The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-11-11
Earthquakes.

Earthquakes are without any exception
the most terrible and destructive evil to
which the human race Is exposed. They
havo destroyed more lives and property
than fire and flood. lightning and tempest
and all tho untamed powers Of nature
combined. Their approach cannot be
forcseen nor guarded against, their action
modified nor controlled, nor their ruins In
many cascs-as where a city Is swallowed
up-rcstorcd. It Is during an earthquake,
OF all possible situations, that action Is OF
no avail. Man may fight fire with water.
time tho lightning with the rod, escape
from the flood, or perchance the avalanche,
and hide from the whirlwind In the rocks
and caves, but when the solid land. which
he had looked on rs tho only firm and
stable thing. Is heaving and rolling under
his feet, bursting open on every hand,
swallowing up his habihstions, shaking
his proudest works to the dust, and
changing the whole face Of the earth, he
stands helpless and dumb. feeling that he
Is In the presence Of q power mightier
than he. .....-
There Is perhaps no phenomenon in the
universe of such frequent occurrence as
the earthquake of which SO little Is known
In regard to It's causes and laws. That
they have always taken place on an aver
age, reckoning tho lightest shocks Of ono
a day In some part of the globe--thatt they
have certain centres of action, where they
are nre most violent and common, as In
the south of Italy, Chilli. and between
South America and Africa, In the Attain
tic ocean-that they are most frequeut
In the tropics. and seldom, If ever occur
In the frigid zone-that they are connect
cd with volcanic action. and apparently
with the electrical conditions Of the earth
that they usually move in waves. in an
easterly direction, ut velocity Of from
twenty to fifty miles minute, and that
they are proceeded by . perfect stiffness
and a strange oppressive feeling In the
mir. comprise about all that Is known with
certainty of these terrible visitants. l.'H.
As to their causes, they arc doubtless
manifold. The forco Of internal gases, or
of steam, caused by water finding It's way
through the crust OF the earth to the CEN
tral fire; tho expansion Of molten matter.
the venting Of which from . volcano Is
followed by a cessation of tho vibrations; ;
chemical action Of sulphur and metals,
which may be illustrnted by burying IRON
filings and sulphur In the ground; The fall
ing In of caverns In certain localities, ss
In limestone regions; and the flowing Of .
suppositious tidal wave of the internal
molten sea, have all been charged with
having a share in producing tho pho
nomcnon.
Our readers arc doubtless familiar with
the details Of some of the most destructive
earthquakes. The swallowing up OF Lis-
bon, with sixty thousand inhabitants; the
sinking Of Port Royal into tho seai the Dc,
struction of CaracaA and OF . hundred
towns and villages and hundred thou
sond neoplo Of Calabria: tho breaking
down of . mountain In Java, sixty square
miles In extent, on which wcro forty VII
i.rea. which, with AL their denso pom
iat;on. disappeared In an instant from our
,nner world-thoee and scores CT similar
cases win mover fade from tho mind Of
mar. .UulpJ ~ 'f.Iiiu tHl ln l1iiaJ J9ll
We OF tAs Unitod States. arv tOrtunatsly|
exempt from very destructive earthquakes
No lives, We believe were ever Lost this
side OF the Rocky Mountains, nor have
thcrc been moro than two or three stnce
the first settlement Of tho country when
any serious damage was done. ths shak-
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