Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 December 1902 — SEASONS GROWING COLDER. [ARTICLE]

SEASONS GROWING COLDER.

Scientists Say We Have Entered Another Glacial Period and That This Country Will Again Be Covered With Mountains of Ice. •Contrary to the usually aocepted belief scientists tell us that there is no doubt but that the climate in the northern hemisphere is slowly but gradually growing colder. In proof of this they point to the foot that from remains that have been discovered it is evident that in former rages, perhaps six to eight thousand years ago, this country was inhabited by numerous tropical animals. Also that whan first discovered by the Norsemen near a thousand years ago, New England was balled “Vlniand,” on aooouiit of the profusion of tropical vines that grew on the ooast. r “ Coming down to later times, it is well known that corn and other products that grew to maturity in the New England states when that conntry was first settled some two hundred years ago, now fails to ripen on aooonnt of the shortness of the seasons. And later, orange groves that formerly flourished in southern Mississippi and Louisiana and Northern Florida, have been killed by ro peated freezes. Astronomy tells us that on account of the gradual changing of the earth’s elliptic this hemisphere is subject to alternating glacial and tropical epochs, each lasting thonsande of years, slightly broken annually, of course, by the earth’s passage about the sun. In the last glacial epoch, or period, mountains of ice formed in the northern part of North America, gradually slipping and grinding their way southward until the southern edge of the ice reached as far south as central Indiana. Here the ice gradually melted, leaving the gravel beds and vast quantities of loose stone so plentifully scattered over thisregion. We then entered the long summer when tropical heat prevailed over this part of the country. How long this lasted can only be estimated, bat probably several thousand years. The sun then began receeding further from us during oar winter season, or in other words the long diameter of the earth's orbit is slowly bat gradually swinging to a north -and south position, so that at some time in the future our winters wtll occur when the earth is at the extreme end of ite orbit, or farthest from the son. It is probable that then ice and snow will again cover this country for a long period, and all civilization in this northern country will be destroyed. This will occur in probably about ten thousand years from now. This paper and The Chicago Weekly Inter Ocean $1.40 for one year. * ‘Special deal.”