Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-10-04
by THOMAS AUGUSTUS JAGGAP. Jr.
Assstsnt Professor of Geology, Harvard Uniyersitv

gravel and sand were hurled clear
over the crest of Monte Somma and
tell on Ottajano and San Giuseppe
with most disastrous results. On the
south side of the cave, toward Bos-
cotrecase, a radial rift opened, let
ting lava escape from different eleva-
tons progressively lower until finally
or "bocca" only 1000 feet above tide
water, half way down the montain,
and quite below the cone proper.
The history of the eruption as
cleaned from the accounts of men Of
science who were on the spot, Is
briefly as follows: In 1904 there was
a lava flow which stopped in Septem.
Der OF that year. In May, 1905, lava
flowed from a split in the northwest
side of the cone and continued in
active motion throughout the year.
1t ceased flowing at the time when the
present eruption opened new vent
on the side of the cone. On April 4,
1906, a splendid black "caulifower"
cloud rose from the crater. On April
4, 5, 6 and lava mouths opened
along the southern rift above men
toned, first 500 feet below the summit,
then 1900 feet lower, and finally 600
feet lower still, all in the same radial
line. The lowest mouth was more
than half way down the mountain and
from this orifice came the destructive
streams. 1t should be borne in mind
that these flows are not floods of lava
which cover the whole slope of the
mountain, but relatively narrow snake
like trickles, none the less deadly
When they push their way through a
closely built town. The molten rock
crusted over and cracked, making
tumble of porous boulders at it's front
At p. M, April z, column OF dust
laden steam shot up four miles from
the crater vertically. The cloud snap
ped with incessant lightnings. New
lava mouths opened and the flows
moved forward, crushing and burning
and swallowing parts of Boscotrecase
the stream forking so as to spare some
portions of the town. Meantime tor
rents of ashes fell on Ottajano on the
opposite side of the volcano, and
many roofs collapsed and lives were
lost. At the observatory DR.. Matteuci
and his colleagues were obliged to re-
treat, as the observatory was rocking
violently and heavy stones were fall
ing.
They went only half way down the
mountain, however, and returned to
their posts next day The observatory
was uninjured, although stones had
fallen weighing as much as nve
pounds. The stones and sand of the
eruption are mostly composed OF an
cient lavas broken up by the steam
blast. On April the electrical dust
cloud still hung over the volcano, but
thereafter through fortnight the ex-
plosions diminished in violence until
only quiet steam rose. On the 18th
bad gases were blown downward on
the observatory by strong southeast
wind, and some persons nearly lost
their lives by asphyxiation. The
gases were probably both carbon d.
oxide and sulphuretted hydrogen.
Bosotrecase was ruined wholly by
lava; Ottojano by falling gravel. Bos-
cotrecase is traversed In two places by
the clinkery lava stream and in some
cases houses were literally cut In two.
The stream of lava had forked about
spur of the mountain, leaving the
higher land with its vineyards I'M
touched. The lower land with IFS
town was invaded. There is SO lit.
tie timber in the italian masonry con-
struction that the uninvaded part OF
the town was not burned at all. At
Ottajano the roofs fell in under the
weight of sand and gravel. The roofs
were largely fat or slightly slopiny
tiled affairs The ash and lapilIi
reached epth of three feet on level
surfaces. The roofs carried the walls
with them In many cases, but there
was no significant earthquake. There
was no fire, destructive lightning, nor
strong wind. The persons who per-
ished were all found in the houses
where the sole cause OF death was en-.
tombment In the ruins.