The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-07-20

the mountain slopes, sweeping every
thing before it and burying all vegeta-
ton, including the vineyards many feet
under its surface. Luckily there were
no large villages in its course and
therefore the destruction by the last
eruption was by no means SO great as
In some of the preceding great erup-
lions. At present, however, you can
not determine the full extent of the
loss and damage done. Much damage
was wrought by the falling in of roofs
under the heavy weight of ashes. 1t
cost the city of Naples vast sum of
money to sweep up and cart off the
ashes and cinders that fell upon it. You
may still see traces of the ashes here
and there in the city and in the subur-
ban towns the ashes may still be seen
lying in heaps along some of the
streets. They are however, being grad
ually carted OFF.
A drive up Vesuvius will reveal the
existing condition of the afflicted coun-
try. Since the recent eruption no one
ventures to the crater. You may go
only to the meteorological station,
about half way up the mountain, it be-
ing unsafe to ascend farther. But this
halfway ascent is enough to enable
one to form more or less accurate
idea of the terror the recent eruption
must have inspired. You may still see
smouldering ruins here and there. In
one village church is pointed out
with the lava heaped around it and
some houses partially submerged. If
you choose, you may walk on the hard
crust Of the lava, which has perhaps
not entirely solidified. In other places
the lava is still hot.
Vesuvius appears now to have ,vened
all of its spleen for the present and is
perfectly quiescent. In vain do we
strain our eyes to discern faint COL
umn of curling smoke from the top but
none can be seen. Its wrath has SUBJ
sided for the nonce and it is apparent
ly as harmless as lamb. Surely it
ought to be heartily ashamed of its re-
cent unseemly conduct and ruthless
destruction of lie and property OF
which its unsightly lava-covered slopes
tell the sad story.
No doubt, in few years, these same
slopes now SO barren will again be
clothed with verdure and vineyards as
formerly. For the ashes of Vesuvius
are said to be fine fertilizer and great
for the soil; and the people will gradu-
ally venture farther and farther up the
slopes which are SO inviting, thus en-
croaching upon the legitimate territory
of the volcano.
1t is passing strange how men will
court danger and risk both their prop
erty and their lives for the sake of
gain. The past record of Vesuvius Of
~ {c
For time and again in the past has this
volcano belched forth destruction upon
the desOlate slopes clad with vegeta-
ton than men again begin to cultivate
the rich and inviting soil and build
themselves homes and plant vineyards.
This surely is nothing less than flying
into the face of peril and presuming on
providence. 1t looks for all the world,
like foolhardiness to build under the
very nose of frOwning volcano, right
within the zone of danger as the people
around Vesuvius do. For some reason
men refuse fatty to be warned by the
examples of the past.
History has written a terrible rec
ord against Vesuvius Nine eruptions
OF the volcano up to the year 1850, and
a still greater number from that time
" VIC PAc6eut. VI tue early eTupLlO0S
the worst occurred in the year 70 A. d.,
when the cities of Pompeii Herculan-
cum and Habiae with all their count
less treasures were utterly buried un-
der the overflow of lava and ashes.
The Roman author Pliny the younger
has given US a graphic description of
that horrible phenomenon in his letter
to his friend Tacitus narrating the
death of his uncle Pliny, the elder.
Upon the site of the buried Herculan-
cum another city was built only to be
itself overwhelmed in the eruption of
1881, when several other cities were
destroyed. Nevertheless another city
was built on the same site, and though
often damaged, 1t still stands oyer the
ancient Herculaneum which lies buried
many feet below. In the eruption of
the year 1851 when the cities of Tore
del Greco Resina and Portici were des-
troyed. over 5000 human beings lost
Their lives But. these were soon re-
built and are now furnishing towns
connected with Naples by railroad and
electric road. Resina stands upon the
buried city of ancient Herculaneum. OF
this ancient city as we'll as of Pompeii
both Of which have been more or less
unearthed we shall have something to
say In our next letter telling of the ex-