Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1922-03-03
AWeSOne
of Volcanoes

flows are lost sight Of. During the
eruption of last March some of the |
visitors came near being cut off by |
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 froth that rolled out of the
fiery pit.
Hotel at Craters Edge.
Upon the very edge of the big crater
Is built the Volcano house, modern
hotel where the guests may view the
performances Of the restless monster
from the windows Of their rooms or
from the restful chairs upon the We
randas. Many times during the day
light tremOrs Of earthquakes may be
felt ut 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 to be
seen evidences of vast destructiveness
wrought by the volcano In times past
all going to show that its present long
period of comparative passivity may
be only prelude to another disas-
trous performance.
1t is at Kilauea 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. Jaggar, Jr. He con-
ducts an observatory and seismOlOg-
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, 1t is asserted.
For one thing. the conclusion has
been reached that the underground
fires of Kilauea may be used for indus
trial purposes. At the last session Of
the Hawaiian legislature bill was in
troduced appropriating $4,000 to
make borings in the floor Of the big
crater to test the heat supply for
power purposes. While this measure
failed of final passage because of the
rush of other measures that were
deemed of more Importance. it Is re-
garded as practically assured that the
next legislature will make the desired
appropriation. 1t is stated that the
use Of this heat in large power plant
or piping II to sugar mills and other
industries could be easily accom-
plished.
Power Possibility.
"volcano power for human use Is
possibility" said Professor Jaggar
for heat is power, and volcanoes gen
crate heat. Earth steam Is used d.
rectly near volterra In Italy. Vast
stores OF earth steam exist In Japan
Iceland. the Yellowstone and New
Zealand. There Is no steam pressure
nj Kilauea. but there Is n furnace OF
oxidizing volcanic chemicals, with
sulphuric acid and alum ant
epson salts as by.products, SO that
borings may discover very Inter
cstlng temperatures and minerals. II
| In not proposed by boring to tai
steam Jet, nor merely TO discover
hot rock: the bore-hole would lmme
dintely cool Il of. The source or re
movable energy In volcanic boring y
chemical process. Cracks near the pi
az ualemaumau In kilauea volcano
have opened from time to time. The.
rot hotter and hotter until they be
came glowing furnaces, emitting ap
pnrently merely hot air. II borsn
viii start such a furnace, then ~ hole
Mt such place will run respectable
sized engine"
Rising to height of $4,000 feet onl
few miles from Kilauea Is the gren
volcano OF MauDa Loa. which has In
termlttent eruptions. the last one
great violence beginning In October
1910, and continuing for five months
the flow coming from split In tn
mountain far down upon Its TANKS
The black rolls of treacle lava flowe
for miles through the sandhats, fol
ests and bare rock slopes, fnall
emptying into the sea. where gian
clouds of steam rose day and nigh
Myriuds Of sea fish were killed D
the boiling water.
Scientific Possibilities.
Speaking of results that may com
from the research work which he
conducting, Professor Jaggar said: