The Idaho Republican., 1915-05-28
CALIFORNIA; VOLCANO
AGAIN IN ACTION

! 10 u6W 0TuptlOu ldt0 OdCuiuoy, thO
greatest and most violent since the
mountain awoke one year ago. An
other flood of mud, triple the size
of Fridays, swept down the noun
tain side with three steaming
streams of lava in it's wake. 1t COW
cred the countryside like tilal wave
! Thirty-six families, nearly the whole
population of Hat creek valley, were
reported Saturday night to be fleeing
for their lives before the avalanch
of mud and boiling lava.
Fifteen rescue parties in automo-
biles were rushed from here to Cas-
sci and Round mountain to pick up
the refugee women and children.
Men mounted on horseback franti-
cally rounded up cattle and livestock
and endeavored to drive them to the
highlands to escape the broad torrent
of mud that submerged everything in
it's path.
Thfee Great OutDurSCS
! The eruption occurred at 4:30 p.
m. Three almost simultaneous and
titanic bursts of smoke and steam
were followed by two lesser ones.
A tremendous funnel-shaped cloud
shot skyward to an estimate of eight
miles and spread out in heavy pail
almost as wide. The big mountain
10000 feet high, was dwlrfted to in
significant size.
When the immense volume of
smoke and ashes had lifted above the
mountain crest four blackened paths,
each half mile wide, were revealed
on the western slope. The visible
rivers of mud and lava were lost at
the timber line.
People Flee for Lives
BY 5 O'Clock the people of Hat
creek valley realized that the on
swooping tide of Lassens overflow
was rushing upon them and they be-
gan a swift exodus. Word was re-
4 ceived that spray of volcanic ash
had fallen at Inlay, Nevada, 200
miles from the peak, and that the
huge burst of smoke was seen at
Sacramento from the cupola of the
state capital, IT'S miles away. Auto
mobile parties left from cities 100
miles and more away to witness the
spectacle. Redding was pitched into
a frenzy of excitement Fire bells
tolled, people rushed from homes and
buildings, streets were deserted in
the business section, roofs were
Icrowded and business was suspended
until the activity of the peak subsid-
ed at p. m.
| Definite details of the destruction
wrought were lacking, only meager
news coming over telephone wires to
Redding which is AZ miles from the
mountain. Reports came over the
telephone from Montgomery creek of
the fight Of families from Hat creek
valley and the enormous size of the
mud flow.
Many Farms in Path
! Dozens of homes and the best
farming and stock land of the valley
lay directly in the channel of the
flow. BY 6 o'clock the food of mud
and lava had reached and submerged
the ranch of Wilbur Cox. It's people
had escaped, driving their livestock
before them
Four distinct streams which pour
ed over the crest of the peak united
and converted Lassen's side, covered
with fresh blanket of snow Satur-
day morning into blackened desc
late waste. The united streams pour
ed on into Hat creek valley, still
choked and Uttered with the refuse
and destruction wrought by the
earlier eruptions.
Charles Opdyke and Fred Larkin,
who sat out early Saturday to inves-
tigate in the danger zone, were
driven back by the gas-charged at
mosphere. They were reported to
have narrowly escaped being over
come.
For Relief of Refugees
All horses, wagons and automo-
biles in Montgomery creek, Carbon
creek and Cessel we're pressed into
service for the relief Of the refugees.
Although the property damage was
forgotten in the desire to save himan
life.
Lassen's crater is reported to have
been entirely levelled. Formerly it
had been three distinct undulations,
but these have been worn away and
the crevices and dips filed by the
continuous cataract of erupted sub
stance.
A report from the power station at
Cow crack said that nnp cido ne th a