The representative., 1900-03-29

placed his spoon across his cup to indi-
cate that he wanted no more ~
Quinine was unknown. When a man
had ague fits he took Peruvian bark
and whisky. -'ss sss'st
why the Mississippi Rams Up Hill.
Editor of the Tribune: Some days ago
the following article appeared in the
Tribune:
A correspondent Of the Charlestown
News and Courier says that the Mis-
sissippi river actually runs up hill. The
river Is 1000 miles long and not with
standing the apparent elevation Of the
plateau where it rises aof about two
miles above the delta where it dis
charges into the Cult aof Mexico, the
delta is four miles farther than the
pleteau from the center of the earth,
owing to the bulge Of sths globe at the
equator. therefore the mouth Of the
great river is really four miles higher
than its source, and itAruns up hill ac-
cordingly. We would like to have some
scientist explain this phenomenon.
AS this question has been so fre-
Quently asked, and such unsatisfactory
answers generally given, and thinking
solution might be ofiinterest to your
readers I beg to state as follows:
Tp hxy tho %Arv,o ,, "a
hill" we mean respectively away from
the center Of the earth and towards it,
then beyond cavil or question the Mis-
sissippi river runs up hill, for It is sus-
ceptible to mathematical demonstra-
ton that the sources Of this great river
are nearer to the earth's center than
is its mouth. s.cs III
Water left free to run will invariably
seek point nearer to the center OF the
earth than It's source. This cannot be
gainsafd: But to all rules there are
exceptions, and the mississippi river
is a never-ceasizs and most perplexing
exception to the aximatic declaration
that water runs down hill" Why?
Simply because the centrifugal force
due to the earth's rotation on its axis
compels it to. That is all there is to
it. That mighty force which ages and
ages ago piled up the bulging mass at
our. earth's equator and made it's polar
diameter rs miles less than it's equator
ial, Is still at work and manifests itself
most beautifully in the question before
us. Were the earth's rotation to cease
from any cause, the Mississippi river
would have its course reversed just as
certainly as the sun will rise tomorrow.
1t is we'll in considering these ques-
tions to fix in ones mind, a correct def
milton of the word '1avet' A level line
or surface is, believe, commonly sup
posed to be one, all points Of which are
equally distant from. the center of the
earth. This, however, is' s'erroneous and
misleading. A level tine, or surface is
one which is parallel to the curvature
Of the sea; and 1t is by no means q
requisite that all pofhftst therein shall
be equi-distant from heeearth's center
Take, for instance, the Ocean extending
from the equator to the pole-at the
latter point its surface is 13 miles near.
er to the earth's center than at the for
mer, and yet no one Win dispute that /,
is a level surface. The curve Of th<
earth as exempliaed In an expanse o.
quiet water Is level. A level line II al
ways perpendicular to gravity, and Il
consequently not true circle around
the earth's center. Only at the equator
and the poles is gravity directed strict
" towards the center Of the earth.
The centrifugal force is responsible
for many other disturbances other thar
that Of making water run up hill, con
spicuous among them being the deflec
ton of the plumb line. The horizonta
component of this terrific force actuall,
causes palpable deviation from verti
cality, being sufficient In latitude A
degrees to defect the plumb line l.
minutes from the position it would as
sumo did not the earth revolve on it
axis.
Let there be no misunderstanding
whatever about this much mooted quea
ton. The Mississippi river does ru1
up hill. There is no eontroverting thi
statement. 1t is simple problem
however and easily understood. Tn
centrifugal force causes It and there i
nothing more to say. A child can un
derstand 1t.
". >. OWEN.
U. s. Examiner Of Surveys.
,,- Roseau, MINI
March 20, 1900.
0G..