Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-23
Insurance against Earthquakes.
ST. Louis Republican


All that the world knows beyond doubt
concerning the cause, distribution and
frequency of earthquakes could be told
in a few lines. The leading facts may
be outlined thus:-1 EARTHQUAKES are
most numerous IN regions in which active
volcanoes exist. 2 They occur far often
er on the coasts of oceans and seas than
in the interiors of continents. 3 They
are increasing in number.
Scientists have assumed that there is
some relation between volcanoes and
earthquakes, some inferring that the
former causes the latter. and few sup
posing that the latter caused the former,
but the great majority, especially in more
recent years, attribute both to the action
of the same force. Regarding ultimate
causes, theories differ swideIy. Those
which have the greatest weight with scien-
titc men have already been given But
there cannot be the slightest doubt that
the interiors of continents, especially if
free from large lakes or seas, enjoy a
comparative immunity from earthquakes.
Equally we'll established is the fact that
these phenomena are more numerous
now than in the past. A tabulated state
ment published two days ago in these
columns presented Robert Mallet's COM
putatlon of the number of earthq uake
in different periods of the earth's history
from which we find that the average per
year throughout the world in the three
centuries ending with the year 1900 was
about nine. The yearly average from
that time up to 1850 was sixty-four. In
the past dozen years the average has ex-
ceeded 100. Part of this increase NAV
be reasonably attributed to the more
careful registration adopted in the past
forty or fifty years than formerly, and to
the larger area of the earth covered by
the records, consequent upon the spread
of population to regions hitherto unin-
habited. This alone, however, can hard
ly be considered to adequately account
for the increase in the number of this
class of visitations reported. The con-
| clusiOn appears to be irresistible, there
fore, that more earthquakes take place
throughout the world now every year
than took place a century, or even half
century ago.
Nor does there appear to be any dimi-
mutton in the destructiveness of earth
quakes in recent years. For illustration,
in the great catastrophe in Peru and
Ecuador in 1868, $4,000 lives were lost.
A year later Mendoza, in the Argentine
Republic, was destroyed, and 10000 peo-
pie were killed. Colombia, one of the
South American States, lost $4,000 per-
sons In 1875 by the same agency. Earth
| quakes occurred at Scio in 1881, and at
Ischia and Krakatoa in 1888. The des-
truction of life at Scio was 1000 at
Ischia 5000 and at Krakatoa 100000.
The mortality in Spain about a year ago,
and in Greece recently, would bring the
| aggregate of deaths from earthquakes
in the past five years up to 100000. Of
course the peril to human life from this
cause will increase in proportion to the
distribution and density of the popula-
ton of the world.
| The latter fact suggests the necessity
of one day adopting some scheme of
security against the ravages of earth
| quakes. Science is pOwerless to foretell
the occurrence of these calamities as hui
man skill and repidity are unavailing
in resisting them. Before their desolat-
| ing touch life is crushed out and the
prOudest and most substantial works of
man crumble into ruin. Even where
| life is spared, the fruits of a lifetime of
labor may be destroyed in an instant.
| Against this ever-present peril business
prudence and forethought 60 for naught.
1t is conceivable, and even probable,
| in the near or remote future the dread
of these catas rophes may paralyze in
dustrial enterprises and destroy trade
in the tobacco regions subject to earth
| quakes, unless some means are adopted
to enable society as a whole to divest
them of some of their terrors. This
means can be found only in properly
arranged and carefully guarded system
of earthquake insurance upon property.
Risks of death in every form are covered
by the ordinary life policies of the pres
ent time.