Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1906-05-02
Lives lost

| 1ssO-Manila 5000
iSS3-Ischia. >. ;. :. 1000
This is total of 521 900 lives lost
by earthquakes in IT'S years. The
greatest loss in history was at Yeddo,
Japan, in 1903, when 100000 lives
were lost. The next greatest was at
Pekin, China, in 1871, when the loss
Mas $4,000. The earthquake at Lis
bon, Portugal, occurred OH All Saints
Day, Nov. ], l755, when within eight
minutes most Of the houses in Lisbon
were destroyed and $4,000 lives were
lost, though Mulhall puts the number
at $4,000. Nearly 5000 persons who
had taken refuge on quay on the
banks of the Tagus, were engulfed
By sea wave forty feet high. The
damage was estimated at 2O,O0O,OOO
pounds sterling, or about 100000
900. According to Humboldt the en-
lire surface disturbed by this earth
quake was equal to four times the
area Of Europe. The shock was felt
as far as Scotland on the north, Asia
Minor OH the east, Morocco on the
south and the West Indies OH the
west.
The heaviest earthquake that ever
occurred in the United States, until
the recent one, occurred in Charles
ion, S. c., Aug. 81. 1886, when sew
eral hundred buildings were shaken
to pieces and three-fourths of the
whole number in the city made unin-
habitable. Scores Of people were kill
ed and the loss of property amounted
to $s,OOO,OOO.
1t will be noticed from the above
table that earthquakes have been
widely distributed over the world.
China, Japan, Peru, Egypt, Portugal,
Italy, the Philippines, South .Ameri-
ca and he West Indies have had visi
tations, and two notable disturbances
lave occurred in the United States.
Various explanations as to the causes
of earthquakes have been made by the
scientists, but nobody can furnish abb
sclute knowledge on the subject. We
cnly know that they occur. that they
are exceedingly unpleasant visitors,
and We suppose that they are the re-
suit of internal fire OF heat and gass
es, such as belch forth from the
earth's volcanoes at irregular periods.
Millions for Relief.
From the incomplete figures of the
contributions which have been made it
is estimated that the San Francisco
fund is rapidly nearing the total of
$1O,00O,OO0 and will have passed that
figure by Monday, when the United
States Congress, it is announced. will
add $1.OOO,O0O to the $1,0OO,00O ap-
probriated from the Treasury at
Washington. In the burst Of gener-
Gus contributions, New York City
ranks next to the government itself
and bids fair to far exceed the Fed
cral contributions. The New York
fund amounted to approximately $2,-
100000, with contributions coming in
fast.
The State of Massachusetts has un-
dertaken to raise $3,OOO,OOO, and with
Boston's generous help is we'll on the
way to the goal
Chicago's fund, spontaneously sub
scribed, is approaching 100000 and
premises to so beyond that sum. Phil
adelphia has sent $5OO,OOO. These
are but a few Of the larger sums. A
score or more cities are contributing
100000 and more, while hundreds of
municipalities are sending all their
means will allow. From London,
Paris, Berlin and wherever Ameri-
cans are congregated, a generous in
flow of gold is reported.
Pittsburg has given 100000; COM
mercial men Of Cleveland, 100000;
ST. Louis, 100000; Sacramento,
100000, and Seattle. $4,000.
Throughout the country theatrical
performances are being planned, the
proceeds to so to the relief fund.
In addition to this all the larger
towns and cities Of the South are
giving from their treasures and rails
ing enormous amounts by popular
subscription. Never before have the
whole people responded 50 generously
and SO promptly 10 the cry of need.
Due to Pent-up Energy.
DR.. Phillip Il. Uhler, provost of the
Peabody Institute, Baltimore, said, in
the absence of details, the causes that
led upto he earthquake could not be
explained.
He seemed TO think that OH both
90 q tl,o a n ,,4l tI,oro q q tyrnat dpal