Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-24
RECALLING THE DAYS
OF THE POLAR EDENs
New Island rings Up
Problem.
ANCIENT CLIMATES OF NORTH
Finding of Fuel Kcvivcs Old Wonder
Tale of Geology Wen the Regions
OF the Earth Bloomcd With Tropi-
cal Splcndor.
II. GAnnIs1vr y. SERVES.


son. who has discovered between IN"
north end Of North america and the
North Pole an island larger than Ire
land. where there is AN abundance or
coal revivcs the old wonder-talc or
geology about II time. or times. when
The polar regions OF the earth doomed
life. both animal and vegetable. In
calling this a wondcr-tale ] do not
mean to intimate that il is Il fiction.
On the contrary, its truth has beer,
demonstrated over and over again. unG
Siefianson simply brings US another
bit Of evidence 10 further subs,an-
tiatr ii.
Notwithstanding the wide difference
between the conditions OF the Two
poles of the earth Il, the present time.
both OF them formerly enjoyed "A &C.
whether the surface OF the whole globe
at that time was not much warmer
than II is now. since life then spread
all over IL and extended literally from
pol" to pole.
I,,does not appear that the polar
regions even then were as hot rs the
tons sufficiently favorable TO sustain
a flora and fauna comparable with
those OF the temperate zones.
Around both ends OF the carth's axis
abundance that subsequent ages have.
changed them into beds of coal Such
beds. a far as they have been dis-
closed lie. Of course. ONION the bor-
the rocks in which they are contained
run under the icecaps. and there ~
no reason why they may not extend
TO the poles. II the obliNyity OF the
ccliptic was nearly the sa,he then az
ii in now tand the known causes OF
its variation do not admit Of it's ever
themselves would have been the very
places OF highest temperature within
the polar circles, the true hearts OF
the polar Edcns.
SCIENCE FAILED TO
SETTLE TIL: QUESTION
Science has no; had much success
In settling the question: OF the cause
of the farmer mild climates around the
some constituent now dissipatcd. which
caused IL TO retain more solar hcatH
Or did tho earth at that time traverse
IL iregion OF space where Il higher tenn
changes i'm the level and arrangement
OF different parts Of the crust OF the
globe were warm oceanic currents d.
rccicd into the polar regions, rroduc-
Ing there climatic effects similar 10
those now ascribed TO the GHif Stream
along the northwestern coast OF
in different position from that which
it occupies ~ present? All these and
other susgesrions have been pu, forth
and argued but none has been gen
orally accepted as satisfactory.
II the phenomenon wns due to geo
logical changes. II mag never rccur. bit
y,
which are usually periodic in their uc
ton. IL is possible that i similar state
of afsirs around the poles may return
at some remote future DAY.
The tremendous character of the
changes thar have taken place since
tue epoch OF tho towering poles IL
strikinGiy illustrated by the stte OF
affairs on ari around the great Ant
arctic Continent to-day. There s y
land half AK large again ns all Eurupe.
heaved up so high ,ha, It's average
"a ,N,-if.
great as that OF any other continent
on the Garth. buried under ice thou
sands Of feet ia thickness. with only
scattered peaks cf rocks projecting up
through the icy mantle. and amoS.
ceasclcssly whipped by SNOW driving
tempes;s al temperature 90 degrees
ooo miles In circuit. arc Ia many places
Themselves crowned with lof,y Inns uf
eternal ice; and e"erywh here face to fa,c
with fr!Eid ocean. whose fleets .:
icbcres extend as far away as care
Horn. the dismal. fog-haunted lcrmin-
alton Of the hatitablc earth. tho mere
decks OF The fcw. shji,s ;hat venture by.
sends shiv"" through tho blood
FIR CONTINENT
va EAM h isoSsii.i%En hEMhtNs
blasted continent, which. inhabited as
thicklS rs Europe. might hold 5eo0OI.
coo peoris. show, through the snow, /
,heF rs sHnaon. 10 NE aSionished eye Of
plants and animals that cannot live /
except In a genial climate, and which 4
tel only OF sunshine. warm Zephyrs. |
moving waters. mirror lakes, soft blue ,
skies. grassy glalcs. scented rorestI |
tlover-Sotted fields. and nocks OF ami |
mated beings, III that place which is ,
now but S!ttterinG cXpanse Of crys-
tallne dcsolation. a vast white tomb
crownins the buried people
WITHIN reach OF the breath of the
sea, which cver%whcrc has a touch of 4
relative mildncss. a littl. hnrdv T,osn
AND Few paie. sluggish insects. some
times frozen to the stones in n him
or ice. and then unclaimed for n uttI.
time by search ag sunbeam, Ecan
the memory alive OF The los. paradise
OF Antarctica. whose wonderful story
liz cameoed in the rocks beneath