The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-22

ever, IT goes toward the southwest. am
sometimes of the opinion that il Is not
due TO the sun that the monument moves,
because, on the hottest days, We can still
read the Indications that point toward the
southwest.
1T has also been stated that the yaria-
ton Is due to Winds. My experience has
been that on days when the wind was
blowing sixty miles an hour-so hard, IN
fact, that you could not stand up by your
self out there on the hill-at the very time
when you would expect the Indicator to
show a great variation in the direction in
which the wind was blowing there would
still not be the least bending In that d.
rection. ] have noticed that time and
again At other times, In a dead calm, /
have been surprised. on looking at the
Indicator, to find the pendulum sWayng
and bobbing around as though the monu-
ment was shaking In an earthquake. AT
such times II would indicate a big varia-
ton. This cannot be due to air currents
within the monument, because the pendu-
lum Is protected by cylinder and the in
dicators are protected in closed closet.
We have tested the indicators when the
elevator is running UP and down, inside
the shaft but this has never had the
slightest influence on the readings.
1T seems 10 me that the variations Of
the monument must be mainly due 20 the
motion of the earth, and slight, Irregular
shocks that would not affect a building
Of lower altitude. The swaying Of the
monument. however, has brought forth
many theories, and / guess Il VIII be
hard matter 10 settle finally just what
does cause a."
Has lightning ever had an effect on
the shaft?" was asked.
mo 1t has never left any effects, ex-
cept some burned-out wires of our cleo
trio lights. Observations OF the pendulum
taken after the monument has been
struck by Lightning have never read any
differently from those taken at other
times"
Gen. John NJ Wilson, who. In his capae-
ity' OF superintendent OF public buildings
and grounds, has had general supervision
OF the monument for the past seven or
eight years, begged 10 be excused from ex-
pressing any opinion whatever on the va
rlations OF the monument. lie said that
the pendulum and the indicators were
Gen. Casey's scheme, and that he made
IL a point never TO critictse anything ever
done by a fellow officer. He would only
say, however, that the walls OF the mon
ument we're eighteen feet thick. OF solid
stone and that no would leave Il 10 the
reporters imagination TO figure out just
how far such substantial stone walls
could get out OF the perpendicular.
Prof william Hardness. the superln-
tendeut OF the nautical almanac at tho
naval observatory, gave what Is undoubt-
eddy the correct explanation OF the shift
ing Of the stone shaft. His explanation
was that generally accepted by scientists:
"it has been known for number Of
years" he said, THAT the monument does
move There IL no doubt OF that, for il
has been proven time and again. The
cause Ia undoubtedly the expansion OF
the stones on one side due 20 the heat OF
the sun. The sun strikes one side and
longthens Il out. while the opposite side.
being unaffected by the heat. remains
stationary This bends the monument In
a slight curve. Il does not lean over In
"a straight line, but bends like bow. n
the center OF gravity moves over "a certain
distance. and this center Of gravity Is but
Onc-third n che WY up the shaft, you
cannot say positively that the capHtone
moves Just three times the distance che
plumb line indicates. ! am Inclined 90
think thar IL Will move a little more than
that, since che biggest part Of the curve
would be- above tine center OF gravity.
The oNnct distance che capstOne does
move. however. can be- easily nsceTtainnd,
though IL would probably take some time
40 make the calculations"
"in case this movement ir due 90 thn
SUM- Why does NOT the monument move co.
ward the norihf The records show that n
Invariably moves toward tho southwest"
That D. hfcauaf ln summer time Tho
Hun. when if fiaeH. IN in tho northeast Il
strikes faa northeast sides M fhf monu.
menf and bends BE- f0 ~ souihWfff. ~
ihe lime uss eun gsiy % ~ SOMA ~
m0nune~@ spnmfn4a@ - si0vf bark a..
ward Ne both. and Wien enc tun reaches