The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-03
DISASTROUS EARTHQUAKES.
Appalling ~CaIamities in the Republic
of Peru and in Jnnan.

The seismic disturbances in the Leeward
islands and the recent scare at Lima, Peru,
have revived interest in earthquakes among
scientists. No very serious earthquake has
been reported from Peru for several years.
There was a strong disturbance on March
Is. 1886, and, though the destruction was
not great. the anxiety was intense, owing
to the fact that March 90 is the anniversary
of the complete destruction of Lima many
years ago and to the feeling that the dis
turbances of the 2Sth were only preliminary
to a general disaster. The last seismic dis
turbance in Peru occurred on Oct. 26, 1896.
The trembling was felt in Lima and extend
ed over a considerable area, without, how
ever, being very serious at any point. The
earthquake of March 2S caused a great ex-
odus to the mountains, the movement from
Lima exceeding even that which took place
in 1896, on the eve Of the bombardment Of
the city by the Spanish fleet. The super
stitious fear of a repetition of the terrible
disaster of years ago spread all over Peru
and to Chile. At Valparaiso the anxiety
as the Inflated day approached was very
great. and there was a sigh of relief when
IL passed IN safety.
The terrible earthquake in Venezuela on
April 2S, 1894, is well remembered. There
property. The villages of Merida, Lagunil-
las, Chlguara and San Juan were almost
destroyed, and the disturbance extended TO
the neighboring republic OF Colombia. 1t
was estimated that several thousand per-
sons, mostly in northwestern Venezuela.
lost their lives. Merida had been once be-
fore-in 1S12-destroyed by earthquake. In
that year, too, Caracas was visited by most
destructive quakes, 1900 persons losing
felt at Cumana, Venezuela The city was
badly damaged and 600 persons killed.
Some of the most extensive disasters Of
this character in recent years have oc-
Cured in northern Japan. In the latter part
of August and first days of September of
last year a succession of shocks caused
enormous destruction in the province of
Akita. At Senya hills opened in many
places and fire burst from the cracks. The
population fled in terror TO the interior.
Many lives We're lost and hundreds of
houses collapsed.
astrous as that of October, 1891. Then the
Island of Hondo was shaken from end to
end and side to side, 1900 houses were de-
molished and 2,0O persons killed outright
I'm the City of Nayoya. In Gifu 5000 were
killed and as many houses destroyed. Al
together nearly 10000 lives were lost, 5000
persons injured and 5000 houses demol-
ished. By these commissions mountains were
literally split in twain. towns Frustrated and
their debris consumed by succeeding con-
tlagrations. The disturbances extended over
an area Of 10000 square miles. The earth
quakeS in this instance were accompanied
by landslides, and these by noises seeming
to come from far below the earth's surface,
with q sound like the escape of steam
through a gigantic horn.
Scientists continue to differ in details as to
what causes earthquakes, but they nearly
all agree now that these phenomena are
symptoms that the earth is growing old
and slowly approaching the point of gen.
eral collapse. Prof. Robert Whitfield, cura-
tor of the American Museum Of Natural
History, said in the New York Herald of
Sept. 13, 1896: Nearly all the earthquakes
of modern times have been effects of the
cooling process. which has resulted in frac-
lures and d~ispiacements, and especially IN
subsistence. Fractures allow salt water to
reach the interior of the earth's crust,
where contact with certain minerals forms
muriatic, sulphuric and other acids. Great
pressure is produced, and seismatic effect is
the result"
Prof. Proctor says: I'VE may see In our
satellite what the earth may become II II
goes on cooling at the present rate IN ABOUT
$500. 600, 600 years, it's present age being about
800. 600, 600. The planet is slowly losing us
vital heat. and these volcanic eruptlons ana
earthquakes are but symptoms OF tne hlal
ing, the last a paroXysInal. condensation
of mother earth's tissues.