The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-07-27

On Holland island. in chssapeaks
bay, IL the quaerest town IN the
United States.
The ocean tides regulate the whole
life Of the place. Al low tide ths town
Is IN fun activity. business. society
functions and schools are then car
ned on. But when the food tide sets
in al people and children scamper for
their homes. regardless Of the time
Of day or night. says the New York
World.
The cause Of this peculiar arrange
ment is the fact that the town is grad
uallv sinking under the waters Of the
bay. Holland island. which used 70 be
a body Of land rising high above the
water. has sunk rapidly IN the last few
years. Its principal streets are Hood
ed at high tide. Only the houses on
the high central ridge Of the island are
above water.
When high tide occurs at four or
Ave O'Clock In the morning the affairs
Of thin town 20 on much the same as
In any other town. By six or seven
o'clock the water has receded from
tbe streets and the merchants open
their stores. Al nine o'clock the chill
dren 20 20 school and the women go
shopping All are happy In the
thought that they can stay away from
home till late In the afternoon, when
the returning tide is due.
But when high tide occurs a. mid
day all this Is changed. The children
must Fst up and 90 20 school before
light In the morning. Men hustle down
town 20 their stores ~ three OF -four
O'Clock IN the morning, anxious 70 do
part of . days business before the tide
comes In. Before noon they must close
shop and 20 home TN evening. when
they can open up again AZ low tide.
In spite Of these Inconvenience, 900
people live on Holland island. They
are mostly oystermen and their fam
hles.
Much money and labor havs been sM-
pended , the property owners 20 com
bat the terrible action Of the swift
running tides. bat now eli seems
doOHned 20 destruction.
Dr. Amos Brown. head professor Of
geology - the University Of Pennsyl-
vAnis. has this 20 say about the island:
"There may be two causes for this
very peculiar disappearanee. The fact
that islands 60 out Of sight. however.
la no new thing. but for one 20 be swal-
lowed 20 rapidly is certainly startling
THIS disappearance may be due 20 the
weight Of the island itself. Deep eur
rents are often found IN bay which
eat End cut away from below, 20 that
the upper or exposed portion Of the
island gradually sinks. Especially is
this the case where the land is Of allu-
vial formation. and, consequently, soft
and very yielding.
"A second consideration ia that the
swift tides Of the Chesapeake may be
rapidly cutting away the land from
the top and sides. and this Is a much
slower prOcess. ] think that the ra-
pidity OF disappearance IN the case Of
Holland island would point to the first
cause l mentioned. or. possibly. 10 a
combination Of each. There Is no
doubt that this island is Of alluvial
formation and was once joined 10 the
other islands in the bay lying near Il.
When the rich farms Of Virginia and
Maryland were in theiT best condition
Of cultivation hefore the war immense
quantities Of deposit were carried
down the Potomac into the bay.
Most Of the islands opposite the
mouth OF the river were thus bu,,.
up and sustained against the action
Of the sweeping in. Since the war
these farms have not been worked. the
land has become baked. and the debris
carried down by the river ia thus
checked. The islands receive nothing.
therefore, 70 compensate for the nc-
iion of the tides and underlying exca-
walton Of deep counter currents. and
must in time entirely disappear. This
island is particularly well situated FOR
the best possible action OF the tides.
As the tide advances n cuts away on
the weat, then travels mp Holland
straits and eats away on the south and
east. Coupled with the causes ALREADY
mentioned. one must not forget that
the whole eastern coast line "a slowly
sinking. Thls has beaeme already q
SERIOUS matter 20 real estete owners
pH the New Jersey coast. The Pacific
eoest. On the contrary, is gradually
yiaiua,- 80