The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1914-04-16
.0UAKES Of NEW YORK
Little Danger of Bad Jars in Ap-
palachian Region.
Recent Disturbances Were STRONGEST
In Northwestern Part Of State and
Less Intense in All Directions
From That Section.

Washington The recent earth
quake IN New York, so far as can be
decided from information now at hand,
was strongest in the northeastern part
OF the state and less intense in all d.
rections from that section, according
to statement by Arthur Keith, of
the united States geological survey.
who has made special study Of the
geologic history and structure of the
Appalachian mountain region As
earthquake shocks are regularly weak.
er outward from center. the area
OF greatest Intensity at the SUFFICE Is
nearest the point Of origin, although
this point probably is not at the sur.
face. The earthquake center. there
fore. appears to be in or north OF
northeastern New York.
Earthquake shocks are caused by
the breaking and moving past each
other OF great masses OF rock in the
earth crust Rocks are more or less
elastic, particularly crystalline and
1gneous rocks like granite, and they
transmit shocks for very long dis
tances. Rocks in the earth's crust
are always in state OF strain, and re-
lease from this strain by fracture
causes displacement and rebound
that may be violent. Even at the sur
face Of the earth this movement is
continually noted In quarries when
new layers of stone are set free, and
1t is still stronger in the depths OF
the earth. When the strain finally ex-
ceeds the strength of some of the
rocks they break and snap, and there
is an elastic rebound from each move
ment. This causes the lesser trem-
blings after the first shock.
Earthquakes are commonly assoctat.
ed with faults or riffs, which are
breaks Or fractures in the rock crust
along which the rocks move past ona
another. Some faults are character
lied by repeated motion along a given
plane or narrow zone, like that which
caused the San Francisco earthquake.
The vast majority of faults, however,
are practically dead, and no motion
takes place on them because the
strain has been satisfied or diverted
into other directions. OF this kind
are most of the old faults in the APP
palachian area, from Alabama to
Canada, including the mountainous
country Of the East. Younger faults
are also found in the East, but most
of these are dead and their strains
have long ago been satisfied. The lat
est set Of faults displaces the young
est eeologic formations, although their
source is in the underlying hard
rocks
1t is usual to associate earthquake
shocks with the greatest of the faults,
on which the motion is measured in
miles. These, however, are the oldest
and the most certainly dead of the
faults, and later and different strains
have acted on their areas and pro-
duced different faults. Neither length
not great motion on fault Is needed
to make disastrous shock, as was
plain at San Francisco, where a few
feet Of motion caused the ruin. The
factor which makes shocks dangerous
VI HOl rs lHelI Intensity, ana lnlS Is
directly due to the rapidity Of growth
and vigor OF the strain. Quick and
violent strains accompany the growth
and rise of new parts of the earths
crust where it is being compressed
until it moves. In the old Appa-
lachian country OF the eastern part Of
the United States such rise is so ex-
ceedingly slow as to make its exist
ence In historic times a matter Of dis
pute. In any case, it is not now of
the compressive character that causes
lateral or violent movements and dam
geTous shocks. Therefore,, while
earthquakes are not unknown in the
East, 1t is exceedingly improbable that
they viii be disastrous.
The destructive Charleston earth
quake of 1886 was east OF the Appa-
lachians. In tract which In recent
geologic time has risen unevenly from
the sea as result of earth strains.
Its effects were especially severe. an
is usual in loose formations like the
sand and clay which prevail In that
dfst1ict-