The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1916-05-25

AAlf NNNlht the STATE W per
nnial selfadyertislng and Of
marvels too numerous TO men.
ton. has the downright good
luck OF being In possession OF the only
volcano which tho eyes Of white men
have ever seen In a state OF eruption
within the borders OF the United
States.
II was ON May 30. 1914. that the Call.
fornians who lived within radius Of
fifteen 20 twenty miles OF Mt I.assen
were. awakened out OF their night 5
sleep by a roar and a thunder like the
sound OF thousands OF heavy cannon
going on.
A black column OF smoke. attend.
ed with hot ashes fine sand and hiss.
INK steam, was shot up from deep cav.
erns OF the earth into the sky 5000
feet above the summit Of the mountain.
which is Itself nearly two miles high.
The Californians could scarcely be.
lieve their senses. They had been
used TO considering Lassen peak as a
harmless old pet. as a quiet old mon.
ster who didn't have a tooth left In her
head. And then 10 have her suddenly
become one OF the most savage active
volcanoes IN the world was almost too
much for them.
But with the true California spirit
the Callfornians got busy and made
Lassen peak and It's eruption shout for
the glory OF California. III California
has q dead volcano that won't behave
itself and stay dead. said the Callfor-
mans. then well make a virtue OF lts
misbohavior advertise II and get more
tourists TO come 70 Gods favorite spot
OF earth"
This is just what the Califoraians
did II was Just their luck 20 come In
TO possession Of the only live volcano
the United States owns SO they ad.
vertised IL right and left and got no
tices and reviews concerning Il IN all
the papers and magazines In the land
ewes Ftnc DISPLAY.
Lassen peak is a giant mountain
with a height Of l0.437 feet II is built
up entirely Of materials drawn from
the deep interior Of the earth. Cali
fornia claims II now as ono OF her most
wonderful scenes. Not only Is Il q
rugged sentinel guarding the states
northern frontier but Il is constantly
challenging attention and exciting ad
miration By splendid displays OF deep
seated energy and by sending forth
magnificent black plumes into the sky
often accompanied by a grand BON
bardment OF great rocks
About 1900 feet Of It's summit car
be seen from the mail stage at a dis
lance OF 90 miles Steam can be seer
gently steaming forth. Every once IN
a while a column OF black smok,
comes forth and rises straight towards
the zenith. A long horizontal llghtcol
ored cloud lies apparently above th'
volcano. The smoke sometimes reach
es a height which mountaineers have
estimated as being 5000 feet above
the volcano opening. II impresses II
self indellbly upon the memory OF any
one who is lucky enough to see Il.
The crater itself cannot be ap
preached al present on account OF The
incessant spurts OF steam. and the pos
sibillty OF an outburst Of clnders. ashei
and rocks. not 10 mention flows OF layi
which may take place any minute.
At such times a fine sand ranglnl
from an almost impalpable but gritty
powder TO very small pebbles is pro
jected with great violence from The
throat Of tho monster and carried e
distances OF from fifteen to twentl
miles II was on the northern and east
ern side OF the mountain that the tire
mendously large rocks were projecte,
from the volcano and sent tumbllnl
down the steep mountain side towar'
Manzanita lake. four miles distant
when the tremendous and historic out
burst occurred on May %, 1915.
Some OF the daring mountaineers Sc
out with lines TO measure these stone
shortly after the eruption They foun
two great rocks. one ~ by IA by /
feet and the other II by . by n feel
both still 20 hot that they blistere
their hands In measuring them. Al
other great rock which was vomite
forth set fire TO a green sapling againa
which II rested.
II was on the northern slope Of N
mountain that the great disaster d
! Hat creek occurred There was a dee