The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-12
Dire Deso/ution in the
Vicinity Of Nesuvjus
THE OLD CRATER Is QUETING DOWN SOMEWHAT
ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND HOUSES HAVE BEEN
DESTROYED - PEOPLE STILL FILLED WITH
TERROR

Biologists frequently cite the vol
canO which rises from the shores of
the Bay of Naples as a fine specimen of
a type differing essentially from that
of which Mauna Loa is a representa-
tive. The volume of lava elected by
the latter when it is active is enorm-
GUS, but the discharge is effected with
comparative ease, though not, of
course, in silence. Much less solid
material is emitted by Vesuvius. but
Its eruptiOns are accompanied by more
formidable demonstrations. The out
break which involved the destruction
of Pompeii. If not an exception to the
rule, perhaps marked the limit to
which the development of lava and
cinders could go with an explosive"
volcano. But the distinctive char
acteristics of Vesuvian activity are an
enormous column of steam, which
looks like fire when illuminated from
within, bombs of plastic material which
burst with sound like thunder, a
little dust and, in instances, small
streams of lava. Such phenomena are
always startling, yet they rarely re-
suit In actual damage to life or pro-
perty.
The latest eruption, however, has
closely approached, # It has not PASS
ed, the danger line and fully justifies
the panic which 1t has created. Roth
as to the amount Of molten rock which,
has issued from outlets on all sides and
as spectacle, this outbreak has prob
ably not been parallelled since 1872.
On that occasion there was an irreg-
ular increase In violence of the mani
festattOns through period extend
Ing over several months, the culmina-
tion lasting only two or three days, and
being followed by marked subsistence
of alarming symptoms. In the present
case history seems to have repeated
itself to some extent, for there have
been several suggestive exhibitions of
activity within the last twelve months,
one OF them having been observed al
most exactly a year ago. When these
were surpassed early last week an
italian Vulcanist, Manteucci. permitted
himself to believe that the turning
point was at hand, but he did not sue
ceed In reassuring the sixty thousand
inhabitants of the villages which were
imperilled. Their frantic efforts to
remove their household goods to places
of greater safety are unintelligible as
well as ptttful. =
It seems to be conceded that most
OF the energy displayed by volcanoes il
result Of contact between water and
intensely heated racks in the earths
interior. II the combination, occurs
suddenly, an explosion like that which
wrecked the island of Krakatoa in an
instant and according to Russell, q
leading American authority pulveriz-
ed cubic mile of stone may be ex-
pected. AS to the source from which,
the water is derived there has been
some difference of opinion, but Russell
thinks 1t come from the surface of the
earth. Volcanoes are commonly near
the sea and have more or less extern
sive assures in the strata which un-
derlie them. This is true of Vesuvius.
1t is not unlikely, therefore that a
large part of the mischief which it
does is traceable to an infiltration of
fluid from the. Mediterranean.