Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-23
TREMBLES
IN A few DAYS
Coralla, the Port Byron Astron-
omer, Is Making Some New
Promises.
SERIES OF THE SHOCKS
VIII Continue From July 20 to Aug.
Is, With Occasional Day Of
Will Be Destructive.

Coralla, the Port Byron astronomer
and earthquake expert, who has the
only seismograph in this vicinity, and
whose observations and predictions OF
earthquakes have brought him into ma
tiOnal notice, has sent a letter to the
Smithsonian institution at Washington
in which he makes some interesting
predictions. His letter is as follows:
Port Byron, ILL.,, July 20, 191O.-The
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institu-
ton, Washington, d. c.:
Sir: In all ages and in all climes the
most active minds have devoted SER
ious study and painstaking investiga-
ton to ascertain the cause of earth
quake and volcanic activity, which have
wrought such terrible calamity to man
and his habitations. but all efforts to
wrest from nature her profound secrets
in that direction have been unavail-
ing.
In latter days, in view of what seems
to appear increasing destruction and
havoc by those dreadful forces of ma
ture, systematic investigation has been
undertaken on an extended scale by
men eminent in scientific attachments,
but unfortunately their Investigations
are not encouraging or fruitful of any
results in the least degree; science has
been foiled and baffied at every turn
in its researches. There is as little
known today of the origin of the vol
canO and the earthquake as when Pliny
lost his life through his scientific en-
thusiasm in investigating the first his
torically recorded eruption of Vesu-
vius, A. D. rs, Aug. "a.
Science Yet Lacking.
Science in it's helplessness has IN
vented a philosophical toy - the seis-
mograph - to record what it cheerily
assures is the earthquakes autograph,
written in hieroglyphic characters,
but unfortunately science has not yet
invented a high priest to acquaint us
with the A B of its mysterious, canny
alphabet.
The writer was early in life impress
ed with the mysterious character of
the original causes which excite vol
canic and seismic activity, through hav-
ing received his taptism of volcanic
fire from the ashes of Vesuvius, a dozen
miles away, while sojourning with
parent in Naples in the early days of
May, 1855.
IN later years, after having examined
the chara cteristiCs of Mt. Vesuvius and
Mt. Etna, he started on a tour of OBJ
servation and research among the vol
Canic ranges of the Andes in South
America.
Many of the best years of his life
have been devoted to examining histor-
zeal records of seismic and volcanic
phenomena, and from his researches
and personal Investigations, conclu-
sions have been deduced which have
formed the fundamental basis Of a
scientific working theory explanatory
of the causes which produce eartn-
quakes and volcanic eruptions. The
laws which govern seismic and volcanic
activity are now well known and sus-
ceptible to proof; they work accurate
ly, in most instances, backwards as
well as forwards, into the future, with
a success averaging over rs per cent.
Not So Mysterious.
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions
are no longer mysterious. They can be
foretoId with a tolerable approach to
accuracy, at present, and more extend
ed research by younger and more COM
petenly trained scientists will insure
almost completely accurate methods
along the writer's lines of investiga-
lions for determining their future oc-
currence at no distant day.
The writer is fully cognizant of the
true causes and real factors which led
to the terrible destructive eruption of
Mt. Pelee in 1902. and all other violent
volcanic eruptions OF modern times.