The Portland daily press., 1894-03-06

Philip q. Wentworth, hiram.
Vocal Duett
Mr. Sturdivant and Miss Evans.
Single Stick Drill-E. E. Spear, leader.
The spring term will begin March q.
eHIFTlNG 1r sr9A sARTH'S POLES.
Theories Concerning . Sudden Change Of
the Earth's Center of Gravity.
Those who oppose the theory of chang
ing polarity endeavor to make one of
their strong points in the allegation that
any polar accumulation of ice would be
entirely inadequate TO so affect the earth
IN its entirely as to demand a changing
center of gravity These men deduce their
conclusion from the assumed premise that,
whether cool or hot, the interior of our
globe is solid and dense throughout it's
mass, and could this be proved it would
be considerable obstacle in the way of
what may be termed the new theory.
They go so far as to calculate 1hat the
central pressure in the earth deep inte-
lrior would be so intense as to greatly re-
duce the bulk of the hardest steel, and
having arranged their fanoiful premises
they serenely rest and allow phenomena,
however antagonistic to such assumption,
to stand as unexplainable puzzles, to be
specialized over, but under no circum-
stances to be allowed to interfere with
their prearranged ideas.
But the plain fact is that under the pres
emit deal fve-sixths of the land is in the
northern hemisphere and very much the
larger portion Of water is found south of
the equator. The evidence is indisputable
that at former period the water lay over
much of the present dry land In the north
ern hemisphere, the limestone formations
and the terraces high up the hillsides fur
nishing indubitable evidence of this. Was
this change slow or sudden? Around the
north pole, where for ages there has been
incessant frigidity, are the bones Of myr-
lads of worlds of former animals, tropical
and semitropical. How came they in such
vast profusion to herd in that iuhospita-
BILE cline, and when dissolution overlook
them was it prolonged OF sudden? Their
carcasses are found imbedded in the arctic
Ice, skin and flesh intact. even the eye
balls and stomach contents in state of
perfect refrigeration. How came death SO
suddenly that this flesh had no time to
decompose, and what was the agency that
SO suddenly and so radically changed the
physical environment
All the observed phenomena are as il
there had been sudden shift in the polar
points. In other words, none OF the known
conditions Is antaGonistie to the theory Of
such polar changes.
Now, again recurring to the earth's in
terror, there is absolute proof that, what
ever the internal condition, there are vast
areas of the gaseous element. All the ter
rife volcanic outbursts attest this. Mauna
Loa, Skaptar, Jokul, Etna, Vesuvius,
Krakatoa, all the volcanic ahimneys, an
Gent and modern, have at times belched
incalculable quantities of gaseous matter
from their glowing threats. Earthquake
phenomena make 1t clear that tn csc gas
eous areas shift, and that as they change
location molten matter fills in in their
wake.
Now, in case of long continued exter-
nal localization of avofrdupois, as of po-
lar ice, there would necessarily be an in
side shifting of the heavier matter to the
same point and shifting of the gaseous,
like bubble in a huge level, to the oppo-
site point, and thus between the outside
and inside 1ocaIzation who shall say that
when once the inside molten ocean thus
readjusts this is not colossal factor in
impelling cataclysms on the aqueous sur
face, and that when the rocking exterior
aqueous seas and the shifting interior mol
ten seas have regained equilibrium the sur
face shall not have undergone Thorough
reorganization with a complete change in
the spheres polarity?
Is there one single feature in recognized
continental changes that is not in harmo
ny with this view? Is there single fact
connected with the continental polar bone
yard and those refrigerated carcasses that
does not demand such solution?
What, then, is the inferences That the
preglacial polar points were elsewhere.
That shift finally began, not at once
overwhelmingly, but as a tree cracks and
sways before it falls, there we're Fremont
tory indications-water slowly crowding
animal life forward, as does an Unframed
prairie fire; then at last pronounced tilt,
shifting oceans, with cataclysmic waves
rolling with uncomfortable force, lifting the
polar ice caps to go forward and harrow
the EARTH and, 10, when the new poles had
been determined, the north pivotal point
was amid the crowded animal mass, and
suddenly, ere flesh could decay, polar ice
enveloped all in its frigid shroud.
just where the polar points were that
preceded the present ones may not be read
lily determined, and when they again
change, as they surely will, should the
new equatorial line pass over the present
antarctic ice cap when this, under torrid
conditions, had changed what evidence
would there be of the present pole in the
then equatorial ocean?
No one may know at what points the
mobile interior and the aqueous exterior
may find their readjustment and both sue
ceeding poles may be located in the pres
emit oceans.--Pittsburg Dispatch.