The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-06

Waoulu&VOus -. ~. APElk IA
plan has been projected IN Hawaii
TO bore a hole through the side Of
one OF the active volcanic craters
there for the double purpose Of
studying their structure and OF
utilizing, if possible. the heat
which energies from them, accord
ing to DR.. W. H. Sherzer. Q geolo-
gist OF the Michigan State Normal
college, who has just returned TO
Hawaii DR.. Sherzer spent some
months in a study of the Hawaiian
volcanoes. He is specialist in
dynamic geology, having made q
study some years ago OF the Cana
dian glaciers for the Smithsonian
institution.
The United States weather bu-
reau maintains a station known as
the volcano observatory on Ha-
waii. in charge of DR.. F. J. Jaeger
and he is at the head of the move
ment to bore a hole into one Of the
craters. 1t is assumed that some
sort of boring and piping appar-
atus, similar to that used IN boring
for oil, could do the work. Should
it be found practicable to penetrate
into the central core OF hot lava
and pipe the heat to the surface,
an enormous natural source OF
power would be tapped.
The great Hawaiian volcanoes,
which are now in a national bark.
protected by the United States gov
eminent, are the subjects Of much
scientific speculation. But it is
agreed, according to DR.. Sherzer,
that the volcanoes built the whole
string Of the Hawaiian islands, be-
ginning with those farthest to the
northwest and moving to the south
east Hawaii is the southeastern
most island, and is still in course
of construction, the volcanoes still
being active.
The accepted theory is that q
great assure exists in the floor Of
the sea, reaching down through the
earth's crust to the molten mass
within. The crust Of the earth is
variously estimated to be from II
to Is miles thick, the estimates be.
ing based upon the length Of time
it takes earthquake vibrations tc
pass through it.
How Islands Were Built
1t is believed that the molter
basaltic rock, which forms the bull
Of the earth, began bubbling up, a
the northwestern end of the island.
and continued to do so until it had
wholly or partly blocked the ifs
sure at that point, when it brok'
out farther to the southeast. Thi!
process was repeated until tn,
whole string OF islands had beef
built one by one. from the floor o
the sea to an altitude of $4,000 fee
above the level of its surface. Thh
work is still going on in Hawaii
and all of it has been done in com
paratively recent geologic time, 81
that these islands must be regard
ed as a very recent addition to tn
face of the earth. Because of thei
recent origin, the islands, failed t.
share in the animal life Of the res
of the world. 1ndeed, it is a matte
for speculation how even plant lif
originated there, but it is assumed
that floating material carried tn
first seeds. Birds reached the is
lands by flying, of course, but
rat and lizard, both Of which ar
rived probably by native boats
were the only animals found Their
when the white men arrived. Pigs
goats and deer were subsequently
introduced.
The volcanoes. which are puz
zle to the modern man Of science
inspire the greatest awe in the ma
tives, and DR.. Sherzer reports tina