Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-30
GUARDS MOUNT OF vEsUv1Us.
Man Who Lives in Constant Danger
Pursues His Studies Serenely.
From the London Globe.

From the London Globe.
It is by no means generally known that
the far-famed volcano so familiar to every
visitor at the Bay of Naples. has guar
dian specially appointed by the Italian
government in the person of Prof. Luigi
Mateucci That this wel-known scientist s
services are of vital importance will be re-
allied on rejecting how uncomfortable it is,
to say the least, to have 4,0O0-foot burn
ing mountain in the very center of a teem-
Ing population and a rich and fertile
province Very few of the ordinary tourists
who ascend to the crater of Vesuvius by
the funicular railway meet the professor.
He lives in the observatory, all among the
deep ashes and cinders. about LOCO feet be-
low the place where the reekng sulphur
clouds sweep up from the dread depths.
Professor Mateucci is Just now very
much in evidence, owing to the new inter
national movement for the excavation of
Herculaneum. which expert archaeologistS
say will yield much richer finds than Pom
pei In the way of bronzes, statuary mo-
sales, implements, etc.
'Herculaneum." Prof. Mateucci pointed
out to the writer. was buried much deeper
than Pompeii by the effiux of ashes and
Scoriae from the volcano, and I am certain
the city will be found In amazingly perfect
preservation. You must remember. too
that Herculaneum was a much more pOpu-
lar resort WIN the ROMAN dTlSlOCTdCy imam
her sister city"
The professor produced from a corner
the albums In which he keeps the very
striking photographs he takes recording the
one that impressed me, bright and sharp
silver print. showing Mateucci leaning
against mountainous mass of rock.
That" said this wonderful man. was
thrown nearly 1000 feet from a temporary
crater one morning and fell within seven
feet Of me-"
How much does 1t weight" I asked.
aghast.
About thirty-seyen TONS" was the quiet
reply.
No, 1t cannot be cheerful to live on a
Volcano You remember this Is a meta
phorical epression, but in the case Of Pro-
feSsor Mateucci 1t Is literally accurate. One
of his principal duties is to give warning of
dangerous eruptions to the many towns
and villages round about. not to mention
the proprletors of vineyards and farms. He
also reports by wire direct to Rome and
also has a, special service for the Societa
degli Albergatori, Association of Italian
Hotelkeepers, a body recently formed OF
which Signor Floroni OF the Hotel de Lon
dres, In Genoa Is the secretary.
This body Is charged with looking after
the interests of tourists throughout Italy.
from Tuscany to Sicily, and Is always in
terested in big eruption of Vesuvius. par
ticularly IL 1t is likely to be long continued
In such an event-which Professor Mateuc-
els long and varied experience of the
mountain easily enables him to determine
travellers flock into Italy from all parts, es-
.pecially well-to-do Americans. who will
even come from a 8 far as the Italian lakes,
Switzerland. the Riviera and even London.
1t is not too much to say that Mateucci
Is the physician of this dangerous giant.
He can diagnose every rumble and symp-
tom of his patient and knows exactly what
warning to send out If the volcano bids fair
to become violent. His seismographic In
struments are almost incredibly sensitive
and he spends whole hours on the very
brink of the various craters listening and
watching for signs. He foresees which
way the lava streams will flow and whether
there is likely to be any considerable ennis
sions of rock masses. some of which are
hurled mile high.