Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-06-26

startling theory OF terrestrial COLI
struction and evolution. His theories
are Numerically opposed to those
espoused by biologists and scientists
OF the past and generally accepted to-
day, and moreover are given ad-
ditional interest and pIausibility by
the recent volcanic eruption and the
accompanying disturbance of the sea
bottom in the neighborhood.
Prof. SchieQC holds that the earth
Is not solid, as we have been taught
for generations to believe, but that
the center is gaseous and ultimately
will be a vacuum; and that the center
Of gravity is not at the center of the
sphere.
Professor Schiedt is well known in
the scientific world. 1t is significant
TO note that the eminent geoIogist
Robert /. Hill, of the United States
geological survey, after a personal ex-
animation of the conditions at Mar
Unique cables:
There are features of the eruption
that are absolutely new as scientific
facts" Professor Schiedt says:
Biologists MAINTAIN JnaU the earth
is solid sphere, increasing in density
and temperature from surface to
center. The apparent contradiction of
the well-knoWn physical law that i'll
crease OF density implies decrease of
temperature is explained by tee as
sumption of an eyer-increasing, i'm
mense pressure which prevents ex-
pansion.
My objection to this theory is shat
the aggregate condition of the max
imum density of such a center is be-
yond all human calculation or com
prehension; i. e., simply imaginary !;
because it contradictS the universally
accepted theory that the earth has
been for ages gradually cooling and
contracting; but contraction means
decrease of volume with decrease o.
temperature.
The way out of the difficulty is
to remove the center of attraction
from the center of the sphere to d
concentric sphere whose radius in
creases with increased cooling, and
whose exact position and nature cah
be accurately determined by mathe-
NAUTICAL and physical calculations,
This sphere would represent the
region of greatest density of the
entire spherical mass, and the center
would find the relief necessary for
decrease of volume.
The density would decrease in two
dlrectiOns-On the one hand, toward
the surface, on the other, toward the
center. Toward the surface the solid
aggregate condition would prevail on
account of the decrease of tenn
perature; i. e., it would gradually pass
from the molten to the solid condi-
ton; toward the center the tenn
perature would constantly increase
and finally reach the degree which
conditions me transition into the
gaseous or yapor state, finally passing
into a vacuum.
1T has been argued that the
crumbling Of the crust of the earth
proves the gradual qualification of the
once gaseous or liquid interior toward
the center, but this crumbling is too
insignificant compared with the
diameter of the earth to admit of
serious consideration, and we are
forced to the conclusion that the as
sumption OF a solid interior implies
rather an increase of volume instead
OF a decrease, which is absolute non
sense from the standpoint of physics.
Without going further into details,
which are to technical and would oc-
cupy too much space, permit me to
state in connection with this theory
my opinion of volcanic eruptions.
1T is generally assumed that the
solid crust was first formed along sea
bottoms. 1t is my conviction that
qualification took place at first in
separate spots or masses, which
gradually increased in thickness anG
contracted into high elevations, form
ing the original continent The re
naming depressions slowly hardened
but. the crust being at first in the
nature of the case very thin, tn.
molten mass below involved in it:
own shrinking further deepening O.
these depressions, causing the pro
found ocean depths of today Finally
the whole crust covering the globe
hardened sufficiently to become
homogeneously solid and to ceas,
from further shrinking.
What, then, are the causes which
have so profoundly Influenced thu
transformation of the earth's surfac,
since then? l thing we have to lool
to the moon for one of the explana
tons. We are all familiar with tn.
influence of the moon upon oceam
and atmospheric motions; we ar
prone to overlook it's effect upon tn
earth's solid crust. There is a mutua
relation between the two bodies; tina
of the earth is evidently much greater
which to my mind is proved by tn
fact that atmosphere and water nav
disappeared from the moon, and it
surface exhibits the traces of immens
volcanic activities, condition cause
by the attractive powers of the eartf
A corresponding effect of the moo
upon the eartL is shown by the co,
responding smaller number of volcanl
craters on our globe.
IF my first proposition of til
formation of sea bottom is correct
would follow from my theory of tn
moons influence that the thin cruste
dep sea bottoms would be MOI
readily subject to volcanic activit
than the high land elevations Nov
we are all familiar with tho fact th.