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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 #316 - Summary, and parameter estimates with source IDs                                           
This earthquake is well represented in catalogs. Few particulars are available - both the Oregonian and the Spokeman Review say: "- A heavy shock of earthquake was felt here at 5:20 this morning. It was of brief duration." Townley and Allen cite MWR, 26, 68; which is not included in the database.
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
1898  23  20  46.99  120.54        Ellensburg  WA           
N-Ore - 1583 WWC - 1735 - - RAS - 94 -

Underlying Source Material
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
899  Reid 2, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park     
Transcription: Ellensburg 5:30a February 22, 1898
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
2098  Spokesman Review  1898  Thurs. Feb. 24, 1898, p. 1, c. 3. 
Transcription: Earthquake at Ellensburg - Heavy Shock Startled Citizens Early in the Morning
Ellensburg. Wash. Feb. 23 -- A heavy shock of earthquake was felt here at 5:20 this morning. It was of brief duration.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
94  Rasmussen, Norman, 1967, Washington state earthquakes 1840 through 1965, BSSA V. 57, No. 3, pp. 463-476  1967   
Transcription: 94 1898 Feb. 22 13:30 Ellensburg 4 felt
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
2065  Leslie M. Scott, Memoranda of the Files of the Oregonian 1850-1910, Oregon Historical Society  1910  Unpublished index to the Oregonian 
Transcription: at Ellensburg, Feb. 23, 1898, 5:20 a.m.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1735  Woodward Clyde Consultants, unpublished  1981  Woodward-Clyde Consultants (1981), Historical Catalog (1841-1980) for the Pacific Northwest Region, unpublished catalog prepared for the Washington Public Power Supply System. Copy provided to UW in 1993. 
Transcription: 189802221330000 46998-120540W R 01
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1112  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: [1898 February 22. 5:30 a.m. Ellensburg, Kittitas C0.-MWR, 26, 68.]
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
2369  Washington Public Power Supply System, Preliminary
Safety Analysis Report, Ammendment 23,
WPPSS Nuclear Project No. 1, 1300 MW Nuclear Power Plant, Vol. 2A. 
1977  Table 2R E-9 
Transcription: 1898 Feb 22 Ellensburg, Wash.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1583  The Oregonian  1898  Feb 24, 1898; p. 3, c. 5 
Transcription: 1898, February 23 (5:20). Ellensburg.

Earthquake at Ellensburg

Ellensburg, Wa., Feb 23--A heavy earthquake shock was felt here at 5:20 am this morning. It was of very brief duration.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
2440  Washington Public Power Supply System, "WPPSS Nuclear Project No. 2, Final Safety Analysis Report, Volume 1, Amendment 18"
September 1981 
1981  Table 2.5-6 
Transcription: 1898 Feb 22 Ellensburg, Wash. TA
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
736  Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park     
Transcription: Ellensburg 5:30 am 22 Feb, 1898
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
7108  US Weather Bureau - Washington Section
Weather Bureau, US Department of Agriculture. Washington Section of the Climate and Crop Service of the Weather Bureau (Seattle, Weather Bureau) Issued from June 1897 to January 1906 (Volume 1 #1 to Volume 10 #1) 
1897-1906   
Transcription: US Weather Bureau - Washington Section
Weather Bureau, US Department of Agriculture. Washington Section of the Climate and Crop Service of the Weather Bureau (Seattle, Weather Bureau) Issued from June 1897 to January 1906 (Volume 1 #1 to Volume 10 #1)
*
December 1897 to January 1906 events taken from above source
*
Dec 15, 16, 17, 20, 1897 “Lakeside -- Charles Johnson, Observer. A severe shock of earthquake was felt at this station on the 15th, followed by light shocks on the 16th, 17th and 20th, all occurring at 6:00 A.M. Vibration from west to east.” (volume 1 #7 December 1897 p 5)
[Dec 15?, 1897] “Waterville -- R.W. Starr, Observer. Shock of earthquake sufficient to rattle the dishes in frame houses, duration from four to six seconds: direction from northwest to southeast.” [Note: Date not given, assume Dec 15th] (volume 1 #7 December 1897 p 5)
Jan 11, 14, 15, 1898 “Slight earthquake shocks were felt at Lakeside on the 11th, 14th and 15th.” (p 4) “Lakeside - Charles Johnson, Observer. A slight shock of earthquake on the 11th, 14th and 15th; vibration from southwest to northeast.” (volume 1 #8 January 1898 p 5)
Feb 2, 1898 “Union City -- M. Eells, Observer. … A slight earthquake shock at Brinnon on the 2d, at about 6:30 P.M.” (volume 1 #9 February 1898 p 5)
Feb 22, 1898 “Ellensburg -- R. Lee Barnes, Observer. Earthquake shock at 5:30 A.M. on the 22d.” (volume 1 #9 February 1898 p 5)
May 4, 1898 “Lakeside -- Charles Johnson, Observer. Slight shock of earthquake on the 4th, vibration from west to east.” (volume 1 #12 May 1898 p 5)
June 3, 1898 “Lakeside -- Charles Johnson, Observer. Light shock of earthquake on the 3d, vibration from west to east.” (volume 2 #1 June 1898 p 8)
Nov 7, 1898 “An earthquake tremor was noticed as occurring on the 7th at 6:30 p.m.; it was reported by Anacortes and Olga observers.” (Not in Ludwin & Qamar 1995) (volume 2 #7 November 1898)
Dec 26, 1898 “On the morning of the 26th and up to 8 a.m. several distinct shocks of earthquake were noted at Ellensburg.” (Not in Ludwin & Qamar 1995) (volume 2 #8 December 1898)
Aug 6, 1899 “Earthquakes - La Center, two light shocks, about 3 p.m. on the 6th, lasting about ten seconds. Olympia, slight shock at 3:05 p.m. of the 6th; vibration from west to east, lasting about five seconds.” (volume 3 #3 August 1899)
Dec 30, 1899 “Remarks of Voluntary Observers. Lakeside - Capt. Chas. Johnson. Two slight shocks of earthquake on the 30th.” (Not in Ludwin & Qamar 1995) (volume 3 #7 December 1899)
Apr 23, 1900 Earthquakes - Olympia, La Center (Not in Ludwin & Qamar 1995) (volume 3 #11 December 1899)
Feb 5, 1902 “Earthquake … Centralia, 5th (slight)” (p 4) (volume 5 #9 February 1902)
Feb 22, 1902 “Earthquake -- Lakeside, 22nd (slight shock)” (volume 5 #9 February 1902 p 4)
Feb 26, 1903 “Earthquake Shocks: Lakeside, 26th, vibration from west to east. Waterville, 26th, vibration from northwest to southeast.” (volume 7 #9 February 1903 p 4)
Mar 13, 1903 Earthquake Shocks - Centralia, Grand Mound, Olympia, Seattle (volume 6 #10 March 1903)
Apr 24, 1903 “Meteor Fell -- La Center 24th.” (volume 6 #11 April 1903 p 4)
Apr 26, 1903 “Sulphur Ashes: Aberdeen, sulphur ashes fell on 26th that were quite strong of sulphur.” (volume 6 #11 April 1903 p 4)
Sept 11, 1903 Earthquake Shocks - La Center at 3:50 p.m., South Bend at 3:30 pm (volume 7 #4 September 1903)
Oct 14, 1903 Meteors - “La Center two fine meteors fell on 14th at 9:30 and 10 pm” (volume 7 #5 October 1903)
Mar 16, 1904 Earthquakes - Coupeville, Grand Mound, La Center, Port Townsend, Seattle, Snohomish, Cle Elum, Waterville (volume 7 #10 March 1904)
Jun 10, 1904 Earthquakes - Lakeside [Chelan County] (Not in Ludwin & Qamar 1995) (volume 8 #1 June 1904)
July 27, 1904 Earthquakes - Lakeside “shock of earthquake on 27th. The vibration was from northwest of southeast.” (Not in Ludwin & Qamar 1995) (volume 8 #2 July 1904)
Nov 15, 1904 Earthquake - Lakeside (Not in Ludwin & Qamar 1995) (volume 8 #6 November 1904)
July 25, 1905 Earthquakes - Rattlesnake Mountains (Not in Ludwin & Qamar 1995) (volume 9 #2 July 1905)
July 28, 1905 Earthquakes - Olga (Not in Ludwin & Qamar 1995) (volume 9 #2 July 1905)
Oct 17, 1905 Earthquake - Lakeside “A series of earthquakes occurred on the 17th; first at 6:00 p.m., second at 11:30 p.m., severe, followed at intervals of 10 to 15 minutes with three other mild shocks. Vibration from southwest to northeast.” (volume 9 #5 October 1905)
Jan 2, 1906 Earthquake - Colville, Conconully, Danville, Loomis, Merritt, Republic, Twisp (volume 10 #1 January 1906)
 


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