Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-07-10
Big Cities Menaced by McGintys Fall

y lew years ago, severe earthquake
shock at Charleston, 5. c., set people
to thinking OF the astounding posi-
bllltles that might result from the
common commissions of nature should
they happen in the denser settled por-
tons OF our country, and it was shown
that about all the larger Atlantic cities
were on a seismic line of disturbance,
as shown by the broken and upturned
strata of former ages. The incalcula-
bic loss 10 life aud property possible
by trembler OF few moments dura-
ton was thus brought prominently to
the minds of millions OF people whose
lives were threatened by this improba-
bic, but not at all impossible, disaster.
Now a still greater menace seems to
threaten the Atlantic seaboard. from
Nova Scotia to Florida, and as far in
land as the Allegheny mountains; a
settling Of the earth, which, in the
course of time will, it is thought, con-
vert that area into watery waste.
A late dispatch states that the coast
geodetic and geological surveys have
established the fact that the coast line
is settling at u rate OF one foot cen.
fury, and in some districts, where the
crust is marshy, especially along the
New Jersey coast, the land is settling
at the rate Of three feet every hundred
years. Unless the movement ceases, it
is only question of time when the
entire New England and Eastern
States will be submerged by the sub.
terranean forces, and New York and
Boston and Philadelphia, with all
their thrift, enterprise and activity, be
buried in a common grave. This n.y.
pothesis is not so alarming, however,
as if the decadence had not been meas
ured by centuries instead OF years, but
there is no assurance that conditions
may not change with lapse of time,
and the disaster come, like the erup-
ton of Pelee, in sudden and terrible
form, by the release of energies known
to exist, and liable some time in the
dim future to complete erosion of the
shell with all the inevitable devastat.
ing and tragic results, and the VIC
tins meet their fate through over.con-
idence in the apparently tardy move
ments of natural law.
Attention was called to the ;mpor-
tant matter under consideration some
time ago, by J. R. Freeman, consult.
ing member of the New York Board
on additional water supply and form.
er member of the Metropolitan
Water Board Of Massach usetts, and il
was the result of much observation
and study. After thoroughly satisfy
ing himself that his deductions were
warranted by facts, he submitted
report to the scientific bodies above
named, who followed up his line of OBJ
servation with complete verifcation in
every detail. They likewise pursued
Investigations ON inland waters and
found that the downward tendency
had been plainly written in characters
which the experienced eye can read at
a glance. Their investigations en-
braced Chesapeake and Delaware bays,
and the Delaware, Hudson, Potamac
and Susquehanna rivers, and here
they found tho results of Mr.. Free
mans scientific investigation con.
firmed by tangible changes in shore
and river lines. as we'll as by tidal vari-
atoms, and other indications of grad
ual sinking OF the earth's surface over
the whole Eastern sea border.