The Lassen Earthquake. Geologist Mills States that the sierras are still growing.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 389, 31 July 1889, Page 6

The Lassen Earthquake. Geologist Mills States that the sierras are still growing.

The severe seismic -disturbances recently [ experienced in the noighb,ourhpod of Susanville have given Lassen County,' California, quite a reputation as an earthquake centre. The shocks commenced at 9 o'clock, Wednesday nigh,fy and continued until 3 o'clock the following morning. 1 * They 'were' more than' fifty altogether, arid" some were more violent thah" A others. * Clocks" were stopped all dyer the town and a ? "terrific rumbling was heard,' 2 c'au&ing- an -immense degree of alarm : all over-Hhe'refgiom 'aflfeefced. The movement appeared to be from north-east toward is'a'uth- west, and was particularly 'sha^p.* The majority of the separate shocks were nob of over a few seconds' duration, and were particularly jerky. As'usual, at--mosphsi'ic* disturbances- -of marked peculiarity accompanied the shocks. ■ J»mes E. Mills, bhe well-known geologist, has- given a great' amount of time to investigating seismic phenomena in tho Sierra Nevadas. " He lived for several years in Quincy and has made the most minute 1 surveys of the surrounding country. Speaking of "the' matteMast night, Mr Mills eaid : •• It is 'highly probable that the earthquake movements neat Susanville are con-nefeted-wifch an uplifting or downthrow of a mountainous mass along some one of the lines of uplift which exist in the Sierras. The Sierra Nevada owes its present elevation largely to upliftings occurring in comparatively late geological periods, and we have reason to" believe that' this uplifting probably is still going on. ' Susanville does riot belong to the Sierras proper, but is situated in one of the basin ranges to the east. A- 'comparatively slight shifting up-ward'-or'downward of ,a* mass •would produce. earthquake' movements. I have no doubt,' he continued, 'that such an uplifting could be found in the neighbourhood'of Susanville if a 1 careful' search was made. I don't remember* that this'region has ever experienced ''any.. .severe disturbances of this character previously.' ' "Regarding" the hypotheses advanced to 'account fox 1 the earthquakes in this county, Mr Mills said' -that' they were very'numerous, but ill-defined "or doubtful. The subject is one that- is obtaining a good deal of f thought '^ncLconsideratiorr from' geologists in these days." Amongst'the' most widely accepted theories,, is^that of a horizontal thrust which forces >strata> of certain acter 'lying in a certain, position- together 'ancl. then Slightly 'upward. Evbn^if the subsidence or the^elevation be very slight it is sufficient to cause, a"serious disturbance all around. If • it; 'occurred at sea there woihld be atidal^wave^— ' S. F.Call.'

The tomato, or love apple,* as it, was formerly* called, .originally came from South America. '" ' '*. f / - l ' The ofily partjof, fehe world . whicb/has absolutely no 1 beasts of- prey" is the islands of the' Azores. ',""-' ' '' < 'Bands of embroidery should be used with reserve if the gartiienti \i to'^be saved* from vulgarity. -' f ' , '"•' '* ' ?\' ! , u \: I, - Cremation'societie^fpe being 'augmented in America 'by j woiridn o'P'th'e'blfttfer/cUsSi AYho are joining- them rapidly, )

Ah, well ; snre I moipht take that troifle on me own shoulders. Inspector of Roads, and " I^itqhes : Wiel), that's as good as premised, in' a cleverer chap, or one who knows the greatest number of— well, never moind— anyway, ht-'s got a head on him longer than many a. horse. Someone jnst told me we wonld have to find sureties— or something, but that needn't tlmmbloyou or me, for I'll stand bail for yon nnd \ you'll stand bail for me— that's fn : r ? Wcrfll talk about our Municipal Buildings when we meet again, hut I was thinking that a boii'd edifice nearly forcrinst the Post Office might be suitable, if th& present tennnnt would consent to eviction for say £50 or £100 for the remainder of his lease. The ideas for our new business are chafing each other that fast through my head that I enn hi'd'v cntoh th*m lorsr enough to strii q them on pa^er for yon (i lmißt have a private secretary, I feel that — you can have one tuo). My concluding notion on this occasion is that Gladstone and Parnoll will bo sending to n's for a copy of our Constitution, as a model for the new Home Rule Government in the Ould Country —Yours, as close as a clamp, RoRY O'MORE. Waiorongomai, July 26th, 18P9. p. S.— Keep dark— there's a prowling vagabone about takina, notes on behalf of Respetttble Minority.