Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1924-07-03
Dean Dearth Sees
Volcano Working

j A letter written May Is, by Mr..
Dean Dearth from HiIo, Hawaii, said:
81 suppose you will have read all
about the eruptions of Kileaua long
before this can reach you, but am
going to attempt description of the
latest and so far, most violent erup-
ltion, which occurred at IL O'Clock a.
m. today and continued intermit-
tently, until IL, the first being the
worst
We and group of folks from out
at Hakalau plantation had planned
this trip all week and after yester-
days eruption were wild to go, so
we started early, five carloads of us,
and drove up, reaching the Volcano
house at 1910 a. m. When we ar
/ rived the pit was giving forth little
column of light blue smoke and look
ed much the same as it did when I
was here on my vacation trip in
February, and had looked ever since,
up until last week, since when it has
been sending out an immense column
of black smoke and dust.
/ The roof of the Volcano house was
covered with from a quarter to a
half inch of volcanic mud made from
the dust and ash of yesterdays
eruption, and the rain. The wind
was blowing this direction and here
| in Hilo the dust had settled over ev-
erything. After stopping a few min
utes there at the hotel we started to
drive out on a cliff overlooking the
pit, and had just reached it, when
the volcano with a kissing roar sent
skyward an immense column of
! blackish red smoke and dust. OF
course we stopped to watch this for
| it was beautiful as it curled and
swirled and sucked back into the
| pit, but this was just a prelude to
! the real show. While we watched
there came dull explosion, so dull
it was hardly noticeable above the
low kissing roar, and suddenly,
above the smoke, we could see rocks
and earth flying in every direction,
and along with this in the great
cloud that overhung the crater there
was flash after flash Of lightning,
and the thunder rolled and reverber-
lated.
| The smoke cloud rose so high we
could not distinguish which was the
volcanic smoke and which the ordi-
nary mist clouds. There was explos-
ion after explosion, and those great
rocks came crashing down on the
lava floor almost a mile away from
the center of the pit This continued
for almost ten minutes, and all the
time the smoke cloud became thick
er and we could see it raining over
| it, and even where we were it be-
came dark as dark, cloudy day
Then the eruption stopped for
time, but the smoke kept on coming
sharp. Along with the first eruption
there was a sharp earthquake. Was
| frightened? Yes, but so fascinated
with what ! was seeing that | was
rigid. I could not take my eyes
from it for a minute
Some people took to their cars
and made hasty retreat to points
farther back; others like myself
stood as if rooted to the spot.
If my two years here had been an
absolute failure, if l had gained
nothing more than the privilege of
seeing this sight today l would even
thus consider them a huge success.
One of the boys in our crowd says
he got some pictures after the first
big moment was over If they turn
out good I'll send them on.
We were on a cliff about a mile
from the pit and some place between
500 and 1000 feet above the level of
it. Some of the rocks fell near the
foot of the cliff and smaller ones
still closer. After it was all over and
we started back to Hilo, | was SO
tired | felt as if | would drop, and
others complained OF feeling the
same. Suppose it was the nervous
strain and excitement.
There has been one eruption after
another, all except one being smaller
than this.
One foolhardy fellow who had
gone down to the pit, was killed by
the eruption l witnessed.
Am we'll and busy
Mr.. Dearth also sent copies of Hilo
and Honolulu papers ranging in date
from April 80 up to May %, giving
accounts of terrible disturbances in
the volcanic field. The issue of May
23 stated that even more violent
eruptions and quakes were expected
in the vicinity of Kileaua, and that
precautions were being taken to ex-
tend dead lines" to prevent tourists
and spectators from getting within
the danger zones.
On An Eastern Trip
Miss EIizahath Humnhray af Nal.