The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-01-10

edge Of the gorge were almost precipi-
tated into the molten flow when the
sudden flooding Of the channel under
mined the bank where they were stand
ing.
The stream of week ago has be-
come a flood, raging torrent, deep
down in a gorge from 90 to 200 or
more feet in depth. The lava Is hot
ter, more liquid. II is craving for IT.
self gorge similar to those on the lee
side of Molokai, a tortuous channel
carven deep into the ancient matrlx,
widening where the flood gouges the
base of the cliffs on either side, mar
rowing where it plunges almost yerti-
cally in meeting cataracts, or suddenly
choking as its banks cave and dam the
weltering flood There has been no
spectacle to compare with it in the
memory Of men in these islands.
Graceful Bridge Raised.
For several DAYS the stream has
been bridged, about half a mile above
where it plunges into the sea, BY
graceful, single-span arch 100 feet
across and 200 feet above the bed OF
the current. Madame Pele loosed
tremendous flood from the summit
spring, a regular banker" freshet or
cloud burst. The rapids doubled or
trebled in width as half-mile lengths
of the banks melted iuto the flood
Great spillways formed where the
white-hot current impinged against
sharp curves or bends. One could plain
IL see the vicious mass stopping over
the dead black a-a fields bordering tho
canon.
When the food hit the bridge the
whole arch jammed full OF debris. a
moment more and n lake formed above
il. Another moment and great cata-
rsct of fire the full width of the canon,
200 feet from crest to foot, plunged
over the arehway. The flood came
faster and faster; the lake grew broad
or. and new lateral channels poured
beside the main current to the sea. =
gigantic steam cloud quarter mile
through AT the foot rose until its mush-
room cap lowered 10000 feet towards
the moon.
The thunders of the exploding lava
masses growled and rumbled. Show
ers Of flying rocks sprayed the whole
base of the steam column. The ocean
boiled and seethed.
A number Of yentures0me mountain
climbers have visited the head OF the
flow. access thereto being much easier
from Kau than from the Kona side:
These have fixed number OF disputed
noiuts rs to what is happening up
above the clouds.
The vent is on the western face OF
the big volcano. several miles north oi
Pm.o.keokeo White Hill and 2,oO1
TO 5000 feet higher. The molten pa
hoehoe squirts out from a kniie-iike
vent like water from fiattened noz-
zle. and runs half mile in straight.
narrow channel into the cone wnich
was first described as the fountain
source. The inner vertical faces OF
tho cone are let black above, shading
through all the reds TO the dazzling
white color of molten iron in the crater
lake with its dancing devil" IRE foun-
tains. Black Hill, or Puu-o-eleele, IS
one Of the names which has been pro-
posed for this new spatter cone. All
Tho flows in recent years have origi-
mated near White Hill.
Thus FAR there has been only one
flow downward from Black Hill. Inc
other rumored flows have had their
origin in the glimpses seen by different
observers at changing perspectives. Inc
vent is about 20 miles as the crow hies
1--WE have crows in the Kona forestl;
as the lava runs the channel is prob
ably nearer 80 miles long.
Then. too, the flow is constantly
changing. Its aspect is never twice
the same. Descriptions vary likewise
They are probably all correet.-Pacihc
Commercial Advertiser.