The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-26

IN SOutnoast mAnsOuri, Arkansas ana An0lan
Terrifory-The Great EARTHQUAKES Of 1911,
1SS2, 1885, 1855 and 1865.
WASHINGTON, Oct. "a, 1858.
The recent earthquakes in South America and
California have created desire TO know what part
OF the United States Ia most liable to those terrible
commissions.
During the winter Of 1sl1-l2 portion OF the Mis-
sissippi Valley above ana below New Madrid, ex-
tending even up as far as Cairo, was convulsed 10
such degree as to create lakes and islands, and had
the country been thckly inhabited would have been
attended with great loss Of life tract near Little
Prairie became covered with water and large lake,
many miles In extent was formed in the course Of
an hour. The village Of New Madrid, together with
the bank OF the river for fifteen miles above it,
was sunk beneath the water. and the revulsion was
such as to force all boats and other MATERIAL afoat
al the time up the stream some twelve or eighteen
miles. The earth rose in great unduations and
when they reached certain height the soil burst
and vast voumns OF sand, water and singular sub
stance resembling coke were discharged. The gene
raj directions OF the chasms from southwest to
northeast. Indeed earthquakes may be said to be
chronic throughout section of country embracing
southeastern Missouri Northern Arkansas and Indian
Territory. Commissions and trembngs Of the earth's
surface are OF monthly occurrence IN many portions
OF the district, 80 common and slight as to excite
little attention, but are OF Importance as showing
c0ns ant liability 10 serious calamity
Among the Ozark mountains there are several ex-
tinct volcanoes and one that has shown activity
within the past three years. slight volcanic erup
O'Clock In the mornng.-at the Hot Springs in Indian
Territory, west OF Arkansas. loud report Is heard,
accompanied with an eruption Of mineral Oil aud
watar-the latter not enough to boil eggs The vol
canic tendencies OF this portion OF the Union has Sc
rousy retarded It's settlement. Rich Mississippi
bottom lands in the vicinity Of New Madrid cannot
be sold for ten dollars per acre, while similar lands
fifty miles north or south read y bring 500 or over,
Of 1s11-l2 were similar in appearance and
at right angles with those OF the great
extended three hundred miles westward to the
island OF Juan Fernandez, eievating some 100000
mark. 1t is estimated that the amount of rock
added to the continent by the last named earthquake
was sufficient to form mountain hie her than Etna
with q circumference OF thrty-fve miles, or equal
in bulk to one hundred thousand Egyptian pyra-
mids.
la view of these and many similar facts can we
continue in the belief that great changes OF climates
and OF the earth's surface are the work OF remote
periods Only and have ceased9 Has our planet got
its gr0wthr
A Hypothesis to the Cause of Earthquakes.
NEW YORK, Oct. ~, 1858.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
In the concluding part Of an article in your valu
able journal OF this date on 'sThe San Francisco
Earthquake" you say earthquakes have been COM
mon for centuries in other countries, and yet we
know nothing Of their causes"
submit the following as the explanation, and
would like to get the opinion of others more COM
petent to Observation-Disclosures are most common
in the vicinity Of burning mountains, and
these are situated near the sea. The con-
tents OF their caverns burn until the
becomes 80 thin That by It's pressure 1t forces its
way In, wnen the generation OF steam Ia so rapid
and extensive nat .ae EARN ann
similar result attends the letting in OF cold water
into heated boiler. and my Impressions are, that
all earthquakes are 0ccasoned Dy water lowing into
these burning caverns, either from the sea or some
other source Large bodies OF scaldlng water are
thrown from VesuvluS at the time Of eruption, aud
these could not come in contact with the res with
out producing power that would upheave and rend
submit the above as reasonable hypothesis
which occurred to me upon the occasion Of recent
visit to vesuvius
The Recent Shocks and the Sen Bore mt the
Sandwich Misunderstanding Phenomena in
1919 and 1S37-Datn for Savnns.
From the Honolulu Commercial Advertiser, Au
HONOLULU Aug. %, 1868.
The singular tidal c0mm0tiOn referred to last week
appears to have been experie need throughout the
or0up In greater or less degree than at this port.
We have nnde injuries nom captains and others.
received several letters relating to It and Will give
the details as full as we cant
at early daybreak and continued during the day,
leaving the reef and some or the rocks In the harb0r
aud eIi nearly twelve feet between the highest and
lowest mark. IL rose there as here slowly and not
sufficiently TO cover the beach or enter the houses,
and eleven O'Clock A. NJ. At places on the Ice side
OF Maui the rise and fall appears not 10 have been
great as at Kahului
We have two letters from this place referring to
the tides, and as they are both interesting we give
IIILo, August rs, 1853.
Mr.. EDIToR:-DEAR STR-It may be interesting to
m l.anR fran Nor nnPr anon tnnft
this being the first occasion" and the subject the
tidal waves, which we are having and have had for
l3th lnst ut about twelve NJ, these visitors again
made their appearance on our coast, sweeping tile
bridge at Waiakea and making "clean sweep" o.
the boats anchored there. There has been a con-
slant rise fall Of the since that time up to
date. The fall Is, should judge, from six to eight
feet on the average and occurring once IN an hour
through the day. There IL regularly defined tidal
wave but steady rise and fall OF the water OF the
Yesterday ! accompanied party by boat to waia-
kea TO The results Of tho wave IN that vicinity.
We found tlat the bridge had been lifted bodily rom
Its position and carried up the Waiakea far as the
iisi-pond walls. This was done by tile rise OF eleven
O'Clock yesterday forenoon. our boat went up tue
stream the now " the tide. and half an hour az
terwards returned with the ebb, which ran like
mil race.
quake bur not at all OF sufficient force TO account
for the ncessant eDD and now Of the ocean.
The earthquakes at kau still continue. Last week
Friday the ais in that vicinity were lcveed aga,a,
and n report may he relied upon, one loving upe
had their bcdstead shaken down under them. Iney
say toat Yankee ingenuity Is endeavorin- 10 ulrn
the frequent earthquakes at kap8paia 10 some ac-
count by making them the motive power for t!leir
churnsl cannot vouch for toe truth OF tis, but II
sounds nGtuia Tne "intelligent gentleman Just
from Kan places the sseat OF warn In the sliD err
ranean cagcrns Of that district unier tie districts
az Kcaiwa and kapapala, and, Judging from Tile IRE.
quent rumbings, ne Gpprehcnds a fresh outbreak
In the vicinity . the "Aamuku,n some ways this side
OF tue ranch oi Reed and Richardson. Yours truly,
III. u. u.
Captain worth, from the place, gives The fol-
lowing report
HILo, August Ii, 1868.
SiR--i was awakened yesterday morning, 13tli in
SAINT. learn that the influx and renux OF the
had been taking place since two O'Clock the morn
ing, risins aud rcceding every few minutes, from
four 70 SIX feet being the general rise higher than
usual tide. THIS continued through the day and
night aud thus lar through tnis Jay p5th) TIL the
hour OF writing, four O'Clock IN the afternoon The
next remarkable feature OF his phenomenon Is It's
long continuance and regularity, varying little from
i've minutes In rising or recedlng wnen receding
tho whole nLslanCc anule lmea Linz Int alinuL