The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-10-27

wbich the dread calamity may be pre-
dicted 9g
The cause Of earthquakes is also I'm.
known. Although theories without
number have been advanced upon the
subject. the most vigorous Of human
intellects have labored in vain to form
some adequate estimate e0nceruing
their origin and cause. The Chaldesns
were in the habit Of attributing them
to the influence ii. the stars. The an
cient philosopher supposed them to be
the imprisoned floods and winds in the
center of the earth. which rent the
earth in their efforts to get out. Des
Cartes first advanced the theory of in
famed gas seeking an outlet, and
Mons Thomas in his excellent work,
"Memoire sur les causes des Tremble-
ments de Terre," thought they were
caused by large quantities of bitumi-
nous and sulphurOus gas becoming sud
denly intiamed, breaking forth In VIC.
lent fermentation, but modern geolO.
gians assert that the globe upon which
we live is nearly thin crust of solid
matter, inclosing mass of molten fire
that has a constant tendency to ex-
plode, and that tho restless fires now
and then burst their limitations and
come forth in streams of burning lava
from volcanoes, or shake and rupture
the outer crust In their imprisoned
fury. 81
Whether earthquakes can BE- pre-
vented by any human means is a qucs-
ton that has occupied scientific minds
in every age. Pliny tells that ancient
writer's on the subject thought they had
lighted upon certain prevention OF
the destructive commissions of the earth
that had batfied the devices of the
learned. II the earthquake came from
imprisoned air and water, what more
natural than to seek means of vent
for the prisoners. They began therefore
tn dig deep pits along the sea-shore,
and these reaching into the depth of
the earth acted Us safety-valves for the
accumulated vapors. This project was,
however, abandoned. fearing it would
produce the very evil it was intended
to remedy.
| Volcanoes have often been supposed
to be an outlet for these gases and a
lprotection against earthquakes. as the
lands of the earthquake are those of
the volcanic crater and burning mount
ain. Humboldt, Daubney and others
have accepted the theory that Italy
and Sicily were shielded from danger
by the constant eruptions of Vesuvius
land Etna, for 1t was observed that
when these mountains began to pour
forth lava the quivering earth found
repose. Yet those who look upon the
volcano as protection from the earth
quake must be led to doubt their eff
ticiency when it is remembered that
Vesuvius and Etna have failed to save
Southern Europe from the most dire
destruction. One of the greatest earth
quakes of the Pacific coast was ushered
in by general eruption Of all the fiery
peaks OF the Andes. One after an
other the mountain tops famed forth
in a long and terrible line. sending up
masses Of molten or rcd-hot rocks,
and blackening the sky with sulphur
GUS gases, and against the dark sky
lurid tongues of flame shot up in weird
splendor, and streams of burning lava
scanned tho mountain sides, while far
below them the upheaying earth was
shaken and riven, and covered with
the ruin of mems works, while man
himself lay PROSTATE in death, and the
tidal wave swept away all the traces
of the earth's desOlatiOn. How the
mysterious attendant, the tidal wave,
is connected with the earthquake, il
scarcely known. 1t is produced by q
disturbance at the bottom of the ocean,
and in all instances Of an
earthquake the ocean gives more
or less indications of disturbance,
vessels have been shaken and
struck rs by an invisible blow. when
. far from port. Smoke and flames have
issued from the midst of the waves
the sea has been discolored, and The
waters roll black as ink, volcanoes
rise above them for moment, anC
then. as at Juan Fernandez, disappear
Or islands start up and are slowly
nodded from the fire stained rock,
to the fertile habitations of man. ant
it is quite probable that this rise ant
fall of the oceans bed produces tn,
tidal wave. The history of the earth
: quake dates back for nearly three thou
: sand years. Among the most ancien
those of mythology are probably dc
/, rived from more authentic source
than the imaginations of poets or ira
ditional lore. Thucydidcs gives an &C
count Of shock that was UNDECIDED b,
t the c0mbatants when Hannibal wa
l cOnquering at Thrasymenc, and tn,
, great earthquake that shattered Tyr,
and tile cities of Asia in the fourth yea
of Tiberius. The first ominous quive
that half ruined Pompeii and Hercu
e lancum in the year 81, twelve year
before the final eruption OF the hithcr
Z to harmless Vesuvius, The fearful
! earthquakes in the reign of Justinial
in (527, 565), OF which Gibbon gives Al
account, NivcnziO gives lamcntabl
account of the earthquakes that hav,
devastated the different sections of tn,
. world since the discovery of America
Lima alone has suffered fourteen
times from this cause. The city o
Lima has been painted by those VIII,
. visited it when it was under Spanis
! rule in the last century as one OF tn
, fairest of cities. Its climate wa
r like that of an Arabian paradise, $,
a balmy and soft. No chilling brcatl
of winter ever visited its people. NJ
, rain ever fell there, but instead an i'm
S palpable vail of mist that came iron
: the sea in the day fell in gentle dew 4
night upon the thirsty land to preserv
the vegetation and temper the climate
Q and il was only at rare intervals tina
I the permanent moisture was dissi
J pated and the heat was felt to be IN