Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-07-02
Former Salt Lake Mining Engineer
Relates Experiences Had Lately
In Sister Republic.
SAW A VOLCANO IN ACTION.
Thousands Of Tons of Rocks Hurled
From Mount Colma's Crater - Pie.
nomenon Lasted 10 Minutes.


perlences had recently In the interior
Of that country where he went to
examine mining property for a New
York and Boston syndicate He left
Tuxpan with AN associate, j. Il. Fletch-
err and several guides, mozos and all
the necessary equipment for q success
full expedition, including up-to-date
scientific Instruments for correct OBJ
servatlons.
"At first said Mr. Dgnowity, at
seemed as II we would be unable to
get any mozos or guides to accompany
US owing to the great superstition they
have against such an undertaking fear
ing tina volcano and the wild ami
mails that frequent the mountain there.
I'VE engaged several and they re-
fused to go after they learned our des-
tInation. Finally we were successful
In getting good corp OF attendants.
"Our trip was full Of great hardshlps
but also replete with most interesting
observations and instructive data. 1t
took us three days OF hard riding and
climbing to reach the top OF Mount
Nevada, our destination, the extinct
volcano which Is about a mile north
Of Mt. Colima, and over 1000 feet high
er than that active crater
Our first day we covered some %
miles over gently elevated section
westward from Tuxpan, the last 10
miles was through fine forest of long
luped yellow pine trees and luxuriant
grasses. Then having gained an eleva-
tIon OF $500 feet our first hard climbing
began The next five miles as we as
cended to an elevation of 10000 feet
when we We're confronted by what
seemed an impenetrable forest jungle
Seeing trouble ahead we decided to
pitch camp for the night but our woes
Immediately multiplied.
"A terrific storm arose and ragged in
ctssantly for two hours Though Il
was only . D. m. we We're enyeloped In
the darkness OF midnight. 1t seemed
as If we were In the midst OF the storm
clouds, they rolled above us, below us
and around W., while the thunder was
so terrific II made the mountains trem-
Bile. The lightning toyed with the big
, ting more hndling for Hades. The
rain poured In torrents and seemed
more like an ocean turned loose on our
heads than mere rainfall. Though
we were party Of sturdy men used to
hardships and not easily daunted, we
felt helpless as children In the hands
OF a mighty Titan, Speeches. and
awed we stood amidst the awful grand
ure OF that terrible storm awaiting our
doom. We were spared but none OF us
care to repeat the experience.
The next days journey was exceed
ingly hard on man and beast. The
mozos cut paths through the dark for
est and jungle and we followed up the
steep course climbing an angle of
30 TO 40 degrees. The forest jungle was
one OF the interesting features of our
trip. Great pine trees six feet In dlame-
ter and fully 100 feet to the first limbs;
red and Spanish oaks four to five feet
through, besides ash and other TIMBER
all covered from root to topmost bough
| with most luXuriant parasitic growth;
| some trailing species of Cacu or air
| plants hang from 20 feet, and ablaze
| with beautiful crimson blossoms, mis-
| tletoe fling its leaves and berries 10 and
| 10 feet In the air. orchids of surpass-
| ing beauty hiding their priceless treas
| ures IN the gloomy forest ferns OF in
Vulnerable varieties MOSES Of every
kind and fungous growths galore hid
| den In depth Of Jungle, all these COM
| bined with the thick underground pines
a darkness dense as night ut all hours
1t was really black forest Even the
| soil was black Volcanic cinders three
feet deep, resting upon a deep bed OF
| soft yellow pOrphyry which holds the
tree roots Underlying this yellow
| porphyretc formation Is sandstone
which forms the visible base OF the
mountain.
This black forest has an altitude Of
10000 feet above sea level and abounds
with Wild game, turkey pheasants and
| squirrels, as well as deer, mountain
lion ana other big game tempt the willy
huntsman, We We're all that day go
| ing five miles and our second night
camped In the dark forest.
Early the next day we emerged from
the cloudy limits of the jungle into u
section where Spanish oaks fiourished
without the dense underground, the
open beneath being covered with thick
punches of salt grass very nutritious
for food stock. This class Of country
extended TO an altitude OF 200 feet,
then followed the scrubby nr pine to
timber line If 900 feet where the naked
| porphyry ricks covered the surface and
extended TO the crest Of the crater.
1--WE now had reached an elevation
OF 1850 feet and were upon a narrow
ridge or hogback OF Mount Nevada,
nearly level with the top of Colima's
crater and just a little north Of It.
There one gets the best view OF the ac-
tive volcano ana there we paused in
great awe and admiration as we gazed
upon the only active volcano on this
continent. Colima, the spokesman OF
the great range, Interpreter for the
many companions that stand majestic
and yoiceless through the ages Silent
ly we gazed and waited for its mes
sage, conscious Of lurking fear lest
It might be spoken yet, hoping 1t would
come.
THE top " Colima's abrupt peak
down for 1900 feet IL covered with loose
dark grey ashes and clnders, while
white steam or smoke I'm great curl
ing clouds pours out from Its enormous
chimney ms well as from many other
places for 5000 feet below the crest.
There Is also q small mountain peak
that stands out alone on the northeast
side OF Collma, about $500 feet below
the top. This small peak has an active
crater and would seem TO be far more
dangerous than Coima for a flow OF
lava would find an outlet here before
attaining the higher crater,
while we were at the point Of view
Just described Mr., Fletcher, my COM
panion was overcome by the altitude
and had TO give up any further ascent
30 was forced to 20 on with only the