Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-13

pclenttstp regarding the recent earthquake.
The following views viii be found inter-
estinR:
Major John W. Powell. director Of the
geological survey, said taat letters had
been addressed 10 scientific observers over
she whole region mentioned 10 the papers
. visited by the earthquake Sunday.
CONCLUSIONS based upon the information
thus obtained would be the ouly correct
ones, and until such data was At hand Il
would be useless 10 speculate about the
boundaries Of the shock, its origin, and It's
direction. In answer 10 the question as TO
what hrs fheory Of these disturbances was
Major Powell said:
RkKTu-coxrRAcuoxs.
"ror many years biologists have attri5-
uied earthquakes chiefly TO contraction
Of the interior a. 10 fluid condition, and
that this state Il due mainly to great heat.
The fund condition Of the Interior OF the
earth II demonstrated by four lines OF
facts:
"rirst, Nv descending into deep mines,
BY deep borines, and various other mo
thods, en- increase OF temperature Is disco
yered In descending from the surface to-
ward fhe interior. This increase Is at such
4 rate that " continued q degree OF heat
would soon be found sufficient TO melt all
the known rocks.
"Seeoud. The volcanoes, living and ex.
tinct, ale discovered over all portions oil
the earth. From their vents vast quantl-
tieF Of lava are poured forth. When taken
IN the aggregate over long geological pc
RODS The fact that such enormous quanti-
ties OF molten matter has been poured out
almost over every district OF country on
the globe leads to the conclusion that this
interior fluid is universal and not confined
TO limited localities.
"Third. The study OF structural geol-
oey, by which Is meant the altitude and
posifions Of geologic strata and formations,
leads 10 the conclusion that they constitute
but thin crust resting upon molten or at
least plastic material below.
"Fourt,. BY thoroughly executed ply
sicsl experiments II Is determined that all
known formations would be crushed by
few miles Of superintendent rocks In such
a manr or that they would yield TO the pres
sure and behave rs a fluid.
"By these four lines OF evidence 1t is
clearly shown that the interior OK the earth
Is In fluid condition, and that the fluid
exists at o high tent erature. The slow
cooling OF this heated and molten interior
causes the earth TO slowly contract.
LAND ACcuNuLATIoSs.
"But Il is not believed that this contrac-
ton is sufficient In quantity and rate TO &C.
count BY itself for earthquakes and all oil
the facts connected Herewith. All the
land portions OF the earth are rapidly
washed down by rains and rivers. and the
material OF the land thus carried TO the sea.
BY this method all the land portions oil the
earth are steadily unloaded at rate sur
prising TO those who have not carefully
studied the subject. At The same time the
material thus carried away Is loaded upon
the borders OF the seas, very small
amount being carried 10 the deep sea.
This unloading and loading generates
stresses in the crust OF solid rock. As
the process OF loading and unload
iug continues the stresses cumulate,
until at last the solid crust suddenly
Yields along some weak point. In areas OF
unloading the yielding is usually by frac'
fure OF the crust aud upheaval. This sud-
den fracture aud upheaval is the cause OF
many earthquakes. and such earthquakes
are usually remote from districts Of active
volcanoes. In these regions OF country
where volcanoes are in operation the floods
Of molten matter flowing from the interior
on to the surface OF the earth would leave
hollow spaces beneath the crust. were the
materials OF the crust OF sufficient strength
10 support the arch above. But being un-
equal TO the task, they yield aud sink, aud
another class Of earthquakes result there
from.
COMPLICATED PHENOMENA.
"Many earthquakes are not as simple In
their origin as above described. Toa large
extent the two classes OF agencies are con-
piicafed. The extent OF the displacement
drifts, loading and unloading. is.very great.
All mountains, mountain chains, aud moup-
tain systems are regions OF upliif. A range
Of mountains Is not upheaved at single
throe, nor r. 1t upheaved slowly and imper-
ctptibly. The upheayal. as known to the
science Of geology, is succession OF pa
roxysmal throes. Such throes, actually ex-
amincd by biologists, vary from few to a
few hun dred feet, sometimes along afracture
varying from few score to a few hundred
miles. The Wasatch mountains In Utah
furnish fine illustration Of this method OF
mountain uplift. The range has been
thrown up along the eastern side OF a frac-
fure extending north and south for dis
lance Of nearly 200 miles until the dis
placement Is In many places more than
20 900 feet. But the summit OF the range
on the eastern side OF the fracture Is,
but G,00O or 1000 feet above the plain, on
the eastern side. This IL explained in the
following manner From time TO time
rains and rivers have washed the
mountains down, so that their pres
ent height measures the difference between
That tpheaved on the one hand, and the
degradation on the other. The great noun
tain system. extending from Maine south
westward to Georgia. Is u region OF uplift
along many lines OF fracture and many
ax,i OF fexure. The upheavals3 in late
geologic time have been numerous. The
heights OF the present mountains measure
only the difference between upheaval and
degradation. IL Is probably true that the
stresses that are set up by loading and un-
leading aIe yet in many places aceumula-
ting In force, and from time TO time the
crust Of this mountain region may be eX-
pected TO yield and earthquakes will occur.
WHERE EARTHQUAKES NAY OCCUR.
"Ail portions Of the earth are subject TO
earthquakes. In the regions OF the greatest
volcanic activity they are the most fire.
quent. Hence they occur at the present
time IN great frequency in the Medlterrs-
mean zoEe Of active volcanoes and the zone
extending around the shores Of the Pacific
from the southern terminus Of the Andes
mountains northward along the coast OF
America and across the shores OF Asia. and
thence southwark to Australia. These
earthquakes are in part due TO volcanic
agencies aud in part TO loading and unload
ing. In all Of the great zones these agen.
eies work at their maximum. Degradation
progresses rapidly, and extravestation Is
frequent and In vast quantities. In low
level regions Of country degradation is at
a minimum, and such regions when taken
on q large scale have fewer and less violent
earthquakes. But no portion Of the earth
may be free from them.
THE WEATHER.
4" In reply to your question in regard to
peculiar weather Of the present time and
the earthquake, do not think any reason
whatever exists. Earthquakes are proba-
bly, Independent Of meteoric and 10 = large
extent OF astronomie oonditions.'
PROFESSOR W. b. TAYLOR.
Professor w. Il. Taylor, OF the Smith.
ecnian Institute, when asked Tor his oplu-
lon, sent modesty the reply that he had not
given the subject any special study, and
only knew about the present earthquake
from what he had seen IN the Herald. He.
however, can be quoted rs follows: "The
Hue Of greatest disturbance seems TO have
extended from Connecticut TO New Jersey.
The range or area Of the earthquake indi-
Gates that the centre Of disturbance was
very deep. II II had been near the surface
the shock would have been perceptibe only