The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-10-30
ABOUT EARTHQUAKES.

On Sunday afternoon, August 10,
1884, the Atlantic coast of the United
States, from Virginia to Maine, was
shaken by an earthquake. The shock
was the most violent on the coast of
New Jersey, in New York City. and on
the shores of Long Island Sound. Prob
ably every little reader of Young People
in that section of the country felt the
strange movement, and wondered about
this strange, mysterious earth upon
which we live.
When the earthquake occurred we
were sitting quietly in a house on
Brooklyn Heights, ENJOYING the beauti-
full Sabbath stiffness. The sky was
overcast, and all nature seemed hushed
and tranquil. Suddenly we heard a
strange sound like the rumbling of
heavy artillery, deep under the ground.
Then the house began to tremble, and
the floor seemed as if rocking under
our feet. The glass pendants on pair
of antique candlesticks which stood on
the mantel trembled and swung against
each other with silvery tinkling. Then
the sound and the strange motion died
away RAkNl Oil htlJULO w Do OASC
more. The mysterious disturbance last
ed about half minute.
We knew the instant the subterranean
sound began that it was an earthquake,
and we sat very still watching intently
the marvellous display of natures pow
er. But when it was over, we began to
talk about it, and to pull down from
the library shelves all the books that
contained accounts of earthquakes in
all countries. Here are some of the in
teresting thing we read about.
1t is very difficult to explain the
causes which produce earthquakes. 1t
has been clearly shown by scientific
men that the globe we call the earth is
not solid mass. Its interior is sup
posed to be in a heated fluid condition,
and that the slow cooling process which
is constantly going on causes the outer
crust of the earth to contract Suddenly
at times, forming great assures and
underground eaYerns. 1t seems nat
ural that such gigantic movements
miles below the surface should produce
subterranean noises and trembliDgs
which can be felt by the inhabitants OF
the earth who live above the depths
where these movements take place.
And if the CONFUSION is accompanied
by the explosion of vast volumes OIL
gases, as is supposed sometimes to be
the case, it is not strange that the sur.
face of the earth gets violently shaken
Think how far away you can hear the
noise and feel the jar of an explosion
above ground, or even of the firing of /
large cannon, and then consider how
insignificant are these small manifesto
tions of human power as compared
with the mighty workings of nature
and you will not wonder at the terrible
convulsions which at times have shaker
portions of the earths surface, over
throwing cities and ever mountains il
a moment.
The most wonderful destruction of
mountain was that which took place OF
the 10th Of August, 1888, whom tn,
island and volcano of Krakatoa, in thu
Strait OF Sunda, vanished beneath th,
sea. In the afternoon of that day Their,
came suddenly a tremendous burst o
subterranean thunder, and immediatel,
the volcano of Krakatoa threw forth al
ink black cloud which overspread tn,
| sky. In few moments large ferril,
section of the island of Java was turnet
into barren waste by a violent earth
quake. and many persons were killed
Terrible explosions took place in tn
mountain. Its great sloping sides wer
blown out into the water, and the vol
cano, together with the island on whicI
it had stood for unknown ages, crum
bled away and disappeared. When tn
| morning sun arose the ocean fowet
over the spot where the mountain hat
stood, and the surface of the sea TO
three hundred miles around was covere,
| with floating ashes and pumice stone
while choking smell of sulphur per
Vaded the air.
There is no portion of the earth
surface where shocks of earthquake
are not occasionally felt. but, except /
volcanic countries, the ground trcm
bles so slightly that no damage is done
The inhabitants of those lands wher
great earthquakes occur never know a
what moment their homes may becom
heap of ruins. The shock comes sud
denly, and it often happens that afte
hearing the rumbling noise the peopl
have no time to rush into the street be
fore they are caught and crushed b
falling walls.
| Some terrible earthquakes hav
taken place on the western coast {
South America. In 174s, Lima. a beauti
| full city in Peru, was entirely destroyed
In less than four minutes about tire
thousand houses and many large, mag
nifieent churches became a heap 6
shapeless rubbish. At the same tim
e great tidal wave swept in from til
Pacific Ocean aad completely carrie