File:Alaska + its history, climate and natural resources (1898) (14781673074).jpg

Identifier: alaskaitshistory00swin (find matches)
Title: Alaska + its history, climate and natural resources
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Swineford, A(lfred) P
Subjects:
Publisher: Chicago, New York, Rand, McNally and co
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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ount Wrangell, which is believed to bethe highest mountain in North America, if notin the western hemisphere, and which is on themainland, in longitude 145 degrees, to the Com-mander Islands, beyond our western boundary,there is a continuous chain of volcanoes, eachand all of which have been active at some periodsince the advent of the Russians in 1743. Oneof the ablest Russian scientists, in a treatise ofthe volcanic character of this region, advancesthe theory that this long extended chain of vol-canoes proves the existence of a subterraneanchannel of lava, which finds its outlet firstthrough one crater and then through another.However this may be, there are frequent volcanicdisturbances, indicated by a rumbling and quak-ing of the earth, more or less startling, and itmust be admitted that there is no more exten-sive theater of volcanic activity known thanthat of the Aliaska Peninsula, the west coast ofCook Inlet, and the Aleutian Islands. One remarkable occurrence which history re-
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CLIMATE AND RESOURCES. 145 cords as having taken place in 1796, taken inconnection with what has since happened, wouldseem to fully confirm the theory of the Russianscientist, that there is a subterranean channelbetween the long line of craters referred to, theoverburden of lava flowing in which sometimesforces for itself a new outlet. To the westwardof Unalaska, and not more than a dozen milesfrom the northeast end of Umnak, is located thesmall island of Bogoslov. History has it that onthe 18th day of May, 1796, a Russian tradernamed Krukof was stopping temporarily on thenortheast end of Umnak, being detained thereby thick and stormy weather, accompanied byindications of volcanic disturbance. On themorning of the 19th the storm abated, the cloudscleared away, and he saw at some distance off acolumn of smoke arising out of the sea. To-ward evening a black object was visible underthe smoke, and during the night flames ascend-ing heavenward were of such volume and bril-liancy as to conv

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