The New York herald., 1874-07-09
THE COMET OF 1911.
The Great Earthquake In the Missis-
sippi Vallcy-Hurricanes and Ship
wreck ON the Atlantic Coast-A Bril-

The Great Earthquake In the Missis-
sippi vallcy-Hurricanes and Ship
wreck ON the Atlantic C0ast-A Bril-
liant SkyrOcket.
The comet OF 1SI1 OF which little has been said
attracted great attention In the United States and
was OF extraordinary brflliancy. 1t was attended
by some very remarkable cOnvulsiOns OF nature
and 1t was sald at the time that 1t reached point
within $4,000 miles OF the surface Of the
sun. 1t was visible for the first time on the 7th
OF September, 1911, and its situation was calculated
by Professor Wood, Of william and Mary College,
Virginia. to be in the same line with the Polar Star
The diameter OF ts body exclusive OF tail, appeared
to be one.fourth OF the moon. From this
time to the 2Ist OF September its distance from
the sun increased as well as its brightness
and tail. The comet was supposed to have passed
lis perihenon between the Attn and 18th OF the
month with the amazing velocity Of 4OO, 900 miles
per hour. 1t could be plainly seen in the evening
during the month Of october. Prior to its appear
ance there were unusual connections in the earth
and the atmosphere IN variety OF ways. A
severe shock OF earthquake was felt IN Virginia.
Both the American and European seacoasts, as
well as many parts OF the interior or those con-
tinents, were unusually harassed by tremendous
hurricanes and storms of rain and hail, and
strange agitation Of the atmosphere was noticed
But the most remarkable phenomenon attending
the comet OF 1911 was the earthquake OF New
Madrid. In the Valley Of the Mississippi, which
DESTROYED nearly 200 miles Of the navigation Of
that river. 1t presented one OF the few examples
OF the tncessant trembling Of the ground for
several successive months
FAR AWAY FROM ANY VOLCANO.
over an extent OF country stretching for 300
miles from the mouth Of the Ohio River the ground
rosa md suny and lax EeS we're formed nui o0a,n
drained. The surface burst open In assures that
were sometimes over half mile long; from these
assures mud and water were thrown as high as
the tops OF the trees. During the continuance OF
these convulsions the Inhabitants distinguished
two classes OF movements-the vertical and hori-
zontal The latter were regarded as far more DESC
lating than the former. The disturbance con-,
tnued over what has been since called the sunk
countryv until March, 1912, when they c<ased An
eyewitness states n tnat saSsequenCy to some OF
win !he stiSva q matter supposed to
ior use; that .he bed Of the Mississippi was was
thrown upward In humber OF places formerly
deemed uhiathsnlable so high as to impede the
navigation; that IN a sandbar that had lately
made its appearance there was discovered a large
quantity OF coal, and that the forests adjacent
were broken down by the aoruptness OF the undu-
Iatory mover Of the earth. The post road be-
tween Natchez and Nashville was covered with
several hll.ocks Of fine white sand which mad been
protruded upward to the surface OF the grouna.
A considerable tract OF country was Inundated
with water waist deep, through whcn the terrified
Inhabitants were forced
TO WADE TO HIGHER LANDS FOR SAFETY.
The water was 50 warm as to evidence the pre-
vOus action Of subterranean fire, aud so strongly
tinctured with combnstible matter As TO resemble
fluids impregnated with puvcrized gunpowder
aud mountain OF considerable height had arisen
IN one night from the level OF what mad been before
plain. Similar COMMISSIONS extended TO greater
or less degree over the Mode, Southern and Vest
ern States. A dreadful tornado passed over the
city OF Charleston, 5. c., which was marked In It's
course by destruction and DEATH several hurri-
canes we're experienced oil the American coast
which dismasted and otherwise severely injured
many vessels at sea- and some were totauy
wrecked. A violent shock OF earthquake, felt at
Nashville, Tenn, IN october, 1sl1 caused great
damage But 1t was In the West Indies and south
America tnat the heaviest calamities occurred.
The city of Caracas was almost entirely destroyed
by an earthquake and 600 OF the inhabitants
Killed A terrible volcano burst out near the
island OF St. Mchaers. From the immense guam
tity OF lava ashes and rocks thrown up from tins
volcano new island was formed severa miles IN
circumference. The disturbances In the MiSsis
sipp ceased coincident with the earthquake al
Caracas.
OUR GRANDFAruERs' OPINIONS.
The opinion as to the causes OF these violent out
breaks that prevailed among American scientific
men over sixty years since was that tney were
produced by terrestrial and celestial elecriCty
that rom tna ""w"~tui affinity ol the two ind