The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-10-18
n SILKY COUNTY.


Up by Earthquakes.
From the st. Louis Republican,
The recent slight shake in the vicinity
of New Madrid, Mo-, has stirred up vivid
memories of the commissions there of
| 1912. The oldest inhabitant, F" who
recollects the sickening sensation of the
heaving earth and the subsequent desc
lation perfectly well, is giving in his ex-
perience 70 the local paper and reviving
old history, which is always news when
it is repeated upon sufficient proyoca-
ton. According to this authority, the
first great shock of the historic earth
quakes of New Madrid was felt at 2
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 tn day
of January, 1872. Then there were sub
terranean bellowings and commotims at
intervals, until the last great shock came
on the 10Th 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 recurrence of the earth quaky
conditions until recently. But the de-
velopment and destiny of the region were
materially changed by these phenomena
which TRANSPORTED the face of the coun-
try. 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
five years quiet, was full confidence re-
stored, and the wrecked region seemed
| about to advance in a general move
ment to catch up with the sur
roundings. We are told that the New
Madrid country which was swamped by
the commissions of nature, and came to
deadlock in earthquake shocks, is
moving now. The assures are filed,
the swamps have dried up, and q new
productive soil has crusted over the wet
lands. The whole trouble with the
country appears to be the lack of vol
cano to carry off the superfuous steam
generated in the under world, or proba-
| bly, hot springs like those of Arkansas
would have answered the purpose of
safety-valves. The New Madrid chroni-
cler of events of 1811-12 states in rela-
ton to the first succession of shocks,
after describing the terrors of the night
and the conditions at 7 o'clock in the
morning: "Seven o'clock came; with it
distant rumbling noise was heard ap-
i preaching from the southwest, not I'M
| like the sound of distant thunder, or the
firing OF heavy artillery long way off.
The earth began to tremble, then to
heave and rock so violently that neither
man nor beast could stand or walk.
Presently it began to roll in waves, the
undulations being plainly visible-the
depressions between clearly defined.
Soon these swells began to burst, dis
charging vast quantities of water, sand
and species of coal incrusted with sui
Phul. Ai1O ISSuICS Ooeutu by GuSS6
swells were of various lengths and
depths. Some of the most extensive
were five miles in length, remaining
after the commissions were over from
four to six feet in depth, and an average
of ten feet in width. In places where no
long rents in the earth occurred there
were large openings like wells, from
which issued water, sand and burning
cinders which by the force of escaping
gases were thrown high in the air. So
great was the volume of water thrown
up that all the lower portions of the
country were completely inundated. The
Inhabitants had to take flight to the
higher ground, or climb trees until the
water subsidized. Several personal Incl
dents of the danger and terror of the
scene were recalled. Evidently the New
Madrid country needs vaccination with a
volcano or boiling springs as a safeguard
against such eruptions on its physical
| features.