The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-10-07
Past Performances Of Italy's
Great Volcano.
FEATURES OF ERUPTI0NS
In 1922 the Whole Top Of vesuyius Was
Blown oH-wonderful Pow
er Behind the Ex-
plosion.

/ a hS itStut tiApllOH VI Muuui ' tSu-
yius is in line with the past history OF
the volcano. which, ever since Ponpeii.
was oyerthrown. in A. d. 70, has been
averaging only thirty years between
violent eruptions. says the New York
Tribune. There have been sixty ire
mendous commissions in this volcano
since the year 10. Although the likell-
hood that yesuyius may at any time
treat the surrounding country as it did
pompeif has been perfectly well known
for centuries. the fascination of the
great volcano has lulled tens Of thou
sands Of Italian country people into
living along the base and up the sides
81 the mountain and bias tempted as
many thousands more OF tourists to
make the ascent TO the summit Until
a few years ago this perilous climb
| had to be accomplished on muleback
ana with experienced local guides. To
day railway runs nearly up TO the
top and pedestrians can walk from the
Elast station out on the great lava field
and get close enough to the seat Of OPP
erations TO suit all but the most hardy
OF them
When this remarkable volcano is
grumbling OF after there has been one
Of the periodic outbursts OF dust and
cinders persons are not allowed to 90
up the mountain A long railway
journey takes the climber out from
Naples to the Pompeii station, where
the tourist has 70 make choice from
hundred yelling guides and cabmen
and is carried through the lively VIII
lage Of modern ponpeii to the entrance
to the ruins Of ancient Pompei
At the end Of the railroad begins the
foot ascent Of tile Volcano Fields Of
crumbling black lava stretch far up
to the top, twisted and fuirowed as
it cooled after pouring out from the
assures above. If the walking IS hard, |
the air is worse A wind may any time
bring down the volcanoes side a blast /
OF nauseous vapor Toilfng to the top /
the climber finally gets where lie can
gaze into the crater. often this IS |
quiet and nothing but yawning hole
As often it If a seething caldron Of /
fire and boiling masses of rock.
Flames shoot up from the edges: I'M
mense columns OF steam rise with Il
hiss; the ground below trembles, reels
and seems about to totfer into the
abyss; the roaring from the interior Of
the mountain deafens. suphurous
smoke blinds and stiles AT night the /
experience is more awful than in the
day. One cannot see his neighbor on
the expedition. His voice is lost tn
the horrible belching and Toaring from
the bowels OF the earth 4 misstep
or a momentary loss Of the guide. and
IL IS an easy thing to roll into the fiery
pit The record Of death BY suffoc
fion and accident on Nesuvius IL il
large one
When the first writer's began to men
ton Nesuyius they spoke Of the lava
character OF the soil around tile vol
cano and to the many signs that It
had been burned in ancient times
But there Is no recorded disturbance Of
the crater earlier than Christian times
In Al y. 10 came the historic bursting
Of the mountain and the Overwhelming
Of Hereulaneun and pompeli
Yesuyius rested for III years, until
III tile year 203 occurred tie second
recorded eruption. Another came ia the
year 472 and was 80 tremendous thar
ashes were carried over the whole Of
Europe and even 10 Asia ana Africa.
The fourth eruption came hi 1886 Ia
1851 an eruption was accompanied BY
tremendous streams OF lava and tor-
rents of boiling water In 1870 modern
scientific men for the first time studied
the phenomenon III the eonyusi9n Of
1904 the town OF Tore del Greco was
destroyed III this eruption a great hole
opened ID the side of tie ynleano near
the base, which filled up with molten
lava. One stream 81 che lava from this
explosion was estimated as containing
more than 46,oU0000 cubic feet.
III 1922 the whole top Of Yesuyius
was blown off and d chasm about three
miles IN circumference and probably
more than 1000 feet deep was formed
In 1850, 1876 and 1858 streams Of Isiys
poured ont Of the volcano and III Agril
1872 came another Impressive eonvnl
sion In $50. ia 1856 and im1S9l came
more eruptions. ii 1897 came the erup
ton q photograph Of which was taken
BY Brogi Of Florence Huge stones
were thrown up 70 tremendous heights
at That time, and clouds Of steam
smoke and ashes escaped from the era. !
ter for days
An interesting feature about these ,
eruptions is the heat Of the elected Z
lava, One stream. being tested, gave
a reading 81 LBS degrees Il. Another
stream fused silver. the melting point (
Of which IS $40 degrees. On 4 third
test the laya melted copper thus show J
ing heat Of not less Than 2,204 de Z
grees. I
The power behind the explosions is
also wonderful. Professor Matteuccl I
OF the University Of Naples was peer Z
ing over the edge Of the crater one :
soy when tie saw a block Of rock Of