The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-02-08
DIR. RICH is
EXPECTED
HOME
HE AND HIS WIFE SEE THE GREAT
HAWAIIAN VOLCANO.
Make Night Trip to the Edge of the
Crater and View the Molten
Lava.

|
The following letter from DIR. Ed
ward Rich is descriptive OF the
kilauea volcano. which the doctor and
| his wife were visiting at the time OF
writing According to the letter. the
| doctor may reach home within the
next few days:
Volcano House, Hawaii Jan, II,
1909.
Editor Standard; Since writing
| you last we have been around the
| island of Oahu. We visited the Nor
mon settlement at Laie and were most
kindly received by the elders and Ha-
| wailans alike. On this plantation the
church has about six hundred acres
of cane and everything looks thrifty
and prosperous Some of the Hawaii
ans have very good houses, we'll fur
nished, and we were fortunate enough
to be invited to feast at one of these
homes
The HawaiianS are kind-hearted
and very hospitable. good-natured and
take things as they come-do not wor-
ry about tomorrow We saw them
TO help draw In the net One boat
sank and they were not very success
full, When the fish are brought ashore
every one helps himself-all are well
come And If any fish remain the.
owner of the nets dispose OF them.
The scenery in places is very fine
The Poll is one Of the prettiest and
grandest viewpoints of mountain, sea
and sky in the territory.
But before | go further / must tell
you something of the volcano Kilauea,
for il Is interesting us most just now.
The trip from Honolulu is 260 miles
by water and 90 miles by rail- and
miles by stage-quite trip IN IT.
self We had a nice voyage. but were
so very tired when we reached the
volcano house that we had made up
our minds to retire early and rest. but
when we drove up and saw the glare
Of the volcano lighting up the sky
In the distance we all said we must
see it tonight So after a good din
ner, we procured horses guides and
lanterns, and off we went down the
steep, winding. rocky trail into the old
crater. 1t was a very pretty sight,
The night was dark and every one
carried a lantern and these and thu
shouts Of the crowd on the trail were
very enchanting. After reaching the
old crater, we travelled over lava beds
for over two miles. We saw huge
cracks by the side of the trail and
saw steam escaping from various
places, We began to hear the noise
in the distance and the sulphur fumes
grew stronger. We left our horses In
n afSa Of lou nj
found our way over hot cracks in the
lava to the edge of the active crater,
Holemawman-probably the largest
active volcano In the world. II is a
large, boiling cauldron, about 600 feet
long by 400 feet wide The red hot
lava is about two hundred feet below
the surface. The noise is like q heavy
surf beating on the rocks. This great
mass is in constant activity-boiling
squirting and dashing against the sides
like heavy sea. The sulphur fumes
are quite strong and the heat is con-
siderable but one can sit and watch
II for long time on the very edge
OF the crater 1t is very interesting
and even thrilling. One has no fear; on
the other hand. he longs to remain and
on of nature.
I'VE remained an hour or more on
the edge of the crater 1t was nearly
midnight, so the crowd began to start
back. ] remained until the last one
and could have remained much longer.
We were all very tired when we again
reached the hotel, but felt fully re.
paid for our trip
This morning we could see steam
escaping from many places around the
hotel and some of these places are
very hot
This afternoon we took our lunch
and went slowly down the trail in the
daylight. viewed the vest lava beds,
inspected the hot assures and burnt
postal cards In them, and viewed the
volcano by daylight We remained
until after dark to see it again at its
best. Our coffee was boiled over a
hot crack in the lava.
I'VE waited until 1t was dark and
watched the everlasting fire for
awhile and then slowly found our
way back 10 the hotel.
I'VE leave tomorrow morning for
Hilo and sail for Honolulu about noon
and expect to sail for San Francisco.
January Goth, SO you will probably see
us home soon after getting this let
ter
"Mr Bancroft and Mr.. Calvin are
here at the Volcano hotel.
(Signed) EDWARD ]. RICH, Md"