The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-01-01
AN EARTHQUAKE FELT
EXPERIENCED BY A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE.
Was Felt About 10 O'Clock Christmas
Eve But Was Very Slight-The seis-
mograph at Oahu College.

According to the belief of a number
of people in town the seismOgraph
which was set up during the early part
of the year at Oahu college had a
chance to demonstrate its efficiency on
Christmas eve. The seismograph is an
instrument for detecting and recording
the occurrence and intensity of earth
quakes and other seismic disturbances.
A number of people think they felt
a slight earthquake shock at about 10
O'Clock Christmas eve James w. Cir
vim fixes the time he felt what he be-
lieves was an earthquake shock at ten
minutes before 10 O'Clock. Other people
who thought they felt it did not take
such exact note of the time, but they
all fix it as about 10 o'clock.
The seismograph at Oahu college is
under the charge of PrOfe. Miller. He
is away at present on a camping eXpe-
ditiOn in the mountains and is not eX-
peCted back for some time, so ii cannot
be ascertained whether the instrument
recorded the earthquake, or not, If
there was one. This is the first chance
it has had to prove its usefulness, as it
was not set up when the last earth
quake shock January 16, 1901 was felt.
In it's essential parts the seismOgraph
consists of ClOckwOrk unrOlling a pho
Geographic film placed on a pedestal
which extends some distance into the
earth so that 1t will be affected by any
seismic disturbance. Enclosing this
clockwOrk and pedestal is a building of
Hight construction so as to be as little
affected as possible by earthquakes or
seismic disturbances. This enclosure
! forms a perfect dark room" At one
point there is an aperture through
which a ray of light enters and falls
| on the Photographic film, making an
| exposure. AS the film moves by the
clock work, this exposure" forms a
straight line on the film as long as
there are no disturbances. When an
Earthquake comes it affects the pedes-
tai and clOckwOrk more than IL does
the enclosing structure and the result
| is shown in a crooked or jagged line on
the Photographic film. The time when
| it occurs is shown by the position on
the film a certain length of film pass
| ing through the ray Of light in given
time.
OF course, the effect of the expos
ure" Is not shown until the film is de-
Iveloped, which is done at regular inter-
walls.
/ This seismograph was sent here by
an Englishman who has made a long
study of earthquake phenomena and is
considered an authority on the subject
He has a number of these instruments
located in different parts of the world
He claims that he has detected by one
Eof these instruments in England, an
Earthquake shock that was felt other
wise only In Japan. He also is led 10
believe that the disturbance noted by
his instrument came through the earth
and not around It, going far, as he be-
Ilieves to indicate that the earth is a
solid spheroid and not molten in the
lcenter as has been believed. This ac-
cords with expressions OF Prof New
comb of Washington d. G. quoted by
Prof. Alexander, to the effect that the
earth shows many phenomena indicat-
ing that II Is as rigid as a steel struc-
ture. Some of the phenomena Of the
tides he claims, indicate this.