The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-31
VOLCANO CLAIMS
HEAVY DEATH TOLL
Three Hundred Said to
Be Dead Along Lake
Haal.
RUIN COM PLETED
BY TIDAL w A V E
Towns Long Distance From
Eruption Are Damaged by
Shower Of Mud and Stones.
Scientists Believe That
Manila Is Safe-Vol-
cano on an Island.

Manila. January 3o.-Many natives
were drowned IN the tidal wave that
accompanied the volcanic outbreak or
Mount Taal, according to reports re-
'ceived by the local papers.
An American school teacher who has
laboriously traversed the west shore
of Lake Taal telcsraphs that five small
villages were destroyed by the tidal
wave. and that not less than 500 per-
sons have been killed in that vicinity.
Many were burned In fires started by
molten masses.
Mnny Towns Suffered.
MI OF the towns within a radius OF
twenty miles were more or less dam
aged by the shower Of mid and stones.
The eruptiona continued to-day. The
sky was ciuudicss, and there was no
wind, but tile muddy rain fell steadily
The natives have abandoned their VIII
lage homes in the vicinity OF Lake
Taal and sought refuge in the sur
rounding hills
Mount Taal rises in the centre OF
Lake Taal u body Of water not more
than fifteen miles in circumference. It
is thirty-fonr miles from this city.
from which dense clouds Of smoke
rising from the crater are plainly
visible
Think MnniIn IL snfc
The observatory authorities believe
that Manila is in no danger, but there
Is some alarm among the natives. who
recall the destruction caused by Mount
Mayor, the other volcano OF Luzon. in
1897. So far, however, Mayor has
shown no threatening disturbance.
Investigators or the bureau Of science
report that with the first violent crup-
ton Of Taai Saturday the volcanic
island appeared to sink five feet and
the waters Of the lake, rising, swept
the shores a mile inland, carrying
away the amhoo shacks and catching
score OF natives.
Took HefuEc In Flight.
Others living in the vicnity had
taken warning and fed at the first
rumblings Of the volcano The towns
OF Taal and Tansay seem to have suf-
fcred most.
y constabulary relief detachment re-
ports that twelve persons were
drowned ami one killed by lightning
AT Talisay AMI that three persons were
drowned al Lemery.
The government is hurrying relief
trains 10 the scene
Volcano Peculiar One.
The Taal voica no is a very peculiar
one. and is readily accessible from
Manila. It lies on small volcanic
island ana has a relatively large cen
trail crater an6 severa! smaller ex-
tinct ones.
The main crater is nearly round, and
over IA mile in diameter Within its
irregular rim are two hot pools
known. respectively. as the yellow and
green lakcs-and a little actlve cone
about fifty feet in height, from which
escape steam and sulphurous gas.
Taal has had some violent eruptions
since the beginning OF the Spanish oc-
cupation. the worst being in 1854. II
consisted of fragmental ejecta. bu,
these were sufficient to destroy four
villages lying about the lake The
with intervals till. december !. when
1t ceased. a typhoon followed, lasting
two days. and destroyed all that the
volcano had left. In the tropics nature
has wonderful powers of recupcra ton.
Country Is Beautiful.
In spite OF the terrible lesson of the
last century, comments Cemteno. "a!l
OF these localities have been repopu-
lated Their fertility. their surpass-
fngly beautiful Typographical situa tion
and their .healthfulness charm the peo-
pie into a prompt forgetfulness Of past
disasters. No great eruption has oc-
Cured since 1I54.n In 1858 a..d 1875
tnere We're outbreaks, but the damage
seems to have been confined To the
island itself"
In 1859 Mount Mayor was in erup-
ton for two months destroying the
towns of Cagsauaa and Malinao. To-
yether with several villages. In 1914
it burst forth again, destroying five
towns Another eruption occurred III
May. 1897. when 400 persons lost their
lives. The latest outbreak. less severe
was In March, 1900.