The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-10-06
The Ruptured garth.

In referring to the recent earth
quake the Boston Globe speaks Of
cracks in the crust of the earth ex-
tending through Maine, New Hsmp.
shire and Vermont, aud quotes Prof
Brigham rs mot being sanquine about
New f gland being a safe pace to
live in" Others refer to a great de.
preston in the Atlantic along the
coast of the United States. Some
years ago took few notes concern
ing the desp sea soundiugs as taken
By the United States snd other sur
vsying expeditions showing this great
depression, and perhaps they may be
of interest to your readers.
There seems to be deep channel or
chasm through the Atlantic bed from
the eastward of the Antilles toward
the northward and westward, aud fol-
loving the United Sta ca coast, turns
abruptly to the eastward opposite
Charleston, S. O., and widening, passes
some distance south of the Grand
Banks south of Newfoundland. This
chasm ia very deep, averaging $500
fathoms, or 10000 feet, while It's sides
rise to within 1900 fathoms, or l0,S0O,
OF the surface. The Bermudss B. |
lie in the southern edge of this chasm
near the eddy, rs it were, OF the a5-
rupt point of tuning opposite Charles
ton, S. Q. Along the northern edge
OF this chasm, and opposite this Chesa-
peake and Delaware bays, is still
deeper depression, with some holes
along the southern edge, where the
bottom appears to have dropped out
entirely, reaching a depth of nearly
six miles. This depression extends 10
south of the Grand Banks, where, az the
end of a southeastern spur, is a ire
mendous crater seven miles and a half
deep with a narrow rim Of
only four miles and a half depth,
the crater being two mills deeper
from the sea level than is the top OF
Mount Everest above that level. No
wonder the papers speak Of zine of
weakness" in the earth's crust when
it is considered that this chasm has
actually been traced from nesr the
equator for 45 degrees toward the
north pole, and may perhaps be sa' d
to have been traced for a greater dis
lance toward the south pole,
with an average breadth Of 800
miles along our coast, and al
most vertical walls of 20C0 faith
oms or 10000 feet at some point. 1t
would seem even that this line If de-
preston extends nearly, if not qui e,
to the north pole, for the Swedish
surveying expedition in 1868 found
that, though Spi,zbergen was con-
nected with the continent by sub.
marine bridge, at an average depth #
1900 feet or 200 fathoms, to the north
ward, only sixty miles from the Seven
Islands, wss depth of 1870 fathoms
or 500 feet, and 100 miles from the
coast, to tie westward, the eoundings
gave a depth of 1850 fethoms
or $4,000 feet. Also, for a
distance of 230 miles from the
Irish coast there is slope OF about six
feet to mile. In the next twenty
miles there is sudden drop of 5000
feet, after which the bottom is nearly
level for 1900 miles, forming the csle-
brated telegraph plateau. By sue.
cession Of drops it finally reaches the
greatest depth some distance south Of
the Grand Banks. 1t seems to me we
might look 10 this line of crust weak
ness for the greatest element of danger,
and that any disturbance affecting that
crack might break IF from it at the
abrupt turn OF Charleston, S. c., and
extend i'll any direction from that
point with greater force thsn along the
New England coast in line parallel
to the chaSm. So in spite of all tho
prognost ca ions of danger, would
not abate cent in the price Of my
New England farm, or give the matter
one moment of anxious thought, eX
cept to be ever ready, deeming New
England quite as safe place to die in
as any.