Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-09-23
Sd. Lonis Repnhlicnn


! All that the world knows beyond doubt
concerning the cause, distribution and
| frequency of earthquakes could DO told
in few lines. The leading facts may
be outlined thus:-1 Earthquakes are
most numerous IN regions in which active
volcanoes exist. , They occur far often
er on the coasts of oceans and seas than
i'll the interiors of continents They
are increasing in number.
Scientists have assumed that there is
some relation between volcanoes and
earthquakes, some inferring that the
former causes the latter. and few sup
posing that the latter caused the former.
but the great majority, especially in more
recent years, attribute both TO the action
of the same force. Regarding ultimate
causes, theories differ swidely. Those
which have the greatest weight with scien-
titic men have already been given. But
there cannot be the slightest doubt that
the interiors of continents, especially if
free from large lakes or seas, enjoy
comparative immunity from earthquakes
Equally well established is the fact that
these phenomena are more numerous
now than in the past. A tabulated state
ment published two days ago in these
columns presented Robert Mallet's com
putation of the number of earthquakes
in different periods of the earth's history
from which we find that the average per
year throughout the world in the three
centuries ending with the year 1900 was
about liue. The yearly average from
that time up TO 1850 was sixty-four. In
the past dozen years the average has ex-
ceeded 100 Part of this increase may
be reasonably attributed TO the more
careful registration adopted in the past
forty or fifty years than formerly, and to
the larger area of the earth covered by
the records, consequent upon the spread
of population TO regions hitherto unin-
habited. This alone, however, can hard
/ ly be considered to adequately account
for the increase in the number OF this
class of visitations reported The con
clusion appears to be irresistible, there
fore, that more earthquakes take place
| throughout the world now every year
than took place a century or even half
a century ago.
Nor does there appear to be any dimi-
mutton in the destructveness of earth
quakes in recent years. For illustration,
in the great catastrophe in Peru and
Ecuador in 1868, 26,000 lives we're lost.
A year later Mendoza, in the Argentine
Republic was destroyed and 10000 peo-
pie were killed. Colombia, one of the
South American States, last $1,000 per-
sons in 1875 by the same agency. Earth
quakes occurred at Scio in 1881, and at
Ischia and Krakatoa in 1888. The des-
truction of life Il. Scio was 1000 at
Ischia 5000 and Mt krakatoa 100000.
| The mortality in Spain about year ago,
and in Greece recently, would bring the
aggregate of deaths from earthquakes
in the past five years up to 10000. OF
course the peril TO human life from this
cause will increase in proportion to the
distribution and density of the popula
| ton of the world.
The latter fact suggests the necessity
of one day adopting some scheme of
security against the ravages of earth
/ quakes. Science is powerless to foretell
| the occurrence of these calamities rs hui
man skill and intrspidity are unavailing
in resisting them. Before their desolat-
| ing touch life is crushed out and the
! proudest and most substantial works of
man crumble into ruin. Even whore
! life is spared, the fruits of a lifetime of
labor may be destroyed in an instant.
! Against tins ever-present peru business
prudence and forethought go for naught.
1t is conceivable and even probable,
in the near or remote future the dread
of these catas rophes may paralyze in
dustrial enterprises and destroy trade
in the tobacco regions subject TO earth
quakes, unless some means are adopted
to enable society as a whole to divest
! them of some of their terrors. This
means can be found only in properly
arranged and carefully guarded system
of earthquake insurance upon property.
Risks of death in every form are covered
by the ordinary life policies of the pres
ent time