The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-09-08
trade without involving their cause in
The Earthquake.

The great earthquake of last week
Tuesday night extended over wider
region than any other recorded in this
country in recent times, though out
side of the city of Charleston, S. c.,
and vicinity, where fearful havoc was
wrought and loss of life caused, the
damage was not great. The bursting
of an artesian well at Belle Plain, Iowa,
and the sudden activity of the famous
Excelsior geyser in the Yellowstone
region, early last week, are noted as
almost coincident with the phenomena.
In some parts of the country extra
ordinary meteorological changes fol-
lowed the earthquake, drop of forty
degrees in temperature being recorded
in Georgia. 1t appears that light shocks
were experienced in Charleston, Au-
gusta and Wilmington week ago last
Saturday morning, at the time of the
great earthquake in Greece, but occa-
stoned no apprehension. The Charles
ton NetCs and Courier, in recording
the disturbance, recalled the previous
earthquakes felt in that city in 1854,
1899, 1911, 1912, 1S43 and 1857, none of
which were attended with any serious
results. Many earthquakes have &C.
Cured on the Pacific coast, though none
of them have proved as disastrous as
that which has devastated Charleston.
In 1911 there was violent earthquake
extending three hundred miles along
the Mississippi river, during which the
town of New Madrid, in Missouri, was
partially submerged. Earthquakes have
been known from the earliest times.
and the list of the great occurrences of
this kind is a large and awful one
Among the worst of these disasters
were those of 1881, when 10000 lives
were lost at Lisbon, Portugal; 1926,
10000 persons killed at Naples; 1903,
100000 persisted in Yeddo, Japan;
1881, 100000 persons killed in China;
1746, Is, 900 victims in Lima and Callao,
Peru; 1855, 10000 persisted in Kaschan,
Persia; 1877, great earthquake in Mex
leo, 40, 900 persons buried; 1851, Melfa,
Italy, destroyed and 1900 lives lost;
1857, 10000 persons persisted in Italy;
1859, 5000 victims killed at Quito:
1860, Mendoza, South America, shaken
and 1000 lives lost; 1868, great earth
quake in Peru and Ecuador, % 900 per-
sons killed; 1875, $4,000 lives lost in
Colombia; 1881, 1000 persons killed in
Scio; 1888, Cassamicciola, Isle of Ischia,
destroyed and 1900 to 5000 persons
killed; also the Krakatoa earthquake in
Java, 100000 persons reported killed.
There was succession of earthquake
shocks in Spain in 1884 and 1885, and
thousands of persons were killed. In
regard to the origin of earthquakes,
there is great array of scientific theo-
ries upon the subject According to
recent work by Professor Milne, some
authorities lay the cause to explosions
of steam in the interior; others to sud-
den contraction of the earth's surface
by the gradual cooling of its molten
interior; others to the displacement of
the subterranean substance by volcanic
eruptions, the attractive influence of
heavenly bodies, the effect of oceanic
tides and the variations in atmospheric
pressure. 1t is only certain that the
true origin of these terrible disturb
ances on the earth's surface is not yet
definitely accounted for.