The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-03-28
MOST SEVERE
EARTHQUAKE
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ISSUES RE.
PORT ON DISTURBANCE IN 1912,
WORST EXPERIENCED IN
THE U. s.

Every newspaper account. &C severe
earthquake anywhere In North Amer
lea as registered ON the delicate seis-
inographs brings rather unpleasantly
to mind the fact that the United States
is not entirely free from these dis
turbances.
Witness the San francisco disaster
of 1906. and that AZ Charleston, S. G,
In 1886. These earthquakes are |
famous because OF the loss that thcJ |
caused and the suffering that fol- |
lowed I'm their wake. In severity ana !
extent of disturbance, however they |
are not to be comparel with what rs
known as the Now Madrid earthquake,
which occurred principally In south
eastern Missouri, southeastern Ar
kansas. and western Kentucky ana
Tennessee during the year following
December 16, 1911 The Charleston
| and san Francisco disturbances were
tcutely felt because they effected the
| congosted population and the struc-
lures in two large cities Tho New
Madrid earthquake left no marked
Impression or the history OF the coun-
| try, because although far more severe
and prolonged IL occurred in @ sparsely
settled and at that time unlmportant
| region The destructive period of the
san Francisco quake occupied only
few minutes; that In the lower Miss!s-
| sippi Valley persisted az intervals fcr
more than a year and held the few
residents in constant state Of terror
or apprehension.
The history of the New Madrid
earthquake has until recently been
widely scattered in the writings Of
many observers who were in or sufI-
iently close to the region 10 record
he events. Several authors have pub
'ished brief accounts of the occurrence.
In Bulletin 494 of the United States
Geological Survey very complete rec
lrd Of the events. abstracted IRON
previous writings, and discussion OF
the effects have been brought together
by Myron l.. Fuller. This bulletin is
# marked interest to the reading pub
lie, but II also has a high scientific
yalue in that II makes an important
permanent addition to the readily
AVAILABLE earthquake records and lit
: | srature.
, Tremors Felt Miles Away.
b The tremors of this earthquake were
FELT by people Ia Canada. Detroit. New
orleans. Washington, and Boston. th'
{ asst named place being loo miles dis
{ | ant. Island No. 81, in Mississippi Rv-
Il sr near Vicksburg. Miss, disappears
F.. completely. 4 large area OF land nea
I | niney River. Tenn. sank until the tre
ops were on "a level with the SUI
a 'ounding country. and alarm was fel
1 IN the cities of Louisville and Cincin
= natl II was in the region now known
l as the st. Francis basin. however, tina
T. he most marked effects took place. L.
II ertain parts the land surface was up
lifted and In other parts there wa
Z great subsistence. The latter hav
e | aimee been known us the sunk lands,
!. | being usually covered with water ant
( unless artifcally drained, without agri
;. cultural value even though compose
/. # some Of the best soii Of the cont
y | lent
t. With reference TO the possibilities {
Il future disturbances Mr. Fuller cite
> The fact that the New Madrid earth
e ,uake was but the latest and prob
li lbly by no means the most severe OF
}, | series of similar disturbances In tina
u lrea, dating back far beyond contem
O )oraneous history, and say that re
currences are to be expected, thong
my prediction as to when the shock
a viii take place will be futile.
Of A copy of this report may be had fire.
In N application to the Director q tn
of United States Geological Surves, q
{ | Washington