Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-01-13

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was devastated by a series of shocks
which destroyed ffty-four cities ard
500 villages. Catania, witch 1900 p9p-
ulation, was biotted out Of existence
and the total less of life in Sicily was
upward Of 100000. In 1888 Messiad
lost 10000 by an earth CONFUSION VIII d
lasted only half a minute. Within d
period Of seventy-fve years, from 1855
to 1857 tie Kingdom cf Naples. ac-
credited with a population Ct G,C00CC0.
lost 113oo9 by earthquake.
In point Cf loss Of life and property
the most disastrous earthquake Of tbs
last two centuries occurred ia T0.-vo
then called Yeddo, in 1705. Exact it-
formation concerning that gigantic nd
heaval is not available, but from the
most authentic Japanese accounts It
appears that nearly 100000 persons
were destroyed. Twenty-ei8ht years
later Pekin had its fatal shakeup, with
a loss Of over 100000 persons and an
immense destruction Of property. Nei-
Their OF these oriental catastrophes VS.
accompanied by greater violence than
attends similar events in other coun-
tries. and the greater mortality is due
to the densely populated area within
the zone Of shock.
Some other great earth commissions
Of the eighteenth century were that Of
1916 at Lima, in which $4,000 were
lost; that Of 1854 at Cairo, with it's
10000 victims, and the memorable up
heavals 1t Quito in 1907 and at Guate-
mala in 1773.
In 1865 Lisbon experienced its never
to be forgotten blow The great tidal
wave which accompanied this earth
quake was announced at the mouth Ct
the river Ta~us by the sea retiring ana
leaving the lar perfectly dry. Then g
huge wave fully sixty feet in height
rolled in from the ocean and over
whelmed the city, which the earth
quake had already topplCd over. With
in a period of six minutes upward 9.
60.OOO persons persisted. This LisbC.e
earthquake was especially remarkab'
for the great area covered by its actif
ity. HUMBOLDT estimated this area a
more than four times the size Of ] +.
rope. In the track of the disturbar
immense mountain ranges like
Alps and Prrenees We're shaken
lentIy. The solid earth was Jared
far north as the shores eff the pa
and the l0Hlands Of the North see
gion were visibly disturbed. Flow
springs IN Germany. notably the
springs at TcplitZ, disappeared for c|
eral hours. only to return rs boi
torrents. The wave Of disturba
even crossed the Atlantic, causing
nomenauy high tides in the West
dies and even on the South Americ a
coasts. It shook the North Americ i
continent as far west as the gr 4
lakes. In France deep assure Opene@
in the earth, and ia northwestern 4 Al
RIGA many thousand persons were bur
led in fallen houses.
seismograph Gave Warning.
1t is now the theory that premoni
tory signs Of the recent quake were
observed as long ago as Is November
Central and southern Europe were dis
turbed, as indicated by the seisn2J-
graph, and various we'll defined r9a.
ings and even explosions were heard
IN the vicinity Of volcanic heights ar
over the continent. One marked efec
Of this impending seismic outbreal-
was noticed at the German mineral
springs of Baden-Elster, where tn
temperature of the water rose 10 C
grees. Until the recent lamentable az
fair in Italy the seismic record of 10