The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-10-23
The Great Hawaiian
Volcano is Again
Active
Molten Rocks Pour Out of
the Mountain Sides and
Down Toward the
Sea

| Hawaii rlSlnB TO helBnJ OF lo,OOV
feet above the sea level, is again ac.
tive. Tho outbreak occurred shortly
after noon on Tuesday, October 9Th.
From several points on the island of
Hawaii an immense cloud of black
smoke seemingly a mile in diameter,
suddenly shot up toward the zenith,
until it seemed almost to cover the
whole heavens. Smoke continued to
rise. black at first, presently assuming
reddish tinge as though rejecting
the brightness and glow of a Titanic
caldron of molten lava below AS
light faded and darkness came, the
pillar of cloud became a pillar of fire,
while the great body Of smoke resting
in the upper air reflected the light un.
iii the heavens seemed Illuminated,
and the wondrous spectacle was Wis.
ible eighty mills at sea.
The news of the outbreak was
brought to Honolulu by a sailing yes
sci, the British ship Ormsery. At
noon on Tuesday the Ormsery then
sixty miles westward of Hawaii In a
calm, felt a sudden commotion in the
wafer like a great tidal wave. She
was driven rapidly astorn, and whrled
around as though in a maelstrom
This last for half an hour. Then il
ceased and the sea resumed its normal
calm. While the men on the ship
were still wondering what cataclysm
of nature they had just experienced,
the man at the wheel deserted far to
the eastward, the great outburst of
smoke from the summit of Mauna
LOa.
The eruption has continued all the
week, but so distant and inaccessible
is the point where the great forces
OF nature have broken forth, that
as yet no one mas been there and re.
turned. All that is known, or can be
known Of the outbreak at the present
time, is what can be seen Of Il at
great distance or from the decks of
vessels at sea. The nearest inhabited
place is thirty five miles away
From the observations that have
been made. II Is believed the outbreak
occurred in the so-called summit era
ter OF Mauna Loa. Mokuaweoweo.
Activity in this crater continues. but
the great body OF the lava, instead of
flowing over the lip OF the crater has
broken out one or two thousand feet
lower down the slope of the mountain,
and has now formed a great stream of
lava flowing down the side OF the
mountain toward the sea forty or
fifty miles away.
This is what has happened in all
previous outbreaks within modern
times. In the last outbreak. in 1899,
the lava broke out about 2000 feet
below the crater Of Moluaweoweo.
but on the side toward Hilo, while in
the present case the evidence is over
whelming that the lava flow is toward
the south or southwest. in the direc.
tion OF South Kona or Kau.
The lava flow has not yet reached
the forest, which is 5000 feet above sea
level The great coolumn Of fire by
night and Of smoke by day which
rises from the summit OF the noun
tain is visible from all parts OF the
Island Of Hawaii and from many
parts of Maui At night great foun-
tains OF fire rise TO a height of many |
hundred feet From some Of points Of
view there are half a dozen OF these
fountains, while from other points
they seem 20 merge into one.
A number OF parties from Hio and |
from other parts Of the island of Ha, !
wall have started for the scene OF the
great eruption. The distances they
will have 10 go and the difficulties
OF the Journey are such that probably |
not more than one in three OF those
who start will reach their destination,
and those who do will be gone three l
days or more before IL viii be posi- |
BILE for them 70 get back.
Mauna Lea Is a dOme-like mountain. /
occupying about one-third OF the area
OF the island Of Hawaiia. The crater
OF Mokuaweoweo near the summit OF
Nauna Loa is about 5000 feet across
In one diameter and 1900 feet in the
other. From the top Of It's almost
walls 10 the bottom.
where never eeasing smoke gives evi,
dence Of the everlasting fires below. is
about 1000 feet, Nothing can exceed
the impressiveness OF this vast cal.
dron on the top Of the great dome.
ra,w NO. tR.rr h,aR - Z, ---.-. 4. A.