The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-01-12
WHAT VOLCANOES
MEAN TO HUMANS
National GeographicSociety
Tells Thrilling Story
STUDY WAS MADE
Complete Summary Six Foreign
Expeditions Have Just Been
Made Public
IAssocia:ed Press pisps.teh. J

Washington, u. G.. January 10
Kew much volcanoes Ipea2 in. the
lives OF all huEGH beings, even
though they hGEe EcYCT been within
sight or hearing If o2e, is told in q
ncS Volume just icsGed by the Ma
uoral Geographic Society. The pub
location is the llrSt complete sum
mary of the innings OF six eXpedi-
lions sent to the region OF Mt. Kat.
mai anu the Valley or Ten Thousand
smokes in Alaska, by the Washing
ION society, and OF the results or
several years careful study OF Cd
seryations made by the expeditions,
The book, "The Valley Of Ten
Thousand Smokes, was written by
DR.. Robert +. Griggs. of the Geo
graphic Society. and contains a
great fund OF new information In
this little developed field Of science.
Within recent years the fascination
and romance OF science have begun
TO capture popular imagination and
this book adds a chapter TO the
wonder story of modern explora-
tons and scientific STUDY.
A tremendous volcanic upheayal
that could blow from the top or
great mountain lorty times the
amount of earth and rock dug out
of the Isthmus of Panama to build
the Panama Canal, leaving a hole
large enough to contain all the
buildings in fifteen cities the size
OF New York, is worth studying
Such a cataclysm occurred when
the top of Mt. Katmai was blown
off in an eruption in 1912, Climatic
effects circling the world resulted
from the explosion, and the vol
ume deals with these phenomena
as we'll as those Of the great seeth-
ing steaming valley from which it
derives its title.
An Amusing Incident
IN addition it describes the Alice
in Wonderland phenomena in the
wake OF the eruption-such as a
temporary gigantic river that cruis
ed along. the top OF a ridge: OF
streams that shifted their courses;
ash showers that formed great Their
NAL blankets to preserve deep snow
drifts; and a flood that had a mil
lion times the destructive power oil
the Johnstown dam burst.
An amusing instance or the care
full checking up Of facts is related
by Or. Griggs who tells how skep-
tical chemist, after learning OF the
proposed name for the valley, set
out methodically TO count the col
name was an exaggeration. He re-
turned 10 camp TO report sohfrly
that the name had really been In
errcr-the name, he said, should
have been the Valley of Million
Smokes.
The volume is not a dry techni-
cal one, for thrills OF personal ad-
ventures fill the pages. The ex.
plorer- author relates in matter oil
paSties walked over acres where a
misstep would have plunged them
10 a parboiled death in the seeth
ing cauldrons OF the valley, with
the ever present fear that chance
gust Of wind might snuff out their
lives with some gas that was more
deadly, IL less odorous, than those
among which they advanced.
Region Was Safe -
And yet, it is added, the region
now that ii has been studied, would
seem safer than a city street, for
not a single member OF the several
parties was lost Reports brought
hack so impressed the President
OF the United State that he immed
lately set il aside as National Mon
ument, some day to become a park
comparable only by the Yellowstone
ana like nothing else on earth for
its amazing wonders.
The writer, after aplogizing Tor
his necessary use of superlatives
admits the fear that he, like Jim
Bridger who heraled the Yellow
stones marvels, might be set down
as n Munchausen until future gen
erauons should vindicate him. He
adds:
Many times also have / been
thankful for the tools which modern
-. -. a.,
With kodaks and halftones and mo-
ton pictures to record our discover
les, our stfvaptage over the old time
explorer, who could supplement his
accounts with nothing better than
sketches, was enormous
Many OF Dr.. Griggs marvellous
photographs arc included to show
the wonders of the region, and the
Text OF the book forms a valuable
contribution 20 the scientists store
OF information about volcanoes and
thu many Ohenon6en that accom- :