Bisbee daily review., 1906-05-13
(By Clyde H. Tavvenner)


 taken into consideration, the San Francisco temblor was not the most violent that has occurred in this coun- try ~a ae-d- fiii .s
 The great earthquake which de stroyed New Madrid Missouri, in 1911 was far more violent and more widely extended. It was felt from Pittsburg, Pa. to the Okark mountains in Arkan- sas. and from the lower rim of Lake Michigan for thousand miles down the Mississippi.
 Over region of 300 miles in length from the mouth of the Ohio to that of the St. Francis, the ground rose and sank in great undulations. and lakes were formed and drained again. Many large streams changed their channels and even their courses.
 The shock was perceptible out on the plains and the only reason the loss of life and property was so com paratiyeiy light was that the territory disturbed was sparsely inhabited and contained no cities and few large towns. The physical evidences of this tremendous convulsion of nature are still visible in the vicinity of New Madrid. which up to the time of the earthquake promised to be the great central city of the Mississippi valley.
 The central point of violence in this remarkable earthquake was thought to be near Little Prairie, twenty-five ciiles below New Madrid. The first shock was felt on the night of Decem- Der Is. and was repeated at intervals, with decreasing severity. until the middle of February.
 Every town ip ohio and Mississippi was severely shaken up, the water of the river which the day before was toll erably clear, being rather low, changed to a reddish hue. and became thick with mud thrown mp from the bottom, while the surface dashed ve- hemently by the convulsion of the earth beneath. was covered with foam, which, gathering into masses the size of barrel, floated along the trem- bling surface. The earth on shore opened in wide Assures, and, closing again. threw the sand. mud and water in huge jets, higher than the house tops. The atmosphere was filled with thick yapor gas. to which the light imparted purple tinge.
 From the temporary check to the current. by the heaYing up of the bot toms, the sinking of banks and sand bars into the bed of the stream, the river rose in few minutes five or six feet. and. impatient of the re straint. again rushed forward with re- doubled impetuosity. hurrying along the boats, now set loose by panic stricken boatmen. as in less danger in the water than on shore. where the banks threatened every moment to de- stroy them by falling earth or carrying them down into the vortex of sinking masses. Many boats were overwhelmed | in this manner, and the crews perish ed with them. '
 Numerous boats were wrecked on the snags and old trees thrown up from the bottom of the river, whence they had quietly ressed for ages; while others were sunk or stranded on sand bars or islands. After shaking the valley of the Mississippi to it's cen ter, the earthquake yibrated along the courses of the rivers and valleys and died away along the shores of the Atlantic. In the region of it's greatest force, the pending and tremendous elemental strife which finally ensued, the current of the Mississippi was driven back from its course with ap- | Odllh5 sClOClly TUT ScFSiel hohiS. All consequence of an elevation of its bed. Its accumulated water came booming on, and, overlapping the barrier thus suddenly raised, carried away every thing before it with resistless power Boats then floating on the surface shot down the declivity like an an arrow from a bow, amid roaring pillows. and the widest disorder. A | Jo, 0f ffe ypx1-a-ftt1 f.tr rent sufficed to wear away every yes tige Of the barrier thus strangely in terposed, and its waters moved on their wonted channel to the ocean.
 The day that succeeded this terri ble night of dread brought no solace lin it's dawn Shock followed shock {; . dense black. cloud of vapor over shadowed the land, through which 10 fsunbeam found its way to cheer the Responding heart of man.
 | The appearances that presented themselves after the subsistence of the principal commotion were indeed staggering to the beholder Hills had I disappeared and lakes now found in their stead vast heaps of sand were scattered in every direction: while in many places the earth for miles was | surrounding country without being
 covered with water.
 II The California earthquake of April
 IS, little resembles the mighty cata lclysm which shook the center of the
 continent a century ago. The recent
 disturbance, however, caused more
 damage in dollars and caused moro
 hundreds to meet terrible fates.
 
 That little gasoline-gulping monster
 the automobile, which has hitherto
 maintained. chiefly the reputation o
 a terrorizer and dealer of death ana
 destruction. has vindicated itself ten fold and more.
 During the awful hours of the burn ing of San Francisco. in which meI and beasts alike proved unequal to th' tremendous demands made upon them it was the auto" that was appealed to for assistance. How nobly it re
 sponded.
 1 To the tireiess, steel-skinned giaut to which up to the present time has been applied such epithets as tho
 @devil wagon" the white ghost" and