Evening star., 1913-02-15
Resurrecting the Pink Terrace.

painted canyon.
Resurrecting the Pink Terrace.
Since the destruction of the pink and
white terraces of New Zealand. which
were unquestionably the largest and finest
in the world, the terraces at Mammoth
Hot Springs. in the Yellowstone. remark
able for the amount of their limestone de-
! posits, for the curious and beautiful
shapes which they assume and for their
vivid colors which vary the dazzling white
and gray Of the limestone, have the SUI
premacy. The appearance Of these ter
races has been aptly compared to that of
cataract plunging over natural shelves
which as 1t falls is turned to stone.
There is a project to resurrect the pink
terrace. based on the theory that it is not
destroyed, but only covered by the waters
OF Lake kotomahana. The plan is TO
drain Lake Rotomahana into the adjacent
lake of Tarawera, whose level is over lU1
feet lower than that Of Rotomahana, until
ROtOma hana'S surface is lowered the
forty-fve or fifty feet to bring ii to the
level of the pink terrace. The white ter
race is apparently destroyed and the
springs which have made it are cXtinc:.
But whether the pink terrace is destroyed
or only covered with water. the springs
which deposited it are still intensely ac-
tive. issuing steam and bringing to the
boiling point the water at that end OF
Lake Rotomahana Elaborate plans for
opening UP the short connecting canal be-
tween RCtomahana and Tara vera, which
would effect the desired drain, are on file
in the government archives, and the prof.
ect may at some time be carried out.
The weight of local opinion. is however.
that the pink terrace is covered not only
by water. but by destructive layers OF
volcanic ashes and mud.
Waimuneu, when in operation is de-
scribed as sending it's volume of water
and steam from l,:OJ to oG05 feet III the
air. height many times greater than
that attained in the eruption of any other
of the worlds great geyseTs. Thus when
Waimungu played no other geyser in the
world equaled it i'm volume in height
of eruption. While the pink and white
terraces existed no others in the world
equaled them In extent or beauty. But
the forces of nature were here powerful
to excess. Breaking through the thin
crust which here separates man on, the
surface from the earth's internal fires.
volcanic eruption buried deep the ter
races. The force which formerly sent
Waimungu's vast volume of water and
mud high in air is now dissipated and
finds vent from a dozen different points
in the shape of minor geySers. boiling
caldrons and blowholes Waimungu has
not played for years. though it's vast
crater and the indications of, great ther-
NAL activity in it's environment make it
still one of the most interesting points
struction Of the terraces and with the
death of Waimungu the crown has
passed from the New Zealand seyser
ceeiOn.
VIII Waimungu erupt again? 1t may
Geysers are uncertain. They play
when not expected. as well as refuse
to play when expected. In 1890 l saw
in the Yellowstone an eruption to a
small height OF the great volume of
the Excelsior geySer. which corresponds
more closely to Waimungu than any
other in the world. Excelsior has not
played since, but its record shows that
it's case is not hopeless. From 1871
to 1881 Excelsior was thought to be
only vast boiling spring, or caldron.
no eruptions being noted. In the last
part of 1881 and during all of 1882 it
revealed itself as a Stupendous geyser
with frequent eruptions of almost in
credible power. elevating sufficient
water to heights Of 100 to 800 feet to
render Firehole river a foaming tor
rent of steaming hot water and hurl-
ing rocks from one to 100 pounds i'm
mine. over the surrounding acres. 1t
was Inactive from 1888 to 1885, played
vigorously in 1888 and slightly in 1890,
since which date it has been inactive.
Yellowstone Park in 1890, had won
derfully fine eruption, the gran1est
geyser exhibit have ever seen. though
the guide book Of 1889 had the entry
inactive" opposite it's name in the list
of geysers and said concerning it:
This geyser became inactive in the
year 1886 but is probably not extinct. 1t
used to erupt every four days
The Giants eruptions have always been
IRE egular in period and in height of play
Prof. Hayden in 1871 saw this geyser
play for an hour and twenty minutes
throwing d column 14O feet in the air
Lieut. Doane in 1870 saw eruptions from
so to 300 feet high. On the occasion Of
the Earl of Dunraven's visit the geyser
played for only few minutes AS