The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-07-30
MT KbTMA|
IS IN STATE
OF ERUPTION
0ceanis Discolored by Sulphur
Dust for a Distance of
100 Miles.

WASHINGTON, D. c., July 3d.
Mt. katmai, reported by Capt. Nc
Mullin. Of the Steamer Dirige, to be
to be throwing out great volumes of
sulphurous-laden smoke, is peak
$500 feet high, situated relatively
near the eastern end of the Alaska
Peninsula and of the Aleutian Noun
tatns. The seamen reports the ocean
for distance of 100 miles to be dis
colored by sulphus dust and pumice.
, The last eruption of the volcano, in
June 1912, as described in a state
ment by the National Geographic So
ciety, at Washington, d. c., compiled
from data collected by George C..
Martin, the geologist who directed the
society's Alaskan volcano researches
following Mt. Katmai's outbreak, was
one of the most violent Of historic
time.
Last Eruption.
All southern Alaska knew at once
OF Katmai's eruption on the morning
of June 6, 1872" reads the Society's
statement. "The sound Of the first,
mighty explosion carried down the
coast as far as Juneau, $50 miles
away, and was even heard across the
banks, distant $50 and 500 miles re-.
spectively. The column of steam and
ashes that rose several miles in the
air was carried eastward by the wint!
and within a few hours had shed a
shower Of ashes all over the east end
OF the Alaska Peninsula, the east '.-f
of Kodiak Island and all of Afognak
Island. Intense darkness accorhpan-
led the fall and midnight blackness
in the daytime extenueu as far east as
the Renal Peninsula. Darkness last
ed for gu hours at Kodiak, 100 miles
away. Dust fell as far away as Jun
eau, Ketchikan and the Yukon Valley,
$50, 800 and 500 miles. The fumes
were reported from points as far re-
mote as Vancouver Island and Pudget
Sound. 1900 miles away. Suisse
quent terrific explosions occurred at
and ] i p. m. of the same day.
Fell in Torrents.
"a description Of the fall of ashes
Is given by John e. Thwaites, of the
steamer Dora, which was SIS miles
away when the shower began. And
now began the real rain OF ashes; it
fell in torrents; it swirled and, ed
died, he says. Gravity seemed TO
have nothing to do with the course OF
the fall. The under side of the decks
seemed to catch as much. ashes as the
sides or the decks under our feet.
Bright clusters of electric lights could
be seen but few feet away, and we
had to feel our way about the deck. It
was with the greatest difficulty that
the man at the wheel could see the
compass, through the thick dust that
filled the room. Lurid flashes of
| lightning glared continuously, while
a constant boom of thunder, some-
times coinciding with the flash, in
creased the horror of the inferno
around US. AS far as seeing or hear
ing anything pertaining to earth, we
might as well have been miles above
the surface of the water. And still
we knew the sun was two hours above
the horizon. Birds foundered, cry.
ing wildly, through space and fen
helpless to the deck
The magnitude of an eruption is
not properly measured by the loss OF
life and damage to property, but
rather in terms Of the natural phe-
ncmena: the quantity and distribu-
ton OF the elected material, the dis
lance at which the sound waves, dust.
darkness and fumes were observed.
the violence of the accompanying
earthquakes, and the distribution and
intensity Of the resulting atmospheric
conditions. The greatest eruptions
on record include those OF Krakatoa
in 1888. Coseguina in 1886, Tomboro
In 1916. Skaptar-Jokull in 1888 and
.Papandayang In 17s.. The eruption
of Katmai was apparently Of magni-
tude comparable with some of these.
The deposits from Katmai very In.
thickness from SIS inches at the head:
of Amalik Bay, Is liz miles from the
mountain to 3 ~ inches at the east
end ot AfSgnak Island = ~ miles