The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-15
TELL OF yEsUulrs
SCIENTISTS DESCHIBE THE REGENT
 VIOLENT ERUPTION.
Professor Matteucci aud His American Assistant, Professor Perrett, De- x scribe the Flow of Lava and
 Fall of Grinders.

| Naples. April 1f-The Associated Press correspondent today reached the | highest habitable point on Mount Ve- suvius where Professor Matteucci di- | rector of the Royal Observatory. has couraegously held his post through out the eruption The noted scientist was found comparatively calm and un- disturbed by his recent fearful expe- | riences.
 For three days Professor Mattucci l and his little band were cut of from the outside world. Their provisions ran low and their rations consisted of cheese. bread and dried onions, until turesome guide to push through Fri day with a stock of supplies. Mean time the professor had kept at his in- struments. taking observations and making calculations day and night while a perfect inferno ragged around him.
 As he r1me forward to greet the cor. respondent his blackened face and dust covered clothes told of the ordeal through which he had passed. He is of medium height. stock of build with a ruddy face and snver gray hair and l moustache. His appearance combines the intellectually of the savant and the hardihood of the athlete. His rough garb seemed to belle his profession. The portico where he stood was knee deep in ashes. From the observatory torrance. to which narrow paths had been cut through the ashes, the corre- spondent looked out over a see of ashes and twisted rivers of lava, while Ve- suvius rose grimly in a mantle of dust clouds like a gigantic fan. Professor Matteucci was asked to tell in his own way the story of the catacIysm from the outset. He gave the follow ing detailed narrative:
 Professor Matenccrs Story.
 q observed Mount Vesuvius giving unusual signs about a month ago when the lava began to overflow. taking a southwest direction. This gradually i'm creased as several small streams form ed into one great current.
 The real danger began the middle of the week. Then an enormous stream of lava came from the summit, meet ing the other streams which burst from the lower strata. It was this that overwhelmed Boscotrecase. Through out the lava discharge the volcano was comparatively quiet and without elec- trical phenomena or explosions. The only ominous sign was the advancing wave and the cinders forming an enor- nous cloud in the shape of a pine tree over the crater.
 Our really terrible period came at 8 o'clock Sunday morning and lasted
 
 hitherto had been silent, suddenly gave out deafeninG roar and a great deal was made Huge solid rocks were hurled skyward Some of them fell near the observatory, threatening to crush in the roof There was no scoria in this first discharge, but solid bullet Ike stones which cut the rof and dam aged the windows.
 At midnight Saturday I ordered the women and children of the household removed. This was just before the rain of huge stones began. and I was left with Professor Ferret of New, York. my American assistant. and two do. mestics. There was scarcely any eat ing and all domestic order was aban- doned.
 Throughout Sunday enormous solid hIocks of stone rose to a height of 9
 5o0 feet from the crater while asbas and sand were thrown much higher hut towards Monday the terrible shocks of earthquake gradually diminished one of the worst features of the ernn- tion was the unusual extent of tba electrical phenomena. the darkness Ne ing broken by vivid flashes of light.