Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-06
Acquired From Spain With
the Philippines.
TA.AL, MOST NOTABLE
GLORIOUS SUNSETS TO BE SEEN
AT MANILA.
Devoutness of the Natives-Church
and State Separated-Catholic
Dignitaries Popular.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

Special Correspondence OF The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
MANILA, May s. 1901.
Among other valuable assets acquired
by the United States by the treaty OF Paris
are forty-nine volcanoes ranging from 1000
TO 11.0O0 feet high. Twenty of them are
more or less active: the rest are dormant
or extinct. They extend all the way from
northern Luzon to the southern end Of Min
danao, and Padre Algue, who has charge OF
the weather bureau, keeps a record of each
OF tine active ones and has a set of ap-
paratus at the observatory by which he is
able to keep track of every disturbance in
the heavens and on the earth. Taal, the
most notable is most easily reached. being
only thirty-four miles and within sight from
the housetops Of Manila, and not more than
sixty miles by the regular journey. Its
latest eruption was in April year ago, but
II has no particular schedule, and is liable
to perform at any time.
Taal lies upon small volcanic island in q
lake called Bombon and, as in other vol
canic countries, the soil around it IS re-
markably fertile and the sunsets are as
glorious as any you ever saw. Did you ever
recognize the close relationship between the
sunsets and volcanoes? If not II is worth
investigation. Wherever there are volca-
noes. in Naples, in Sicily, the Hawaiian is
lands, the Malay archipelago, in Ecuador
and Bolivia, the sunsets are famous, and
their brilliancy is attributed to the refiec-
ton OF the rays of the sun upon particles of
vocanic dust in the atmosphere. The fer
tllity of the soil in volcanic countries Is
also notable, which. l presume, we may at
tribute to the same cause.
Both phenomena are manifested here In
remarkable manner The sunsets of
Manila are wonderful. Every evening, just
as the sun goes down, we go over to the
Luneta, an open park and driveway on the
shore of the bay, to see the people and to
hear the band play. There are comfortable
benches stretched along the beach for half
a mile or more, where you can sit and
watch display of natures color work
equal to anything ever shown on the pay
of Naples. 1t is not easy to compare sun
sets, for you cannot catch them together
very well, but 1t does not seem possible
that any could be more glorious than we
see here. that any could be more sublime
than those that are spread each evening on
the western horizon across Manila bay.
Taal has been active ever since white
men came to this country, and there is a
tradition among the natives that an En-
glishman once attempted to cut tunnel
from the base to the center of the noun
tain so that he might get at priceless treas
ures supposed to be hidden in the crater.
He persisted in gust OF temper provoked
by his audacity. The entrance to his tun-
mel. which looks like cave In the rock. Is
pointed out as the ''Cueva del Ingles." He
was probably mining for sulphur.
Victims of the Earthquakes.
Many a time has Taal shaken the whole
archipelago. 1t has destroyed millions of
dollars worth of property and has taken
thousands of human lives. Mayor, second
in fame to Taal has a longer list of erup-
lions to its credit. Padre Algue has record
ed details of twenty-seven, extending from
1916 to 1897, and some of them have been
very destructive. In 1914 more than 100
lives were lost.
Mayor is in Albay. and claims to be the
most symmetrical and beautiful volcano in
the world hut Taal has a hotter temper
and has done more violence. In 1871 1t
created an island which still stands in the
bay as a monument to its enterprise and
industry. and Is covered with beautiful
vegetation. Every bit OF that island ex-
cept its verdure was thrown from the
crater. The most destructive and DESC
latlng OF all It's eruptions occurred in 1854.
when four towns were entirely destroyed.
several thousand people were killed and the
streets of Manila were strewn with ashes.
Since then there have been several erup-
lions. In the spring of 1887 200 people
were killed: on the 9th of July, 1885, all
the towns around were severely damaged.
fifteen natives lost their lives, and 800 live
stock, horses. oxen and goats, were killed.
In May. 1897 showers of red-hot lava fell
like rain for a radius of twenty miles from
the crater. Four hundred people were
killed. the village of Bacacav was entirely
buried under lava. sand and ashes. and
many valuable hemp plantations and a
large number of gardens were destroyed.
In April, 1903. Taal threw out consider
able fire and smoke without serious dam
age. The main crater is nearly round, and
over a mile In diameter Within its rim