The Washington herald., 1907-10-17

Speculation Is rife in local scientific
circles as to the location and extent OF
the earthquake which, yesterday morn
Ing, was recorded on seismographs
throughout the United States. Prof c.
+. Marvin, seismic expert Of the Wash
ington Weather Bureau. is reluctant
about expressing an opinion, for several
reasons, chief among which is the fact
that, owing to the installation Of a new
instrument and the fact that at the time
the shock began he was just changing
the record sheet on the one that was
working, his records are not quite COM
plete, but he is inclined to the belief it
occurred somewhere in the Arctic regions.
near the Aleutian Islands center. After
considering all possible and probable
places he comedies this is the most likely.
The record made on the Weather Bu-
reau seismograph is the strongest and
most pronounced ever made there, even
excelling IN power the san Francisco
shock. Even with the recorder adjusted
to the middle Of the sheet, the motion
was SO strong that several times the
recording needle swung clear of the
sheet, and for this reason it Is believed
the shock was one of the greatest ever
recorded since the invention of the seis-
mograph.
see the shock Recordad
1t began few seconds before 9 O'Clock
yesterday morning. and Prof Marvin and
two of his assistants We're in the room
at the time.
Prot. Marvin had just taken the CYL
inder bearing the record sheet off the
machine, to put on a new one when
he noticed it was beginning to record
shock. Hurriedly placing the new
sheet on, he left the room and closed
II, so as not to disturb the record. There
are two machines in the seisnorraDh
room, one TO record an east and west
hlotion' and one 70 record north and
south motion, but, owing TO some changes
the east and west machine had been
temporarily placed out of commission
and this accounts for the imperfect rec
ora. as 1t Is usual 10 keep one machine
going while the record sheet is being
changed on the other The failure n get
records from both machines made II i'm
possible 10 secure any approximate di-
rection If the shock.
News Of the location of the shock IS
not only being anxiously awaited bv sci
entists. but by the general public. Moth
ing had been heard last night from
Europc. or from Prof. Milne. in London
VINO mas the most perfect eartbouala
recording machines on the Isle Of WIGHT
that are to De found. Prof Narvf, 3
confident the shock was not only reeris-
tered throughout Europe, but in Janan
NO news dispatch from any quarter 90
the globe has thrown any light on the
location.
TWO thousand Miles Away.
Prof. Marvin approximates the distance
as little over two thousand p,iIas -
IS eohhdent it occurred somewhere within
the Eastern Hemisphere By reason of
the fact that no news dispatches bs,,a
been received. it could not have baan
within the United States. civilized or
southern Canada, or northern south
America.
There are no earthquake ceDters in tho
Atlantic Ocean. with the execution %
the West Indies. an active section ~
II II had occurred there a news disna+,t,
would have been received reporting the
quake, or a tidal wave. or there yoTIs
have been some interruption 10 tba o,hIa
service
Ihere Is an active district on the west
coast Of South America and in 1fAvi.o
and II may possibly have been in tboso
localities They are distant. however ana
the most likely place is the active canter
"ioOlu 'he AIeu'an Islands, of Alaska.
No After Shocks Recorded
In the belief Of Prof Marvin. Yesterdays
Shock had no connection with the G.
francisco shock, or the disastrous se-ios
OF quakes which followed IL. One of ,ba
peculiarities Of this shock is the fao, .ba+
there were no after shocks recorded os
Is usual in such a large disturbance
Ihese after shocks are caused by minor
adjustments of the earth's crust follow
ing the big shock.
Prof. Marvin also sees no conra.
Eion between the shock and the raoa,+
activity OF Mt Eesuvius. For the rea-
son that there has been no volcanic ac-
aion OF large proportion reported recently
Ft IS believed yesterdays shock. Ike the
san Francisco and Kingston distur-
dances was caused by a slipping or fault
Gin the earth crust.
The shock was registered on the sets-
mograph on the United States coost
Cheitenham, and the record corresponds
with that OF the Weather Bureau II was
also reported at Albany and Throughout
the East. Newspaper dispatches from
New Hampshire state that the shock vas