Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-25
i. S. NOW EXPLOITS
VOLCANIC SCENERY
Splendid Array of Peaks Are
Doomed for Tourists.
Quakes Being Studied.

One of the little known natural
riches of the United States is its
splendid array of volcanoes. And
the Geological Survey of the In
terror Department is preparing just
now to exploit these eruptive peaks,
to point out their attractivness to
travellers, and to make them eventual
ly part Of the chain of national
parks. 1t would be far more excit
ing to stand at the edge of a molten
lava flow and watch it at it's work
of destruction than merely to gaze
at the more or less aimless spoutings
of an Old Faithful geyser or into the
abyss of the Grand Canyon.
In the Alaskan Peninsula and the
Aleutian Islands the United States
is the proud possessor of so vol
canoes. Here is something new for
Main street to brag about when it
goes abroad. What other nation
possesses such q flock of volcanoes
within so small a space? The Amer
lean volcanoes are coming in for in
tensive study at the moment. a
new science, known as geophysics, is
growing up to deal with the subject.
Additional volcano observatories are
to be established, new listening posts
thrown out. On volcanic ground
every second of the day contains
some precious message for Their
mometer, or chemical testing vial,
or delicate pendulum, or level bubble.
These messages are echoes from the
last eruption or earthquake, or warn
ingS OF the next.
Quake Prediction Looms.
1t is the theory of the division of
20!canology that eventually it will be
possible to predict the coming of an
earthquake. For Is years the
Hawaiian volcano observatory has been
studying earth strategy and learn
ing the habits of the enemy" Seven
times within the past ID years the
earth on Hawaii staged big fiery CEN
trail and flank movements of either
rising or collapsing lava, earthquakes,
rising or falling ground, tidal waves,
lava flows sweeping through forests,
ranches and villages, or steam ex-
plosions hurting UP rocks. Each OIL
these events was different, yet ali
had things in common.
Science Is learning the habits Of an
enemy which works ruthiessly, but
rhythmically and by law. ProVerbially
volcano is supposed to be disorderly
but, in fact. a volcano works in ac-
cordance with unerring system. Men
engaged in volcanic study are com
pletely fascinated by their task. The
rumble OF an earth disturbance is
music to their ears. They are con
fident that through q careful study
OF an accumulation of data they can
show that past events have predicted
what is going on today, and that
events of today may forecast the
cataclysms of tomorrow.
Process Always Going on.
Congress itself has become con
WINGED that far-reaching results will
follow scientific knowledge Of the
shaking Of the ground, the heat, the
changes Of level. and the construc.
lions of new rock which are always
going on about active volcanoes. Old
studies of volcanoes were concerned
only with eruptions. The new stu
dents apply the microscope to the
process, so to speak. and find that
tremors, fitting, heatings, cooling
swellings and sinkings are affecting
volcanic ground all the time.
The present headquarters Of the sec
ton OF volcanology Of the Geological
Survey is in Hawaii, with DIR. T. A
Jaggar in charge. Next year DIR. jag
gar is going to make an extensive
reconnaissance in the Aleutians Il
find place in that remote land where
he can have an active volcano for g
| workshop and enough civilization tC
establish permanent quarters.
Copyright. 1890