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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 #495 - Summary, and parameter estimates with source IDs                                           
Earthquake in Idaho.
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
1916  12  30  43.70  116.20        Boise  OR  VII  RF       
TAWA - 1149 WWC - 1812 - - BYERL - 390 -

Underlying Source Material
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
626  Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park     
Transcription: Eastern Oregon PST 6:30 pm 12 May, 1916 GMT 2h 30m 13 May, 1916 See Idaho card of this date. Origin apparently in Idaho.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
2243  Monthly Weather Review  1916  V. 44, p. 304 
Transcription: Spokane, Wash. May 12, 1916.

The seismograph at Gonzaga University here registered a pronounced earthquake shock at 6:39 o'clock to-night, followed by several smaller ones, the entire disturbance lasting about 15 minutes. The general direction of the tremble was southeast to northwest, the main shock being unusually severe in this region, it was stated. The quake occurred about 80 miles southeast of Spokane (Assoc. Press)

Boise, Idaho - This city experienced an earthquake at 7:26 o'clock to-night which lasted about three seconds. People rushed in to the streets. Several brick chimneys were wrecked. The tremor was not felt to the east of Boise. Twenty-five miles north, at Emmett, the quake was violent and alarmed the inhabitants. Nanpa, to the south, also felt the shock, as did Idaho City, 36 miles north. At Weiser, 60 miles west, the quake was of exceptional violence. A new gas well, in which a flow was struck 10 days ago, showed remarkable increase of pressure immediately after the shock. From irrigated sections came reports that canals had been damaged, but not beyond repair. An earthquake last fall split a deep seem across the New York Canal, one of the largest in Idaho and it required weeks to repair it. (Assoc. Press)
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1812  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: 191605130230000 43700-116200 VII NO 7 01
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
2243  Monthly Weather Review  1916  V. 44, p. 304 
Transcription: Spokane, Wash. May 12, 1916.

The seismograph at Gonzaga University here registered a pronounced earthquake shock at 6:39 o'clock to-night, followed by several smaller ones, the entire disturbance lasting about 15 minutes. The general direction of the tremble was southeast to northwest, the main shock being unusually severe in this region, it was stated. The quake occurred about 80 miles southeast of Spokane (Assoc. Press)

Boise, Idaho - This city experienced an earthquake at 7:26 o'clock to-night which lasted about three seconds. People rushed in to the streets. Several brick chimneys were wrecked. The tremor was not felt to the east of Boise. Twenty-five miles north, at Emmett, the quake was violent and alarmed the inhabitants. Nanpa, to the south, also felt the shock, as did Idaho City, 36 miles north. At Weiser, 60 miles west, the quake was of exceptional violence. A new gas well, in which a flow was struck 10 days ago, showed remarkable increase of pressure immediately after the shock. From irrigated sections came reports that canals had been damaged, but not beyond repair. An earthquake last fall split a deep seem across the New York Canal, one of the largest in Idaho and it required weeks to repair it. (Assoc. Press)
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1149  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: 1916 May 12. 6:30 p.m. Spokane. Registered on seismograph but not stated definitely that the shock was felt in Spokane. See Idaho.-MWR, 44, 304.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
535  Townley, S.D. and M.W. Allen, 1939, Descriptive Catalog of earthquakes of the Pacific Coast of the United States 1769 to 1928, Chapter II, Earthquakes in Oregon--1846-1928, BSSA, V. 29, No. 1, pp. 253-258.  1939   
Transcription: 1916 May 12. 6 :26 p.m. See Earthquakes in Idaho.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1601  The Morning Oregonian  1916  May 13, 1916 
Transcription: The seismograph at Gonzala University here registered one pronounced earthquake shock at 6:29 o'clock tonight, followed by several smaller ones, the entire disturbance lasting about 15 minutes. Father Adams, the local observer, said the general direction of the tremblor was southeast to northwest, the main shock being unusually severe for this region. The quake occurred, Father Adams estimated, about 80 miles southeast of Spokane.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1602  The Spokesman Review  1916  May 13, 1916 
Transcription: Southern Idaho as far east as Twin falls, and eastern Oregon as far as Ontario, experienced a violent earthquake shock between 7:26 and 8 o'clock tonight. Late reports received here are to the effect that no serious damage was done.
The shock was rapid and more of a shake than a heaving. In Boise a chimney of a business block in the heart of the city was shaken down and in other buildings plaster was broken from the walls. Dishes fell from the tables and plate racks, tables, chairs, beds and desks were moved.
Aside from fright to residents and fear of a repetition of the shock Boise and southern Idaho escaped injury.
The tremor in many parts of this section of the intermountain country was without direction in its motion and in that respect was different from the felt here last. Two weeks ago there was a distinct shock in this territory, but no damage was done.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
390  Byerly, Perry, 1952, Pacific Coast Earthquakes, Condon Lecture, pp. 33-38  1952  U.W. Library, N979 B991p, Special Collections) 
Transcription: 1916, May 12 Epicenter in Idaho. VII at Boise. Felt in eastern Oregon.
 


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