The Morning herald., 1877-11-01
A SHAKY COUNTY.

The recent light shake in the vicinity OF
New Madrid, NO., has stirred up vivid
memories of the convulsions there OF 1911
md 1912. The oldest inhabitant who recol-
lects the sickening sensation of the heaving
earth and the subsequent desolation per-
fectly well, is giving in his experience to
the local paper and reviving old history,
which is always news when it is repeated
upon sufficient provocation. According
to this authority, the first great shock OF
the historic earthquakes of New Madrid
was felt at two o'clock on the morning of
the 10Th of December, 1911. After this
there came succession of lesser shakes
until the second great shock came
on the 7th day of January, 1872. Then
there were subterranean believing and COM
motions at intervals, until the last great
shock came on the 18th day of January,
1912. For several months after this the
country seemed to have chills and fever,
which gradually passed over, and there
has been no reoccurrence of the earthquaky
condition until recently. But the develop
ment and destiny of the region were mate
rally changed by these phenomena which
TRANSPORTED the face of the country. Many
of the people suffered the loss of their
houses and lands and moved away from the
desolated locality. The lands fell into the
hands of spectators, which was almost as
destructive as the earthquake had been.
Only lately, after the foundations had been
tested by sixty-fve years quiet, was full
confidence restored, and the wrecked re-
eion seemed about to advance in general
movement to catch up with the surround
inps. We are told that the New Madrid
country, which was swamped by the convul-
sions of nature and came to deadlock in
earthquake shocks, is moving now. The
assures are filled, the swamps have dried up
and new productive soil has crusted over
the wet lands. The whole trouble with the
country appears to be the lack of volcano
to carry off the superauous steam generated
in the under world, orprobably, hot springs
like those in Arkansas, would have answered
the purpose of safety valves. The New
Madrid chronicler Of events of 1Sll-12
states in relation to the first succession of
shocks, after describing the terrors of the
night and the conditions at seven o'clock
in the morning :-"Seven o'clock came,
and with 1t distant rumbling noise was
heard approaching from the southwest, not
unlike the sound Of distant thunder or the
firing of heavy artillery long way of. The
earth began to tremble, then to heave ant
rock SO violently that neither man nor beas
could stand or walk. Presently it began tt
roll in waves, the undulations being plainly
visible the depressions between clearly de
fined. Soon these swells began to burst
discharging vast quantities of water, sant
and species Of coal incrusted with sui
phur." The fssures opened by these swell
were of various lengths and depths. Som
of the most extensive were five miles il
length, remaining after the convulsions wer
over from four to six feet in depth and a
average of ten feet in width. In place
where no long rents in the earth occurre
there were large openings like wells, frol
which issued water, sand and burning cinder
10 which, by the force of escaping gases, wei
thrown high in the air. So great WIS tf
volume of water thrown up that MI IL
lower portions of the country were con
pletely inundated. The inhabitants had
g take flight to the higher ground Or elm
q trees until the water had subsidized Sever
personal incidents of the danger and terr
" of the scene were recalled. Evidently t
7e New Madrid county needs vaccination wi
to volcano or boiling springs as a safegua
as against such corruptions on its physit
1e feature.s-&. Louis Republican.
VI