Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-03
ANOTHER oLAclAL PERIOD.
Biologists Think the World May 10 Fro
zen Up Again.

The question Is again being discussed
whether recent and long continued obser
vations do not point TO tho advent OF
second glacial period, when the countries
now baskIng In the fostering warmth Of
tropical sun will ultimately givo way to
the perennial frost and snow OF tho polar
regions. Tho researches OF biologists have
proved the existence In Greenland and
other arctic lands Of fossil palms and 9th
or tropical plants, which show that these
regions were once covered with a rich veg
citation, which only equatorial cllmos can
now produce.
Then came tho great ice nge, which
buried this vegetation beneath tho nantlo
Of cold which still prevails at the polar OK
tremities Of tho earth. Is this kingdom
OF ice and snow ggain extending Its way
toward the equntorg From the arctic cir
Giles We have no data which supply an an
swer to tho question, but 1t Is asserted that
the climate Of Norway, Sweden and Ice
land is annually becoming more severe
Great masses OF Ice arc frequently observed
by naylgators In far mora southcrly posi-.
tion during tho summer months in the
Atlantic than was tho case fow years
ago, and the effect Of these ioohergs is to
materially reduce the temperature OF
CtuuuluHNln lHt lutieI Is
land in late years has been snforing so So
verely that corn no longer rlpons there,
and the inhabitants, In fear of approach
ing famine and still colder climate, are
emigrating TO North America.
Tho influence OF the gulf stream on the
climate Of Norway, which has not bcan
less marked than its effects on the coasts
of Ireland and Scotland is being eflacod
by the Intensity OF the cold brought by
tho masses OF Ice which It Is for tho gulf
stream TO carry toward tho eastern sido OF
the north Atlantic. This extraordinary
cold appears however, to 10 rather n
periodical occurrence than Of gradually
and annually increasing In intensity,
and tho existence OF larger quantities Of
Ice than usual fl tho Atlantic rather points
TO warmer weather In the polar regions
than to hn unusual intensity and oxten-
sion of the region Of the polar cold Tho
annals Of history show that from time TO
timo since tho advent Of man Into tho
world remarkable rigid winters and torrid
summers hnyo upset tho calculations Of
learned biologists and rufiled tho equn.
nimlty Of tho inhabitants OF the temper
nto zones. Several timcs tho frost king
hos been known to come down from the
heights Of Europe and seal the waters OF
tho Adriatlo
In $50 and 1894 the leo formed secure
bridge from Vonico TO tho opposite Dial
NATHAN coast, and in 1909 tho Adriatic
was completely covered with leo, All the
rivers in Franco were frozen In the years
1905 and 1864, tho leo on the river Rhone
being In some places 10 feet thick. The
winter Of 1850 was rigorous throughout
Europe. The Atlantic froze along Its
coast to n distance OF several leagues, and
vessels were unable to approach within
some miles of Ostend, In Belgium, port
that ordinarily is open throughout the
year. Tho wintor OF lsl2-l3 is memora.
bio for Its eztrume degree OF cold Snow
fell In Now England In ovory month OF
the year In 1915, and tho weather was 80
uniformly chilly that soanty crops Of every
sort were harvested. On tho 10Th OF May,
1884, snow fell to the depth Of foot.
In tho winter of 1851 . the Susquehnnna
river at Havro do Grace, Md, was frozen
so hard that trains Of the Philadelphia
Wilmington and Baltimore railroad ran
over It, The large forryboat which carried
the cars across tho river failed to keep the
channel open, and there being no bridge
at that timo tho track for tho railroad cara
was laid on the leo precisely at 1t was on
land, with sleepers, orossties and Iron rails,
and the cars were run noross.-New York
Times.