Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-09-26
INSIDE TUE EARTH
Science Is Stil Pulling Over The
Hss!efy. ID
yatlEf oE ZEN HaBsAAD SMOKES


Alaska Has Lot of Data That Is
Expected to Throw Light on Sub
jeess Of Puzziins snseuIations-
EARLY in October scientific expedi-
tion win arrive in Seattle, Washing
ton. from Alaslia, which will bring
back Information tending to throw ad-
ditionnl light on the dark spot OF
modern science-what composes the
inside OF the earth. F
announcement Is made by the Ma
tionai Geographic Society from its
headquarters at Washington, that the
sixth Mt Katmai expedition Of The
Society Is preparing to- sail from
Kodiak. island. after many months
spent in fruitful scientific study Of the
unique and spectacular natural pheei
nornenort known as The, Valley Of. Ten
Thousand Smokes. at the foot OF the
slganttc Mt Katmaif yolcanp.S
Not only has the expedition. headed
by pp Robert r. Griggs, accumulated
en- amount of. scientific data beyond
happisst anticipation. but according to
telegraphic report to The Society a
fine harbon not previously known, has
been found which affords q feasible
route to this region of. the innumerable
vents OF various kinds which squirt
streams and vapors Of almost un-
belieyable temperatures. e
The discovery of the .harbor is con-
sidered Of married interest because
President Wilson has proclaimed the
region of Ten Thousand Smokes a
national monument. and it wall not be
long before, this new federal reserva-
tion viii be visited by tourists who
wish to view a, spectacle no less awe
inspiring than the spouting geysers
and other natural wonders of our
own National parks. 90. lsE
sBut the primary interest Of this
region. to. the civilized world. will be
the unequalled. opportunity it affords
for penetrating some of the hidden
secrets beneath the surface Of the
globe on which we dwell says a bull
letins from the National Geographic
Society. 80
eve laugh at the child who says the
moon is made Of green cheese; but the
child. might smile at US If he would
but ask, What is the earth made of
Though science han penetrated to
the infinitesimal secrets Of, the invisi-
BILE atom, and 1t has reached. to other
solar systems so far out in the uni
verse that we know about stars from
which 1t takes the light 5000 years to
travel to this earth. its penetration Of
the inner earth. is no deeper, COM
paratively. than a pin scratch on the
cover Of a mammoth balloon.
"The ancients thought the way to
learn the mysteries Of what lies under
our feet was to dig deeper, and ever
deeper, but we know now that even
modern engineering which can pierce
the mountains and burrow under rivers
can not penetrate deeply enough to
tell much of Mother Earth.
TN such phenomena as volcanic
eruptions, earthquakes. and geysers lie
the key to the hitherto hidden secrets
OF the giobeH It has been established
that the kissing. steaming, exploding
acres that seem like a multi-magnifled
depot yard Of mongul engines is q
modern example OF what the geysers
Of Yellowstone National Park once
were.
HThe vastness and intensity Of the
molten mass which spits the vapors Of
this terrifying valley is indicated by
the discovery Of new high tempera-
lures amopg the fumaroles. Early
parties were not equipped to measure
the unexpected heat of some of the
funaroles. DR.. Griggs wires that the
hottest ones have just been found,
where the highest temperature was l.
1912 degrees. fahrenheit, and that
many of the escaping vapors kindle
wood into blaze as readily as q
match burns when struck.
Besides chemists. photographers,
biologists. and botanists. the expedi-
tion this summer marked q departure
in scientific explorations OF this kind
by having along motion picture pho
tographers. Ten thousand filmed feet
of the spectacle which words can not
picture are being brought back to be
shown to members of The Society.
Another finding of popular interest
was the discovery of a region north Of
the National Monument reservation
which not only Is one Of great natural
beauty, but abounds. in fish and game.
".The study of the economic side of
this hitherto unknown region was not
neglected. DR.. Griggs is shipping to
Washington botanical and geological
material as we'll as specimens of
plants and animals found about Mt.
Katmai."