Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1906-05-09
Earthquakes Scientific and Religious Wow.

Although earthquake phenomena
have been under mans observation
in all ages--the record of over 1000
of these, in which 13,0O0,000 of the
human race are estimated to have
perished, being preserved-it is only
sof late years that they have received
exact scientific Investigation. The
theory that the earth has liquid
interior surrounded by thin crust
OF solid material and that movem rents
nm the former propagate earthquakes
in the latter is not 80 widely accepted
now as formerly. That earthquakes
are vibratory concussions, propa-
gated through the solid crust of the
earth like waves Of sound in the
atmosphere, is generally conceded.
The initial shock, however, may be,
and probably is, produced in a va
riety of ways, A great landslip has
been known to produce slight
tremor in the surrounding country,
and the sudden collapse of great sub
terranean caverns are sufficient to
produce similar result.
There are those who hold to the
Theory that such subterranean cav
oerns are produced by volcanic disturb
:ances, such as was recently reported
from Mount Vesuvius, and that there
is a relation between Vesuvius and
the earthquake recently at San Fran
cisco. Caverns of this nature are
also produced by other causes, any
one of which may have been respon-
sible for the terrible visitation of the
Pacific slope few days ago.
If the interior of the earth be not
liquid mass, there are at least reser-
voirs of molten matter beneath it's
surface, as is shown by the outflow
of lava from the oraters of active
volcanoes; and that waters from the
surface may reach those lakes of fire
:and be there converted into steam,
and under these conditions the sudden
generation of steam in the bowels of
the earth would naturally be disrup-
tive, and it is favorite theory of
'seismologsts at the present day that
,steam, under those conditions, plays
IAN important part in the genesis of
earthquakes. There are other rea-
sons, however, for believing that the
phenomena of earthquakes and vol
canoes are intimately acquainted
with each other.
CHARLESTON AND vEsUVIUS.
1T was stated as significant fact
recently that the great earthquake
in Charleston in 1886 followed ex-
.ceptional disturbances on the part of
Mount Vesuvius, which will be ad-
vanced as evidence that the recent
disturbances of the same crater were
responsible for or had some direct
connection with the great earthquake
sat San Francisco.
There is an Indian tradition to the
effect that the Golden Gate, at which
San Francisco is located, was occa.
stoned by tremendous earthquake
at some time previous to the dis
covery of the Western Hemisphere
by Columbus. The tradition holds
that the chain of mountains along
the Pacific coast were continuous
and unbroken and that the territory
now comprising the valleys Of the
Sacramento and the San Joaquin
was the bed of the great lake. Then
came the traditional earthquak e
causing break in the mountain
chain and so allowed the water of
the lake to escape into the Pacific
ocean. There is geological evidence
30 support this tradition in so far
shat water is believed to have cov-
cred this territory at one period.
The United States has, at least
Turing the historic period, been sin.
gularly free from earthquakes. The
shock of August 81, 1886, at Charles
Con, was by far the most severe on
vecord. |, was felt most keenly in
Ghe coast region from Alabama 10