Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-09-04
CHANGES IN THE EARTHs SURFACE.

1t has been proved that the whole
Pacific coast, especially California, with
all its mountains, is perpetually rising,
and that at q comparatively rapid rate.
The land containing in its bosom our
great American lakes, is slowly sinking;
while southern Indiana, Kentucky and
the surrounding States are rising. Ge-
illogical Investigations prove that our
great lakes, except Ontario, had former
ly southern outlet; until, by gradual
northern depressions and southern up-
heavals, o northern outlet was formed
from Lake Erie into Ontario, about 40,-
900 years ago. This outlet, the Mag
ara river, is still wearing away its cham
mel. The division line Of the watershed
south of the lakes and the Mississippi
valley, have since that time been steadily
travelling southwark; and when Chicago
recently turned tho waters Of Lake
Michigan, through the Chicago river,
into the Mississippi valley, the old state
OF affairs was artificially re-established.
New Jersey is sinking, with New
York city and Long Island, at the esti-
mated rate of about 16 inches per GEN.
tury. The coast of Texas is ascending
at a comparatively rapid rate, some OBJ
servers stating that it is as much as 80
or 40 feet in the last half century.
Combining these observations with
the results Of the recent deep soundings
of the United States steamer .1ascarora
in the Pacific Ocean, we find that the
bed is evidently O sunken continent,
abounding in volcanic mountains some
1900 feet high, many OF them not
reaching the surface of the ocean, and
others which dc 30 scruing the nun
berIess islands OF the Pacific. The
study of the coral rocks proves that
this sinking has continually been taking
place during several centuries, and OBJ
servations of the coast will undoubtedly
reveal the fact that it has not yet
ceased.
The most eminent German geologists
and ethnologists, now maintain that the
locality Of mans primitive origin, the
seat of the so-called Paradise, was in
the Pacific Ocean south OF Asia, whence
the race slowly diffused itself northward
to Asia, westward to Africa, and east
ward to Australia. When the great Pa
cifc continent slowly sank, 80 that the
ocean commenced filing the valleys,
man retreated to the mountains, which,
by continual sinking, were transformed
into islands, and now form the many
groups of Polynesia. The insularity
Of the thus preserved races was not pro-
ductive of civilization, which requires
conflict, in which the superiors in the
end gain the victory over the interiors.
In those islands, the inferior races were
preserved for want of this conflict,
hence their savage condition even to
the present day; while primitively the
greatest advance took place at tho spot
Of the most intense conflict, the CONT
nsnto Of Southern Asia. Scientific Amey-
ican.
0pERAT1oNs OF WoMAN SUFFRAGE IN
WYOMING. According to Laramie
paper, woman suffrage works admirable
there. It says there never was term
of Court held there in decent and
comfortable place, and with dscency
and decorum, until. the ladies were
summoned to participate in il. There
never was a Grand Jury that investiga-
ted offences against decency and NOR
akty until Grand Juries were composed
in part of women. There was hardly q
criminal punished until womentook part
in trial juries; and there never was an
election without drunkenness, fighting
and bloodshed until the wives, mothers,
sisters and daughters were permitted 10
accompany the men to the polls; while
now the elections 60 of rs quietly as
any other social gathering, no matter
how heated political campaign may
be, or how important the issues at
stake. %E
1@ Gen. F. K. Spinner has been
4 =. L.