The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-17

pillar.
The way to show exactly how this
curious quake curved and twisted is
to take prints on a piece of sensitized
paper from the glass, and then trace
them. In the print which 1 send you
herewith, the course Of the quake is
magnifed many times, which renders
it possible to observe how exceedingly
minute the actual movement Of the sur
face is. Yet the queer lines on the seis-
mograph glass were actual delineations
of severe earthquake shock.
By this very shock, which you can observe,
small portion of our crops were destroyed
by mud and sand Every bouse and structure
that was built of stone was simply shaken to
pieces, but this was not so strange when it
is considered that the buildings were never
constructed for the purpose of withstanding
earthquakes. Great shapeless Jumps of stone
were laid in very inferior mortar, and there
fore one is not surprised that buildings built
as they are came down. In fact it is doubtful
If the best of masonry would have stood the
shock.
In the cemetery here huge slabs of granite
or marble were jerked several inches out OF
place. My opinion is that the shocks were
due to a momement along the line of what
the scientists call fault, which means a pc
culiar condition of the earth running along
the southern side of the Khasia and Caro-
hills, from near Cachar on the east to and
beyond the Bramahputra. If you look at
the map of Assam you will see that the
straight line. If it were possible for you to
personally visit this section of India you
would also observe that the rocks are bent
down with seeming suddenness along this
line in curve, and to the south of 1T the
plains of Sylhet and Lower Bengal are GER
tainly region of unusua1 formation.
An odd fact which comes to mind is the
peculiar sound which one often hears in this
region which is known as the "Barisal guns.
No one has ever been able to fathom the
cause of these remarkable noises, which have
been puzzle for many years. 1t is now sug
gested by those who have studied the matter
in every detail that these noises are really
connected with the same subterranean- move
ment which results sometimes in earthquakes,
and that they are caused by slight slips as it
were, on the earth which are insufficient to
cause actual shocks of earthquake. The
sounds hears are sometimes accompanied
or followed by very slight shock, but more
often without any shock. At all times the
sounds are almost exactly like those result
ing from the discharge of heavy artillery.
Few persons out side of India suppose that
this is a country greatly troubled by earth
quakes. AS a matter of fact they are not
often experienced in those sections of India
where Europeans reside. The natives, how
come hardened to them and an earthquake
shock is not thought of very much moment
unless so severe that the town or village
collapses. Even then the native, with the
philosophy which is characteristic OF your
true East Indian, simply says his equivalent
of the Moslem: allah is Allah and Mo-
hammed is his prophet and at once begins
to rebuild.
1 think the instance to which 1 refer is the
first in whoch science has ever really cap
tured an earthquake" 1t seems to me from
all that I know of the subject that this par
ticular work of the seismograph is one OF the
most remarkable achievements that has been
chronicled this century.