The San Francisco call., 1906-04-15

mains of recent meal on the desk
in his study.
Throughout Sunday enormous
solid rocks rose to a helght 81
$500 feet from the crater, while
ashes and sand were thrown much
higher, but toward Monday the ter
rible shocks of earthquake gradually
diminished.
One of the worst features of the
eruption was the unusual extent of
the electrical phenomena, the dark
ness being broken by vivid flames of
lightning, giving the sky blood-like
color, with short, heavy peals of
thunder interspersed. These mo-
mentS were terrible-very terrible.
Yes. 1t was veritable hell.
Asked if his scientific observations
had yielded valuable results, Professor
Matteucci replied:
Observation was extremely difficult
under such disturbing conditions. The
seismic instruments were badly affected
by the electrical intensity, each explo-
sion being announced by violent
movement OF the instruments. which
seemed ready to burst into pieces"
SOLLALSlS AMI SOOhlhs
Professor Matteucei sounded a long.
rasping r. like succession of quick
taps on a drum, which, he said, resem-
bled the noise made by the seismo-
graph when affected by violent ex
plosion.
Compared with other eruptions,
continued the observer this was one
or the most important in the history of
Vesuvius. It's effects are less terrible
than those of the eruption in the year
A. ID. 19, when Pompeii was buried, but
1T EQUALS in intensity the great erup-
tions of 1851 and 1872. What results
this eruption will yield to science is not
yet certain. Eruptions are not exact in
science You cannot count on Vesuvius;
each of It's eruDtions has its character
istfcs. This one was marked by an
abundance of electrical phenomena. l
have collected quantities of cinders and
scorfa for comparison with similar mat
ter from other eruptions, and later /
will collect large stones"
The professor pointed to the shelves
in his laboratory, where there were
plates containing cinders varying in
size and bottles filled with ashes. and
there were also in the room enormous
stones, each labeled with the date of
its ejection from the volcano.
Asked concerning Mount Vesuvius in
the future, Professor Matteucci replied
i am unable to tell with any degree
of certainty. 1 sincerely hope this
eruption is over; but who can tell
whether another terrible convulsion
may not come during the next minute?
However; all my indications point to
period of calm for the next few days,
and, therefore, 1 am hopeful. But I
was hopeful last night, although a
serious explosion occurred at 10 o'clock
in the evening without any warn ing"
FALLING STONES WOUND HIM.
Professor Matteucci handed the cor
respondent a stone the size of three
inch shell as souvenir of his visit
saying;
Some of them have hit me at one time
or another. They represent my
wounds"
5 He then led the way to his sleeping
quarters which showed the confusion
that existed throughout the domestic
branch of the observatory during the
eruption. AS he turned to the portico
Vesuvius gave another deep groan. end
ing with fearful explosion which
blew off portion of its new cone.
See" exclaimed the professor, the
eruption may be resumed at any mo-
ment That explosion rent the westerly
cone"
Mount Vesuvius presented a majestic
spectacle from this point of vantage at
the observatory This was far inside the
outer circle of smoke which hides the
from Naples. The great monster
stood out clearly under the bright sun
light. 1t was entirely white, like snow
covered mountain; the ashes had turned
Its former deep green color. It's contour
also mad changed. The gigantic, jagged
cone no longer rose like the setting of
an enormous jeweled ring. Instead it
now forms a graceful curve, harmonic
ing the gradual slope of the foothills.
The white surface of the mountain is 4
slit here and there as with a giant saber /
stroke, leaving gulches through which |
lava courses. The wrecked remnant of /
the Funicular Railway lay at the bottom !
Of one of these gulches, some of the 4
twisted cable protruding from the ashes 1
PERRET TELLS OF EXPERIENCE.
Singularly, an American scientist is the