New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-02
THE EARTHQUAKE.

The earthquake, whose scycrcst effects were
felt at Charleston, 5. c., was experienced to =
lighter extent over wide area, shocks having
been recorded in twenty States of the Union
It is curious that while the direction oil the
ca,1houal<c vibrations at Charleston is sad 10
have been from southeast TO northwest, thus
indicating or suggesting n submarine centre
for the disturbance, 10 tidal wave appeared
ON the coast The conditions Of seismic pho
nomena are so various and they are 50 liable
to modification by differences Of geologic for
nation. that it is not always safe TO assume
that the largest amount OF destruction marks
lhe nearest point to the origin Of the disturb
ance Charleston, for example, and the whole
liuOral Of the CarOllnas is alluvial, and IL might
he expected that the propagation OF an earth
Quake wave through such stratum would u
attended with greater displacement than III The
case Of rock. The duration Of the shocks III
the recent earthquake is set down at eighty
seconds for the first and thirty seconds for the
next. If these records arc accurate they md
cate that the shocks must have been very mild
at the point where they were scientifically
observed for q duration Of eighty seconds, IL
The vibration was strong, would be sufficient
TO wreck nearly all tall buildings-all, perhaps,
but the strongcst-in any city.
The fact that the Charleston churches were
destroyed, even more than the destruction Of
private houses. is evidence OF the violence and
duration of the shocks. In the heaviest earth
quake that has listed San Francisco. that Of
1868, though several three and four story
buildings were wrecked, no churches were
thrown down. 1t is very doubtful, however
if the strongest shock Of the California earth
quake lasted eighty seconds. There arc few
matters concerning which mems impressions arc
more Elusive than the duration Of earthquake
shocks TO those who experience them, when
every oscillation seems to bring total dcstruc-
ton nearer, the time seems very long. People
often imagine that two or three or even five
minutes have passed when really but a few
seconds have elapsed. One minute Of heavy
oscillation would probably lay any city in
ruins. The extent Of the damage done III
Charleston, therefore, iustiiics the conclusion
that this was the scycrcSt earthquake that has
visited this continent since the prolonged dis
turiances Of the early part OF the century.
Seismic science is in too tentative and OK
detrimental a condition to render possible the
formation Of any definite conclusions from dis
hlrbanccs Of the kind, and in referring to CO.
incident phenomena which may seem to suggest
relationship there is always much risk Of
putting too much weight on the coincidence.
Many scientists hold that there is a connection
| between earthquakes and the moons phases.
Now an eclipse has just occurred, and lmmc-
diatcly preceding and Immediately following
it there have been magnetic storms and earth
| quakcs. On the Dist Of August shock was
felt in Scotland. On the 18th Of August (or
more probably the 27th), a severe disturbance
was felt in Greece, Egypt and parts Of Italy.
Vcsuvius showed more activity also. Light
shocks occurred at Charleston the same day.
On the 3lst Of August the severe earthquake
in this country occurred. and almost simultanc-
ously remarkable geyscritc wIlsiOn was
noted in tho Yellowstone National Park. while
the bursting of an artcsian well al Belleplaine
Iowa, may or may not Indicate some unusual
subterrmcan disturbance. If, in accordance
with the generally accepted physical theory,
it is held that earthquakes originate in the
viscid, pasty matter which is supposed to lie
between the central incandescent fluid mass
and tho cooled external crust of the earth, IT
is certainly open TO any one to conjecture that
these commissions may be promoted by agencies
such us the lunar action or the sun-spots.
though it is not possible 10 demonstrate any