The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-31
VOLCANO IN ERUPTION
STREAMS OF MOLTEN LAVA
 FLOODING THE SLOPES.
Huge Boulders Hurled Into the Air from the Crater--Shower of Dust for Many Miles
 About the Peak.


 Tuxpan, Mexico. Special Correspondence
 of New York Evening Post
 Colima volcano has been in almost con- tinual eruption for eight days, and as a consequence some grand and awful scenes have been witnessed from this point, which is located about twenty-five miles to the eastward of the volcano's crater, and which is the present southern ter minus of that branch of the Mexican Central Railroad which is designed to tap the Pacific Coast at Manzanillo. Tux pan affords magnificent view of the volcano and is very easy of access. Sit- uated at an altitude of nearly 5000 feet above the level of the sea, the atmos- phere here on most days Is so clear that the peak does not appear to be more than four or five miles away. On the heights of Old Colima, an extinct volcano To- cated about twenty miles from the active peak, snow and ice and even rivulets of melted snow may be plainly seen.
 During the last week of February and the first few days of March Colima made series of demonstrations that created consternation in the immediate neigh borhood of the volcano and received con- siderable attention at the hands of the newspapers of the United States Great rocks were on three different days hurled high in air, considerable quantities of lava flowed down the western slopes. and volcanic dust fell over the contiguous territory to a distance of 150 miles. Here in Tuxpan on the 24th of February, the fall of dust was so profuse that at mid- day 1t was not possible to see across the plaza, and everything out of doors for miles around was literally plastered with the stuff There was pretty general exodus of ignorant and superstitious na tives employed on the haciendas and in the mines around the base of the noun tain, and people living in Tuxpan were in general somewhat nervous, but the ex- tent of the panic, If panic 1t could be called, was grossly overstated by the cor respondents of many American as well as Mexican newspapers As a matter of fact little actual damage was done, since the volcano's slopes were unpeo- pied. and the few villages situated about the base were too far removed to suffer from the repeated bombardments of boul- ders. Colima appeared to have blown herself pretty thoroughly out in the course of ten days. and remained un- wontedly quiet for period of about two months.
 Titanic Pyrotechnics.
 The eruptions of the past week have been of a radically different and upon the whole more serious character. Dur ing the entire period vast quantities of lava have at frequent intervals been vom- tied forth from the crater and gone roll ing down the slopes in gigantic molten streams. At night the spectacle was in- describably grand. The lava was not thrown into the air, L"t simply gushed over the lips of the crater, as though pumped from the glowing depths by some herculean power and, like thick molasses, started on its downward course deliberately and majestically. When one mass colided with another, or plunged over some sheer precipice on the noun tain side, the effect was startling. It was like the explosion of a million Ro- man candles. Gigantic columns of sparks shot high in afr-a mile or more, per haps-spread out like fountain and fin- ally fell back into the sea of fire below. At frequent intervals the terror and sub limity of the scene was heightened by terrific explosions which hurled massive boulders many hundred feet into the heavens, to fall back into the red-hot mass below with a tremendous splash. These giant pyrotechnics would continue for perhaps an hour, and then for a pe- riod the flow of lava and explosions would cease, only to be resumed in the course of an hour or two. During the past week a volume of smoke has poured from the crater continually, sometimes dense, at other times barely perceptible;
 
 explosion. again floating lazily away up- on the breeze. There have been, how ever, few hours during the past eight days that spectators have watched in vain for something sensational from Colima.
 Of late immense Assures that appear to reach from base to peak have formed along the mountains slopes, and dense clouds of steam and smoke at times is Gxxriff the incline like gigantic balls of cotton, and join the lofty column from the era ter, occasionally almost obscuring the view of the mountain side. In fact the volcano Colima seems rent from top to bottom and in fine trim to be blown to smithereens in case sufficient force should be generated at any one time in the crater's depths. The frequent eruptions of late would indicate, however, that the storehouse of force has sufficient vent at present to render a general blow-up impossible.
 Vegetation Destroyed.
 During the eruptions of February and March the lava elected flowed down Co., lima's western slopes, which are not in view from Tuxpan. At that time this side of the mountain appeared wooded and green below the timber line. and practically unscathed save by falling rOCKS ana aust. DuTlIlb tulS Se- ries of demonstrations, however, the greatest flow of lava appears to have been upon this side, and the long slopes on the south and east are today one vast desert of dust and lava, which. from this distance, takes the form of great drifts of gray material, which reach from the crater to base. In short, the contour of the eastern mountain has been entire ly transformed within a week The vast cd cry living thing has perished.
 The work Is still going on, and people living hereabout are wondering what the end will be- Many intelligent persons who have scoffed at former demonstra- tions of Colima are not quite certain now that something dreadful is not go- ing to happen. It would appear that Tuxpan. which is twenty-five miles dist ant from the volcano and separated from it by mountain spurs and barrancas, has nothing to fear from falling rocks and lava, but many of the people here, in view of recent experiences, think it by no means impossible that in case of an ,yioIapt aruntion the little town |