New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-02-16
kILANEA Threatens
TO CUT UP AGAIN
Hawaiian Volcano Shows Signs
Of Resuming Activity

Honolulu, Feb. 16.-Intense &C
tlVity, greater than known heretofore
10 any HaWaiians now living is man
lest in kllauea volcano. according to
reports received here. Kilauea is
the largest active crater in the world
tisht miles in circumference, and is
situated in the southeasterly part of
the island Of Hawaii. the largest
island Of the group.
The volcano, enclosed by a circular
wall from 200 to 700 feet in height
Is black plain of some four square
miles in area. within which is thu
j>lt OF tialemaumau, about 1000 feet
IN diameter, recently empty to Il
depth Of a thousand feet, but now
level to its mouth with boiling lava.
y few months ago the life of the vol
olno could hardly be tiscerned, but
today the pit is a roaring, boiling,
swirling lake of fire of many acres in
extent and at night the glow from
the red hot lava can be seen all over
lie island and far out at sea. The
f,ory lake is filled with spouting foun-
tains that shoot the liquid rock hun
dreds Of feet into the air. The rim of
the pit is constantly crum bling, eaten
away at its base by the surging tide
Of fire, and tunbling with deafening
crashes into the molten mass
Reports from Hilo record the per-
flous feat of Professor T. A. Jaggar,
Ir, director of the Volcano observa-
tory, in venturing out on the hot,
barely solidif1ed edge Of the lava for
more than 100 yards tc plunge his in
struments into the lake of fire for
the purpose of ascertaining it's tenn
perature. He was successful and he
and his assistants escaped in safety
only a short time before the spot on
which they had stood was engulfed
and became itself part of the boil
ing 1oed.
The temperature of the lake is more
than 1000 degrees fahrenheit, accord
ing to the results obtained by Profess
scr Jaggar. The temperature was
found by thrusting into the molten
lava length of pipe screwed together
into the end of which had been fitted
six Seegar cones. conical plugs of
fusible clay designed to melt at vary
ing temperatures.
To reach the living lava. Professor
Jaggar and his assistants had to
scramble down sixty feet over the rim
of the pit, holding on to the knife
= edged crags that had been thrown
up by the volcanoes activity. One of
the party fell when near the bottom,
but fortunately regained his feet in
time to prevent rolling into a assure
where he would have been consumed
in an instant
Professor Jaggar. who Is connected
With the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, has spent five years at
Iilauea, observing the phenomena of
the volcano for scientific purposes. He
takes daily, almost hoursly observa-
tons, makes chemical analyses Of
the lava, the gases arising from the
Fit and is endeavoring to deduce from
his studies general rules from which
TO predict volcanic activity and its
Influences.
The city of Honolulu. the capital of
the group, on the island of Oahu is
about $50 miles distant from Ki]auea
volcano, but there is a population of
NEARLY so 900 persons on the island
of Hawaii. where the volcano is sit
uated. K.'auea is only one of five
volcanic mountains on the island, and
though not as high as Muria Loa
Cereal Mountain on the south. which
rises to a height Of 1865 feet, max
ing it the highest volcano in the
world. It is far more active than the
higher mountain. According to an
account Of the natives. violent erup-
ton of Kiauea occurred in 1889: and
lesser eruptions as recently as 1907,
I ut confined to the pit of Halemau-
l1au.