The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1909-01-30
SCIENCE IN A new FIELD

urging of earth obseTVatories, to
study the movements of the restless
planet on which we dwell, in the
hope OF acquiring such knowledge as
may enable the accurate prediction
of Impending earthquakes.
He states one fact which not
many people stop to consider, name
ly, by the storm of Galveston and
Mobile, by the earthquakes at Mar
Unique, ST. Vincent, San Francis
CO, Valparaiso, Jamaic Katayhon,
India, Calabria, Vesuvius and Mes
sina, 100000 lives have been lost,
or an average of about 100 per day
since January 1. 1901.
He thinks that on such a planet,
charged with irresistible forces,
there should be a study of these
forces and their methods.
He looks upon geology..as yet but
a half finished science, says geolo-
gists are studying merely the his
tory of the making Ct the world,
and do not pretend to make study
OF the work now going on within
the earth's crust.
The weather bureau gave ample
notice of the coming of the storms
that smote Galveston and Mobile.
1t has become a,benefcent agency
to warn men ofwhat may be looked
for in the atmosphere, to men on
shore, to mariners about to proceed
to sea. but while costly obServa-
tories are erected through which to
study the heavens, save in Japan,
no observatory has been erected
through which to study the pulse
beats of this old planet, through
which 10 have notice of impending
danger. He thinks between good
esy, which has for its object the
determination of the figure of the
earth and geology, which aims to
decipher earth's history, there
should be an intervening science,
which might be called economy,
the science of the laws which gov
ern the earth.
He wants observatories in the
earth, with delicate instruments to
record when the shrinking earth
crust or rising lava or pent-up gas
ses, or any other of the furious and
merciless forces within the earth,
threaten an outward upheaval or
explosion.
He cites the fact that Mr.. Ferret,
who was decorated by the Crown OF
Italy for his magnificent service to
science and to humanity on We
suvius in 1906, wrote to the Worlds
Work of November, 1907, that:
by the rational methods of
scientific research, we know that
great eruption of Mount Etua is
impending, the only uncertainty at
present being which side of the
mountain will break open"
He says further, that NJ. Perret
actually plated in advance, Dec
ember 2Sth, as the earthquake date
(terrestial maximum OF gravita-
tional stress).
This writer wants the govern
ment to establish ten earthly OBJ
servatories, to equip them, and have
them communicate with each other,
and thus make conclusions as do
the expects who, knowing what is
going on in the air over a great
area, determine where storms are
to concentrate and when.
1t would not be much for every
large city to establish and equip an
observatory of this kind.
We are sure that had one been
near San Francisco,
three months before the coming of
the last quake, its daily messages
would have presaged a cataclysm
drawing near and inevitable. And
no spot is secure.
Charleston, in 1886, fel lust as
secure as New York can possibly
feel day, but what greater assur-
ances has it, than Charleston had
an hour before that disaster smote il?
There have been great upheav-
ais and great foretellings in this
region in the past We suggest to
he students of the University that
they excavate room on the hill,
put a cover upon it, and equip it
With all the instruments that the
faculty can suggest, and see if any
.esponses can be obtained from day
o day, of what this restless old
planet is doing in this region; what
messages, if any, are broug ht
trough this new wireless from
far. 1t ought to be a study to
hem OF absorbing interest, and it
not impossible that they might
make fame for themselves by pursu.
ne it.
CHTaI,, sAs,..kIs... al.