Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-01-29
VALLEY OF 10000 SMOKES.
Most Wonderful and interesting Volcanic
Region in the World

At the end of Septem Der last Presi
dent Wilson created py proclaim alton
the kstmai National Monument. This
reservation incloses what the explosive
eruption OF June. 1912. left of Mount
katms j., on the southern shore of Alas
ka, together With several neiR hboring
valleys of stesmlDg vents, the largest
of which the Nation Geographic So.
ciety. which explored it in June. 1917,
named the valley of len Thousand
Smokes
The two features are intimately re-
lated. Rock strata superheated since
the greet eruption undeilie Katmai
near enougn to The surface to turn to
instanl steam the spring and drainage
watt RS o many surrounding nile OF
foutull Thus originates the steam
which bursts from the myriad valley
vent. Ine phenomef on is familiar IN
the ntlg Uoth Cd Of most volcanoes
which i'll lte cl4ssed as active.
Steaming splings, later stage Of
the vents in this valley. are found up
on the tanks of several of tte most
prominent Of our Cascade volcanoes,
and are nuaerl Us around at the base
of Lasssn Peak.
The comparison, however, between
Katnai 8 steaming valleys and the
geyser basins of Yellowstone is es-
pecialIy Instructive because Yellow
stones tasins once were what Kat
mai g steamlng valleys are now. The
valley of len Thousand Smokes" is
probably coming geyssr field OF enor-
nous size. The explanation is simple.
Bunsen's aeyser theory, now generally
acceptei. presupposes column Uf
water iiiliGg the geyser vent ABOVE
deep rocky superneated chamber in
which trickling spring water Is being
rapidly turned into steam. When this
steam becomes plentiful enough and
sufficiently compressed to overcome
the weight of the water in the vent.
it suddenly expands and hulls the
water out. That is what makes the
gsyser play.
GROWTH or A GEYSER BASIN.
Now, the difference between the
Yellowstone geyser fields and Katmai's
steaminR valleys Is Just q difference In
temperature. The entire depth of
earth under these valleys is heated far
above bling point, so that it is not
possible tor water to remain in the
vents IL turns to steam as fast az it
collects and rushes out at the top In
continuous how. Bat when centuries
or hundreds Of centuries enough elapse
for the rocks between the surface and
the deep internal pocket to cool. the
water will remain in many vents as
water until, at regular intervals.
enough steam gathers below to nufl it
out. 1Ien tn. Sc valleys will become
basins of geysers and hot springs like
Yelleow stones.
The crater Of Kat mai Is very large.
Its circun ference. says Robert F.
Grggs, no headed the expeui tions ;
which explored the entire area, is "a
ID lies, measured along the highest
point of the rim. The area 10 4.6 ,
miles. The vrecipitous abyss. which 1
does not extend to the rim of the |
southwest ide. is somewhat shorter,
measuring 2.6 miles in lenght, 7.6 l
miles in ci1cumferen, Q, and AZ square {
miles in area. The milky blue lake ut :
the bottom is Ia miles long and nine |
.enths o. nile w,de, with an area of /
|. / square mics. The little crescent G
shaped island IN the lake measures 400 i
feet from point to point. The preci-
,ice from the lake to the highest point
II the rim IL 8. 7O0 feet.
Mr.. Gr,ggs estimates the capacity Of
he hole at 4500, ,O00, 700 cubic yards.
f this hole were filled with water,
here would be enough to supply New
FORK City for 1855 days. The great
ruption blew out II. 0O0. 000. 900. cubic
'ards Of material, more thas forty
imes the amount removed in the con-
truetion Of the Panama Canal.