The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-05-06
LOOKS INTO
THE EFFECTS
Prof. L.arkin Awed by
Magnitude OF the
Disaster.
By Edgar Z. Larkin.


devastations of the great and nov
historic earthquake. 1t viii be known
in scientific literature for centuries Il
come as the San Francisco earthquake
The best possible place to find the re-
corded history of an earthquake, writ
ten by itself, is a cemetery. Landing
at the ferry it was with establishment
awe and sadness that journey was
made through the melancholy ruins,
remnants Of splendid city-a city
proud once in her majesty and one that
will be proud and glad again-out to
that other city an habitation of the
dead-Laurel Hill Cemetery. The walk
through miles of ruins was a forceful
reminder of that catastrophe, the great
fire in Chicago. The writer wandered
amid ruined palaces until brain and
body were tired there: and now, in the
ruined metropolis Of the West, the mind
is awed with the magnitude Of the ap-
palling calamity.
THE EARTHQUAKE.
This upheaval viii take rank as one
of the most intricate and complex up
heavaIs on record. First impressions
were that it is a typical circular wave
earthquake, not Of the well-known
linear form. Here are facts CLEANED in
the cenetery-rough determinations,
made without instruments with which
to measure anplitudes of displacement
of pillars and columns:
In an area dedicated to the San Fran
cisco Volunteer Firemen, an oval
space perhaps 100 feet in diameter
number of monuments of marble and
granite are thrown to the ground Four
of the fallen ones point towards the
north three west, one south, one east,
two northwest and two northeast. The
heavy and massive shafts We're toward
the north and northwest, while those
small and easily overthrow were in
the other directions To make a YER
teal obelisk fall toward the north the
wave must come from the north and
to the west from the west, and SO on;
for the columns fall toward the waves
that hit the bases under them. Now
the small Enclosure. presents over
throws indicating all these motions.
The earthquake was complex; that is.
the first motion of the earth's surface
was compounded of several at once,
and the surface was actuated by one
great impulse, followed by others
over the weaker columns in varying
If one compound shock.
made of several acting simultaneously
therefore appearing to be one) occur
red, that moved the heavy monuments,
and then many lesser shocks came, dis ,
torting the lighter columns, then there ,
are
GLAD TIDINGS FOR CAN FRAN
CISCO. {
During more than a century earth
luakes have been studied with ever in
,reasing accuracy, and in the latter
lays these researches have been aided L
~ delicate instruments. And the net $
.esuIt of hundred years is that when a
he first impulse is single. or. if COM s
,ound the varying impulses appear to
,e merged into one severe shock. then u
his initial shock may be followed by o
ne two or three others; they rapidly Il
weaken, wane and wear away into i'm q
.erceptible tremors. And that is what g
he earthquake here has done. 1t is n
ypical. From these results of many III
ears investigation in all parts of the III
,orld by able men, the writer has no p
in advancing the opinion q
hat the shocks are either at an end I
r near the close. have asked many
ere.and they say that there have been OF
,on twenty-five to thirty impulses. q
In the cemetery many monuments 81
re twisted around on their bases M
early all these have had their north OF
des skewed around SO that they now !"
ice the northwest. At first it was III
fought that all were so: but two light DC
,lumns have their north sides shifted ca
face the northeast. Indeed, the osci- oS
tions We're complex. One stone gives WI
Re history of the earthquake in a most
lpressiye manner. On the heavy base dH
SITS a huge square stone. On this O
ands human figure in massive
arble. But the figure and heavy base
we actually been moved ten inches
ard the northeast. To me this stone
eaks of mighty force The weight.
3ved against great friction. required
formidable horizontal power acting
,m the southwest But. We people of
e stricken city. see what colossal
rec was hurled against your great
your palaces. temples.
urches. cathedrals and mansions A
zee able to move heavy mass. free
slide. TEN inches was thrust hori-
1taIly against the walls. 1t is Won
rful to think of the resistance of
dern steel and concrete structures.
looking over the history of earth
axes 1 feel willing to say that this
like all the others of its class-the
.p-seated circular wave Ciass-and
It its fury has died away. and that
re will be no more shocks. Were
me of the homeless ones 1 would
k the first cover of a roof. whether
a hut or a lofty building. 1 visited
ny of the suffering and bewildered
ugees last night. Their condition
5 Notwithstanding on the ground,
id cherries surroundings and har-
sed by winds Tapping the sheets and
was OF their humble shelters. 1
>ed with many. and was impressed
h their fortitude Incredible to re-
:. I saw but four that We're weep
But tears must have been shed
silence elsewhere. for wailings were
I'd when Jerusalem fell in war.
ne and Chicago in fire. and many
er cities in the turbulence OF earth
.kes.