Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-09-25
SORrING THE EARTMQUAKES,
0eientisss SIN Iuyessasat.
Ing the Recent Disturbances.

" oo0un8toD 0cheotnets St11t IuveottGots
Ing the Recent Disturbances
VOLUNTEERS WHO suaGEsr ALL SORTS or ODD
rHEoRIEs-A CHART ON WHICH THE SHOCKS
ARE CLASSIFIED PROF. MKSpEyRAIL
THINKs CHARLESTON SAFE FOR THE FurunE
A great many diniculties attend the study of
the science of earthquakes. In the first place
the student cannot take one into his laboratory
and analyxe IL and watch it, DEVELOPMENT
They don't come very often, and when they do
put In an appearance it IL rather sudden, and
they do not stand still long for examination.
Prof Mendenhall, OF the weather bureau, says
Japan 10 the earthquake laboratory. They come
nearer donestication there than anywhere else
In the world where there Is any learning, and
they are studied very carefully. One OF the
great difficulties In prosecuting the investiga-
ton into the nature and habits of an earth
quake is that 80 many people are ready volun-
tariiy to tell oil about It. When Prof. Mspden-
nall came across the sand geySers near Charles
TON ne found half dozen eye witnesses or the
phenomenon. Not one OF them told the same
story. One man saw blue flames and lots OF
not water. Another saw water squirt MP ont OF
me ground about ten feet in the air for about
three seconds. Yet another saw the same vol
ume OF water going up higher than the tops OF
The trees for four hours.
SIX MONTHS MORE OF woRK.
Prof Mendenhall, aud Mr.. MCGEE, of the geo
logical survey, are engaged In assembling their
information into q report on the Charleston
earthquake. II will take them more than six
months 10 do this. Meanwhile they are receiv-
Ing great deal OF outside assistance" OF
doubtful value. Most of the suggestions and
theories come by mail, but occasionally o man
Win theory will walk into the Office. Most
OF the theories are colored, with the vague and
the wonderful. Spiritualists, astrologlsts and
it. Some say there IL a mighty spirit in the
earth that has got q little restless. La some way
ms a.: slumbers were disturbed-perhaps he was a
little coiicky or was taken with a ut OF sneez.
Ing. Astroiogy, which for q thousand years
was the science OF the world, but has been
buried tor centuries, is invoked to tighten the
thing Of the heavenly bodies of electricity. The
vast unknown Of these fields give room In which
the diseased imagination loves to roam. Elec-
and compounded into theories. The idea that
the quake is the shock frola a blow By Divine
na1S no. 1n.re9uent The people who were
atmosphere" are numerous, according TO their
own accounts. A Washington man wrote
FRO Mendenhall that he was made i'll by
the electric Influences preceding the shock and
IL sui Ill from II. Out OF all the people i'm the
country there were, of course, many who were
Jus. starting on on season OF illness AT the
moment the shock occurred or shortly before.
A great number OF these have marked the
coincidence and attributed their illness to the
Electric influences" Most astonishing symp-
IONS nave been put on record. Nor has Mr..
virgins monopoly of predictions. There are
many others who tell as much even as he does
about the dreadful things that are going 10
happen. Those, too who are predicting for the
nrst time have an advantage over him ia not
having bad record for prophecy.
"sIzING UP" THE SHOCKS
Prof. Meudenhall has just completed charts
showing the intensity of the shocks felt in
different parts Of the country when Charleston
was wrecked. A number one earthquake is
very slight-one that is felt by some, but not by
ali The Inhabitants. A number two cart nc uak q
makes its presence known to everybody A
number three cracks the plaster. A number
-FOUR throws bricks and the like, and "a number
nve shakes every thing To pieces so they are
marked on the chart 1t Was u number five that
struck Charleston and Summerville. The
scientists who went from here to Charleston
collected much valuable information about the
habits of earthquakes.
CHEERFUL NEWS FOR CHARLESTON
Prof. Mendenhall says there will probably
not be another severe earthquake In Charles
ton for centuries. That there continues q
rumbling in the earth, he says is a favorable
sign. 1t shows that the earth is acquiring
stability gradually and there is not apt 10 be
another violent shock. They have learned
from their Investigations that the center OF dis
turoauce was not deep seated, and that The
shock was not volcanic. There was no heat at
tending the shock. The professor thinks it
criminal for Virgins 10 brighten the nervous
people by his predictions ana that he ought TO
be suppressed.