New Britain herald., 1923-01-12
BOOK TELLS MUCH
 ABOUT VOLCANOES
"Valley Ol Ten Thousand Smokes"
 an Interesting Volume

Washington, Jan, is,-Hew much
 volcanoes mean in the lives of all
 human beings, even though they
 have never heen within sight or hear
 ing af one. is told in 3 new volume
 inst issued hY the National aees
 eranhie society. The publication IS
 ihe nrsl complete summary of inc
 hndlngs af siA expeditions sent 10 the
 region of Mt, katmai and the Nair
 les af Ten Thousand Smokes lA
 Alaska, hy the Washington society, and af the results ef several years careful study Of observations made
 hy the expeditions,
 The book, srhe Valley of Ten
 Thousand Smokes" was written by
 nr, Robert r. GFiggs, Of the Geo graphic society. and contains q great fund Of new information in this lltT tie developed fieid of science, With in recent years the fascination and romance Of science have begun to capture popular imagination and this hook adds chapter to the wonder story of modern explorations and scientific study
 Wonders nf tnlIMiOsA
 A tremendous volcanic upheaval that could blow from the top Of al great mountain 4h times the amount Of earth and rock dug out Of inc Isthmus Of Panama 10 build inc Panama Canal. leaving q hole large enough 10 contain ali the buildings iS cities the size of New York. is worth studying Such m event occurred | when the top of Mt katmai was blown of in an eruption in 1919. Climatic effects eireIng the world re- suited from the explosion. and the volume deals with these phenomena as well as those of the great seething steaming valley from which fl de- rives its title.
 In addition IL describes the Alice Wonderland phenomena in tho wake of the eruption--snch as tenn porary gigantic river that cruised along the top Of ridge: of streams that shifted heir courses; ash show CTS hat formed great thermal blan- kets to preserve deep snow drifts: and a flood that had million times the destructive power of the Johns- town dam-b burst.
 An amusing instance of the careful checking up Of facts is related by pr. Griggs who tells how a skeptical chemist. after learning of the pro- posed name for the valley. set out methodically to count the columns of 1 hissing steam. for fear the name was 1 an exaggeration. He returned to camp to report soberly that the name i had really been in error--the name. ] he said, should have been the Valley of Million Smokes. {
 Book Not Dry. i
 The volume is not dry technical one, for thrills of personal adven lures fill the pages. The explorer author relates in matter of fact fashion how members of the parties walked over acres where misstep would have plunged them to a par boiled death in the seething caul- drons of the valley. with the ever present fear that a chance gust of wind might snuff out their lives with some gas that was more deadly, if less odorous. than those among which they advanced.
 And yet. it Is added, the region. now that if has been studied, would seem safer than city street, for not a single member of the several par ties was lost. Reports brought back so impressed the president of the United States that he immediately set it aside as a national monument, some day to become park compar- Ible only by the Yellowstone. and like nothing else on earth for its wonders.
 The writer after apologizing for his necessary use of superlatives, admits the fear that he, like Jim Bridger who heralded the Yellowstones mar vels might be set down as Man. ,hausen until future generations should vindicate him. He adds:
 Many times also have I been thankful for the tools which modern T. invention has placed in our hands With kodaks and halftones and mo- ion pictures to record our discov- ,ries. our advantage over the old ime explorer, who could supplement lis accountswith nothing better than ketches, was enormous
 Many of Dr. Griggs' marvellous are included to show he wonders of the region, and the ext of the book forms a valuable contribution to the scientists store of about volcanoes and the many phenomena that accompany ruptions.