The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-04-25
vESUvIuS HAS A BAD RECORD.

Line recent eruptlOn OF Nesu'Auoi
with a death list estimated at about
1000 persons and property damage
beyond calculation, recalls the record
of that world.famous volcano. The
fertile slopes of Vesuvius nave at
tracted from the most ancient times a
swarming population OF vine growers
and farmers, and o great number OF
hamlets aud villages dot the country
about, together with the large towns
of Portici, Resina, on the site of an-
cient Herculaneum: Tore del Greco,
Tore Annunziata, Oltanjo. Boscore-
ais and Anastasia, places of $1,000 to
$4,000 inhabitants.
The first recorded eruption of Vesu-
vius vas that which destroyed Hercu-
laueum and Pompeii, August 90, A.
D. 70. Sixteen years before that an
earthquake seriously damaged those
two cities, both populous ''summer
resorts" of the weather. Romans. On
the fatal day, familiar to all readers
through Bulwer's tale, the mountain
burst and buried under ashes and
lava the two cities and all the sur.
rounding villages. 1t is estim ated
that 80, 900 persisted then.
Vesuvius rested for l25 years.
Again, in the year 2O3, under Septi-
mus Severus, there was an eruption
worth recording. In 472 the volcano
belched ashes which fell in all then
known parts of Europe and even in
Asia Minor and the northern parts of
Africa. Other violent disturbances
appear in the records of 5l2 and 9S2.
The first reported discharge OF
liquid lava appeared in the year 1896.
Down to the year 1900 there had been
nine erup,ions in all. From that year
to 1851 the volcano vas quiet. but in
that year there was a tremendous flow
OF lava, with violent explosions and
the discharge of torrents of boiling
water.
On December Ii. 1851, a huge cloud
OF smoke and ashes arose in ~conical
form. making day like night in Ma.
pies, 10 miles from the summit. The
cloud extended over the whole south
ern portion of Italy, as far as Taren-
tum. Heavy stones were thrown ten
miles. One weighing $500 tons fell in
the village Of Somma. The earth was
convulsed by terrific earthquakes and
even streams Of lava poured out,
overlooking the doomed villages. In
all 5000 lives were destroyed in this
disaster.
From May to August, 1907, the VOL
cano was in constant eruption, shower
ing ashes upon Naples and keeping
that city In a long-continued state of
panic. Vesuvius was again persist
emily active from 1717 to 1887. In 1860
and 1867 active, severe eruptions &C.
Cured, the latter sending lava into
Portici, five miles southeast of Ma.
pies, and scovial fell in the city itself.
Red hot stones in vast numbers we're
hurled 1000 feet above the crater In
1779, spreading terror throughout the
again populous neighborhood Of the
mountain.
Again the lava How claimed many
human vtctims in 1894. This eruption
was the first to be observed in the
modern scientific spirit by men Of
Franklin's cast of mind. The streams
Of lava precipltated themselves into
the sea beside Tore del Greco, and
more than 400 persons persisted there.
Leopold Won Buch observed the
eruption OF 1905, and Humboldt that
of 1922. In the latter year the whole
top Of the cone was blown off, and a
chasm three miles in circumference
and more than 1000 feet deep was
formed.
After inferior eruptions in 1850 aud
1855 came the impressive demonstra-
ton Of 1853, when the cone sank 1875
feet below It's former height. -On De-
cember 8, 1861, another violent out
break devastated Tore del Greco for
the third time.
After u decade Of quiet, the sleeping
giants fury again burst forth, begin
ming in January, 1871, aud culmina at
ing in the great eruption of April -
to 30, 1872. During this terrible week
lava was elected on every side of the
mountain. The torrent ran l. miles
in three hours. At the same time,
amid terrific laundering, a huge cloud
of smoke and ashes vas emitted, which
arose to a height Of 5000 feet. The
lava flow of this eruption covered an
area of two square miles, and aver
aged Il feet in depth. This destroyed
property worth $500, 600.
The series of eruptions OF 1897 and
1898 did not proceed from the main
summit, but burst new and small era
ters from the side Of the mountain
l--lS~. Hoo.l Nc-1, &c.,. .l,