New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-06
SCIENTISTS GET TO WORK.
CALLING YoR MINUTE DETAILS OF THE EFFECT OF
THE EARTHQUAKE.

THE EARTHQUAKE.
WASHINGTON, Sept 5.-The Geological Sur
vey in pursuance OF the purpose OF Its Director to make
thorough study Of the OF the earthquake OF
August 81 has prepared circular TO be SEM 10 all parts
Of the affected area and the adjacent country. calling
for detailed Information upon the subject from whom
soevu may haze information. even OF an al parontly
trivial character TO impart The observer is requested
first state his position. whether In doors or out
upstairs down. whether standing. walking or sitting
AMI to describe the ground OF his locality whether
rocky earthly sandy. Following this, it is desired
that series OF questions In substance az follows shall
be aus wered categOrlcally:
Was an earthquake felt at your place the evening
of August 81 within few days OF that tnei Mega
tive this will be of great Interest from any
points wtnin the disturbed area, and especially hom
points near its limits.
O. At what hour, minute and second OF standard time
was 1t felti
g., How long did its perceptible motion continued
a., Was it accom- anied by any unusual nosel II SO
describe it,
o. Was there more than shock ielti II so, how
manyi Where several were felt give accurately or
roushIy, the number. duration and character OF
each, aud the interval between them.
49, Which Of following measures Dt intensity
would best describe what happened in your viciniyi NO.
l, very light; noticed by rev persons; moi generally
felt; No. q light felt by the majority of persons; rsttl
ing windows and crockery; No. g. moderate sufficient
to overthrow light objects; No 4. strong sufficient to
the plaster in houses to throw down some bricks
from chmneys No 8, severe, overtime wing climneys
and in;uriug the walls oil houses.
s(7.) DO you know OF any other cause for what hap
pened than all tnquaHel Give also further par
tcuars of Interest stating whether they are from OBJ
seryaon or hsarsay For instance. whether tue shock
seemed like remOr or jar, uniuatOry movement,
auii whether IL seemed to come horizontally OF VERT
cally; whether any idea OF direction OF shock was
formed aud people agreed In their opinion as 10 sach
direction. Mention unusual coEdlton OF tue atOs
phere; any strange effect animals ut is often laid that
they will feel the hrst tremors OF sh1' some time
bsfore people notice 1t at ALI character oi damage u
budiugs; general direction In which walls, chiuueys
~c., were oysrnIow. sprnss' rivers; anu wei's arc
facts especially Interesting IL CLOCK was stoppeu
give time 1t intcae land some IDEA AS 10 now a.t
or slow II wasJ, post on, the direction III whoh IL
standing or iacing aud the approximate IehBt anu
weight OF Inc ncrb. '0 snd saes T,eo of
swing. pictures swung, state directlon OF wall anu
whether pictures on the wall rigut angles to 1t
Also mt IN motion. II doors closed opened
state the direction OF the wall winch they were set Ia
short. hardly any fact wsver soparehtiy III, K"laht
regarding this great thquakr Will come anlss and IL
8 probable that from the mass OF information to ee
gathered data OF great scientific value VIII Dc ueuuco
IL is ested that this Information shall sent TO
tue Division OF Volcanic Geology, Geological survey
probable that tefOro the end OF the year elaoDrate
necessarily rstuer inexpensive sirans Tor
tue more thoroush obsery ation anu stuy OF SEISMIC
phenomena occurring IN all parts OF ths continent WIZ
be perfected and put III Oh Grafton Thess airax mchls
n
advanced students OF this branch OF natural science are
Interesting themselves In tic wok lnstiuipehts Vi
great elicacy though simple In their principles OF con
struotion and operation long been III use rnr auto
uatIcally recording earth u.s. Perhaps the beet
has for its central feature disc OF smoked glass re-
yolved horizontally by clockwork. Besides this are
horizontal peudua delicataly suspended upon piyOs,
carving weight OF sufficient inertia to keep their pen
dula though stands 10 which they are attach
mos ed. Escn pendulum bears al rs extremity
pointer winch being III avn over the smoked DISC AZ Tue
ter rrvOlves marks circe 50 long as the earLi
rema uum0ved. but with the slightest movement thelr
conrce disturbed their record 10 see In waving or
Jagged lines around the disc. Two or these penduIi are
required each seismog h-Oue recording the East
and West mo voments and tue other those North ana
use outside Of ories aud laboratories where
IL eau the attic tion OF trained Observers; put
another and much simpler device has nearly been per
fected which, II s proposed shall be placed III the hands
of 70 utceI observers paris OF the country III
cnnssts OF vertical pendulum whose point hangs over
cup cury upon tue surface OF when lies pidti-
mum noa small del ression In tue nOat receives he
point without making actual contact except wben the
mercury ia ds urUed which event the con act VIII be
made completing electrical circuit which ty wlth-
drawing deteut sets In motion the machinery OF an
rduardy clocs 1t proposed that only 100 or 200 OF
tnese instruments shall be sent out Il present These
viii record only the beginning or toe earthquake nut
tey will also the purpose calling attention 10
disturbance wnioh might Otherwise escape notice. ana
enable note sucn other features as
the phenomena may present
me study OF phenomena Of this kind IA asserted To be
of great value 20 science as guide u knowledge oil
ina nature the earth's interior. ana for Its bearing
upon almost every branch OF physics and geology.