The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-12-28

by waves OF rock and earth. Little
waves they were. very little, hardly
billowing above the surface, and not
disturbing the face OF nature at all.
but vic;ously destructive 10 some OF
the little works of man.
This earthquake had no relation
with volcanoes. no connection with
| Mount Vesuvius. II has nothing In
common with the explosions OF steam
which mark eruptive earthquakes.
Like ninety-fve per cent. OF all re-
corded earthquakes, IT is tectonic-
| that is, an adjustment of the earth's
crust.
NV experiences in the earthquake
were tame, but they were my own
was awakened at 5.1s on the bright.
sunny morning Of April 1S. | knew
and enjoyed the wheezy undulations
of the house, which mark the usual
harmless California earthquake.
The wave which woke me was gem
tie enough, but the next one, like the
bump Of an express train, seemed a
little severe. But II was a straight
wave, and harmed nothing.
When the Real Thing Came.
Then the temblor began 10 take
hold. The bedroom on the second
floor swayed like a ship I'm a hurrl-
cane. A lantern standing in the hall
leapcd in through the open door. Pic
lures swayed. earthenware leaped
about, Some mighty force seemed
TO hold the house and TO be trying to
whip the ground with IT,
realized that this was the real
thing and II seemed 10 be overdone.
A California earthquake was due
10 last for few seconds only, but
this did not know when TO stop. Now
the power was trying TO twist the
house about it's chimncys. taking
each OF the three In turn
rushed along the reeling gang
way OF the house, seized the baby
and got out on the veranda. where
bricks could not fall.
The older boy, who was sleeping on
the roof, clung on as to runaway
horse. As things became a little
calmer he shouted down:
The church is falling! The gym
nasium is caying in! Everything has
gone bum"
/ saw the dust Of mortar rising, and
the students crowding in the roads,
and then I knew that we had had an
epoch-making earthquake.
Will there be any more earth
quakes in california. Certainly
there will. The earthquake OF 1868.
the most severe then known in this
region, had perhaps half the violence
of the present one. II is probable
that the more violent the shock the
longer the immunity afterward.
There may never be another of this
sort, for the whole strain OF the
mountain seems to be relieved for
$50 miles. Little shocks occur every
day These are but details of adj
iustment. the polishing off of project
ing corners.
Not Another in n Lifetime.
The next great shock may be in
some other fault, in some other part
of the country. IL may appear I'm the
Carisa Plain, in San Luis ODispo
County, barren sink in which this
rift seems to terminate. Prophecy
Is cheap and worth only what 1t costs.
It is enough to say that second
great shock is not likely to be felt
here in a lifetime.
Furthermore, no Californian loves
California the less for its great earth
Quakes They come only once or
twice in century. Little earth
Quakes are no more to be feared than
gusts OF wind The loss OF life. even
in the greatest shock. is less in pro-
portion than the harvest of pneumo-
MIA from a single Eastern blizzard.
The loss Of property comes because
we forget. We are safe in low frame
house, or We can hold high houses
together with hooks Of steel. 1t Is
as easy to build houses earthquake
proof as raih-proof. The brick chin
ney has no place in California. 1t
was imported from the East with the
tenderfoot and the tourist.
Indeed, outside OF the fall OF brick
walls. spires, cornices and chimneys,
which we must renounce, our earth
quakes need do very little mischief.
lt was FIRE. not earthquake, which
destroyed our joyous San Francisco.
Mindful of the lesson, n joyous peo-
pie will build the city again. And
for every man who leaves California
in fear there will return ten men,
who will love the land where nature
is so gracious. man so free limbed,
and where the very stones are alive
with the force OF creation.
Peaceful Burmans.