The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-08-06
Or. Eliot Pens Expression OF
Amusement and Admiration
of the Spectacle.
WONDERFUL SIGHT," HE SAYS
Earth Sucks Down Boiling Lava
Into the Recesses Of
HaIemaumau.

"The most wonderful scene / have
ever watched"
This is the official record, brief and
expressive, which Doctor Charles w.
Eliot, president emeritus of Harvard
University, has inscribed in the regis
ter of the Volcano House at Kilauea,
following his inspection of the pit of
Halemaumau in the crater of Kilauea,
last week.
During the last days of July the
bowels of the earth has sucked into ite
boiling depths lava to a depth of 359
feet, breaking all recorded instances Of
subsistence in this terrible fire hole on
n mountain top. Islands have been
formed and submerged; avalanches of
rock and brittle lava have awakened
the echoes of that walled mouth of the
ancient Hawaiian Hades, while the
splash of the fire fountains and up
thrown liquid lava has alternated with
the wlirlpools of molten rock as Pele
has drunk of the fiery fluid.
Prof. T. A. Jaggar, Jr., director of
the technology station on the brink of
the Volcano, is making some wonderful.
~ interesting records of the strange ac-
lions of this fascinating crater s work.
ings, records which will increase
in value as time passes for com.
parsons with future manifestations of
the almost unknown causes of volcanic
action. In the following graphic re-
port the majestic phenomena is set
forth in a manner to bring before the
eye of Imagination the weird happen
ings in this Hwonderful scene" where
the tourist can view it all backed by
all the comforts of home.
TECHNOLOGY STATION, Kilauea,
August 1.-The past week has been one
of sinking of the Halemaumau lava
column with heavy falls of debris from
the walls, strong ebullition with many
fountains and the development of first
an island, then a peninsula, made Of
overturned blocks of the southern,
tumbled bench. The bench, formerly
at the 200foot level, has subsidized along
with the lava, so that it has opened
many Tuning cracks. The fumes are so
dense that the pool is obscured much Of
the time in daylight. The conditions
recall those of January last, when there
was rapid falling after the high rise of
December, 1911.
The levels below the eastern rest
house have been approximately as fol-
lows:
July 25, 315 feet; July 26, $40 feet;
July 81, about 800 feet; July 2S, about
1926 feet; July 30, about $50 feet; July
80, unrecorded; July 81, 359 feet.
On July 25 the activity was decreas-
ing. On the evening of July 26 visit
ors at the eastern station were startled
by very heavy tumble of large por-
ton of the south bench into the pool.
Part of this material formed an island,
not floating but rigid, of an elongated
oval form, it's greatest length extend
ing east and west, about the middle
of the pool. More avalanches took
place on the 9th.
On the evening of July % the island
lay like stranded whale in appear
ance with strong streaming of the lava
both north and south of it. The stream
ing necessarily changed, and the foun-
tains boiled by scores. Occasionally a
whirlpool formed west of the island
with rotation counter-clockwise as one
looked down upon it, and strong foun-
tanning at its center, which appeared to
be sucked downward The south end
of the pool forms "V" with cav
ern at the apex filed with the pound
ing fluid lava. There was crack emit
ting a large sheet of blush flame on
the southwest wall on the evening of
the 2Sth, and glowing spots still higher
south and west. All around the edge
of the cracking and caving bench dense
whitish and yellowish fumes rose, and
the southwest wall of the inner pit
Immediately above the lava exhibited
n wild tumble of crags and down
slipping fragments. A report OF the
late evening of July % described the
island as submerged.
The next day, July Goth, peninsula
had appeared along the southwest wall
at its base, elongate to the northwest,
and with solidifed cfusts between it
and the south bank. The fumes had
increased.
At $3.50 p. m. on July 80 the fumes
greatly interfered with the view. There
were many active fountains north,
northeast and south, and spatter
ramparts were built against the PENN
sula of the day before. Two pools of
fluid lava were seen along the opening
between the peninsula and the south
west wall. The "Old Faithful" foun.
tain has not played regularly nor reeog-
nizably during this week. The lava
was rising and sinking foot or two
nt time in short periods. No flames
were seen.
Observations between and p. m.
Resolved, by this convention,
that It proes upon the !. l., A. and
SIS friends Ia congress, for legisla-
ton TO prevent the authorities en-.
ploying alien labor on government
work.
Anti Immigration.
The convention also resolved 10 al
low aliens 20 become members Of tho
llawaiinn lnb0Y unions and took y swat
~ the territorial immigration policy,
adopting this fesolntionf
Whereas, the pF1ant lmmlgfs,