Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-31

Scientists have recently contributed preven-
tive measures against earthquake catastropheS
by their report on this region of the Nissis-
sippi. Their testimony was made public in
July, through the Congressional Record in sup
port of the reservoir system of Mississippi Hood
control against the present levee system
AS earthquakes follow the transfer of large
quantities of earth from one point of land to
another, causing a slipping Of the heavier part
to adjust itself, the great volume of earth
brought into the Mississippi Valley by the trib-
utary rivers may cause an overlooking. Hence
the warnings of important scientists stand as
very definite precautionary measures.
According to Comdr. NJ H. Heck, chief
Of the Division of Terrestrial Magnetism and
Seismology of the United States Coast and
Geodetic Survey, advances have been made in
the location and study of earthquakes
In contribution to the Scientific Monthly
Comdr, Heck mentions that Japan has de-
veloped system of observatories and that Italy
has distinguished students of earth movements,
while there is rather elaborate organization
which covers the United States and Alaska
TO the Japanese belongs credit for advanced
scientific measures to reduce the damage
caused by NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which also
have been adopted in California
An important discovery of the Japanese was
preciably before the occurrence of an earth
quake.
So, in addition to their many seismographs
they developed an instrument called the tito
meter, which gives warning of this tipping The
islands that form the country of Japan are the
tops Of mountains that have their bases far
down in the sea. Earthquakes are almost
everyday occurrences in Japan and conditions
are more appalling there than in any other
country. The tiltometer has been brought to
America, but is of comparatively little value
in California because that State is on the edge
of the continent rather than on an island
The Japanese also have invented more inn
portant device which has been adopted in
America and has proved to be of great scientific
value. This is known as the shaking table"
Knowing that earthquakes were inevitable, the
japanese decided to meet them with new forms
OF building construction. Their shaking table"
is an elaborate device, large, fiat surface with
motor attachments to cause vibrations in diff
terent directions. DepreSsions on the table
serve as foundation points for model buildings.
When the table is covered with miniature strlIc-
lures, it is set in motion. The little towers and
walls topple, and valuable knowledge is gained
regarding the proper types of building material
and construction to be used in mans battle
against the earthquake
The motion of the shaking table" is not
haphazard 1t is arranged to correspond with
seismographic records OF actual earthquakes,
and from seismographs attached to the table
the exact conditions causing the fall of each
little building are noted
From these tests the Japanese have gained
considerable knowledge in the construction of
acknowledgment buildings and the survival of
modern structures during the last Japanese
earthquake proves the value of their methods.
They have also applied this line of investiga-
ton TO railroad engineering
The shaking table" is now being used at
Leland Stanford University. in California. This
invention is quite as useful to earthquake m-
perimenters in America as in Japan,