The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 30, 1903

They Visited Real Volcano

Fort Dodge Travelers in Far Off Hawaii Make the Most of Their Opportunities

An Interesting Experience

E.G. Larson and L.A. Thorson Peer Into Blazing Crater of Mighty Halemaumau

E.G. Larson and L.A. Thorson not only saw Honolulu during their trip to the Hawaiian islands, but were also favored with the unusual opportunity of looking down into the blazing crater of a real and semi-active volcano. The volcano visited by Messrs. Thorson and Larson rejoices in the euphonious name of Halemaumau. They were among  the passengers of the steamer Mauna Loa, the details of whose interesting trip are given by the Hawaiian Star, one of the metropolitan looking dailies of Honolulu.

the following report of the trip is taken from a copy of the Star, which was forwarded to the Messenger by Messrs. Larson and Thorson.

“There is fire in the crater of Halemaumau. The fire has been going day and night. News of the fire was brought this morning by a large party of tourists who returned from the volcano by the steamer Mauna Loa. The party went up to the volcano n early two weeks ago.

“From the statements of those in the party, the center of activity is a well defined portion of the pit. A place which was said to be about fifty feet in diameter was the particular center of activity. The lava was bubbling in this place. Evidently a greater portion of the flood of the inner crater is affected. What would appear to those above the floor of the pit to be fifty feet in diameter would be much greater. The spectators had to look down about 1,500 feet and a space fifty feet in diameter would appear nothing but a tiny speck from such an elevation.

“Quantities of steam were to be seen arising from numerous places in the big crater proper.”

Tags: 1903, Larson, Thorson