The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-12-09
THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.
Is There an Interior Space Where the
Law Of Gravitation Is S~uspendeds

an" in Pittsburg Dispatch.
There is no question as to the fact
that all over the land and water sur
face of the earth the law of gravitation
holds good, and there is a general tend
ency toward a common center. On any
part, if an opening be made into the
earth's surface. a stone or any body of
similar density, If dropped into it, will
descend with gathering momentum to
the bottom.
Let us now conceive of a huge shaft
of eight thousand miles in length ex-
tending entirely through the earth to
our ~antipodes. If a metal ball be dropped
from either end of this shaft it is evil
ent that it will drop "down," but we
ould not expect to see the ~antipedean
metallic sphere come falling up to us.
to see the ball dropped from u side
come falling up to them.
1t must be evident that, If two balls
be dropped simultaneously into this
great shaft they must both, somewhere
along the line, approach a neutral zone,
from which. If they would proceed
further, they must fall up toward either
end of the shaft
Now, is this inevitably neutral zone
this region where the law of grayitation
must be nugatory, a dennIte spot at the
exact center, or does 1t extend a consid-
cradle distance surfaceward from the
center?
But let us now conceive of another
shaft from pole to pole through the
earth which weuld intersect the one al
ready considered at right angles at the
earth's center, and If balls of metal Were
also dropped into this opening from the
two polar extremities they would APP
proach the common center horizontally,
as it were, with reference to the falling
balls in III first shaft.
We will now assume that four men
are to be let down from the four ends
of these two shafts-one equatorial and
one polar-and, as only gravitation is
now considered. these men will proceed
feet foremost.
Does anyone seriously imagine that
two of these men would stand each up
right, yet standing on the soles of each
others feet. while the other two, which
we may consider the ~horizontals, stand
out on the ankles of the others?
If this be the case then If five hundred
or any other number of shafts thus GEN.
tered and men were let down in all OF
them, their feet would all center to a
common cluster and their bodies would
~ 00< ~ 90 oAS t1C4C
Is no reason to D that such is the
case. There is reason for believing that,
already for a considerable distance from
this center. the gravitating forces SO an
tagonize each other that they are rem
dered entirely Imperative. and were me-
tallic balls there they would either float
aimlessiy or do what seems more prob
able. rest outward from the center
against the matter nearest their own
destiny.
The nearest a~nalouge to this that we
have on h earth's surface is the mag
netic attraction to the pole. From all
rides the magnetic needle is impelled to
the common center. but does this force
increase in intensity OF density az we
near the polar point? MOI at all.
While yet hundreds of miles away. a
neutral zone is encountered. a realm
where the opposing forces render each
other neutral. n thus. 1t seems to the
writer. must be the situation in the cen
trail region where the forces OF grayita-
ton must be repellant to each other and
result IN the compromise Of no Gravita-
] ton.