New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-27
PELEES OBELISK.
It's Formation and Disappearance
Explained by DR.. Russell.

Scarcely less curiosity than that resulting from
the volcanic outbreak in the West Indies over
eighteen months ago has been caused by q feature
OF Pelee's behavior which seems to be without any
exact parallel or precedent In all the modern lit
erare on this general subject IT is practically i'm
possible 10 find any account Of the gradual develop
ment of q column. thousand or mora feet IN
height, at the very summit Of mountain. Prob
ably such things have happened before. but owing
to the shortnegs Of the time during which masses
Of this kind remained visible they have not been
observed Even SO, they must have been singu-
Iarly rare 70 go unrecorded The unique char
acter of the phenomenon in question lends peculiar
value TO the explanations offered a week or two
ago in Science by DR.. Israel c. Russell, author
OF volcanoes Of North America" and one Of the
highest living authorities in vulcanology.
At the outset the reader is reminded that in the
centre of volcano there Is a conduit reaching
downward from the crater to unknown depth
approximately circular in form. and several hun
dred feet in diameter. UD into that passage IS
forced molten or plastic rock from below at times
OF special activity. In one type OF volcano the ma
terial flows out freely and quietly in liquid con-
dition. That is what happens with Mauna Loa, in
Hawaii In another class Of which Pelee is a rep
resentative the visible product is solid either dust
or small fragments being elected with explosive
violence. The chemical composition OF the latter
substance differs little from the former Whatever
be the disslmilarity in condition IN the two IN
stances after the lava reaches daylight, there can
be doubt about its fuidity inside the bore
ly or quite all the way up to the top
During the first stage OF the eruption on the island
most portion Of the rising column was continually
being shattered by explosions of steam in the ma
teriaI itself. Either by contact with water or
through other influences the summit of the moving
mass sufficiently cooled TO render the dis
charged material solid. But as destruction kept
pace with the ascent. the top OF the column never
e6anse in the general situation however, made it
possible for the mass to show itself A drnfnutfon
Of the supply lessened the rate Of dsintegra-
ton, while the pressure from below maintained.
The extreme upper part remained rigid, and thus
began 10 protrude more and more. An elevation OF
over one thousand feet was observed. and but for
losses which Professor Russell goes to discuss,
the height of the obeltsk might have reached 5000
feet Al its base ii was 500 or 600 in diameter
This enormous monument differed from the cones
often in old volcanic craters In this Important
respect They are composed OF ashes and small
Pigments Pelee's obeIisk was solid although its
interior intensely hot Light was emitted from
fssires n its sides ana small quantities OF steam
which issued from the mass bore further testimony
TO its temperature. As soon as continued growth
fCor1 the inward movement OF the column in the
yoIcanic conduit ceased several influences began
olG Iar ohtsined access to the cracks and led to
rn,,,nerous minor disrupting explosions, Similar
AGENCIES around the base OF the column inside the
49, ats- srted even more powerfully. Friction be-
rfaid and probably irregular In outline. and the
tlgla SI t,rfaces OF the channel through which il
tars That would still further promote destruction
In time the visible part or the column was com
5 The probable OF the remainder after the
activity of PeIee mas eI Ut Ho sr nEr -
- Ea saws that the material In the conduit OF
70, nc 5ften hardens into q rock which is
NoIcdLoes "a srdrrinR than its surroundings rs hen
tbe 3eather has partially destroyed the latter the
me Sa- re eXposed and stand like towers cas-
striking specimens Of this sort exist to-day In New
Mckee ti ~ course and in general appearance.
But thew are revealed only oy the suosequent re-
moyal q the TrsrtSnSue last winter and spring
suited from actual upward movement aDoNe 'h7
crater.