Cascadia Catalog 1793-1930

	Cascadia Historic Earthquake Catalog, 1793-1929 Covering Washington, Oregon and Southern British Columbia Provided by: The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network About the Cascadia Historic Earthquake Catalog One-line catalog format 1793-1849 .... 1850s .... 1860s .... 1870s .... 1880s .... 1890s .... 1900s .... 1910s .... 1920s .... 1930s (not complete) .... Other Cascadia Catalogs

Individual Event Report

Event #102 - Summary, and parameter estimates with source IDs
Aftershock of the 1872 North Cascades earthquake, as listed by Captain James S. Lawson.
TIME							LOCATION			MAGNITUDE		MAX. INTENSITY					FELT AREA
YR	MO	DAY	HR	MIN	AM/PM	Time Type	LAT(N)	LON(W)	DEP (km)	MAG	Mag Type	Felt Plc.	Felt St.	Inten- sity	Int. Type	Felt Area	Felt Area Int.	Felt Area Units
1872	12	15	3		A	L						Puget Sound	WA
N-Ore - 1947							-		-	-		HOLD2 - 1226				-

Underlying Source Material

Source ID	Publication	Pub Date	Pub Details
1403	Milne, W.G., 1956, Seismic Activity in Canada, west of the 113th meridian 1841-1951: Canada Dominion Obs. Pub., V. 18, No. 7, pp. 119-146	1957
Transcription: 1872 DECEMBER 15. 3:00 a.m.

Source ID	Publication	Pub Date	Pub Details
679	Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park
Transcription: Puget Sound 3 am 15 Dec, 1872 -Holden's Cat. pg 94 Several shocks.

Source ID	Publication	Pub Date	Pub Details
445	Holden, Edward S., 1887, List of Recorded Earthquakes in California, Lower California, Oregon, and Washington Territory	1887	Printed by Direction of the Regents of the University of California, Sacremento, California,
Transcription: 1872. December 14, 15, 16; Olympia. W.T. Professor George Davidson kindly refers me to an account of these earthquakes in the Weekly Pacific Tribune, Olympia, December 21, 1872: "In an unofficial report to Professor Davidson, at San Francisco, Captain Lawson says, December 14, l872: Shock occurred precisely at 9h. 40 1/2m. It commenced with a slight movement, gradually increasing for 18 or 20 seconds. Then came the heavy shock, lasting 4 or 5 seconds; then it gradually decreased. In six minutes after the first shock there was another, followed by two others, one minute apart. At 10h. 12m. 40s. there was another shock, and after 11 P.M. there were five others. During the night, other shocks were reported (I did not feel them) at 3 and 5 o'clock. On Sunday evening, December 15, at 6h. 37 1/2m., a light shock. December 16, at 9h. 17m. 30s. A.M., another light shock. This shock was felt as far south as Eugene, in Oregon, and as far north as British Columbia--probably even in Alaska. In Victoria and elsewhere on Vancouver Island, the shock is said to have been heavier than at any other point heard from. In Olympia we have heard of but a single article broken or damged by the shock. This was a statuette, which was thrown from top of a whatnot and smashed on the floor. In the Seattle stores, we are informed, considerable quantities of crockery and glassware were broken. From what is so far known, the earthquake was confined mainly to the Puget Sound Basin, thence extending north and south with a gradually decreasing force, until it disappeared in a distance of 400 or 500 miles." The direction of the shock (December 14) at Olympia, was south to north at first, then southeast to northwest.

Source ID	Publication	Pub Date	Pub Details
1947	Oregonian	1872	December 20, 1872
Transcription: From what is so far known, the earthquake was confined mainly to the Puget Sound basin, thence extending north and south with a gradually decreasing force, until it disappeared in a distance of four or five hundred miles, The earthquake had a good moral effect at Olympia. The Sunday after it was a matter of surprise at the increase in numbers of the Sabbath school scholars. One young lady who had not attended service or Sabbath school for four months, went three times on last Sunday. The Seattle Intelligencer of the 16th says: "There was a rumor in town during the latter part of last week, to the effect that the schooner Walter Raleigh had arrived all right in California, but we were unable to ascertain how the report originated, or to obtain any confirmation of it. She is undoubtedly lost. In addition to the captain and his family, and the crew, there were two men who took passage on her at Freeport for San Francisco. Their names are not known." A Seattle paper says of the "shake" there: "With the exception of the earthquake at San Francisco in 1865, we doubt whether so violent and long continued a one has been felt for years on the entire coast. No damage was done, but our frame buildings swayed to and fro like a small craft at sea. There were three series of shocks. The first was of about two minutes duration, and the other two soon after of but a few seconds each. They seemed to proceed from the northeast to the southwest." The schooner Nelly Martin fell from the ways on which she was being hauled up, at Seattle a few days ago. She had been drawn up as high as was required, and as the men were about securing her in position, some portion of the ways separated and left the schooner down. She fell three or four feet on the dry beach-the tide being then out-and struck upon her beams' end with a crash, breaking one of her booms, throwing her cargo into confusion, and otherwise damaging her, but to what extent is not yet known. The tide coming in a few hours afterward, she was partially filled with water, and now lies on her side in that condition. Capt. James S. Lawson of Olympia, took a scientific observation of the earthquake on Saturday night last. Its direction was from the south to the north, at first; subsequently it changed around to a course from the southwest to the northeast. It was timed with a chronometer watch, absolutely correct, and the direction noted by a swinging lamp. In an unofficial report to Prof. Davidson at San Francisco, Captain Lawson says : A shock occurred precisely at 9:40½ PM. It commenced with a light movement, gradually increasing for eighteen or twenty seconds. Then came the heavy shock, lasting four or five seconds; then it gradually decreased. In six minutes after the first shock there was another, followed by two others one minute apart. At 10:12 2/3 there was another shock, lasting four or five seconds; then it gradually decreased. In six minutes after the first shock there was another, followed by two others. During the night other shocks were reported, (I did not feel them) at 3 and 5 o'clock. On Sunday evening, at 6:37½, a light shock. December 16th at 9:17½ AM another light shock.

Source ID	Publication	Pub Date	Pub Details
1041	Townley, S. D. and M. W. Allen, 1939, Descriptive Catalog of Earthquakes of the Pacific Coast of the United States 1769-1928, Chap. III Earthquakes in Washington, 1883-1928, BSSA, V. 29, No. 1, pp. 259-268	1939
Transcription: 1872 December 15. 3h [3 a.m.]. Puget Sound. Several shocks.

Source ID	Publication	Pub Date	Pub Details
1226	Holden, E.S., 1898, A Catalog of Earthquakes on the Pacific Coast 1769-1897, Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, 1087	1898
Transcription: 1872. December 15; 3h. Puget Sound. Several shocks.

Source ID	Publication	Pub Date	Pub Details
2115	U. S. Weather Bureau Climatological Records, for the State of Oregon	1872	National Archives Copy T907, Roll Nos. 427-434, 1819-1892 -Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon- handwritten weather forms
Transcription: Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, December, 1872. (Bad microfiche photography makes this hard to read - R.L. 1994) Two slight shocks of earthquake felt in this city on the 16th and 17`th of December 1872. The first occurred at 20 minutes to 10 o'clock in the evening and the second at a quarter past 2 o'clock on the following morning. The oscillations were from S.W.to S.E. and lasted about 15 seconds. No damage done with the exception of cracking of the plaster in rooms, stopping of clock and spilling of water in a jug and basin and swaying of chandeliers. Vancouver ... Hillsboro ... slight shocks. At Walla Walla two heavy shocks were experienced, at Umatilla three, and Dalles five. Wallula had one very heavy shock andt five lighter ones no damage ...

Source ID	Publication	Pub Date	Pub Details
1044	Townley, S. D. and M. W. Allen, 1939, Descriptive Catalog of Earthquakes of the Pacific Coast of the United States 1769-1928, Chap. III Earthquakes in Washington, 1883-1928, BSSA, V. 29, No. 1, pp. 259-268	1939
Transcription: 1872 December 14, 15, 16. VII. Olympia. Professor George Davidson kindly refers me to an account of these earthquakes in the Weekly Pacific Tribune, Olympia, December 21, 1872: In an unofficial report to Professor Davidson, at San Francisco, Captain Lawson says, December 14, 1872: `Shock occurred precisely at 9h 40 1/2m p.m. It commenced with a slight movement, gradually increasing for eighteen or twenty seconds. Then came the heavy shock, lasting four or five seconds; then it gradually decreased. In six minutes after the first shock there was another, followed by two others, one minute apart. At 10h 12m 40s there was another shock, and after 11 p.m. there were five others. During the night other shocks were reported (I did not feel them) at 3 and 5 o'clock. On Sunday evening, December 15, at 6h 37 1/2m, a light shock. December 16, at 9h 17m 30s a.m., another light shock. This shock was felt as far south as Eugene, in Oregon, and as far north as British Columhia-probably even in Alaska.[?] In Victoria and elsewhere on Vancouver Island the shock is said to have been heavier than at any other point heard from. In Olympia we have heard of but a single article broken or damaged by the shock. This was a statuette, which was thrown from top of a whatnot and smashed on the floor. In the Seattle stores, we are informed considerable quantities of crockery and glassware were broken. From what is so far known, the earthquake was confined mainly to the Puget Sound Basin, thence extending north and south with a gradually decreasing force, until it dis- appeared in a distance of 400 or 500 miles.'" The direction of the shock (December 14) at Olympia was south to north at first, then southeast to northwest. [Also reported from The Dalles, Walla Walla, Wallula, and Umatilla.-Amer. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., 5, 262; 6, 40.]informed considerable quantities of crockery and glassware were broken. From what is so far known, the earthquake was confined mainly to the Puget Sound Basin, thence extending north and south with a gradually decreasing force, until it dis- appeared in a distance of 400 or 500 miles.'" The direction of the shock (December 14) at Olympia was south to north at first, then southeast to northwest. [Also reported from The Dalles, Walla Walla, Wallula, and Umatilla.-Amer. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., 5, 262; 6, 40.]

Source ID	Publication	Pub Date	Pub Details
207	Bradford, Donald C., 1935, Seismic History of the Puget Sound Basin, BSSA, V. 25, No. 2, pp. 138-153	1935
Transcription: 1872 December 14, 15, 16; VII; Olympia. Professor George Davidson kindly refers me to an account of these earthquakes in the Weekly Pacific Tribune, Olympia, December 21, 1872: "In an unofficial report to Professor Davidson, at San Francisco, Captain Lawson says, December 14, 1872: `Shock occurred precisely at 9h 40 1/2m. It commenced with a slight movement, gradually increasing for 18 or 20 seconds. Then came the heavy shock, lasting four or five seconds; then it gradually decreased. In six minutes after the first shock there was another, followed by two others, one minute apart. At 10h 12m 40s there was another shock, and after 11 p.m. there were five others. During the night other shocks were reported (I did not feel them) at 3 and 5 o'clock. On Sunday evening, December 15, at 6h 37 1/2m, a light shock. December 16, at 9h 17m 30s a.m., another light shock. This shock was felt as far south as Eugene, in Oregon, and as far north as British Columbia probably even in Alaska. In Victoria and elsewhere on Vancouver Island the shock is said to have been heavier than at any other point heard from. In Olympia we have heard of but a single article broken or damaged by the shock. This was a statuette, which was thrown from the top of a "whatnot" and smashed on the floor. In the Seattle stores, we are informed, considerable quantities of crockery and glassware were broken. From what is so far known, the earthquake was confined mainly to the Puget Sound Basin, thence extending north and south with a gradually decreasing force, until it disappeared in a distance of 400 or 500 miles.' The direction of the shock (December 14) at Olympia was south to north at first, then southeast to northwest." E.S.H.

Source ID	Publication	Pub Date	Pub Details
1202	The American Journal of Science and Arts	1874	Third Series, Vol. VI, Nos. 31-36, July to December 1873, pp.40-41
Transcription: Rockwood, Prof. C. G. "Notices of Recent Earthquakes", THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND ARTS, Third Series, Vol. VI, Nos. 31-36, July to December 1873, pp.40-41. December 14 and 15, 1872 - Fuller accounts have been received of the earthquake in Oregon and Washington Territory on these dates. Shocks occurred at intervals from this evening of Dec. 14 to the evening of Dec. 17. They were felt from Eugene City, Oregon, north into British Columbia, and on both sides of the mountains, i.e. over an area of 200 square miles; but were most severe in the neighborhood of Puget Sound. The following is from the "Pacific Tribune", Dec. 21, 1872 (Olympia W. T.): "Capt. James S. Lawson took a scientific observation of the earthquake on Saturday night last. Its direction was from the south to the north at first; subsequently it changed around to a course from the southwest to the northeast. It was timed with a chronometer watch and the direction noted by a swinging lamp. In an unofficial report to Prof. Davidson, at San Francisco, Capt. Lawson says: (On December 14, 1872) Shock occurred precisely at 9h 40 1/2m P. M. It commenced with a light movement, gradually increasing for eighteen or twenty seconds. Then came the heavy shock, lasting four or five seconds; then it gradually decreased. In six minutes after the first shock there was another, followed by two others one minute apart. At 10h 12m there was another shock, and after 11 P. M. there were five others. During the night other shocks were reported (I did not feel them), at 3 and 5 o'clock. On Sunday night at 6h 37 1/2 m a light shock. December 16, at 9h 17m, another shock." A report from Walla Walla, Jan. 4, 1873, says that light shocks had occurred daily up to that time.