Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/281

 HISTOKY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 221 According to the map published by the United States geological survey in 1912, the principal areas of depression due to the earth- quake which are to be found in Southeast Missouri are as follows: The low land lying south of Morley and on both sides of the Sikeston ridge, two narrow strips between Sikeston and Charleston, a part of the valley of Little river lying west of Lilbourn, a small area northwest of Hayti and another similar area lying south of Hayti, the bed of Little river south of the crossing on the Frisco be- tween Hayti and Kennett, the section called Lake Nicormy and extending south of Big lake, a large section lying east and south of Maiden, the section west of Maiden known as "West Slough and extending as far as Chillete- caux Slough, a large part of the valley of Buffalo creek, the sloughs lying between Buf- falo creek and the St. Francois river includ- ing Seneca and Kinnamore, the bed of Varner river, and a part of the valley of the St. Francois west and south of Kennett. These are the principal areas of land submerged at the time of the earthquake in Southeast Mis- souri. Other large areas are to be found in Craighead and Green counties in Arkansas and include the territory about Lake City and the St. Francis lake. In some places the sinking was enough to cause the land to be covered with water dur- ing the entire year. This resulted in the death of the timber. Some of this was timber found only on high land. The stumps are still to be seen. In many places the remains of these old trees are still to be seen, sometimes stand- ing up above the water and in other cases entirely submerged. The writer remembers to have seen the bed of Little river, east of Hornersville, at a time of low water, when the stumps of hundreds of trees were visible, showing conclusivelv that this channel of the river was at one time much higher land. Its level was in all probability changed by the earthquake and the timbers killed by the incoming of the water. At other places throughout the submerged region old cypress trees are to be found grow- ing in the water, having still a feeble, linger- ing life in them, although the large bole at the root of the tree which is characteristic of the cypress, is entirely submerged. Some of these old trees were at Coker Landing on Little river and at many other places along that stream. The sinking of the land is evidenced not alone by the existence of the stumps and trunks of trees killed by the water, but also by the existence of parts of the old banks of Little river. It was said by the inhabitants of the section before the earthquake, that the territory now known as Little river swamps, extending from within New Madrid coimty to within Dunklin county, was formerly a level plain covered with timber, but not a swamp ; and that through this level plain Little river made its way, a stream with high banks and a well defined channel. That this was the case seems to be showTi by the fact that at a num- ber of places along the course of Little river there are still to be seen parts of these high banks. Throughout the greater part and course of the river it spreads out over im- mense territory, with scarcely anything to define its banks ; but at places there are seen what are believed to be the remains of its former banks. One other effect of the earthquake on the land is still to be described, and that is the forcing out upon tlie surface of water, sand, mud and gas. Bringier says the water forced its way by blowing up the earth with loud explosions. "It rushed out in all quar- ters bringing with it enormous quantities of