Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-22

| An article in the Lakeside Monthly recalls
| some earthquake "reminiscences of sixty years
| ago, and records some facts of very recent oc-
| cuITence which will be likely to disturb this
| feeling of security.
Slight shocks of earthquake are recorded as
early as 1895 in Illinois and Kentucky, and
| again in Illinois and Indiana in 1904. But these
| were merely the premonitory symptoms of IA
| great and long continued earthquake through
| out a considerable portion of the Mississippi
| valley, which began November 10TH 1911 which
| shook a larger area of country than any known
| shock except the Lisbon convulson in 1865, and
| which in intensity was probably not surpassed
by the movements which produced that memo
| rable calamity. This is what is known as the
"New Madrid Shock" from a village in Mis-
souri,, on the bank Of the Mississippi, because,
owing to the thinly settled condition of the
country, its greatest observed violence was
there This earthquake made a complete wreck
Of New Madrid. 1t was sunk some twelve feet
below its former level The earth CAPPED with
immense assures The Mississippi was broken
into numerous terrific falls, and in some in
stances its current was reversed, and large tracts
of land were submerged. This earthquake con-
tinued nearly two weeks, within which sixty
| seven distinct shocks occurred, accompanied by
| trightful electrical disturbances.
The effects of this terrible conyulsion were
visible over a wide range of country, and the
theatre of their utmost violence seemed to be be-
tween the Mississippi river and the plains,
though they were more violent in Tennessee
and Kentucky than in Missouri.
Although sixty years have elapsed since this
earthquake occurred, the evidences of its terri
BILE energy can still be seen in these states. In
the southwest corner of Kentucky the earth
cracks may be traced at many points, the
assures being from twenty to seventy feet wide,
and from one to four feet deep. In Obion
county, Tennessee, depressiOns are even now
visible one hundred feet in Depth These dis
turbanceS did not wholly cease for two years.
But this was sixty years ago. Since then we
have had long period of repose; but 1t may
surprise some of our readers to learn that VIC
lent earthquake or series of earthquakes oc-
Cured two years ago which extended from the
Saskatchewan river to the Platte river in Kan
sas The author Of the article in the Lakeside
Monthly, from which we compile these facts,
was at the time attached TO a surveying party
of the Northern Pacific railroad. He gives eX-
tracts from his diary extending from
May eth to November list, 1869, in
which he recorded large number of violent
earthquakes on the upper Missouri. The first
shock is described as quick oscillation or rock
ing lasting nearly four minutes, causing several
assures near the tents of the party. About for
ty-fve minutes aiterward a second and more
violent shock occurred. lit lasted minute and
a half. The earth rocked fearfully. Immense
assures appeared and the Missouri became agi-
tated violently. The waters three miles above
our camp appeared as if they were going over a
| steep rapid; the air was impregnated with a
| by other shocks, continuing till May Goth, and
the fearful effects of the first shock were revealed
| everywhere us the party advanced, in yawning
| assures and PROSTATE trees. On September 18th,
| while some seyenty-five miles southwest of Ben
] ton, the oscillations were repeated with great
| violence and continued till November LIST.
The region in which these shocks occurred is
| some four hundred miles west by north of St.
| Paul. We don't know, however, that we need
| borrow any special alarm from the occurrence,
for the region in question: fact which the
Lakeside writer omits to molecules on the very
edge of the Mauvases Terres and the Yellow
stone region, a district in which there is more
evidence of the constant play of volcanic forces
than in any part of the continent, not even eX-
cepting California. Those who have read Mr..
N. p Langford'S narrative of his exploration of
the Yellowstone valley, with its astonishing dis
plays of volcanic activity, will not wonder that
it should be the center of violent earthquake
shocks, involving the whole valley of the Mis-
sour and the upper Saskatchewan. Another
consideration may, perhaps, aid in calming any
apprehensions in which nervous people may be
disposed TO indulge, from these remind us of
the terrible commissions which have visited those
portions of the Mississippi valley few degrees
south of us and few degrees west Of us. The
Swans tell us that the old upheavals of the At
lantc coast and Canada, thrown up by forces
which spent their fires ages before the Rocky
mountains emerged from the bowels of the
earth, are secure from earthquakes, except such
sympathetic tremors as may reach them from
the centres of volcanic activity. Now Minnesota
rests on the slopes of the oldest up lift of pr-
mary rocks on the continent, that which en-
closes the Superior basin. Around the base of
this mountain, which rose above the vast sea
that millions of ages ago filled what is now the
Mississippi valley, began that process of sed-
mentary deposition which built up our level
plains, and of glacial action which covered them
with drift and cut out the troughs of our rivers.
Under our sandstones and limestones doubt
less stretch the roots or slopes of that mighty
prmeval mountain whose spurs are still visible
in the granite seam elsewhere adverted to, and
trusting to the solidity of its everlasting bases
we may safely disregard the warning of the
Lakeside writer and continue to build our houses
and business structures upon the Chicago prin-
ciple of the minimum of strength and the maxi
mum of show.-,S. Paul Press.