Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1922-02-03
Most AWesone
of Volcanoes

flows are lost sight of. During tn,
eruption of Inst March some Of III,
Visitors came near being cut off b,
The streams Of lava which flowed over
the enormous sink that surrounds the
main crater. Even small children ven
tured close to the tapping columns OF
molten troth thac rolled out of The
fiery pit.
Hotel at crater's Edge.
Upon the very edge Of the big crater
Is built the Volcano house, Il modern
motel where the guests may view the
performances Of the restless monster
from the windows of their rooms or
IRON the restful chairs upon the We.
rahdas. Many times during the day
llght tremors of earthquakes may be
telt at the hotel and on all sides of
the building white fumes OF SULPHUR
constantly pour forth from cracks in
the lava formation. For miles around
the main crater of Kilauea are 10 be
seen evidences Of vast destructiyeneSS
wrought by the volcano in times past.
all going to show that its present long
period of comparative passivity may
be only Il prelude TO another disas.
trous performance.
II Is at kiluuea that the most thor.
ough scientific study of volcanoes and
earthquakes ever undertaken is in
progress. This work is in charge of
Prof. Thomas A. Iaggar, Jr. He con.
ducts an observatory and selsmolog.
ical station upon the brink of the vol.
cano, where every phase and move
ment of the lava pit and the earth ire.
mors are recorded day by day. This
research work has already resulted in
many valuable discoveries. some of
which promise TO be of much practical |
value in the future, it is asserted.
For one thing, the conclusion has
been reached that the underground
fires of kilauea may be used for indus.
trial purposes. Al the last session Of
the Hawaiian legislature bill was In.
troduced appropria,lns $4,000 10
make borings in the floor of the big
crater to test the heat supply for
power purposes. While this measure
failed Of iaal passage because of the
rush of other measures that were
leemed OF more Importance It is re.
yarded MS practically assured that the
next legislature will make the desired
1t is stated that the
Use of this heat in a large power plant
lr piping il to sugar mills and other
Industries could be easily accom-
)lished.
Power Possibility.
"Nolcaao power for human use is a
possibility" said Professor Jaggar.
or heat is power and volcanoes gen
rate heat Earth steam is used d.
'ectly near Voltera In Italy Vast
stores Of earth steam exist in Japan,
celand, the Yellowstone and New
There Is no steam pressure
It kilauea, but there is furnace OF
kidding volcanic chemicals. with
ulphurc acid and alum and
psom salts as by.products. so that
orings may discover very inter.
sting temperatures and minerals. II
; not proposed by boring to tap
steam jet, nor merely TO discover
OF rock; the bore-hole would imme-
lately cool II OFF The source OF re-
ewable energy in volcanic boring is
hemical process Cracks near the pit
[ fialemaumau in Kiauea volcano
ave opened from time to time. They /,
OF hotter and hotter until they be-
anne glowing furnaces, emitting ap.
arently merely hot air. If boring
I'LL start such a furnace, then 20 holes
[ such place will run respectable !
,zed engine"
Rising 10 height of 10000 feet only
few miles from kilauea Is the great
olcanO Of Mauna Ioa, which has in q
eruptons, the last one OF Z
reat violence beginning In October, I
Dl9, and continuing for FIVE months.
le flow coming from a split In the
fountain far down upon lis TANKS.
he black rolls of treacle lava flowed /
'r miles through the sandhats. for n
SITS and bare rock slopes, finally h
implying into the sea, where giant 4
ouds of steam rose day and night. Il
Iyriads of sea fish were killed by n
le boiling water. n
Scientific Possibilities. c
Speaking of results that may come h
ON the research work which he is, e
'nducting, Professor Jaggar said: {,
Probably the most far-reaching use II