The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-05-29
Comprehensive History Of Volcanoes
in the Past.
WASTE OF LIFE And PROPERTY
Account of the Greatest Disaster of
Recorded Tlme-A Little World Is
Biotted off the Flap.

Volcanoes and earthquakes have al
'.Says been the most dreaded by hui
manity Of all calamities that could be-
fall community.
The causes producing the two geo.
logical disturbances so prolific of fear
and terrible havoc are practically the
same.
They result from the fact that the
interior of tbs globe is still intensely
hot, radiating heat into space and con-
ssquently contracting in bulk. Portions
OF molten rock are from time to time
elected and sudden seismic disturban-
ces occur which cause destruction like
that at St. Pierre from volcanic erup-
tions, or the earthquakes which have
recently killed hundreds of people in
several of the Central American Ioun-
tries.
During the existence of this world
many important geographical changes
have been made throughout this natur-
al phenomena.
Scientists have found traces Of this
in many quarters of the globe where
there have been no heavy earthquakes
or volcanic eruptions for ages and
ages.
Volcanoes range in size from a di-
minutive cone to huge mountain. In
both cases they are formed from ma
terial which has been belched forth
from the earth's interior.
They can break through any kind OF
geological formation, and have come
through granite of immense depths,
and also through silurian rock, such in
stances Of their awful power being de-
mostrated by extinct volcanoes that
have been discovered in France and
Scotland.
Those known as Etna and Vesuvius
emerged from beneath soft marine
strata.
They are generally classed as active,
dormant and extinct. In many cases.
however, it is impossible to distinguish
the latter two, and many that have re-
mained Quiescent for hundreds Of CEN
turies have been known to suddenly
break forth in the most violent man
ner.
Such a one was Sornena, which after
being domant almost beyond time i'm
memorial, became active in the frst
century of the Christian era ard ulti-
mately produced Vesuvius.
The latter in 70 A. D. vomited
forth lava and deadly gases in such gi-
gantic volume and so rapidly that the
Inhabitants Of the city Of Pompeii and
several other adjacent towns were de-
stroyed as were the people OF st.
Pierre.
But Pelee, the volcano which so
quickly ended st. Piere and its people,
was another one which was always
considered extinct.
Mt. Epomeo, on the island Of Ischia,
furnishes another illustration OF the
uncertainties of these dread creatures
of the earths hidden mysteries. 1t re-
NAMED dormant for about seventeen
centuries and then, in 1902, burst forth
with the utmost violence.
In operation a volcano emits gases,
yapors, ashes, boulders and lava.
Sometimes the acids are as destruc-
tive to life as is the lava and ashes.
The orator of Idjen. volcano in ia "a,
turned loose a huge lake OF acid water,
which rushed down the mountain SIDE,
and the poisonous proportions OF the
liquid caused widespread destruction
among human beings, cattle and birds.
The ashes sent form by volcano are
generally so fine that they will pene-
trate a house through the smallest
creeks and crevices. They are gener-
ally so hot that the inhalation OF the
smallest amount will cause death.
Ashes have been known to fall over
a country covering radius within 16O
miles Of the volcano from which they
were discharged. That occurred when
Vesuvius broke loose II 1922.
On another occasion, when the Cose-
1uina volcano in Nicaragua became
eruptive in 1885 utter darkness prevail
ed within a circle of thirty-fye miles.
and eight miles away they covered the
ground to a depth Of ten feet. Four
days later some of the ashes, which