The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-16
ON THE RAGGED EDGE.
A Nevada Town that Seems TO Re Sliding
Down Into n Pit.

iToW 70 SUI LAKE, LTlOuhc.
VIRGINIA CITY, New. Nov. 29.-Our earth
quake shocks still continue. They have been
felt almost daily since the 18th inst. On the
twenty-six shocks-some persons say twenty
seven shocks. Some OF these were quite start
ling joits. At one time on the night or the 18th
for about an hour-Just "a slight shivering-
with a hump S u m, sSOu. every ten or twenty
crack. The shocks are not now SO frequent,
but some Of them are about Ms heavy as
greater duration. About 10 O'Clock on the night
OF the Gath we were favored with quite a heavy
tremOr OF the long-drawn-out kind. There
were several heaving sways. and scores of peo-
pie were made sick at the stomach. Those who
The same as seasickness. They lsit sHsmseIyes
unsteady on their legs, saw. pictures on the walls
and other objects swaying in adisagreeable way,
and then fsund themselves badly unsettled in
their department of the Interior"
When the shocks first began | was Of the opin-
down in Inyo, about Owens Lake, but il now
appears that the disturbance is purely local.
north. and only a few OF them at Carson City.
to the southwark. IL would seem, therefore,
that the seismic focus is in the depths directly
beneath the city. under the roots OF Mount Da-
wilson.
Above us on Mount Davidson is a large ex-
tinct volcano crater. and II is not unlikely that
the joltinR and humpin we now feel is down
beneath US. at or near the point where the
regions that lie below. and near the crust OF
our much-aliye and wicked little planet. On
the night OF the l7th. when the shocks began
to come every five or ten minutes, | thought
OF the old crater and expected a tremendous
Jolt would, presently come, TO be followed, by
the aeaIening surface bellowin OF a first-class
volcanic eruption. / was very glad TO know that
the old crater was on the opposite side OF the
burning lava that might be vomited forth would
take their course down the western slope of the
mountain, toward washoe Lake, instead OF
pouring down the eastern slope through the
streets of the city; | found the next day that
many other old timers had thought of what
might nnssihly occur nm at The nll WHOA II yapf
ALI had cOnsOled themselves with the thought
that the lava would goodwin the west side OF the
mountain, but not "a few had feared that we
might find the ashes. smoke, and gases rather
disagreeable on the east side.
Jolt" We had two last night, one Of which
came near HpsettinE my lamp, Mount Davidson
volcano. / have in my possession a photograph
OF our old crater taken about three years ago.
and since the seismic aem4nsIrations here have
look. Il might easily be mistaken for Kflauea.
Our people have dropped political matters
and taken To a vigorous discussion of seismic
possibilities. The conclusion arrived at is that
We are rather unpleasantly situated should there
occur any very violent subterranean cOmmotiOn
or surface outburst.. We are hanging on the
speak, with the ground beneath ms 10 the east.
ward mined out 20 the depth Of between 1000
and 5000 feet, and there might come such a
into this big pit. For years there has been a
slow movement OF the town down the slope 70
BEEN very aiair@inx sHI st RiiipE there nS a big 1H sraS Z
above the town on the face Of the mountain
above the western suburb. In other places
there are also assures: ana the lear Of buildings
shows that Al the surface the ground Is settling
north and south as well as east.
During his time the late l.. p. james. the civil
and mining engineer, kept watch, Of the east
ward movement of the town. He had taken
bearings on the International Hotel and some
other Large buildings from points on the SUR
rounding mountains and was able 20 ascertain
how many inches the town moved each year.
He reported IL all going together. but only a few
inches each year. Since his death-sOms years
ago-no one has paid any attention TO our march
to the eastward.
In the early days. when we FIRST began to md
hot water In the leading mlnOs Of the Comstock,
It was a standing joke among the various miners
that presently they would set down 70 where all
the silver wss In a molten STATE, when there
ladies aud mould Ii into bricks. They said IL
was evident they had struck a place where the
crust OF the earth was very thin. and flaming
reservoirs were liable 70 De tapped. hut with
their experience amid Doilins water and hot
rorks would ineommode Them very little
IL would only he necessary for them 10 don as
hestOs suits. Now that a suhierranean thump-
ing has begun beneath thcir feet they are .
little AFRAID = hole may b. knocked though he
nOOTs Of s7Ps u the loser syslA