Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-03-14
MELTING LIKE WAX
ALL MOUNTAINS WILL VANISH IN THE
COURSE OF TIME.

tastrophe That Befell the village Of Elm.
Process of Change.
A French professor told the recent
scientific congress in Rome that "all
mountains will vanish Off the face OF the
earth in course Of time" We do not
doubt it, for it is divinely foretold that
tho earth itself will disappear at the end
OF time. However, the Frenchman q
prophecy is already in course of realizn.
ton. The Ardennes, the Pyrenees and
the mountains Of Provence arc going to
peices by degrees in our own age. The
mighty llimalayas, as IL weary of "rear.
ing their forms sublime" through so
many generations, nodded their heads
III one place two years ago and hurled
into tho valleys below mass of debris
which was estimated at 800, 900, 900
tons. The largest locomotive ON the fast
trains Of the Hudson River railway
weighs only G2 tons. That Asiatic
mountain slide, therefore, caused an ava
lanche equivalent to the tumble of about
13, 600, 900 such locomotives of a bridge
10000 feet high Little wonder that
''the noise was terrific" and that "the
natives were frightened. Masses Of
rock were hurled a mile away, and
"many blocks of dolomitic limestone,
weighing from 80 to 80 tons were sent
like cannon balls through the air.
In 1881, in the Alps. there was an
immense hill fall, caused by its human
undermining in order to obtain slate for
school use. The mining began in 1858.
In 1876 the Plattenberkoph split across
its crown, and after progressive enlarge.
ments for years, which caused comment
and forebodings, it fell in the year
named. This catastrophe precipitated
about 1900, 900 cubic yards Of rock |
1,476 feet downward into the valley. |
The debris ricochetted scross the valley |
and rolled 325 feet up the opposite slope,
where it was canted over sideways, and |
then poured like liquid over horizon
tai plane Of about 8, 700. 900 square feet !
and to depth of from 85 to 20 feet. |
Onc-half Of the village of Elm was
overwhelmed, and 1t was 80 swiftly |
cleft by the resistless mass that the line
was sharply defined, and one house was
cut IN two One hundred and fifteen
people were buried. One home was left
on the very verge, Of which the doors
were open, the fire burned, the table
was set, the coffee was hot, but no liv-
ing soul was left. The head OF the
household was saved, but his entire fam.
lily, who were out looking ut the noun.
tain fall, were lost The debris damned
up u river, for which q channel was
blasted afresh New soil was carried In.
10 tho valley, aud spread over the ruins
whore baryests now smile again, aud
Tho people go about their work as II
there were no such thing as an ava
lanebs IN this bumbliDg aud crumbliDg
world
Tho process Of change In earth levels
u all lands is illustrated ia your IN.
iayed back yard or village street sfteT
leayy Igils Each tiny IiYnlet ho larger
han yOnr little finger has its foods, its
iarr0wer limits whore II runs IN IT.
quare foot ~ harder soil. aud Ia there,
" pinobed sideways, its sudden shallow
ng and widening where tbs soil IL soft
~ aud the panio stricken aDis or be-
beetles AIs caught la their
miniature world aud routed as men are
~ larger scale, Ten feet square u
iaek yard may illustrate tlle fnaehAsi0g
4 events which make seas Sballowa9
'ud mountains lower The hprehafssd
sarm cloud R0ls chill ~ lg eaTesses ibe
iead u some digniAod peak, ibe sudden
.oDdrnssil0B upseis tiie sb0Ser Opt "
hs slmaphsrg's uyriad coll bpnkets,
lBd ihe torrent Tugils down tlle lgsaAlu
lna liBihs " ille luguuinins ~ swiftly
hat fhs surprised s0ll eatoisss fhs npiTif
4 panic gDd fmReis 90 oiay gTayiistloa
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4 tlghi ~ shore That transfer ~ earth
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