Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-02
Earthquakes and Their Cause.

! Sc 'tiOn OF the country. Inc SERIES VI
earthquake shocks OF the past thiriy-six
hours were begun by the greatest dis
turbance on record within the present
limits of the United States since the dis
cOvery Of America by Columbus. 1t was
certainly the greatest earthquake
in our history, when measured by the
standard of the loss of life and injury to
persons and damage to property. Never
before, perhaps, has there been SUCH
widespread alarm in the Union on &C
count of great disturbance of nature.
1t is gratifying to be able to state that
there are apparently good grounds to
believe, from the history OF past
earthquakes in this part OF the world,
that if the series of shocks is not already
ended, they will gradually grow feebler
until they cease altogether. At any rate
there is no occasion for undue alarm.
There can be little doubt that the prob
abilities of safety are much
stronger than they were previous
to the first great tremor of Tuesday night,
although we were then ignorant OF the
threatened danger. Notwithstanding the
general alarm-or rather one should now
say, anxiety-many are discussing the
remarkable natural phenomenon OF which
we have had such a signal display,
The causes Of earthquakes have
Been discussed for many GEN.
turtles, and the high sounding
theories OF modern scientists are, some OF
them, much more plausible, if not more
reassuring, than the fancifuI imaginings
OF the Magi. The ancient idea of concus-
sion. however, has still its counterpart in
the Buffonian doctrine that great caverns
exist deep down in the earth
and that the falling Of the CELL
ings very often produce the initial
shocks, which are continued by the vi
brations produced by the elastic matter
Interior OF the globe. Two centuries ago
it was earnestly contended that the vibra-
tions of the earth were communicated to
10 from gas exploding In the
atmosphere, and later they were at
tribltsd to the explosion OF chemicals,
which, it was and is known, are formed in
vast quantities far beneath the surface.
The vibrations and undulations were
also attributed to electrical activity In
the interior of the earth, as we'll as to the
formation of immense quantities OF steam
under such pressure as can only be esti-
mated by the weight of large proportion
OF the mass of matter composing the
solid crust OF the earth, such steam
being generated by the incidental
or gradual coming in contact of
streams of water with the internal fires,
volcanoes being formed as gigantic safety
valves after the semi-elastic crust has
been submitted to such pressure that it
must give way somewhere in order to
prevent general terrestrial explosion.
There are many other theories, most Of
which are either notifications or elabora-
tons of these here briefly noted. No
doubt the study of seismology will be
general, il not popular, during the next
few weeks.
One of the most severe earthquakes ever
experienced in this country since its &C.
cupation by white men was that which
visited the Eastern and Middle States on
Nov. Is, 1855. The great earthquake of
Lisbon occurred on the first day of the
same month. In this country the EARTH
quake began in Massachusetts, with a
mighty roaring noise like thunder. After
this had continued about one minute a
severe shock was felt like the swell of a
long, rolling sea. II was so great that
people in open fields were almost thrown
| from their feet. Then followed a series of
lesser shocks for two minutes. Many
brick buildings were OveEtnrown in Boston
and walls and chimneys over the coun.
try were disloeated or partially destroyed.
New springs OF water were opened. Yes.
sells in the harbors were tossed violently,
and fish In the rivers were killed in some
instances. Nine hours afterwards a sea
wave 20 feet high visited portions of the
West Indies.
The famous New Madrid earthquake
visited the Mississippi valley In 1911. 1t
was remarkable as being an almost In.
cessant quaking OF the ground for several
months. For over 300 miles south OF the
mouth of the Ohio river the ground rose
and fell in great undulations. Great lakes
were formed In the rivers and streams
and were Immediately drained again. In
many places the earth opened in assures
running from northeast to southwest
These disturbances continued until
March, 1912, over the "sunk country
when they ceased coinc dentally with tn,
great earthquake at Caracas.
In 1852 an earthquake destroyed one o
the Southern mission stations in Califor
MIA.
The Canadian earthquake OF October
1870, was severe one, but
not specially destructive, and that o
California OF 1872 badly damaged man,
buildings in San Francisco. Slight earth
quake shocks, some OF them extending
over thousands OF square miles of terri
tory, have occurred frequently of lat
years in this country. The great Mexican
earthquake of June, 1858, did great dam
age in that country, part oil which wa
the destruction OF the aqueduct OF th
city OF Mexico and the stoppage of tn
water supply of the city.
Earthquakes are by no means uncom
mon In the West Indies. On June I. 1896
Port Royal, the capital OF Jamaica, SAM
under the sea In three minutes. Fissure
in the earth opened and closed with sucl
rapidity that persons were caught il
them as in gigantic vices. many beinJ
thus killed while their heads protrudet
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