Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-15
BOULDERs TOSSED
LIKE TINY EGGS
MASSIVE PR0JECTlLES FROM
VESUVIUS
Professor Matteucel Gives Graphic
Account Of Eruption From His
Place Of Observation
on Mountain
u. Associated Press.

NAPLES, April 14-Professor Mat
teucci, director of the royal observa-
tory on Mount Vesuvius, gives the fol-
rible eruption:
II first observed Mount Vesuvius CIV
ing unusual signs about a month ago,
when the lava began to overflow, TAX
ing a southwest direction. This grad
ually increased as several small lava
streams formed into one great current.
THE middle of last week an enor'
nous stream of lava came from the
summit, meeting the other streams
which burst from the lower strata. II
was this that overwhelmed Bosco Ire
Case Throughout the lava discharge
the volcano was comparatively quiet
and without especial phenomena or ex-
plosions. The only ominous signs was
the advancing wave and the cinders
forming an enormous cloud in the
shape of a pine tree over the crater.
Our really terrible period came at
3 o'clock Saturday morning and lasted
until o'clock. The mountain, which
hitherto had been silent, Sunday gave
out a deafening roar and great rent
was made in it's cone. Huge solid rocks
fell near the observatory, threatening
to crush in the roof; but most of them
fell far outside the observatory zone.
There was no scoria in this discharge.
but solid bullet-like stones, which cut
the roof and damaged the windows.
Rocks Thrown High
Throughout Sunday enormous solid
rocks of stone rose to a height of 25O0
feet from the crater. while ashes and
sand were thrown much higher, but
toward Monday the terrible shocks of
earthquake gradually diminished. One
of the worst features of the eruption
was the unusual extent of the electrical
phenomena, the darkness being broken
by vivid flashes of lightning, giving the
sky a blood like color with short,
heavy peals of thunder interspersed.
These moments were terrible-very ter
rible. Yes, it was veritable hell"
Asked if his scientific observations
had yielded valuable results, Professor
Matteucci replied:
Conservation was extremely difficult
under such disturbing conditions. The
seismic instruments were badly affect
ed by the electrical intensity, each ex-
plosion being announced by violent
movement of the Instruments which
seemed ready to burst into pieces"
Compared with other great erup-
tions," continued the observer. this is
one of the most important in the his
tory of Vesuvius. It's effects are less
terrible than those of the eruption in
the year A. D. 70. when Pompeii was
buried, but It equals in intensity the
great eruptions of 1881 and 1872. What
results this eruption will yield to
science Is not yet certain. Eruptions
are not exact in scence. You cannot
count on Nesuvius; each Of its erup-
tions has its characteristics. This was
marked by an abundance of electrical
phenomena. 1 have collected quaint
tiles of cinders and scoria for COM
parison with similar matter from other
eruptions, and later 1 will collect
large stones.'
Future of Vesuvius
Asked concerning Mount Vesuvius in
the future, Prof. Matteucci replied:
"I am unable to tell with any de-
gree of certainty. l sincerely hope
this eruption is over; but who can tell
whether another terrible convulsion
may not come during the next minute?
However, all my indics tions point to
period of calm for the next few days,
and therefore / am hopeful. But was
hopeful last night, although a serious
explosion occurred at 10 o'clock in the
evening without any warming"
respondent a stone the size of three
inch shell as souvenir of his visit,
saying:
"These are very precious stones.
Some of them have hit me at one time
or another. They represent my
wounds
He then led the way to his sleeping
quarters, which showed the confusion
that existed throughout the domestic
bYoY1nb of OhGerVa tOrU dnriOpr the
eruption. AS he turned to the portico
Vesuvius gave another deep groan.
ending with a fearful explosion which
blew off a portion of it's new cone.
See" exclaimed the professor; "the
eruption may be resumed at any mo-
ment. That explosion rent the wester-
ly cone"
had fallen to the depth of three feet,
and hundreds of military wagons and
a squad of soldiers were piling them
in four parallel drifts ten feet high,
through which filed a motley line of
fugitives and military wagons. The
fugitives were a miserable lot, covered
with rags. Many of them were young
children who carried babies in their
arms, some of the latter having
brought new toys. the result of the
misapplied charity from the fashion
able villas.
Birds Has Disappeared
Portici was a sorry sight. The houses
we're streaked with mud and ashes up
10 the window sills. Five hundred
refugees were grouped before the city
nall demanding relief. Pompeii and
Herculaneum were closed, huge piles
damming the entrance. The lower
slope of the mountain is dotted with
villas and parks, in which the orange
trees were all blasted under the rain
of ashes. The donkey on which the
correspondent rode labored through
ashes about three feet deep. A weird
silence prevailed, for even the birds
have disappeared. The route was over
the lava beds elected in the eruption
of 1872, and these lay in distorted
masses like an ice jam. Naples was
family visible below through a curtain
of smoke.
AS the correspondent journeyed up
ward a new crater suddenly burst, and
from the summit Of the volcano enor-
nous masses of sand and mist shot
skyward. The monster trembled, SEEM
ing about to renew its convulsions, and
the native guides hesitated, declaring
that warning had already heen piVeI