Description: From Motyka (1983): "[T]he Chitina Leader (January 28, 1911) reported that natives had observed an increase in the size of the vapor plume issuing from the summit of Mount Wrangell. This increase followed two minor tremors on the morning of January 21, 1911. The following headline account of an eruption from Mount Wrangell appeared in the April 15, 1911, edition of the Chitina Leader: 'Last night about 9:20 p.m. a flash which was at first mistaken for lightning, was observed at the summit of Mount Wrangell. This was followed in a minute or so by another, which was recognized then as a tongue of flame issuing from the crater of the mountain. In about five minutes, an immense volume of fire swept up into the sky * * * Height of the column was judged by the known height of the mountain to have been from two to three thousand feet. This was succeeded by a couple of flashes similar to the first seen after which the giant mountain relapsed into comparative quiet, although clouds of unusually black smoke continued to pour from the main crater for some time afterwards.'
"Reports of eruptive activity continued into mid-November, 1911.
"The Valdez Weekly Miner (April 28, 1912) carried an account from Tonsina ' * * * large clouds of smoke and vapor pouring out of a crater and ascending high into the air.' A prospector from Kotsina reported very strong sulphur fumes on the south-southwest flank and claimed that Mount Wrangell had 'broken out in several different places, all low down on the mountain and a considerable distance from the big crater' (Valdez Daily Prospector, September 13, 1912). The latter may be a reference to the cluster of fumaroles that perforate the glacier ice at about 3660 m (12,000 ft) elevation on the west-southwest flank of the mountain. Another account, appearing in the September 15, 1912, Valdez Weekly Miner claimed that 'lava was flowing down the west flank of the volcano and that great columns of smoke were rising from the mountain top.'"