St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-12
EASTERN EARTHQUAKES.

EASTERN EARTHQUAKES.
An earthquake in this country is not alto
gether novelty, but yet it is not of so fire.
quent occurrence as to excite no surprise,
is the case with countries lying within vol
canic areas. We are visited occasionally by
this speciese of CONFUSION. although it lacks
the severity which characterizes it in Italy
Sicily, and other places made memorable by
destructive earthquakes. California, Nevada,
md the mountainous regions of the south
west have been afflicted occasionally, but an
earthquake in the eastern states is so uncom
mon as to be regarded as not within the
probabilities of occurrence.
The most noted disturbance of the kind in
she country east of the Rocky mountains was
that which commenced at New Madrid Nd,
in 1911 and which extended for hundreds of
miles south of the Ohio river, and which
lasted for several months. During its con-
tinuance the ground rocked like the surface
ofthe sea in storm. During the last cen
fury, in 1775, the eastern states were visited
by an earthquake which seriously shook u.
Boston and other ports of New England, ans
then, for more than a hundred years
ID CuSI WAS nOJ ulSIuFDeu. III
1870 there was shock which came as
lar west as Chicago, and passed over the
northeast corner of the country, affecting thc
city of New York. California has had sew
eral shocks which have done much damage
TO property; aud the same is true Of Nevada
1t least in one instance in 1871. All about
US the earthquake abounds in Mexico, the
- T.. ~ 4
portions OF South America. Surrounded BY
volcanic regions, it is not strange that VII
should receive an occasional vibration; and
in fact it is strange that we do not expert
ence more than we do.
The shock of Sunday seems to have been
one of consideral extent, reaching through
several states of the middle and eastern di-
visions. In no instance was the movement
severe one, and no destruction either OF
life or property has been reported. It may
have been the dying away of some move
ment having its origin in some remote vol
canic disturbance, or possibly it may have
been limited as to cause to the region in
which it is developed. 1t is somewhat
strange that, despite all the advances which
udlG UCCu SSiCHCC, IHC PiOldbiOH
of earthquakes has not been decisively estab-
lished. Early theories were in vogue which
gave way to later conclusions, land these later
ones yet lack the necessary proof to estab-
lish them as accepted and irreversible con-
illusions.
1t is generally agreed that the shock itself
is something which may be compared to the
1,,la forv of lot tr-nic ia
being shaken; but the origin of the move
ment is variously ascribed to solar and lunar
tides, to magnetic action, the sudden ex
pausion into steam of water beneath the
crust of the earth, to heat, chemical change
and to the shrinking of the crust of the earth.
1t does not greatly ameliorate the condition
of community subject to the visitation of
earthquakes to know whence they come or
what produces them. There are not known
any measures of prevention; and hence to
most people knowledge of the cause of an
earthquake is more curious than useful. 1t
is case which cannot be foreseen, cannot
be quarantined against, cannot be doctored;
it may appear next week, it may not appear
again in the century in the same place; it
may not appear again ever.
There is possibly some calculations which
may be made available for the extraction of
some comforting assurances for the people
who have experienced shock, more espec-
ially here in the north II it be true that
movement of the earth is caused By the ex-
| plosion of water into steam, there is a prob
ability that the location Of the origin of the
seock win be changed by the explosion, and
hence win not remain to become the origin
of future explosion. If we suppose that in
a cavity thirty miles within the earth and
| just directly beneath Boston, vast quantity
of water accumulates and which is suddenly
| transformed into STERN, it is probable that
the tremendous energy developed viii oblit-
crate the cavity, that henceforth Boston will
escape another shock.
1t is probable that Chicago, New York, O..
Boston, or the intermediate country, will be
very largely affected By the presence of
earthquakes. There may be now aud then q
tremor, the ending of some volcanic dis
turbanee but nothing more. The immunity
enjoyed in the past is to some extent q
guarantee OF the future. The probabilities are
that nature has finished the construction Of
| the earth in this quarter of the globe. and
the crust is shrunk to its proper dimensions.
The earthquake which viii, in November,
shake the Republicans out of the White
house and the other public places is the only