The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-10-15
EARTHQUAKE HORRORS.
Their Record in Ancient and Mod
ern Times.
Human Prevention observation-disclosures
of the Casualties-T The Earthquakes
at Lima, CaIIao, Lisbon and in
49, the United States.

The rapidity with which the earth
quake destroys is one of its most horri-
ble features. The cyclone is slow and
the conliagration dull, compared with
the fearful celebrity of the earthquake.
The shock seldom lasts longer than a
lew seconds, sometimes y minute, vet
Its power can compass the destruction
OF magnificent cities whose structures
haye stood for centuries, and territories
are distorted and shorn of their
beauty and productiveness, hills are
made valleys and valleys hills, rivers
are dried up and yawning riffs open in
the solid earth from which flames and
smoke issue.
In Calabuia whole district of coun-
try covered with fourishing towns,
fertile, rich and happy, was in few
seconds converted into a dismal waste.
AT that time the most strange distor-
tons of nature took place. Cities upon
hills We're hurled down into the valley
below, the wales were converted into
mountains and lakes. Where hills had
existed wales came 10 diSplace them,
fields were removed with all their
growing crops and the laborerS in
their midst to strange and distant
places, Sand spread over their fields,
and the distortion of the landscape was
so great that the survivors did not rec
ognize their own homes
The earthquake does not ALWAYS
give an intimation of its coming. The
most experienced observer can not
foretell by any signs in the earth or sky
when the dreaded visitation is at hand.
Sometimes it comes when the summer
days are cloudlesss and bright, and
when the stars look Serenely upon the
earth in all the splendor of tropical
night. 1t comes at other times when
the air is thick and cloudy, and heavy
clouds fill the sky. Winter and sum
mer are alike subject to its visitation:
like death it has all seasons for its own.
The inhabitants of Lima supposed they
could foretell an earthquake by the cir
cumstance of the rats running more
swiftly among the rafters of dollhouse
than usual, but their frequent vista.
tons were preceded by different signs
and tokens both in animate and IMAM
innate nature every time. Both science
and observation, the wise philosopher
and the presuming empire, have
failed alike in establishing any law by
which the dread calamity may be pre-.
dieted.
The cause of earthquakes is also un.
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 concerning
their origin and cause. The Chaldeans
were in the habit of attributing them
to the influence of the stars. The an.
Gent 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
More Thomas in his excellent work,
''Memoire sur les causes DIES Tremble-
nents de Terre, thought they were
caused by large quantities of bitumi-
nous and sulphurous gas becoming sud
denly intiamed, breaking forth in vio-
lent fermentation, but modern geolo-
gians assert that the globe upon which
we live is nearly a thin crust of solid
matter, inclosing mass of molten fire
that has a constant tendency to ex-
plode, and that the restless fires nov
and then burst their limitations and
come forth in streams of burning lava
from volcanoes, OF shake and rupture