The Republican., 1924-09-04
MISSOURI SCENE
OF Great QUAKE
Earth Trenor in 1872
Caused Mississippi to
Run Backward.

Recent reports from various points
in the Mississippi valley telling of
slight earthquake shocks are unusual;
but they seem extraordinary, like eX-
tremes Of temperature and other out
o1-the-way weather phenomena, only
because mans memory is short, says
bulletin from the Washington, D. c.,
headquarters Of the National Geo
graphic society.
"One of the worlds greatest earth
quakes, and certainly the most severe
in America since the days of Columbus,
occurred in the heart of the Mississippi
valley in 1911 and 1872" continues
the bulletin Fortunately there were
few towns and no bridges and dams
and railroads to be destroyed in those
days, for the pioneers had just begun
the Westward push that was quickly
to spread population and development
all the way to the Pacific.
Destruction in Settlements.
"The center of the disturbances was
almost exactly in the bed of the Mis-
sissippi river, about 80 miles south Of
the mouth of the Ohio. The little town
of Caruthersville, in what Is now the
southeast corner of Missouri, lay where
the quakes were greatest. 1t was
totally destroyed, though its inhab-
itants escaped both falling timbers and
river waves and found refuge on
nearby hill. New Madrid, on the river
few miles to the north, suffered al
most as much
"This region has practically no hard
rocks, but consists Of beds of clay and
sand several thousand feet deep. 1t
Is in such formations that earthquakes
cause greatest damage since the rela-
lively loose ground is easily moved,
great earth billows roll, and cracks
form.
Made River Run Backward.
"The bed of the Mississippi, which
has lain so quietly, to the knowledge of
the past two generations, was mo-
mentarily obstructed near New Mad
rid. It's waters flowed violently up
stream and sloshed from side to side
destroying numerous boats at that
river emporium. Great fssures opened
in the surrounding country and jets Of
sand spouted out as they did in an
other disastrous American earthquake
at Charleston. S. c., 70 years later.
Seismographs did not exist in those
days, but the tremors of the great Mis-
sisSippi valley earthquake were actual
ly felt as far north as the Canadian
border and as far south as New Or
leans. A hundred miles to the east
powders were shaken from mountain
cliffs.
Created Numerous Lakes.
1.-THE earthquake of 1S11-12 is not
merely a dim memory. It left its
marks deep in the countryside. Reel
foot lake, II miles long and four or
more wide, in the northwest corner of
Tennessee, was its greatest geographic
contribution. A heavily forested sec
ton sank to form this new body of
water, and the gaunt stumps of thou
sands of trees protruding from parts
Of the lake tell the story to this day
The land about the lake retains the
IOrTlS OF IHP HuSe BluuNS lltD WHICH
it was thrown, and which become ap-
parent when the section Is viewed from
an airplane.
Numerous smaller lakes were
formed by the earthquake west of the
Mississippi, in what is now Missouri
and Arkansas. Careful geological ex-
animation still discloses traces Of deep
assures that were opened up in 1911,
and which time, weather and vegeta-
ton have not been able to hide"