Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1914-10-29
THE MENACINC SEA
It Threatens to Some Day EnguIf
New York and Boston.
OUR EASTERN COAST SINKING.

In Time Thousands OF Years, Per-
haps, the Atlantic Ocean, According
to 0solosists, Will Flow Over the
Cities That Now Tower Above lts
Ghorse.
Government geological experts have
calculated that New York, Boston.
Philadelphia ard all the other cities
along the Atlantic coast win eventual
ly sink beneath the ocean. They have
observed that there has been steady
sinking Of the whole coast. and they
say that 1t is going on at the present
moment
Biologists have long recognized the
fact that the Atlantic coast line was
much farther out than 1t is now. There
Is a line from 100 to 800 miles OF the
present coast at which the water sud
denly gets deeper. Out to that distance
the water is generally about 300 feet
deep. Then it plunges suddenly and
becomes ten times as far to the oceans
bottom. The men of the coast survey
have traced this line throughout the
length Of our coast line and find it
similar all along. The biologists say
that the continent once reached out
that far and that there was the coast
line, but gradual decline through the
ages has caused that line to retreat,
until now It is where we know it.
From a geological standpoint this
has happened In comparatively recent
times 1t has all been done since the
glacial period This brings 1t into the
present period >and makes the action
new. In fact 1t is positively known to
be going on now.
There Is an ancient sill In the Charles
town navy yard Mt Boston with re-
gard to which there is definite informa-
ton as to its elevation. 1t was put
In place seventy years ago: its eleva-
tion was given with relation to mean.
high and low tide. and also with refer.
ence to surrounding landmarks. With
relation to the tide this sill has sunk
seven tenths OF a foot With relation
to the landmarks 1t has the same posi-.
ton. positive proof that Boston har-
Dor and the city about It have sunk
seven-tenths Of foot into the sea in
the last seventy years.
The original mouth OF the Hudson
river is now 200 miles out to sea. The
ships follow its old channel In leaving
port even now 1t is not known how
long ago 1t was when the mouth of the
liver was not far out In the ocean. But
It IS almost a certainty that when
similar time has elapsed the present
city will be an equal distance from the
then land.
Similarly will Boston be submerged
Baltimore will disappear at about the
name time and great portions of Wash
Ington- The great Mississippi is bring
Ing down great deposits to raise its
delta and counterbalance the decline.
SO low is New Orleans that it will be
one of the first cities to sink below the
yea level and be a municipality high
vailed against the enemy. the sea. Gal
weston has already felt the encroach-
kkA[A4L Va Lie W dlCA > anu las DCQH AOtCCQ
10 build itself sea wall.
The geological survey makes topo-
graphical maps. On these lines are run
1t given elevations. For instance,
line may be run about Manhattan Is
and at level twenty feet above the |
water at the Battery. 1t would sub
merge the customs house and extend up |
nearly to Wall street. From |
he east 1t would invade the financial |
district almost to Nassau street 1t !
would overflow half the land between |
the city hall and the East river. Far
her up it would submerge a narrower
"trip, but tn intrusion would create
Irent havoc.
A dfty foot rise Of water would wipe |
Manhattan Island out entirely. OF
course. II these depressions came on
very gradually the water fronts would
Dc diked agninst their intrusions. In
his way New York city might be saved
'rcm destruction for very long time.
It viii inevitably become a city sur
'uunded by high Ievee. against which
The ocean will beat with an ever In
:reasing advantage. 1t might perpetu-
tie itself by artificial means. but in the
nd It win be put in an impossible posi-
ion. The waters will follow over the
iats Of New Jersey and of Long Island
They VIE even beat back through
he Delaware and the Chesapeake and
ret beyond the city and cut OF com.
with the main part Of the
and. Finally. New York will md It.
elf city down In well far out from
he mainland. Gradually the people
mo dwell In it Will desert 1t and re-
air to the then mainland The waters
I'LL eventually lap away the great
rails that have been built to keep out
be sea and Will tumble IN among the
A. Du Puy's Uncle
am, Wonder Worker"
a.~n..>~ ~ A;na II