The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-04-09
VOLCANO PIT IS
NOW OVERLOOKING
SWIRLING AND GROANING XII
LAUEA is AN APPALLING AND
AWE-INSPIRING SIGHT.

HONOLULU, T. H.-The fiery pit
of Halemaumau, in which, up to Sun
day night, swirled and groaned the
eternal volcanic fires of Kilauea, has
become formidable, literally lifting
the molten lava and emptying it in
all directions over the immense era
ter.
The automobile road, by which Wis
itors were enabled to drive their cars
within a short distance of the pit, has
been absolutely destroyed as far
back as where it enters the main era
ter. The parking station where auto
mobiles used to be left while their
occupants went the rest of the way
on foot is today more than ten feet
deep under the black lava.
Not for generations has Kilauea
presented so spectacular a sight as
today, for, in accordance with the
predictions of Prof. T. A. Jaggar,
volcanologist in charge of the XII
lauea observatory, the lava in the pit
rose rapidly-twenty-two feet in
tewnty-four hours, and is pouring out
in every direction upon the main
floor of the crater.
The crater is more than three
miles across, but for many years the
fiery flood has been contained in the
pit of Halemaumau. At times it has
sunk many hundreds of feet down
and out of sight. For several months.
however, it has been gradually rising.
A wireless message received today
from Hilo says that another flow
started this morning and there are
indications of increasing activity. An
eruption of Mauna Loa is consider
ed probable.
A vivid story of the overlooking of
the pit was received from the Volca-
no House today. 1t was written by L. |
De Wis Norton, of Honolulu, who |
went to the volcano to see the sight |
when it seemed probable the pit
would overflow. He writes:
The crater is a marvellous sight, |
and the tire-pit-well, there isn't any
fire-pit left at all. Where it used to |
be there is simply a mass of tumbled |
lava, very hot under foot and glow !
ing ominously through its multitude |
Gus cracks and crevasses. One may
walk upon it, but it is practically i'm
possible to say where the original rim
OF the pit is situated, for it has en-
tIrely vanished.
Beyond the shining black lava
there is a narrow channel of molten
lava, not more than a few wards |
across, with a line of white-hot cav
ems at the base of a towering cliff |
on the farther side. This cliff scars
up to row of jagged pinnacles full !
ly eighty feet above the lake, and is
pierced here and there with glowing
caverns from which jets and spurts |
of lava are gushing at intervals.
The narrow, streaming channel,
leading to a small bay at the head of
which stands a great cone emitting
splendid banners of vivid blue flame. |
represents the lava lake of Kilauea
today. There may be other sections
of the lake, but all are masked by |
towering cliffs which have arisen the |
whole way around the Halemaumau
pit.
: Whether or not there will be a
great lava flow from the flank of the
mountain only time can show, but
Pele seems to be gathering her
strength and marshaling her forces in
a manner she has never before ex-
hibited. The changes of the past two
weeks are amazing, and when one
looks at them one cannot help spec
ulating on what may be the outcome.
GAS a spectacle it is appalling in
its grandeur; it makes one realize |
ones own littleness as nothing else
in all the world could do, for the
forces displayed are beyond all hui
man understanding"