The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-10-19
DOWN THE CRATER oF3VEsUV1Us

One of the most SPECTACULAR scenes
Lyman H. Howe has ever. resented
one OF the big features Of
E.he semi-annual engagement Of his
Travel Festival which comes to the
|Grand Tuesday, October goth. 1t
cakes spectators down the crater Of
liVesuvius. The photographers WHO
performed this extraordinary feat
stayed five nights, on the volcano.
studying the crater from every side,
Eand awaiting the opportune moment
Ewhen the fitfully blowing winds and
S9oisonous fumes, would make It pos
/ ible for human beings to venture
snto the region Of the boiling lava
where the temperature was .1,112 de-
yrees Fahrenheit. Finally the mo-
Fment came when the smoke rose SUI
oerblyi in "a straight column and
spread, out like a mushroom far above
The volcano, They seized the oppor-
Ttunity. They scrambled down three
consecutive .precipices with their 65
bounds Of camera, tripod, films, etc..
Eclinging all the while to crumbling
lava and painfully searching for d
ifoothold, or crack into which they
could put their finger tips to keep
their equilibrium. While engaged
IN this perilous work during which
hey were momentarily in peril Of
'2lunging headlong into the appali-
ing abyss, a new peril arose. The
central column 81 smoke began to,
reel from the perpendicular and be-
gan to engulf them. Slowly the pois-
'5nous fumes encompassed them and.
Heath from slow asphyxiation now
seemed certain. To remain idle
meant sure death, whereas IL they
there was a. faint ray of
Shope of getting below. the smoke and
fume zone. So in sheer desperation
they CROPPED theirs way EDWARDS! and
!. and. finally reached the
floor Of the crater at a depth Of L.
900. feet. Here they could breathe
more freeiyi and were Temporarily
safe. But they VENT farther-just
as far, as it was humanity possible to
CO.. From tile floor Of the crater,
they descended: into a funnel, 200
feet deep, to the mouth; OF a, new era.
ter or bocca that was only SO feet IN
diameter Now they had reached
the crater within, q crater, and. here
the undertook the, most dangerous az fs
feat eyer attempted BY. a humltan, be-,
ing, Though the volcano was show:
ing. much, activity, they went to the
vary brink of the real-the inside
crater-placed the camera in posi-
zion and turned the handle on the
very edge of the Internal cauldron
to the Accompaniment of, detonation4ss.
of the boiling lava beneath them
that were terrific. Here they filmed
the very source or heart Of one Of
natures forces which has repeatedly
wrought such, frighaful desolation::
After witnessing this remarka bic
film, Howe. travellers" can readily
realize why Xesuyius has SO FREQUENT
" caused a perfect deluge Of destruc-
ton, whitening, burning, spffocating
everything: first, with its, scorchtng
breath, them with its. thick, resist.
less tide Of, red hot lava. 4.
i, Another experience, very differ =.
emit, yet. no. less thrilling is provided
by an sentirely; new ride on ru lEEa| !:
way, train. II II makes all pre-con;75,
ceived ideas OF. speed seem, as slow as.
the proyerbisl messenger boy. and
more than satisfies the most ardent
speed fiends. To call "ioy ride" by,
rail would be entirely Inadequate:
True, it is joyous enough at the out
set, so long as it continues merely az,
express train speed along the, brink rink
OF yawning 'chasms and. around sharp III
curves, but when It starts It's race
down a steep inclined plane. ever fas-
ter and faster until the telegraph
poles fly past so fast that they seem
as close as the teeth ofsaSftnes comp,
furnishes every thrill that the most
adventurous. could long for. ~
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