The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-03-01

son color wells up from the bowels Of
the earth, spreading all over the pre-
vious layer, now CONCEALED into black
crust. 1t dashes with a roar against
the side of the pit, sending up splashes
of many-colored spray.
"Of course, the longer an active pc
riod lasts the wider the surface of the
lake of fire becomes and the more null
titudinous are the phenomena. The
volcano in action is never seen twice
displaying the same sort of freaks.
Therefore, there are none of the won
ders of the world more difficult to por-
tray by pen, brush or camera.
For Kilauea the distinction is claim
ed of being the largest active crater
in the world. Whatever possible con-
tention might be raised as to that the
fact defies contradiction that Kilauea
may be reached with greater comfort
of travel than can any other volcano.
Palatial ocean steamers from all sides
of the Pacific, modernly appointed
steamer from Honolulu, a luxurious
railway carriage, an hours drive over
a smooth road, a first-rate hotel with
in a hundred yards of the crater's
brink, enchanting scenery never out
of sight on any stage of the journey
there are the elements of a Kilauea
volcano tour. Kilauea forms a cavity
in the mountain side, with walls on
three sides from 300 to 400 feet high.
It's area is four and a quarter square
miles, or 1850 acres.
ION the island of Hawaii volcanic
eruptions have been confined, within
modern times, to the summit and
slopes of Mauna Loa, with the excep-
ton of Mount Hualalai in the year
1901. The latter mountain, so far as
its volcanic proclivities are concerned,
is now extinct.
mo one has ever been able to ex-
plain precisely the connection between
Kilauea and the summit of the noun
tain of which it is a part. That there
is some subterranean connection, how
ever, is evident from Che fact that
when one is active the other is silent.
The people regard Kilauea as a safety
valve. They do not anticipate that the
crater higher up will do any damage
so long as the smaller crater and it's
tributaries boil some ten thousand
feet below. The travelling distance
between the two craters is perhaps
twenty miles
1T occurred to me that a sight of
such natural beauty should be pre-
served for the people of the island, the
tourist and the United States. There
is considerable land about Kilauea
which should be purchased before it
falls into other than public hands. The
establishment of the proposed park
can be accomplished for not more than
$4,000, and perhaps for a sum consid.
erably less than that.
The park will be spot of natural
beauty, irrespective of the volcano
The plant life there is most attractive
and the influence of the lava during
previous flows upon the vegetation
whereabouts is an interesting sight, too
For instance, we have what we call
tree moulds. These are similar to or
binary postholes. They were formed
when the lava, many years ago, wound
itself around trees that later decayed
| I,vy af
The holes where the tree trunks once
were remain there to this day, and will
always form a part of the diversified
landscape. The town of Hilo, which
is to adjoin the national park if the
United States government authorizes
its creation, has a population of about
six thousand. The park, however, will
be mainly for the use of the tourists.
Richard B. Watrous, secretary Of
the American Civic Association, with
headquarters in Washington, had this
to say regarding the project described
by Delegate Kalanianaole:
THE American people are rapid!
coming to an appreciation of the i'm
portance of the scenic wonders of the
D nation and of the necessity of their be
ing made accessible to the masses o
the people and adequately exploited
q The Hawaiian Islands are the grea
p mid-Pacific stopping place for hun
] dreds of thousands of tourists. Tn,
6 United States is proud of its posses
sion of the Hawaiian Islands, an,
\ should take advantage of the oppoI
!. tunity to preserve a reservation al
+ ready devoted to park purposes on tn
= islands, and to include the volcano il
d. self and thus to make it one of tn
q distinct wonders of our national par
system.