Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-12-14
EARTH MYSTERIES.
Peculiar Lights and Sounds mar
Puzzle Scientists.

ISNb'e'
Puzzle Scientists.
Two remarkable phenomena nave re-
gently been the subjects OF sclentinc
investigation and discussion. Profess
or John Milne interested the members
of fine British Association For the Al
vapcemert Of Science at its recenl
meeting with an account OF his expert
nents with an unexplained light ema-
mating from a chalk pit near his house.
On dark nights he has seen the PIT
glowing with a soft radiance, the IN
| tensity of which alternately increases
and decreases. The light appears 10
come from the rocks themselves.
This is not the only instance OF un-
exnlained lights emanating from the
Garth Sometimes they are seen IN
connec, on with earthquakes. 90 no.
remember that anything of the KIND
was recorded at the time of the San
Francisco earthquake, but during the
VALPARAISO earthquake, later III lne
same wear Q90G. the simulacrum Oh
chain lightning was observed playing
along the hllltops But there were lio
thrndorstorms and no atmospheric dis-
urhonces to account for the phenoihe-
M At the time Of the great earth-
crake that was so disastrous IN GAIA
hria in September. 1905, the luminous
annaritions accompanying the shaking
. of the ground terrified the people
Professor CALI thinks that an e1
nlonation of these luminous spectacie'
NAV be found by supposing them u
j he due to inhammable gases reiease'
e from the underlying rocks and sol
4 ond ,cnited by the FRACTIONAL heat re
= smiling from the vibrations In the crus
Of the earth. This may truly eAp,an
d somo of the appearances, but not all
them. The Flames" seen are no uouD
Oman To this explanation, but harui
the nhosphorescent lights, the merry Gu
INNS moving across the landscap'
y tho "slow lightning" or the balls
Gro All of these phenomena suggeS
i. the effects of electricity. ms moi'
., ovor Is the idea entertained by III
- fassor Milne. who thinks that pa
- 90 tho mechanical energy expended
,g the grinding together Of rocks duril
20 on earthquake may produce electric
ol discharges through friction.
~ The other strange phenomenon
~ which | have referred belongs 10 L
~ colin Of acoustics. 1t consists or une
- nloined sounds originating no o
~ knows where, whether in the ear
~ or the air. In Italy. where these IN.
~ toriors sounds have recently Deeh
W srhiect Of study by Professor ALI
"a Of the observatory of Urbino they
~ called "brontidi." They have been
70 feed at different times in all parts
IA the world. In this country &C
~ t. broted example is the "Moodus noise
fms called because they are heard
:. the town Of Moodus. Conn. Iney w
- noticed by the earliest settlers
hoI were known to the Indians, VINO ma
~ rally ascribed them to the Great Spi
ou' yoors sometimes pass without ID
:. beinp heard, and then they rec'
49,, mence and continue for montns'
e" Those sounds wherever heard
~, generally grave, heavy, resonant
,oo the echoes Of faroff thunder or o
49, ~. distant explosion. They occur on Ct
nro DAYS. when the heavens are clear
+ho the air serene. 1t is a popular no.
100 that this presages bad weather pu'
ottemnts to connect them with $40
or 70 trace them to any certain sol
have failed. They occur with &c
freouency in winter and summer
; In Italy IT has been remarked that
seem TO be confined to mountain
em- districts and are unknown. TOT
rea- stance, in the plain of Lombardy'
the the other hand, they are heard 81
we'll fines on the shores Of the Low Z
ply tries where they resemble the dis
booming of artillery. They have
high aroI times been made the subjec
able scientific research, always without
that mite result. and now the central n
ense geological bureau Of Italy Is to re
.ntly the effort by sending out direcuoi
the observers who are willing to kee
IS in ear open to these inarticulate ou'
after nosing voices that seem to drop
mos tho sky or to come from the ooso
re- fine earth.-Professor Serviss In
day, York American.