The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-09-17
DANGER FROM
SMOKING HILL
Mound Near the Edge Of the City is
RumblIns and Flssures Appe.-
In the Side Of the
Cliff.
LAVA IS NOT FLOWING
With Mount Etna In Eruption, keo
kuk 10 Likewise In Danger
From Vol
cano.
LAVA IS NOT FLOWING

Is there volcano near Keokuk,
which some day may burst forth in
eruption and destroy the town as was
Posapeii, and as several towns in
Sicily are now threatened by Mount
Etna, which is belching forth ashes,
fire and lava?
Down near the Des Moines river
bridge, there is a miniature mountain,
considered little more than hill, yet
In reality mountain In very small
size. People living in the vicinity Of
that hill are beginning to become
alarmed over the rumblings which are
heard and several assures have ap-
peared on the side of the hill from
which smoke and gas is escaping.
The Gate City received word on
Tuesday that there were peculiar
phencmena observed along the sides
and at the top Of this hill and the ma
ture fake writer of the paper was
sent down to investigate. Accomp-
anied by geologist, the newspaper
man made several trips during the
week and spent considerable time
studying the situation, with the re-
suit that it appears apparent that
there Is an extinct volcano near Keo-
kuk, which is showing signs of burst
ing forth In eruption and perhaps spill
over and destroy not only Keokuk,
but everything within radius of fifty
miles.
Scientific Volcano Notes.
!. Before entering the story of the
Keokuk volcano, it might be we'll
to append some observations made
by scientists to whom the story was
first submitted
Prof Mossback, the eminent sci
enlist of Keokuk, who discovered
the comet which is now said to be
visible, but which nobody has been
able to find in the sky, says that a
volcano is nothing more than an air
hole from the bowels OF the earth and
that the lava, fire, etc, which rolls
up out of the crater, comes from the
center of the earth which Is a mass
of fire. These passages from the CEN
ter of the earth to the surface, he
says, have just as much right to
come up near Keokuk as any other
place, and he expresses no surprise
that volcano should be located near
here as we'll as in Sicily or South
America
The greatest danger, he claims, is
when a volcano is located near riv-
er or ocean, and If the assures break
open and permit the water to run
down into the volcano, something is
liable to happen He therefore views
with alarm the nearness of the Mis-
sissippi and Des Moines rivers to the
Keokuk volcano and predicts big
smashup if the water should pour In.
to the roaring mass of fire hidden be.
meath the little mountain at the west
in fact, that he has moved to Flint
Michigan, to spend the winter.
A THOUSAND Yeara Ago.
DR.. Fuzzbuzz, who knows more
about ancient history In this vicinity
than anybody else, says that where
Keokuk now stands, thousand years
ago there must have been whole
| flock of volcanoes. He has eXamin
ed the earth and finds traces Of vol
canic dust. When he built cisterr
at his chicken farm on the edge oil
| town, he spent the greater part OIL
/ several days down in the cistern ex
aiming the earth with a dudlescope
and says that not only have volcanoes
been here, but that they are likely
to come back to life again and give
an exhibition at almost any time.
! He has made careful study Of
volcanoes since the collecting of to
bacco tags and cigar bands went out
4 of style and made at least two trips
to Kansas to study the volcano there
in Sicily began to erupt, the Kansas
volcano got busy and frightened the
| farmers half dead and he has figured
out that the two are connected IL
some manner.
He was not surprised to hear tina
a volcano was rumbling near Keo
kuk and backs up his Judgment as die
Prof. Mossback, by moving out o
town. Exit Fuzzbuzz and Mossback.
Begins to Look Dubious.
| So here we have two eminent sci
entists who have moved out of tow
for fear that the Keokuk volcano
will wipe out the city. If they TAX
no chances, it begins to look a
though there really was some DANCE
] from the little mountain along tn