East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-06-01
OREGON VOLCANOES
PACIFIC OCEAN is EN-
CIRCLED BY CRATERS.
Chain Extends Entire Length of Pa
cific Coast, Across Behring Sea to
Asia and Thence to Formosa, Phil
ippincs, New Zealand and Hawaii
Oregon Has Seven Extinct Vol
canoes.

]. NJ. Scanlan writes the following
intensely interesting article on the
extinct volcanoes of the Pacific coast
region for the San Francisco Chroni-
Gle.
The review of Oregon and WASH
ington mountain peaks is especially
interesting and is worthy of finding
permanent place in the geological
history of the coast. The article is
as follows:
According to geologists there is a
sympathetic feeling" in the volcanic
vents which surround the Pacific
ocean as a chain of fire, and extend
through California and the northwest.
This is demonstrated by the local dis
Eturbances which are occasionally felt
at about the same time in the various
sections.
This almost endless chain begins in
far away Terre del Fuego, appropri-
ately, "The Land of Fire" and it ex-
tends along the west slope of South
and Central America, where the belt
is only about 80 miles wide. But
when II reaches Mexico 1t broadens
4 W hCoils oVV II the
gulf coast and causes disturbances in
that region. From Mexico the belt
OF fire extends northward to Califor-
MIA, Oregon, Washington, and along
the coast line of British Columbia.
Thence 1t extends to Alaska, where
there are large, active craters, and
thence through the Aleutian islands,
| New Zealand, and to the Hawaiian
islands. The burning craters of frozen
Alaska unite this chain of fire of the
western world with the old world, in
Guiding our newly-acquired Philip
pines, Corea. Formosa and Japan.
In Alaska this belt of slumbering
fire contracts to about % or 80 miles
in width-the same as in South Amer
lea. In California and throughout
the northwest the belt again broad
ems to the width of about 500 or 900
miles-about the same width as in
Mexico. The southern extremity of
this molten belt line curves eastward
and the northern extremity curves
westward-thus forming the shape
of the capital letter "S.'
Oregon Volcanoes.
All of the mountains in the Cascade
range in oregon and in Washington
have craters either at the summit or
on the sides. There are seven in Ore
gon and five in Washington, ranging
from 1000 to $4,000 feet in height.
Mount klamath, S233 feet in height,
is one of the most remarkable extinct
volcanoes on this continent, and per-
haps in the world. 1t is 35 miles
north of Lake klamath and, strange
| ly, encompasses a lake. 1t is known
as Crater lake, is about 1000 feet
deep. and is surrounded by nearly
vertical walls of about the same
height above the surface of the lake,
which gives the crater a depth of
about 1000 feet. Biologists hold that
an eruption in prehistoric times blew
the mountains head off. and that the
melting of the glaciers caused the
lake.
Mount Rainier, the highest in the
| range. contains a bowl-shaped crater
| almost of exact circular form. This
mountain is said to be the grandest
and most picturesque single peak in
the known world. Lovers of noun
tain scenery say its picturesqueness
| consists not so much in its height as
in its isolated position, and because it
rises almost straight from the ocean
level.
Mount Shasta. crowned with etc.
! nal s-p'r- - ro-oa ~r ;ou ,ets ri
write. ESQ lost IL head in pr.his-
toric ages, according to geologists. 1t
is typical volcanic formation and
has a double cone. The second,
known as "Shastina," or Little Shas-
ta," Is about 1000 feet below the sum-
nit. The ambition of tourists is to
climb to the summit of Shasta, or at
least reach Little Shasta" to look
into the vent which splits the noun
tain in twain. One of the immense
lava streams extended so miles down
Sacramento canyon. where 1t cooled
and stopped as the traces of the flow
indicate. This eruption, geologists
say, is Of very ancient date. Some
geologists, however, do not believe
that this/ eruption was of sufficient
force to blow out the smaller vent,
or Shastina.
Three years ago Mount Hood be-
came very active and threw out sui
phuric fumes. much to the discom-
fort of the natives, especially the no.
BILE red men on the reservations. This
mountain also lost its head in pre-
historic ages, and now retains only
its original walls. 1t forms a pic
turesque background to Portland,
but the recent disturbance did no
damage, other than frightening the
timid.
Mount st. Helens. which is 10000
feet in height, has shown activity only
once within the last half century. The |
pioneers, trappers and Indian braves
took to the woods, believing that the |
end of the world was at hand, accord |
ing to local chronicles of that time. |
1t was stated that the light from the |
flow of molten lava was as light as
day, and that one could easily see to
read newspaper. But 1t is not re-