Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-05-11
i. 5, Government
May TAKE over
VOLCANO STUDY
Visit of Congressional Party to
KiIauea Brings Out Discus
sion of Plan
CONGRESSMEN GIVEN
INTERESTING LECTURE
Prof. Jaggar, Noted Observer,
Talks on Hawaiian CraterS
and Their Activities
BY HALLETT e. ABEN0


(Staff Correspondent with the Con
gressional Party.)
VOLCANO HOUSE, Hawaii, May 9.
The project of having the federal
government take over the observation
station at Kilauea, now conducted by
Prof. Thomas A.. Jaggar, and main
tanned by private subscription from
Honolulu residents, aided by grant
from the Massachusetts Institute OF
Technology, has received a big boost
{ Representative Swagar A. Sherley
of Kentucky, member of the house
appropriations committee, has openly
expressed himself as in favor of such
a move by the national government,
and has investigated with immense
interest and appreciation the work
that has been going on at Kilauea.
The attitude taken by several mem
, bers of the congressional party is that
Uncle Sam has gone in" for volcanoes
and earthquakes rather extensively,
having the Aleutian islands, Hawaii,
Porto Rico, the Panama Canal and
the Philippines.
At present no government in the
world is adequately financing the
study of volcanoes and seismology, for
though the Italian government main.
tains an observatory at the crater OF
Vesuvfus the institution has neither
adequate quarters nor fitting support,
the annual appropriation being only
/ 1890 francs. ~
At present about $1,000 a year is
being expended on the research work
at Kiiauea, but a minimum of from
$4,000 to $4,000 could be used to
advantage sum that would be cas-
lily obtafnable if the federal govern
ment would finance the work.
Dr.. Jaeear Lectures to Party. ...@|
The intense interest of the mem.
bers of the congressional party in the
big show place Of Hawaii. the crater
of 'Kilanea, was manifested this aft.
ernoon when the office of the Volcano
House was packed to capacity by those
eager to listen to lecture on the vol
cano by DIR. Jaggar, who has been
carrying on scientific observations at
the pit for three years.
" Not only was the office crowded,
but those anxious to listen to the talk
packed the adjoining writing room,
halls, the dining room doors, the porch
and all the windows of the rooms to
which Prof. Jaggar's voice would
carry. ....
THE Hawaiian islands," said the
speaker, ARE parts of the greatest and
most interesting lines of relief on the
globe. They are the emerging crests
of a submerged mountain chain 1900
miles long, mountain chain entirely
volcanic in origin. -. !
"Mauna Kea is probably the great,
est mountain in the world, for ii
dwarfs Mount Everett Mauna Kea, |
which stands $4,000 feet above sea
level, is in. reality $1,000 feet high, for
it rises abruptly from the floor of the
sea $4,000 feet below tide level"
The Hawaiian islands have four ac-
tive volcanoes, in a scientific sense, |
which includes as active all mountains |
giving signs of having erupted within
the last 200 years. These four peaks
are Kilauea, Haleakala, Mauna Loa
and Hualalai. Mama Loa and Kilau. !
ca, said DR.. Jaggar, are the greatest |
lava volcanoes in the world, as dis. !
tinct from the more violent eruptive I
mountains which explode and throw
off great quantities of cinders.
On motion of Senator MARITIME vote I
of thanks was rendered to the speak.
er when he had concluded his address. !
Mauna Loa to Erupt Again. /
All volcanic signs point to another
violent eruption of Mauna Loa-an I
eruption similar to those in 1894 and |
later years which were characterized +
by enormous lava flows. I
That is the oponion of DR.. Jaggar,
who has spent the last three years !
studying the volcanic phenomena on
the island of Hawaii.
"Of course there is no way of fore !
telling just how soon Mauna Loa will I
resume activity" says Prof. Jaggar +
1T may be six months and it may be /
six years, but all signs point to an !
eruption within the next three years" +
This conclusion has been reached /
after scientific investigation of the /
activities of Kilauea and Mauna Loa, |
which has led to the opinion that I
there is some sympathy between the /
two, in that activity by the latter is !
always preceded by a marked activity |
in Kilauea, and then subsistence XII. |
lauea is now undoubtedly beginning a !
period Of activity. after which one of
Mauna Loa's periodical eruptions and .