New-York tribune., 1902-10-06
WARNING FROM WISCONSIN.
PUBLIUS V. LAWSON PREDICTS EARTH.
QUAKE WILL TIP OVER sKYsCRAPERs

PUBLIUs V. LAWSON PREDICTS EARTH.
QUAKE WILL TIP OVER sKYsCRAPERs
''New-York City and other coast towns in immi-
nent peril OF destruction by seismaI disturbances.
by PCBLIUS v. LAWSON IL b.
Such Is the cheerful heading the top of
, carefully typewritten manuscript which has been
sent 10 this office. Although The Tribune cannot
give TO the public any further information about
Puhius v Lawson, IL. B.. than that mis- home is
in Menasha Wis not even being able to deny that
he is a relative of one Thomas w. Lawson. yachts
man. yet the gist of his prophecy be given
New-York shall not go down to that oblivion where
Tammany will cease from grating" and the po-
lice force be with Publius's warning un-
spoken
Recent destruction of life in such appalling
numbers in the islands of the West Indies. and
in Central America" he writes both by volcanic
activity and earthquake. lends new interest TO the
study of the more horrible possibilities which will
sooner later overtake our Atlantic Coast towns.
the like of which history has ever recorded
When the earthquake comes, and it may come at
any moment. il will be discovered too late that
the economical architecture pursued viii
greatly assist in the completeness Of the universal
destruction OF human life. slight tremor would
twist and break away the riveted steel. and the
superintendent weight of material would serve TO
crush the buildings and NIL the streets. entoubing
millions of victims in Boston. New-York and other
places"
II is indeed horrible thought The fall OF the
0atirOn building at Madison square would OlOCk
all traffic in Fifth-ave Twentythird-st and Broad
way for several days. and the Park Avenue Hotel
would vanish into the subway. In Boston the West
minister Chambers would complete their half done
task of running Trinity Church. and only Mrs
Jack Gardner would be safe. She could fee from
the side portal of her Palace into the open Fenns
her symphony programme in her Boston bag. a
Botticell under her arm.
posi- 3ity OF seismic disturbance along tns Atian an
lake region is henz lifted side or depressed
on the other; so that the land Is being Sodily
I'm line one hundred miles long which in one hun
dred years raises end four inches and depreses
Goodness. but this is IMMINENT would
After quoting at length from such authorities az
Professor Tarr of Cornell. and G. II. Cook TO show
Labrador. New-Jersey and Martha's Vineyard trees
low tie % bs . fails E 10 add That the Plymont Rock Is
high and dry Pubius comes out with the foliowings
line Of the elements when the time comes. the
epicentrum or centre Of the most violent shock
in progress for many years yet IT is also true thar
having strained the earth mantle TO its limit"
That be conclusive
to occur is manifest to us in many ways" SAYS
Pu6us II may be the warning % or Ola an unseen ss,
tant signs. Frequent slight trembieS are heard and
writer was in L.ynchburg. Va, two years ago when
slight trSmSr w3s & te al ng9' fnd ne o 9eyss y
hopeessness of escape in the event OF the seismaI
Why any one should wish TO escape from New
York. even N the event OF an earthquake IS hard
TO Observation-Disclosures. perhaps, one nails rom
Boston Menasha. Wis.
In closing on earthquakes proper. Publius says:
Besides that of Charleston in 1883, there have
been other violent earthquakes in the United
States-that OF I5OstOn a century ago and that OF
1872 near the boundary of Louisiana and Arkansas.
There Is no rule by which the disaster may be
mea; Ired or limited when the earth mantle is
breaking up
separate head Prepare for Ocean Waves" The
paragraph shows that he does not mean ord ordinary ,
pared for, hut the tidal waves which follow up
heaVals OF the earth's crust. The low coast I'M -
/ surrounding New-York, and housing severav
million people, would be slight shelter in an ocean
wave such recorded OF hundreds or earth
quakes,' are his closing words
He does not offer any remedial Suggestions, such
as the placing Of life RATS in Central Park, or
life preservers along West Twenty -eighth-St. Nor
does he take account of the fact that the Tender
Ioin Is always sure be dry. He simply deposits
with us his warning of the impending doom
Ave Publius mOrituri te salutamus!