Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-21
FACTS ABOUT EARTHQUAKES.
Results of Geological Researches
The Charleston Disturbance.
From The Vs7o York Tribun>.

What is known and believed about
earthquakes oy biologists was condensed
into an hours talk by Prof. John 5. New
berry, in Hamilton Hall, Columbia Col
lege, last evening, at the meeting OF the
New YORK Academy of Sciences. In the
course Of the lecture, which took an eX-
tended range, the character and causes
of the recent disturbances on this conti-
nent " ere referred to as likely to be better
understood hereafter han al present.
The speaker said that although the
Charleston earthquake had produced
startling effects and killed some people,
as an earthquake it was not very great
affair. There was nothing remarkable In
its phenomena. There had been earth
quakes that had carried off 10000 and
10000 ana 10000 persons at once, and
250, 600 lives were reported TO have been
lost in the Island OF Java in what might
be re sarded AS a single earthquake.
An exhaustive inquiry in regard to the
seat and depth of the Charleston earth
quake had not yet been made, he contln-
ued. From all quarters inquiries had
come to him about the Charleston earth
quake. Because he was a geolOgi-t he
was naturally appealed to for iniorma-
tion in regard to the most striking of
earthly phenomena, and while he did not
Il
quakes," he felt that he ought to answer
the questions as far as he was able. The
peculiar terror inspired by these shocks
was not lessened by familiarity with
them. 1t was not surprising that pro-
found sensation had been caused by the
Charleston disturbance, and that the
statements with regard to it were widely
contradictory.
An earthquake 10 neither novel nor
,ct,, IN
most common of terrestrial phenomena.
Not IN hour, perhaps not minute, passes
in which some portions Of the earth are
not vibrating from this cause. An earth
quake is a movement caused by the
shrinking from the loss Of heat of the In
terror of the earth, and falling IN OF pOr-
tions of the crust in consequence. That
the interior OF the earth is intensely hot
Is Indicated by wells and mines sunk in
all parts of the world. Heat increases
about one degree Fahrenheit for every
fifty feet below the earth's surface. DR..
NeWberry gave the temperature of differ
ent wells in this country and Europe as
demonstrating this, instancing parLicu-
larly well in Europe sunk 3 1890 feet, at
which depth the thermometer indicated
1l5 deg, and another little over a mile
in depth where the temperature was
shown to be 1871 degrees. There were
some exceptions to this rule, but the
statement that below 1900 feet in certain
wells 1t had been found that the tempera-
ture declined was fraud. At the rate
that he had indicated the heat would be
80 fervent that all substances would be
melted. 1t was believed that the earth's
crust was thicker than this would indi-
cate because the increase of heat might
be slower at a great distance from the
surface. The heat of the interior was
constantly escaping to the surface. since
the outer crust had lost its heat it no
longer contracted.
Mountain chains resulted from read
justments Of the earth's surface caused
by earthquakes. The folds and fractures
seen in every mountain belt could not
have taken place without great disturb
ances, and in every mountain range are
evidences of many earthquakes. In the
highest mountain ranges. like the Hima-
lRyas, the work OF elevation is constantly
going on. Displacements are constantly
taking place all over the world. They &C.
cur IN paroXysms, and the pressure being
relieved earthquakes follow. AS the
population of the earth increases the
number of observers increases, and the
loss of lie is cOrrespondingly greater.
In New England during the last cen
fury there have been great many earth
quakes. In 1927 the country about New
Duryport was shaken up in the same way
that it has been at Charleston recently,
but the damage was small in comparison.
Chimneys and stone walls were thrown
down, there were ruptures of the surface
and Jets of sand were thrown up, In
1858 there was great revolution in the
topography of the country, and as shown
by Brigham in his work on volcanic erup-
lions in New England from 1888 TO 1869
there were 23l earthquakes worth chron-
icing during that period, besides many
smaller ones.
At the time of the shock felt in this citv
on Aug. 10, two years ago, the Professor
was alone in mis- room in the college. He
heard sound like the rumblng of
heavy wagon in the street, and the build
ings shook. In the geological cabinet the
marbles were thrown down in the case.
In Japan where there are incessant
earthquakes, an extensive system of
takin- observations has been instituted.
1t will, doubtless, be found that the line
of disturbance in the Charleston earth
quake was parallel with the Alleghanies,
and it's depth from 10000 to 10000 feet.
1t is not likely that the centre of the dis
turbahce was under the ocean, as some
supposed, for if it had been IL would have
caused a great wave. An earthquake
wave coming from below often eXerted its
greatest force on the surface, as in the
game played by boys called "sDapping
the whip" the last boy felt the effect the
most.
The place of disturbance causing the
earthquake in Charleston was. in the
speakers opinion. to the westward of tn at
CITY. and not underneath it. The EARTH
quake was in the old crystalline rocks
that underlie Charleston, stretching from
the westward. 1t was reported that there
was a slight change in the depth of the
water at that place. The area OF vibra.
ton was probably an ellipse with the
longest line running north and south. It
has been estimated that the maximum
depth of the earthquake disturbances was
eight and One-hali miles and the minimum
two and one-half miles. The pressure OF
subterranean reservoirs OF water are
among the causes OF earthquakes. The
not necessarily Indicate gyratory mo-
ton in the earthquake. An adhesion of a
portion of the base might account for il.
Explosive earthquakes were probably
caused by large quantities OF water being
brought in contact with molten lava,
and steam had played a large though
generally secondary part in producing
them. Earthquakes are merely incidents
In the process Of mountain building. The
theories of Sir William Thompson and
others as to the great thickness Of the
eartb's crust are now generally cOnsd-
cred untena0le, and IL was believed that
it was only about fifty miles in depth. 1t
was probable that the viscous zone acted
M hui hf.Tr. 10 fs,N,