Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-05-28
NORTHWEST NEWSPAPERMAN LAUDS
HAWAII after AN EXCURSION TRIP

southern coast. The other peak is a
mighty extinct crater. 90 miles in cir
conference, which Is years ago sent a
stream of lava pouring into the sea,
many miles away. Scientists say this
volcano may become active again at
any time.
Our stay of one day at Hilo was
taken up with a trip to the active
crater Of Kilauea, one of the great
natural wonders of the world. This
is 4G0o feet above sea Level, really
being on the side of Mauna Loa, a
peak rising to a height OF 1925
feet. Il is easily reached, modern
standard-guageG railroad taking you
% miles. and fine macaGamized road
nine miles further 20 the mouth OF
the crater. This road is only link
in chain OF excellent highways skirt
ing the island, built and maintained
by the territorial government.
There are two hotels at the mouth
of the old, extinct crater, which is
roughly two miles across. From the
front porch, on the further side of
this basin, can be plainly seen the
smoke and steam and fumes arising
from the small active pit. Twenty
feet from the hotel steam constantly
escaped from the crevices Of rocks,
and in many other places in the old
crater. -.
! You ride seven miles ever a newly
built macadam road to get to this &C
tive pit two miles away. At the end
of the, road you walk so yards over
level but rough fields of black lava
to the edge of a preeipice where you
look down some 600 feet to what
might be we'll described as nina.
ture he'll, as the ancient Pagan philo-
sophy pictured it.
This small pit alone is worth cross
ing thousands of miles of water to
see, is roughly circular in shape, ap-
proximately 300 yards across at the
top, with a broken, uneven surface
something like 600 feet below, in the
center of which, covering field about
100 feet square, is a neyer-still, al
ways-boiling, swirling, swishing, moan.
ing mass of molten rock, fiery red in
places, black in others, continually
changing it's complexion and always
and forever, boiling, boiling, boiling.
At times the view is obscured by the
clouds of steam and gases, but when
they roll back a neyer-to- be-forgotten
sight greets the gaze as one feels that
he is looking into the very bowels of
the earth ....*
The enjoyment-of the latter end OF
the journey was dampened by fatal
accident on the trip to the crater,
when one of a long string of ,automo.
biles went into a ditch, killing two
women of the party, and the native
driver. This delayed the return to the
ship, which was not reached until
nearly midnight Immediately after
wards the captain turned his PROV in
the direction of aSani Pedro harbor for
the return voyage II
There were about 800 people on
board, including some from widely
separated sections of the country. A
number had made the trip on the new
liner from Philadelphia via the Pan
anna canal. The greatest number were
from Los Angeles, many of the lead
ing society people of that city being
of the party. There were a dozen mil
ionaires, and three newspaper men.
1--WE mention these classes together
by way of contrast) Walter F. Hill,
son of James j. Hill, with his wife
and children, made the trip.