Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1919-01-03
NET. KATA@EI AND ITS
sTEANfING VALLEYS.

At the end of September last
President Wilson created by procla-
nation the Katmai National Monu-
ment. This reservation incloses
what the explosive eruption Of June
1912, left of Mount Katmai, on the
southern shore of Alaska, together
with several neighboring valleys of
steaming vents, the largest of which
the National Geographic Society, |
which explored It in June, 1917, nam |
ed the Valley OF Ten Thousand
Smokes"
The two features are intimately
related. Rock strata superheated
since the great eruption underlie Kat
mai near enough to the surface to
turn to instant steam the spring and
drainage water of many a surround
ing mile of foothills. Thus origin
ates the steam which bursts from the
myriad valley vents. The phenome-
non is familiar in the neighborhood
of most volcanoes which still are
classed as active. Steaming springs,
later stage Of the vents in this val
ley, are found upon the flank OF sew
eral Of the most prominent Of our
Cascade volcanoes, and are numer-
GUS around the base OF Lassen Peak.
The comparison, borrower, between
Katmai's steaming valleys and the
geyser basins of Yellowstone is espe-
cially instructive because Yellow
stones basins once were what Kat
MATS steaming valleys are now. The
valley of Ten Thousand Smokes"
ia probably coming geyser feld of
enormous size. The explanation is
simple. Bunsen's geyser theory,
now generally accepted, presupposes
q column of water filing the geyser
vent above deep rocky superheated
chamber in which trickling 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
hurls the water out. That is what
makes the geyser play.
Growth OF . Geyser Basin.
Now. the difference between the
Yellowstone geyser fields and Kat
MATS steaming valleys is just q diff
ference in temperature. The entire
depth OF earth under these valleys II
heated far above boiling point, q
that It is not possible for water &
remain in the vents; 1t turns to steam
aa fast as 1t collects and rushes ou
at the top in continuous now. Blu
when centuries or hundreds of cen
turtles enough elapse for the rock
between the surface and the deep in
ternal pockets to cool, the water will
remain in many venta as water unit
nj regular intervals enough steam
gathers below to hurl 1t out. The
these valleys will become basins o
geysers and hot springs like Yellow
stones.
The crater of Katmai In very large
It's circumference, says Robert \
Crigga, who headed the expedition
which explored the entire area, is 8.
miles. measured along the highes
point OF the rim. 1.-THE area is 4.
miles. The precipitous abyss. whic
does not extend TO the rim of tn
southwest side. is somewhat shorter
measuring 2.6 miles in length. 4.
miles in circumference, and 4.
square miles in area. The milk
blue lake at the bottom il IA mile
long and nine-tenths of mile wild
with an area OF IL square miles. Th
little crescent-shaped island in tn
lake measures 400 feet from point
point. The precipice from the Lab
to the highest point of the rim
800 feet"
Mr.. Griggs estimates the capacit
of the hole at $500. 100000 cub
yards. II this hole were filled wit
water, there would be enough to SUI
ply New York City for 1885 day
The great eruption blew out 1900
100000 cubic yards of materis
more than forty times the amour
removed in the construction Of Il
Panama Canal.
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