The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-01-30
Professor Jaggar Tells Fascinat-
ing Story Of Observations
at Pit.
LIGHTS FLICKER AND FLASH
SeismOgraph Observatory Is Pro-
crossing - Change Site
of Station.
tFrOm sunaas,s Advertiser.l

TECHNOLOGY station on the Volcano OF
Halemaumau, Professor T. A. Jaggar
Jr., director, declares that the lava Of
the Volcano is surely if slowly subsid.
ing from its former level. "The coves,''
as he expresses it, "give evidence
of such subsistence by freezing over.''
In his research work the professor
again brought into prominence the in
huence of the moon on volcanoes. For
instance, in the table of measurements
taken from the level of the station to
the surface of the sinking lava, there
is lump so to speak, that indicates
where the lava paused for a time in
its sinking. At half-past eight o'clock
Wednesday night the distance from the
station to the lava was 304 feet. At
eleven O'Clock Thursday morning the
measurement showed that the lava had
remained stationary. This pause had
been preceded by period during which
the lava fall had slackened until it was
almost imperceptible.
Lights Appear.
The professor makes a special note
of the fact that strange light has
appeared about four-sevenths of the
way up the western wall of the crater.
AT times it becomes distinct fame Of
yellow-white color. On the night of
January "a, shortly after eight 'clock
another light was observed by the pro-
fessor. This shot suddenly into being
from the black eastern edge, almost un-
der the station, and burned for forty
five seconds like "jet of illuminating
gas"
The construction of place for the
seismographs and the rebuilding of Mr..
Perret's hut is progressing satisfactor-
lily, says the professor. Francis B.
Dodge of Honolulu has been appointed
as assistant in the work, and will aid
in the removal of the station from its
present site to the opposite side Of the
pit.
The full report follows:
Technology Station,
'tJanuary 25, 1912.
During the past week the lava of
Halemaumau has continued slowly fall
ing and the coves give evidence of such
subsistence by freezing over. A crust
forms which after time loses support
from beneath, cracks into foes, and the
foes sink into the lava. The liquid
lava wells up along the cracks and ap-
POuAo GO tuOuRH WGIc LHlS
phenomena being due to the fact that
the frozen basalt is heavier than the
liquid, and the broken cakes of crust
sink as soon as they are free from the
continuous arch or roof which they had |
previously made across cove.
Figures of Fall.
1.-THE level of the surface of the |
liquid lava below the Technology Sta
ton Was as follows:
"5 pm. Thursday, January Is, 25z # |
H9 p.na- Saturday, January 90, 276 #
Pm, Sunday, January 81, 276 #. /
't9 pm. Tuesday, January %, 29z ft-
$3.50 pm, Wednesday, January "a,
al am. Thursday, January rs,
sea TT.
"'The marked lag in the sinking, with
some temporary rising and overflow OF
banks, which began Friday, January
10, conceded with the new moon, i!e.,
She conjunction of sun. and moon in
tidal stress.
:" At high point in the western wall
1f the pit, about four-sevenths of the
way up, light has appeared at night
N the midst of fumes rising from q
hole. This light at times is dis
INV VI 1UiAOh ~ hlbC COaOI. 4uG
occurrence of flames due to burning gas
ibout the walls of Halemaumau has
been characteristic of this sinking
chase of activity. On the night of Jan
lary Pa at $3.50 pm. most remarkable
iare suddenly blazed out ON the eastern
lack ledge almost under the Technology
station, and burned white like a Jet
II Illuminating gas for As seconds at
N elevation $50 feet above the pool
sossibly the combnstible was ordinary a
water-gas,' carbon monoxide. d
Surface Movements.
The streaming surface movements
4 the lava have been various. On Jan
airy 20 the streaming was toward foun-
aims, NE, n. and 8. On the 21st it
Tas largely eastward, with insucking :
treams toward 'Old Faithful the !
outh promontory, and the southwest
owe. On January "a it was rather :
brongly eastward again. The two =
N. and NV. which were :
lands on January IL disappeared by
mixing, January 20 and January %. u
The interior of the caldron at the II
me of writing (January 20, 1922 is z
ost chaotic, with five coves in the boil
lg pool, vast tumbles of black ledge
terraces, pinnaeled promontories, and
lie lava orange to cherry red in diff.
rent lights, covered in daylight with =
black skin. <
Gas Increasing. s.
With the subsidenee of the lava the Il
mission of gas increases and the foun- t,
inns throw blobs of melt to great Sc
light with a strong Kissing noise. RI
Nd Faithful at times throws droplets OF
'ty feet into the air. 1 have been IL
uch impressed during the recent dry st
ell--it had not rained at KiIauea for b,
month-with the accuracy of Doctor 81
'igham 8 view that the Halemaumau st
ses are not water.vapor at all For,
y after day, there has been no steam
lnd over the erafer Mhan q ANAL