Phillips County herald., 1922-02-24
MOST AWESOME
OF VOLCANOES
,Kilauea in Hawaii Is Perpetual
Show Place, Performing
.s Day and Night.
Lava IS CONSTANTLY BOILING
Crater Covers an Area or 2,7oo Acres
and Is Eight Miles in Circumfer-
ence-Paved Highway Leads to
1t From Hilo, 80 Miles Away.

Hilo, T. Hon the Island of Ha-
waii-the big island, as 1t is called, of
the Hawaiian grOup-is located the
only tame volcano in the world. 1t is
II perpetual show place, performing
day and night and at times putting on
a demonstration that is awe-insplring
In its grandeur and manifested power.
On such occasions boat excursions are
run here from Honolulu and other
island towns. 1t was only last March
that Kilaueai belched forth flood of
molten lava that flowed In giant
streams over the vast floor of the cir
cular crater that surrounds the active
pit of Halemaumau. The big crater
covers IN area Of 300 acres and is
eight miles around. The pit of con-
stantly boiling, steaming and screech-
ing lava and gas is situated almost
in the center Of the original crater.
The activeayolcanic pit is more than
three miles in circumference.
Has No Counterpart.
From a typographical standpoin.
the volcano of Kilauea has no coun-
terpart. There leads to the very rim
of the crater Il paved highway. all the
way from Hilo. 81 miles. The only
visible hint that is given one that a
volcano is anywhere around is the
white sulphur fumes that may he seen
during the day and the glowing red
of reflected fire from the live pit ut
night.
So easy is the grade of the highway
that the rise from sea level To an alti-
tude of 1900 feet In less than thirty
miles Is scarcely noticed. except by
the increased chilliness Of the air.
Then suddenly at turn in the fern
fined road there bursts into view the
black, undulatlng crater of Kilauea.
and there comes to ones ears the hiss
ing of the giant cauldron of gas and
molten lava in he pit of Halemaumau.
The automobile Is run through pass
in the outer rim and out upon the
hardened lava. The remaining short
distance TO the performing center Is
made on foot.
Owing to the accessibility this vol
cano Is visited by hundreds of tourists
every year. II Is In such close contact
with the everyday life OF the people
of the surrounding territory and the
home visitors that whatever dangers
there may he In Its occasional over
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 10 the lnpplng columns of
molten froth that rolled out OF the
fiery pit.
Hotel at cratcr's Edge.
Upon the very edge OF the big crater
Is built the Volcano house. modern
hotel where the guests may view the
pei'formances Of the restless monster
from the windows of their rooms or
from the restful chairs upon the ve-
randas. Many times during the day
light iremors OF earthquakes may be
felt mt 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 he
seen evidences OF vast destructivencss
wrought by the volcano In times past.
nll going 10 show that It's present long
period Of comparative pnssiylty may
he only u prelude to another disas.
irons performance.
II Is at kilnucu that the most thor.
oush scientific study of volcanoes and
earthquakes ever undertaken IL In
progress This work Is In charge os
Prof. Thomas A. Jaggnr. Jr. lie con.
duets an observatory and scIsmolog-
icnl station upon the brink of the vol.
cano. where every phase aud move
,nent Of the lava PHI md the earth ira-
mors are recorded dny by dry. This
research work has nlrcndy resulted In
many valuable discoveries. some Of
which promise 10 bc Of much practical
snlnc IN the future. II is asserted.
For one thing. the conclusion l,ns
been reached ihnt the underground
tNfF VI hfNA'N mug wv MNfh AFN fiNflN'
trial purposes. Al the last session of
the Hawaiian legislature blll was IN.
iroauccd npproprlnilng $4,000 Ia
mnke borlugs h the floor OF tho biz
crater 10 test the heat supply for
power purposes, While this measure
fnilcd Of iinai paasasr because OF the
rush OF other measures That were
deemed of more Importance. II Il re-
gnrdcd ns practically assured that Tho
next Legislature wlll make the desired
appropriation. II IN stated that ths
nsc of This heat IN large power plant
or piping Il to sugnr mills aud Other
industries could bc easily nccom
riiahei,
rowsr Possibility.
"Toienno power for hnmnn Use Ia d
possibility" said Professor inggar
for heat H. power, nnh volcanoes gen
erite heat. Earth steam II Used o.
rrttiy near voiisrin Ia linly. vnsI