The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-02-07
FAMOUS EARTHQUAKES.
Those of Lisbon, Caracas and Javs-E
glands Record.

sions. One of the greatest ever record
ed was the famous one at Lisbon, when
at least 10000 persons perished. The
affected area on that occasion was very
wide, extending on the one hand as far
as the shores of Finland, and on the
other reaching across the Atlantic to the
st. Lawrance and the West India Isl
ands, an extent of surface amounting to
no less than 100000 square miles.
The British isles experienced some of
its effects, it's inland waters rising and
falling, and springs being diverted. On
the occasion of this earthquake the
ocean wave at Cadiz is said to have been
sixty feet high. Numerous other minor
disasters have happened in the peninsu-
La, one or two having been of compare
lively recent occurrence. This is only to
be expected from the fact that Spain is
situated on the line of one of the most
active zones of subterranean activity.
This comprises the valley of the Medi-
terranean, Asia Minor, Sumatra and
Java, the PHILIPPINES, and 80 on through
Mexico to the Azores, which group of
islands is undoubtedly the result of vol
canic agency. Earthquakes are some
times short, sharp, and sudden, not re-
curing again in the same district for a
long period of time; others are inter
mittent and continue IN long success
sion. Thus the series of famous earth
quakes which destroyed thousands of
lives in Calabria began in February,
1888, and did not altogether cease for
four years-until the end of 1856. On
the other hand, the city of Caracas was
destroyed IN about half minute, to-
gether with 10000 of It's inhabitants.
Other South American towns have
shared the same terrible fate in a man
ner equally sudden. Trustworthy writ
ers, however, state that the advance of
some of the Peruvian earthquakes has
been distinctly observable. First comes
low, rumbling sound, increasing III in
tensity with the progress of the earth
quake wave. The startled audItOr
knowing too well of what the ominous
noise is the precursor, looks up and sees
tie skyline of the snop-clad Andes Wis
IDLY osciliate miles away; and within an
interval of a minute or so the earth
heaves beneath his feet, the shock or Sc
ries of shocks travelling in q direction
distinctly traceable. OF late years much
greater attention has been devoted in
several countries to seismology. OBJ
servations are now being taken IN many
quarters of the world, but q considerable
pereid must elapse before these can be
of any appreciable advantage TO science.
Curiously enough the japanese govern
ment, whose islands are greatly subject to
40 ~ bnro6au hoe Eoap tho frS+ +n ac+o n
lish a state department for securing a
consecutive series of records of earth
tremors; and the existing chronicles of
China and Japan, in this respect, are
much more complete then those of Eu-
ropean nations. In France about go
shocks of more or less violence have
been recorded, and, as in the majority
of other cases, much the larger proper
ton of these took place in the winter
months. In Great Britain accounts are
extant of about 256 shocks of similar Sc
verify. The most disastrous were those
of Lincoln in 1142, of Glastonbury in
1874 when the abbey was destroyed, OF a
wide part of England in November, 1918,
and April 6, 1880, when London was Wis
tied by shock which brought down
part of Old ST. Pauls and Temple
Church. More than a century later
Dublin experienced sharp tremor, and
London had another in 1850. Others
occurred in various parts of England in
1852, 1859, 1860 and 1868, while on
April % of this year the Eastern coun-
tries were shaken and damage was done
to the amount of good many thou
sand pounds. In various ages predic-
tions OF coming earthquakes have, equal
ly with those relating to comets and
eclipses, had remarkable influence on
the public mind. In April, 1850, thou
sands of persons passed a night IN Hyde
Park in order to escape the effects of q
shock predicted by a mailman.
One of the most terrible convulsions
recorded in modern times occurred only
few months ago in Java, on which oc-
casion, it will be remembered, about
thirty thousand lives were either in
quilted by the thrush of the ocean on the
land or perished miseTably amid the
scorie and ashes discharged from the
volcano in the Straits of SunGa. The
power of this conv ulsion is proved by
the fact that the ocean wave spread all
over the Pacific, being experienced from
the Bay of Bengal to New Zealand and
South Africa.
Seville Cathedral, which has been Sc
verely damaged, is one of the largest
and finest in Spain. 1t Is 431 feet long,
315 feet wide, has seven aisles, and an
organ with 5,400 pipes. 1t contains
paintings by Murillo, Vargas, the Her
reras, etc. The famous Glralda-a
weathercock in the form of statue-is
one of the most remarkable structures
in the world. This Moorish tower,
which is in all $50 feet high, was built
in 1895, and was originally only $50
feet in height, The additional 100 feet
the rich fhgree belfry) being added IN
1868. The pinnacle is-or 1t is to be
feared rather was-crowned by female
figure in bronze fourteen te"t high and
$500 pounds in weight, ar ---ch veers
about with the slightest breeze. From
this tower the Moslems were wont to
call the faithful to prayers.
A Rebellion Against Worth.
Worth is no longer the autocrat of
fashion. Some time ago he announced
that he was about to reintroduce the
crinoline. He has undertaken it, but
the English women have refused to OBJ
serve his edict. They not only declined
crinoline, but they have gradually shaken
| themselves free from all that might be
supposed to lead up to such catas-
trophe. Even the crinolette has dwin-
died into the very smallest dimensions,
| and is now represented by a curious
little silk cushion, stuffed with the very
best and finest hay, and supplemented
with one solitary row of steel. Nor
will they, having once tested satisfacto-
rily their ability to say "No," consent to
pile up their coiffures to the immense
height now prevalent in Paris, nor to
wear the absurdly exaggerated hair
fringes which cover the entire foreheads
of many so called eiegantes, and give
them a laughable resemblance to a
Skye terrier, or other small pet dog,
whose curly locks occasionally tend to
| ;p,,,a6a tho ueefJI ness of lis vision