Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-30
Waters Sweep Shore as
Volcano Sinks
in Lake.
MANILA MENACED
BY FIRE AND QUAKE
Mount Taal in Violent Eruption.
Many Die by Fire and
Lightning.

MANILA, Jan 3o.-An American
school teacher who has laboriously
traversed the west shore of Lake Taal,
telegraphs that five small villages were
destroyed by the tidal wave and that
not less than 800 persons have been
killed In that vicinity. Many were
burned In fires started by molten
masses
A stabulary relief detachment re-
ports that twelve persons were
drowned and one killed by lighting at
Talisay and that three persons were
drowned at Lemery.
The government is hurrying relief
trains to the scene.
All the towns within a radius of
fully twenty miles have suffered dam
age from the rain of mud and stones,
which still continues The native pop
ulation in all directions are abandoning
their villages and fleeing to the hills in
terror.
Report Terrine Eruption.
The eruptions continued today. The
sky was cloudless and there was no
wind, but the muddy rain fell steadily.
Mount Taal rises in the centre of Lake
Taal, body of water not more than
fifteen miles in circumference. 1t is
thirty-four miles from this city, from
which dense clouds of smoke rising
from the crater are plainly visible.
The observatory authorities believe
that Manila is in no immediate danger
but there Is some alarm among the
natives, who recall the destruction
caused by Mount Mayon. the other vol
cano of Luzon, in 1897. So far, however,
Mayon has shown no threatening dis
turbance.
Observers sent out by the Bureau of
Science to Investigate the eruptions of
the volcano Taal have telegraphed in
a report that a terrific eruption oc-
CURED at o'clock in the morning SIM
ultaneously with two prolonged earth
quakes. The island on which the vol
cano is located sank five feet. A heavy
mud shower fell and then for half an
hour hot ashes
The observatory at Manila corrobo-
rates the report of the earthquake and
adds that a remarkable electrical
storm continued for two hours with
deafening thunder within the smoke
and gas umbrella above the volcano.
Lava and stones were belched 1900 feet.
The constabuary assisted the panic
stricken natives. One cavalryman was
killed by the wreck of house on the
lake shore.
Following the sinking OF the island
a wave four feet high swept over the
lake shore for a radius of mile,
destroying hundreds of bamboo shacks.
These, however, had been evacuated
on account of the early eruptions which
occurred yesterday morning.
332 shocka Recorded.
The terrific explosions in the air pros
trated many of the constabulary. The
observatory here reports total of 332
shocks. The Southern railroad has not
been damaged, but three inches of mud
and ashes cover the tracks in places,
which has held up traffic.
1t is believed that the towns of Taal
and Lemery have been considerably
damaged by mud and stones. Talisay
is partly submerged and all the crops
ruined
Mount Taal rises 1850 feet from the
centre of Lake Taal, province of Ba-
tangas Luzon. 1t Is the second vol
cano in Importance in Luzon, and has
experienced eight violent disturbances
preceding the present one, since 1903.
It has been more or less active from
time immemorial Its most destructive
eruptions occurred in 1884 and con-
tinued for a period of six months, caus-
ing much loss of life and enormous de-
struction of property There were less
serious outbreaks in 1908 and 1873
In 1869 Mount Mayon was in eruption
for two months. destroying the towns
of Cagsauaa and Malinao, together with
several villages. In 1914 1t burst forth
again destroying five towns. Another
eruption occurred in May, 1897, when
400 persons lost their lives. The latest
outbreak, less severe, was in March,
1900