The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-11-10

iSh naval commander in the Pacific,
realizing the strategic Importance OF
the Hawaiian group, seized the is
lands, but his country promptly 6is-
TvOwed his act. After some difficult
ties with France over the islands in
the ~forties, the United States declared
a sort of Monroe Doctrine toward
them. AS early as 1851 the island
government, fearing trouble with other
nations, Professionally coded the islands
to the United States. But the
Cession was not accepted, and numer-
Gus efforts to become q part of the
United States were made in the fol-
lowing half century.
Annexed by Uncle Sam.
In 1887 the United States obtained
Il concession for the use of Pearl har-
Dor for q coaling station. When
Queen Liliuokalani attempted to abol-
ish the constitution in 1898, the con-
stitutional party, led by American
settlers, brought about q revolution
and dethroned her. One Of the first
acts Of the provisional government
was to apply for annexation to he
United States. Germany was Selling
islands right and left in the Pacific,
and the Hawaiians wished to get
under a sheltering wing. Politics
in the United States delayed action,
and in the meantime the Republic Of
Hawaii was organized. Then in 1893,
during the Spanish-American war,
congress suddenly voted to make Ha-
wall American territory.
Though the Hawaiian islands are
known as 'the halfway house Of the
Pacific" in reality the distance from
San Francisco to- Honolulu is only
about half that from Honolulu to Aus
tralia, the Philippines or Japan. All
the islands are OF volcanic origin,
but coral has grown on the shores
of many Of them. The disintegrated
lava has formed q rich soil which re.
spends literally to irrigation. Only
Cuba and Java produce greater total
crops of sugar, and the per acre yield
Of Hawaii is the greatest in the world
-four tons without irrigation and six
tons with. The sugar crop for the
year ended June 20, 1920, was worth
$7S,500,00O. The pineapple crop, Sec
ond in Importance, was valued at $751;
100000.
Mauna Loa Volcano.
Perhaps the Hawaiian group is best
known to most people because OF the
huge volcano Mauna Loa on the island
of Hawaii. In September, 1919, this
great safety-valve "blew off steam"
giving q most unusual demonstration
of natures forces. From a huge vent
in the mountains side, a Hood or mott
en- lava was belched forth. Spread
ing out into q great shallow stream, IL
came roaring down the mountain
slope, burning forests, carrying huge
frees and immense boulders on It's sur
face-sweeplng everything before ".
With a speed varying from ! 10 20
miles an hour, according 10 the cotn-
try 1t was passing over, u bfondened
| out until 10 was nearly n mile IN width.
| After wiping out the government belt
! road, razing telephone poles and de-
strOying n vast amount Of property,
the red.hot lava tumbied over n high
precipice and plunged kissing into The
sea nearly 20 miles from its source.
In approaching the flow from the
sea I'm the eariy evening, the glow from
the lava was visible for many miles.
As one drifled within 900 yards OF
the point where the liquid rock was
rushing into the sen, the scene was
nwe-inspiring, Slowly the smoky haze
from tho burning forests. which hung
over the source 20 miles away. lifted
and the river IT fire stood out In It's
full glory. Leaping from pail TO val
ley. rushing uphill and roaring down,
the fiery flood Numbered down the
mountain slope. carrying on its bosom
rocks ms big ms houses.
AZ the stream ~ blazing lava neared
the coastline, II appeared To gather
more speed, taking the final plunge
over q lO0.foot elf ut n terrific rate.
and looking for all the world like u
fiery Niagara. Al the red-hot lava
zane In contact with the water. great
columns OF steam and gas. like huge
watersp0uts. were forced hundreds OF
feet into the air. Huge boulders.
hurled into space, exploded with thun-
derous reports into auras Of red and
green lights, while flashes Of what
looked like lightning added to the
chaos.