Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-08
GREATEST EARTHQUAKE.
Biggest in History of Country Oc-
CURED 100 Years Ago.

December IS is the centenary of the
New Madrid earthquakes in the great
central Mississippi Valley Should the
region from Cairo to Memphis again
be shaken it would he Il definitely
prophesied recurrence of the eonyul
sions which affected the same area 100
years ago and POO years ago. Scientists
have said that succeeding earthquakes
should be expected at intervals Of
century The area comprises an un-
stable geologic formation, which has
what may be called the earthquake
disease
1t seems a curious coincidence that
this very territory IS the same area
which has suffered most severely from
the recent great floods of the Missis-
sippi River. This. however. is merely
an Instance Of cause and effect, for
the last great earthquake which visit
ed the region resulted in the forma
ton of the Sunk Lands and thus
rendered them the most susceptible
To flooding.
Now. what would the average per-
son designate as the greatest earth
quake IN the history oi the United
Statcs2
why. unquestionably. nine out of
ten people would say, either the re-
cent San Francisco earthquake or the
Charleston, :. c. quake in 1885,
No, neither Of them. These earth
quakes are world famous because of
the loss that they cause and the suf
fering that followed in their wake, but
in severity and extent of disturbance
they are not to be compared with what
is known as the New Madrid earth
quake of the Mississippi Valley, which.
during the year following December IT,
1911, wrought great changes in the
surface of the land.
The Charleston and San Francisco
disturbances were National disasters
because they affected the eongested
population and the structures in two
important cities. The New Madrid
earthquake left no marked impression
IN TIE history OF the country, because
although far more severe and pro-
longed, it occurred in sparsely set
tied and at that time unimportant re-
gion The destructive period of the
San Francisco quake occupied only IA
few minutes, that in the lower Mis-
sissippi Valley persisted at intervals
for more than a year.
But this is somewhat ancient his
tory, it may be remarked. 1t is that;
but history repeats itself, and the sig
nificant phase of the New Madrid
earthquake is that it was not the first
to affect The same area, that it occur
red in what is known among men of
science as an earthquake area, that
the indications are that what has &C
Cured in the past viii recur in tho
future. The geological evidence is i'll
disputable that the New Madrid earth
quake of 1911 was only one of several
such disturbances TO which this re
zion has been subjected.
As to the chance OF a recurrence of
the New Madrid earthquake some
Years ago the late Nathaniel :. Sha-
Ter, of the United States Geological
Survey, had this to say:
"Analogies indicate the probability CT
the recurrence of the New Madrid
earthquake within a century, since in
all these countries which have been
visited by great commissions, where OBJ
servation has extended over a great
length of time, it has been found thai
their visits must be expected as often
as once in hundred years
This century referred to by Profess
sor Shaler will complete itself on. Mor-
day, December 49, The hundredth year
will then have gone by, but it is to
be hoped that the New Madrid area
will be an exception to the general
rule.
Any earthquake originating at or
near the center OF the New Madrid
disturbance would according to geol-
ogsts of the United States Geological
Survey, be felt in such towns as Hicll-
man, Ky; Caruthoi sville. New Ma
drid. Campbell and others in Missouri
and Jonesboro, Marked Tree, Osceola
and others in Arkansas. Memphis Is
within 35 miles of some of the larg-
est assures in the whole region. Cairo
is also within the area that might be
affected. St. Louis might also feel the
shock. New York SUM-