San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-30
STUDYING THE EARTH

| STUDYING THE EARTH
Earthquakes of continued severity and
length have been reported from the
Puma district in Hawaii. The assistant
volcanologist at the observatory on the
volcano Kilauea. has reported progress
sive cracking along the rift line east
ward from the volcano and the posi-
bility of flow Of lava either at Puma
or in the ocean off Puma. Over the
Islands are various and other seismatic
disturbances. A volcano on Baton Island
in the Philippines has been active for
about three months. throwing out ashes,
rocks and lava, and driving the natives
from their homes. Upon instruction
from the Philippine government. Red
Cross supplies were sent and relief work
undertaken.
Not longer than fifteen, or twenty
years ago, little thought was connected
with volcanic eruptions and the accom-
panying earthquakes other than giving
relief. Such things happened. If they
happened they happened and there was
nothing to be done. But vast catas-
trophies trailing along after the spec
tacular and death-dealing eruption of
Mount Pelee, the San Francisco quake
and recent devastations in Japan, en-
couraged the scientific study of the
earth and the development of the science
of voloanology.
In 1911, a society was organized in
Hawaii for the study of the ever active
volcano Kilauea. The volcano itself is
the laboratory. There scientists study
the fever heat of the earth. They count
the pulse. as it were. of the globe in
order to know something of its internal
state and try to discover the laws that
govern its heavings, sneezings, and vom-
things. This work was financed for
about eight years by group of COM
meroial and professional Americans liv-
ing in Honolulu, But in 1919, it was taken
over by the United States government
as branch of the Weather Bureau.
In writing of this study in Hawaii,
T. A. Jaeger, volcanologist of the United
States government, says: 1--WE know
now that there are cycles, seasons and
daily tides in the pulsing lava of the
crater bottoms. We know that Mauna'
Loa and Kilauea are connected. We
know something ABOUT predicting erup-
tons. We know that the outside ground
heaves and tits when the lava is swelling
inside the great mountain mass. 1t is
Our hope, remembering how DR.. Fusa-
kichi Omori of the Japanese Imperial
Earthquake Committee succeeded in
moving 10000 people from the scene of
devastation of the volcano Sakurajima,
to predict eruptions and big earthquakes
and prevent loss of life in these catas-
trophies 1
Since man first began learning some
thing of the properties of fire ne has
proceeded in his progressive mastery
of his environment by study and under
standing. Still he seems helpless
enough, in spite of his efforts through
aeons and ages, small insignificant man,
an insect on wliirling globe, a mere
speck in the vast solar systems that
make Our own special system seem like
the electrons in the atom. But it is
the spirit that counts, that indomitable
spirit which would probe the heart of
the mystery of life.
what makes the wheels go round?"
"Hclen's Babies" demanded. What
makes the wheels go round, and how
may we use the wheels to our advan-
tage: man asks of all creation still.