The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-09-10

MAJ. Powell. director Of the United
States geological surveys. furnishes the
Information that observations at Wash
ington showed the direction OF the
sbocks OF earthquake Monday to be =
very little north OF east. and the vibra-
tions from lis to 40 per minute. This
wa the 364sh earthquake recorded in
the United States aud Canada in twelve
years. This earthquake, like earth
quakes in general, is attributed to in
ternal disturbances, resulting In . con-
traction OF the earth's crust.
The occurrence Of earthquakes in the
eastern portion Of the United States il
attributed to geologic facts, which are
being carefully studied BY the Geologi-
cal survey, aud which indicate that Geor-
Ria and the Carolinas, Virginia, and on
northWard, there IL seward fitting OF
the surface, unquestionabIy connected
With subterTanean movements
It may be questioned whether there
has been : general movement on any
part Of the earth's surface much more
energetic or rapid than that now taking
place along the Atlantic slope, and the
comparative Immunity from serious
earthquakes Il due more to the less pro-
found depth Of this great displacement
and the absence Of volcanic vents than to
the absence OF great earth movements.
The explanation OF earthquakes usu-
ally accepted by geologists IL something
like this: The earth lie believed to be
enclosed BY solid crust Of rock. of va
riable thickness In different regions
The crust rests upon material in . more
or leas 0uid condition, 60 that 1t readily
yields to agencies OF reformation, like
water or molten IRON The reasons fol
believing thst the interior IL in . some
what fluid condition are various. Ths
most important are:
First-From very many observation
made in mines, artesian wells, ETC.. II i
discovered that there IL an increase o
tempersture from the surface downward
and that this increase IL 90 great that
degree Of heat sufficient to melt 81
known rock 10 soon reached.
Secondly certain geologic genesi
certain rocks from below are brought 4
the surface In mountain building, an'
these rocks show evidence Of havin,
been greatly heated and even Of havini
been melted.
Third-Molten matter IN very larg
quantities comes up from the interior o
the earth through crevices and volcani
vents. Besides these lines of evidenc
there are many accessory facts which
tell the same story. The interior Of tn
earth IL constantly losing heat In : "
riety Of ways. "A email amount II pro
badly conducted 70 the surface and radi
ated into space. A large amount Of hea
- conveyed from the interior througl
the agency OF hot eprfnRa.
Such springs sre found In many por
lions or the known earth, and In . few
districts are very abundant, and through
them much heat IL conveyed from th
interior 10 the surface, which is Their
rsdiated into space. The lavas that sr
brought up yield vast stores Of heat, 81
Of which u lost to the earth through 70
diation. The o. ular cooling which re
suits from the above causes must ncces
sarily diminish the magnitude. Of th
earth, ne II ehrinke the solid exterio
crust must In some manner yield, 30 Q
- conform 20 the lesser magnitude thu
produced. The stresses produced Ia th
crust ~ the earth by the shrinking Of III
interior are modified BY another elias
Of agencies. The land surface or ID
earth 10 washed by rains and rivers. chi
IN the aggregate large bodies Of materia
ere carried away and deposited IN LEX
oo&toms, which are gradually filed ii
I'D especially deposited along The shore
- the sea.
The unloading of land areas and IN
0verloadlng OF certain water areas 10
large extent LOCALITIES It. Again the flIn
- plastic material Of Tie interior chan