Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-05-17
THEORIES AND CAUSES
OF EARTHQUAKES
Nav Be Act of God or Again
May Be the Attraction
of Planets.
MOST PLAUSIBLE THEORY
'olcanic Eruptions and Fires in the
Ear.h's Center Probably the Prin-
cipa! Cause of Earthquakes Like
the One in Frisco.

earth'S crust due TO internal causes. II
consists of a series of undulatory i'm
pulses or elastic waves, transmitted
through the rocks of the crust i'll some
what the same way that sound is trans
mitted through the air. An earthquake
reno may be felt on the surface dis
tinctly and not in the lower levels OF
Il deep mine and Vice versa. The size
of the area where the trembling is per.
ceptible probably bears some proportion
to the violence of the initial shock. The
great Lisbon earthquake of lII5 WAS
distinctly felt from Madeira TO Grea.
Britain, or over the whole of southwest
Europe n %northwest Africa. ihe
Charleston earthquake was felt irom
northern Florida to New Englana, ard
AS far west as Iowa, or over an area
approximately LOO miles long and 500
miles wide. In the Lisbon earthquake
the trernors lasted about six minutes.
When an earthquake occurs beneath
the sea the ocean above spreads out
wardly i'm low, long waves tina travel
rapidly, but are slower than the earth
waves. An earthquake in the North
Pacific In June. 1896. caused a wave
forty feet high along the northern
coast of Japan that did great damage,
over 81 900 persons being drowned.
In the United States earthquakes are
in California, and in gen
eral earthquakes are more often felt
near the coast than inland. Earth
Tuakes are usually commonest in re.
gions of present or recent volcanic nc.
tivity. Earthquakes often frequently
proceed volcanic outbursts and cease as
the eruptions begin.
Some Theories on Earthquakes.
Briefly stated the theories Oh the
causes of earthquakes follow:
l. The theological theory held by an
Unusual number of persons. who believe
that the earthquake IL due to the di-
rect intervention of God as punishment
for sin OIL q warning to righteousness.
The theory is of the greatest antiquity.
.. The mechanical theory which i'm
putes the earthquake to the slipping of
rock strata and lays especial stress
upon the earth's falling in some places.
rising in others. and being agitated
everywhere.
that the Disturbances are due to fires
in the earth's center IL 10 their fumes
and steam which force an outlet. In
the hot water, steam and gas elected.
and in the odors impaired to the
springs and wells they md evidence OF
the truth of their theories.
4. The astronomical theory. which
holds that the cause is to be found in
the attraction of the planets, derives
argument from the enormous weight OF
the extraordinary tides and claims that
the attraction of the u and the moon
operates on the crust of the earth as ii
does on the great body OF water that
it raises and lowers.
5. The electrical theory. whose fol-
lowers will deduce from the lights
noise and velocities of their motions
and from comets and meteors that nave
appeared simultaneously with the
earthquake. conclusions favorable ia
%I, <r;ri .c fJ,n dictyr1,n ~ fr0p, fhn
subtle and universal agent, electricity
6. The chemical theory which as
cribes the disturbance to fermenting OF
decomposing minerals. The believer in
the conversion of metallic potassium
by rapid Inflammation into common
potash in deep recesses of the earth
finds the salt petrous sandstone an ar
gument for his belief in the chemical
theory of earthquakes.
The sound which accompanies ar
earthquake has rarely. If ever. been de-
scribed more graphically than by ar
OF 1886. He was at the time or the
second floor of a lofty building ir
Charleston when his attention was
vaguely attracted by a sound that
seemed to come from the Office below
and was supposed for a moment to bt
aused by the rapid rolling Of a heavy
body. as an iron safe or a heavily lader
truck. over the floor. Accompanying
the sound there was n perceptible tire.
NOR Of the building. not more marke d
however, than would be caused b. tn,
passage of n car or dray along tn,
street. For perhaps two or three sec
onds the occurrence excited no surpris'
or comment. Then by swift degrees. O
all at once-it is difficult to say which
the sound dcepened in volume. tn
tremor became more decided. the ca
caught the rattle Of window sashes. ga
fixtures and other movable objects. .
The long roll deepened and spread int
an awful roar that seemed 10 pervad,
at once the trouble earth nd the still
air above and around The tremor wa
now a rude rapid CULVER. that agitate
h whole lofty. strong walled build
ing" Soon 1.-The floors were heavin
| underfoot, The surrounding walls an
? partitions visibly swayed to and fir,
!. the rash of falling masses of stone an
brick and mortar was heard Overhea
> and without the terrible roar filled til
ears and seemed to fill the mind an
heart. dazlng perception, arrestin
thought until al last the un
oar slowly died away in seeming dis
; tance The earth was still, and oh! tn
I blessed relief OF that stillness!"
Hospitality.
From the Chicago News.
ssTa1k afnut hOcptt 1ity. :, ,b,o.,. a.