The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1906-04-28

Is merely
Question of ObseryatiOn-SuE-
gests the Establishing of Well
Equipped Stations.
DIR. c. Willard Hayes, geOlogist of
the United States geological survey, re-
Gently expressed the opinion that the
time would come when the scientists
would be able to predict an earthquake
sufficiently in advance of its occur
renee to give warning to persons likely
to be caught by it, says a Washington
special TO the New York Times.
"Of course L do not say that it will
come sOon," said DR.. Hayes, but see
nothing improbable in the idea at all.
l think it is largely Il matter of having
sufficient number of properly equip
ped observation stations, with prompt
and thorough exchange of observa-
tons. Earthquakes are almost invaria-
bly, preceded by premOnitOry signs and
symptoms. These are now recognized
and recorded. But there are not
enough observers engaged in the work
to make their records and observations
of practical benefit in the way have
indicated.
Fifty years ago the idea that 1t
would be possible to predict a storm
would have been regarded as prepos-
ferrous. But with the increase of the
number of weather observers and the
development of their instruments they
ha raanbnd no cfo ofy
tainty, and the service has become of
immense value throughout the world.
OF course they have had q great deal
more weather to observe than the ge-
ologists have had earthquakes, and the
scope and thoroughness of their obser-
vations have developed more rapidly
than in the case of seismic disturb
ances. But | see no reason why, with
a proper extension of the field of OBJ
servations and the proper equipment
of the observers, there should not re-
suit in comparatively few years sub
stantially the ability to fOretell for an
appreciate period of time the occur
renee of serious earthquakes"
In discussing the shocks which dew
astated San Francisco Dr. Hayes said
that the ultimate cause was undoubt-
eddy "a deep REIMBURSEMENT of the
earth, manifesting itself upon the sur
face by a slip along the line of a
fault. These faults occur at various
places upon the earth's crust and are
similar to those found in ore or coal
veins, except that their scale is thou
sands of feet compared to inches in the
mine scale. When for any cause a
deep readjustment takes place the sur
face effect usually follows the line of
fault.
When somebody asked what caused
this deep REIMBURSEMENT DR.. Hayes
smiled and replied:
THAT is just what the biologists are
asking. Why is what we want to
know. That IL the great problem or
one of the great problems that we are
studying all the time We know that
certain parts of the earth are slowly
going down and other parts are rising.
That has been going on in California.
Only yesterday april 49,. speaking ge-
Ologically. the coast line of California
was lifted up TO considerable extent.
The traces of the old beach line are
easy to follow. and the fact that the
line has been lifted to different heights
at different places and that in places il
lies at an angle and not horizontally
shows that it was lifted and that it
was not the receding OF the water
which left it there
There are several clearly defined
faults which run near and even
through San Francisco" continued Dr.
Hayes. He took geological map and
pointed out four or five. The more ex-
tensiye run just south OF the city, but