10
,.So,, doubt the best authority on the
subject in this state. To the Deseie'
News. who interviewed him today ne
said .h,oes
,olcanlc is a natural result OF the eA-
ca,ement aroused by the recent disturb
snces on certain of the ISLANDS Oh 'hc
Inssar Antilles. The disastrous erup-
,,0r q, Mont Pelee on the island OF
Martinique he's resulted In the loss OF
Al oOo human lives, according to reports
=, hand. and the disturbances and lava
outlaws on the neighboring island CT
s. Vincent has cost the lives OF thous-
ands more There Is close relation
AZ least in certain parts Of the earth,
between earthquakes and volcanic out
bursts, 50 marked Is the connection be-
tween these two classes OF phenomena
that earthquakes are considered as Sec
ondary volcanic manifestations
"T'he primary cause Of both Is the ex-
nansiye energy exerted by subterranean
forces endeayoring TO find vent and re-
lief Heat Is the common ACCOMPANY
ment Of these forces and under favor
able conditions the rocks are brought
into a state igneous or aqueo-igneous
fusion, in which case, II vent be pro-
yIded. an outpOuIing Of lava or an eJec-
ton OF volcanic ashes ana clnders
results, such an occurrence 10 a vol
canic eruption
1T will be remembered that a few
weeks ago an earthquake was report
ed as occurring In Guatemala, Central
America. There Is good reason to be-
lieve thar this disturbance and the more
recent volcanic outpourings on the Is
lands OF Martinique and St Vincent
ore related as 10 cause, and that cause
ia the bursting energy of subterranean
forces In the region, resulting In ,one
Instance In earthquakes, and In the
other In volcanic eruptions According
10 most recent reports, the Guatemala
earthquake has caused the loss OF
thousands Of human lives.
Dispatches but few days old have
announced the appearance Of danger
signals In connection with Mount We
suyius-the only active volcano on the
mainland Of the European continent.
Bsch reports, from widely separated re-
g1ons, when taken together, have sug-
gested the fear that the earth Is enter
ing upon an epoch Of renewed volcanic
activity, and that further outbursts are
10 be expected.
Tn my judgment such fears are ut
terly without foundation. These re-
cent disturbances, while appalling
when gagged by the loss OF life and
property are insignificant when COM
pared with the volcanic phenomena OF
earlier geological periods. The present
geological epoch Is not one OF great
Vulcanism, and II is safe to say that the
volcanic energy OF the earth is steadily
uecllnins as the globe cools from sur
face TO center,
Look at the great lava flows OF by
gone days, One Of the most extensive
Is Known as the lava-fow Of the north
west; It covers 10000 square miles.
embracing parts OF Idaho, Wyoming.
nS0htsna, Washington, Oregon and
SHuornla, and In places for example
Shere the Columbia river has cut so
S1seply' the lava bed is 5000 miles thick.
rus enormous food OF molten rock
zane not from craters, but from i'm
llehse assures, extending probably
hundreds OF miles In linear extent This
sIeat now In common with others that
nave produced the many lava fields OF
our own state belonged to the Tertiary
age or geologic time.
II mas been suggested by eminent
sso,oslsts, notably by Prof. Williams
VI iale, that volcanic activity in the
,weslern part Of the United States Is
Hnheiy TO be resumed at any time. prof
Williams is reported In the daily nress
49, having said There are many ex-
net volcanoes In the western part OF
,o United states and they are liable
u o,gs s 'orth again at any time. There
e'iuehce mat they were active at
~. 49, few hundred years ago FOR
ss,e are IN existence stumps OF trees
W xs' We're destroyed at the time Of
uN scuyity. The volcanic explosives
t que TO the water getting into the
.NItus OF the earth and coming in
.vnsaCt with the heated rocks. These
,.Hto'i'es are frequently in the vicinity
,s.S sea OF rivers. The matter in the
. n.erlor OF the earth is under great
,essute' and this pressure keeps II
~ OIu becoming molten. But as soon
~. Is lhrown up, then Il Is molten
matter; Then the mountain blows nm
Or explodes.' ' ''o"S w
cl,i Sesaless to say the geological prln-
n s,vs involved In the foregoing state
d,sn ' are correct; but the Inference
vn,.nn, mat there is imminent danger OF
q no outbreaks az the present time
q, naai.i,llesty unfounded A map study
hs,SsNe Volcanoes as to location Will
e,nslFate the fact that such vol
s aayes are situated on islands or ON
s,eu - margins. and therefore I'm
r. proximity 90 large water bodies
Il, VAaet relation between water bod
-. ahl volcanoes Is confessedly oh
''s az, out The fact is indlsputable.
49, as TO the probable resumption
N, ,oesnic activity IN our own localItv
h ~. iaence OF past volcanic activifv
tp',,wh and contiguous parts Is con-
a., y. ana the scale on which these
h Wy AGENCIES have operated is certain
/, Immense, .a..l A large part Of our state
..,ogered by lava Rows. and typical
sSi't Is or volcanic cones. some of
ps, .,n occur On the floor Of old Lake
p,asyiiie are numerous. some OF he
f,. .'etllle croters have emitted lava
AZ NE recession OF the old lake. and
si,.s. cate later than that OF the
hs,, period. In some instances the
w. o. eruption has not yet died out
"Ample, Fumsrvls Butte on the