Data Source Date Code Remarks
The Olympia Transcript January 25, 1873 A
A. Period Account: Primary source for evaluation of intensity or felt report.
B. Period Account: Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.
C. Period Account: Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des- cription or duplicate data with more complete data available in other sources.
D. Later descriptive account identified with period sources.
E. Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.
*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.
Data Source Date Code Remarks
Daily Pacific Tribune December 16, 1872 A A. Period Account: Primary source for evaluation of intensity or felt report. B. Period Account: Insufficient data to evaluate intensity. C. Period Account: Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des- cription or duplicate data with more complete data available in other sources. D. Later descriptive account identified with period sources. E. Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources. *Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.
Walla Walla Statesman December 21, 1872 A *Idaho Signal December 28, 1872 not included in this compilation.
A. Period Account: Primary source for evaluation of intensity or felt report.
B. Period Account: Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.
C. Period Account: Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des- cription or duplicate data with more complete data available in other sources.
D. Later descriptive account identified with period sources.
E. Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.
*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.
Data Source Date Code Remarks
Wenatchee World June 15, 1922 E Not used in intensity evaluation.
A. Period Account: Primary source for evaluation of intensity or felt report.
B. Period Account: Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.
C. Period Account: Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des- cription or duplicate data with more complete data available in other sources.
D. Later descriptive account identified with period sources.
E. Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.
*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.
In the late fall of 1872 we cowboys, having finished marking and branding the calves on the range, came into Yakima City to disband and celebrate the season's work at the Sage-brush saloon, the first in the county. About ten o'clock at night when things were coming along fairly swift there came a sound like some one hitting the side of the house with a flat board; then the building began to shake. The boys ran to the outside to see who was trying to turn the house over; when we reached the outside we saw the flagpole at Schanno's store waving to and fro, people were running out of their homes in their night clothes, the dogs set up the howl, while the chickens crowed. A friend of mine who preferred to visit his best girl than to celebrate with the bunch, when the quake struck the house, thought it was the gang trying to upset the small building. Out he carried a gun in hand and full of fight. I was the first one he met and he wanted to know if I was mixed up in trying to turn the house over that he was temporarily occupying? If so, friendship would cease and war begin. We informed him tha he was on the wrong trail, as he was not of so much importance that we cared where he went or what he did; but this was a bigger circus than cowboys could start, and was run by a higher authority. It was an earthquake. When the fact dawned on him his eyes bulged out, resembling two drops of indigo in a pan of buttermilk. Turning he ran for the house he had just come out of saying, "I must save Hattie. " A woman in her nightdress, barefooted, and bareheaded, passed me on the run yelling "where is John" John, her husband, was in a poker game at the saloon.
Near Schanno's store stood an old Indian with his blanket wrapped around him, silently gazing at the stars, apparently unmindful of the things happening around him. When I asked him if anything like this had ever, occurred here before, he turned his eyes on me, saying "This land, before the coming of the whites, was only inhabited by the Indians who worshipped the Great Spirit in ceremony and song, and who obeyed the teach- ings of our forefathers and were happy until the paleface came among us with their forked tongue, religion, and fire water. Since that time this country has been going to the bad. Look at these white men and women running out of their homes screaming. They have been wicked and are afraid to die. Indians are always ready when the Great Spirit calls. The paleface are a strange people. This is a warning they had better heed."
Soon I saw him light his pipe, mount his horse and ride off in the darkness for his lodge dovn on the reservation.
There was no damage done in the Yakima Valley. In the Tieton Basin south of Soda Springs, there were many slides and uprooted trees. Further north and above the Wenatchee. the quake was much harder, especially just above the mouth of the Entiat River. Part of a large mountain broke off and slid into the Columbia River, almost damming it up for a short time. This slide caused what is now known as Entiat Rapids. Wapato John, an Indian who had a small farm and a trading post a few miles above where the mountain slid into the river, had it destroyed by back water. He thought it was a bad Ta-man-na-was. and moved-up to Lake Chelan where he and his followers settled and are now residing.
Lighter shocks forming many small fissures
in the earth, were felt for several years
in the surrounding mountains.
Up to the present time, it has been ascertained
that the shock was felt simultaneously as far
south as Eugene City, in Oregon, north as
British Columbia, and east as Lewiston,
Umatilla and Walla Walla, the intermediate
region, of course being affected at every
place from which reports have been received.
At Victoria, Port Townsend, Seattle,
Steilacoom, on the Puyallup, at Kalama,
Vancouver, and many other points the des-
cription of time and manner is identical with
that of this place. A gentleman living on
the Puyallup informs us that the effect
upon the tall fir trees was startling and
grand. They were swayed to and from by the
irresistible force, their intertwining
branches rustling with the agitation as if
shaken by some giant hand, while the earth
appeared to be moved by the passage of an
elastic wave of motion resembling blows
of the ocean. The area affected by the
shocks is probably much greater than the
limits described, and on some portion of the
coast it may have been attended by the
usual horrors, but we have yet to learn of
a casualty or loss of any importance from
the dread phenomena.
ATTENDING PHENOMENA
The approach of an earthquake is said to be
heralded by several premonitory symptoms.
People are sometimes affected with dizziness,
the sun appears red and fiery, and dumb
animals frequently utter cries of distress.
This is attributed to an electric change
in the atmosphere, which produces a feeling
of uneasiness. The wind lulls and rains
pour down in torrents at times. The atmos-
phere is generally very still, while the
surface of the ocean or lakes is usually
disturbed. A sound as of distant thunder
or the firing of artillery, sometimes
accompanies or precedes the movements.
MAIN STREET WAS FILLED
by hundreds of men; a hundred windows were thrown up and one or more
heads popped out with great elation and all cried out, "What is it?"
No one answered this conundrum, however, and nobody waited for an
answer; a general rush was made for the outside, and it is probable
that there was never at any one time so much canvass spread before a
breeze in this city. Sober, solid citizens, who had never been known
go at a rate of more than three miles an hour, or step more than
eighteen inches at a step, were seen to reach further and pick it
up faster than one would have believed possible. Nimble old ladies
were seen to rush out of doors and into the street, looking like
human comets with linen tails.
CURLS IN AN EARTHQUAKE
one young lady who always wears a profusion of beautiful curls,
which she has always claimed were curled on nature's tongs, was
seen to rush into the street, robed in white, with no class, and
what were supposed to be fresh curled hair and her head brisling with
curl papers.
SEEKING FOR BURGLARS
The County Treasurer, who had retired, thought someone was trying
to force an entrance into his house for the probable purpose of
stealing his pants in order to get the safe key. With a full
sense of his responsibility in guarding the strong box of the county,
he armed himself with a cane and revolver and rallied forth to stay
the burglar. His search was only rewarded by the sight of what he
supposed to be a score of ghosts scattered around the neighboring
houses. But his thin raiment was not the thing for a protracted
promenade by moonlight on a frosty night, so he retired to his peace-
ful couch blissfully unconscious that an earthquake had been giving
him a shake-up.
THOUGHT HE WAS DRUNK
One man who appeared duly sober, was in the act of raising a glass
of lager to his lips when the house began to rock, and he of course
began to stagger, he sat his glass down on the bar and said, "Boys
guess I got enough," and supposing himself drunk, staggered out of
the house.
SAVING THE PIECES
Our friend Moses Rogers was so thoroughly shaken up, and frightened,
that he though he was going to be torn to pieces, so he began look-
ing for a basket in which to gather up the fragments. At least this
is what his friends said and we presume it is so, as a Christian
found him in the rear of the saloon trying to hold himself together.
NOT TO BE MENTIONED
We are not going to tell how we rushed out of the house; how the
junior partner got down stairs, of how our "devil" thought a hundred
yards of fence was after him as he was peacefully wending his way
home - so that wouldn't do.
[RSL 8/11/1999 - This paragraph was NOT in the WGR Volume, but WAS in the
Coombs et. al, 1976 material]
It was felt at Portland slightly -- at the Dalles more plainly, and at Wallula it was about the same as here. At the foot of the mountains, and in the Eastern portion of the county it was harder than here. Locked doors were thrown open-- people were thrown on the floor-- Chickens were shaken from their perches, and cattle ran and bellowed pitteously, and dogs barked and
howled, and in short everybody and everything was more or less scared.
NO DAMAGE
Was done, so far as we can learn, and this is the first Earthquake,
at least of importance, that has ever visited our valley. We are
fully satisfied and hope it will be the last.
The length of time it lasted is variously estimated at from 20 to 40
seconds., About ten minutes after this we had another much lighter one,
and at different times during the night others were felt, but no two
persons agree as to the total number. It is claimed that in some
parts of the county other shocks have been felt since that night,
but if this be true, they must have been very light.
Wallula, Dec. 15
December 15 - Weather this morning cloudy;
no wind; thermometer 30 degrees.
WALLULA, December 15 - Weather cloudy and
foggy; thermometer 30 degrees. We have a very
severe shaking last night about 9:30. No
damage.
Walla Walla, December 15 - Two heavy shocks
were felt here last night. Clocks stopped
at 10 minutes before 10.
Umatilla, Dec. 15 - Weather cloudy;
thermometer 40 degrees; had earthquake last night;
three shakes; no damage.
Dalles had four or five shakes of earthquake
last night.
Seattle, December 15. - Last night at about
twenty minutes to 10 o'clock, the citizens
of this place were suddenly startled by the
heaviest earthquake ever felt so far north
on the coast as this. With the exception of
the earthquake at San Francisco in 1865 it
is doubtful whether so violent and long
continued a one has been felt for years on
the entire coast. No damage was done, but
frame buildings swayed to and fro like small
crafts at sea. There were three series of
shocks.
Olympia, December 15. - A sharp shock of
earthquake was fe t here at 23 minutes to
10 last night. No damage was done further than
the cracking of ceilings and breaking of a
few window panes. The motion was from
southeast to northwest.
Victoria, December 15. - Last night at 23
minutes to 10 o'clock this city was shaken
by a sharp shock of an earthquake, which
rocked houses violently and drove several
families into the streets for safety.
The movement was from east to west. In some
instances door-bells were rung and crockery
knocked from the shelves. The shock lasted
ten seconds.
Wallula, December 15. Capt. J.C. Ainsworth:
At 20 minutes past 9 o'clock last evening
were visited with quite a heavy shock of earth
quake, lasting about fifty seconds. I
should judge, followed by five lighter
shocks at intervals of about fifteen
minutes, after which a heavy, rumbling
sound was heard as distinctly as a heavy
peal of thunder. The thermometer fell from
30 degrees to 26 degrees. The shaking mania that had
attacked terra firma continued at irregular
periods until 4 o'clock this morning.
Although the first shock was violent enough
to shake buildings, and their contents up
pretty lively, yet no damage or injury was
sustained by any one, that I am aware of.
December 15. Weather this morning
cloudy; no wind; thermometer 30 degrees.
Walla Walla, December 15. - Two heavy
shocks were felt here last night. Clocks
stopped at 10 minutes before 10.
Umatilla, December 15. - Weather cloudy;
thermometer 40 degrees; had an earthquake last
night; three shakes; no damage.
Dalles had four or five shakes of earth-
quake last night.
_________________________________________________________________________
ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Touchet, Washington
Data Source Date Code Remarks
Walla Walla Weekly December 21, 1872 A
Statesman
A. Period Account: Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
felt report.
B. Period Account: Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.
C. Period Account: Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
cription or duplicate data with more complete
data available in other sources.
D. Later descriptive account identified with period sources.
E. Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.
*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.
Touchet, Washington
Walla Walla Weekly Statesman
Saturday December 21, 1872
Walla Walla W. T.
AMUSING--Even so grave an affair as an earthquake
has its amusing features. As an illustration,
we give the case of a man, named Fudge, living
on the Touchet. On the first rumbling of the
earthquake, he concluded that robbers were about
to make a raid on his house, and, seizing a
revolver, rushed to the door. Unable to see
the midnight plunderers, he concluded that they
had hidden under the house, and so took a
position, revolver in hand, to watch for their
coming out. His intention was, on their first
appearance, to blaze away, but, the night being
cold, and having nothing on but a shirt, he
soon grew tired standing watch for the robbers.
That they were under the house, and kicking up
a great rumpus, he was fully convinced, and
never knew any better until the following morn-
ing, when his neighbors asked him if he had felt
the earthquake? Rubbing his eyes, he answered,
'Either robbers or the earthquake had visited
his house!"
_________________________________________________________________________
ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Tukanon, Washington
Data Source Date Code Remarks
Idaho Signal December 21, 1872 B
A. Period Account: Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
felt report.
B. Period Account: Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.
C. Period Account: Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
cription or duplicate data with more complete
data available in other sources.
D. Later descriptive account identified with period sources.
E. Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.
*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.
Tukanon, W.T.
Idaho Signal
Dec. 21, 1872 pg 3
Lewiston, Idaho
At Tukanon the people were rolled out of their
beds and all along from there eastward the
same treatment was experienced.
_________________________________________________________________________
ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Tumwater, Washington
Data Source Date Code Remarks
Daily Pacific Tribune December 16, 1872 B
A. Period Account: Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
felt report.
B. Period Account: Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.
C. Period Account: Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
cription or duplicate data with more complete
data available in other sources.
D. Later descriptive account identified with period sources.
E. Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.
*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.
Tumwater, W.T.
Daily Pacific Tribune
Dec. 16, 1872 pg 2
Seattle, W.T.
In Tumwater it was felt as severely as in
Olympia.
_________________________________________________________________________
ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Vancouver, Washington
Data Source Date Code Remarks
Washington Standard December 21, 1872 B
A. Period Account: Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
felt report.
B. Period Account: Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.
C. Period Account: Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
cription or duplicate data with more complete
data available in other sources.
D. Later descriptive account identified with period sources.
E. Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.
*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.
Vancouver, Washington
Washington Standard
December 21, 1872
Olympia, W.T.
Its Extent
This is page 3 of 5 pages; the succeeding pages describe the events
in Olympia, only, and therefore, are not included in this folder.
See the Olympia folder for complete article.
_________________________________________________________________________
ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Walla Walla, Washington
Data Source Date Code Remarks
*The Weekly Echo December 19, 1872 C
Walla Walla Weekly December 21, 1872 A
Statesman
*The Catholic Sentinel December 21, 1872 C
*The Mountain Sentinel December 21, 1872 C
*Washington Standard December 21, 1872 C
*Willamette Farmer December 21, 1872 C
*The New Northwest December 28, 1872 C
*Oregonian December 30, 1872 C
Walla Walla Union January 4, 1873 A Plate III aftershocks
*Willamette Farmer January 4, 1873 C
Oregonian January 10, 1873 B Plate III aftershocks
*Helena Daily Herald February 8, 1873 C Brief dispatches also in:
Daily British Colonist,
December 17, 1872;
Victoria Daily Standard,
December 17, 1872; Cariboo
Sentinel, December 21,
1872; Idaho Signal,
December 21, 1872;
Weekly Corvalis Gazette,
December 21, 1872 not
included in this compila-
tion.
Walla Walla Union December 21, 1872 A
Additional Reports from Coombs et al, 1976 [RSL 8/11/1999]
A. Period Account: Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
felt report.
B. Period Account: Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.
C. Period Account: Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
cription or duplicate data with more complete
data available in other sources.
D. Later descriptive account identified with period sources.
E. Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.
*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.
Walla Walla, WT
Walla Walla Union
Dec. 21, 1872 page 3
THE EARTHQUAKE
At 2 minutes past 10 O'clock on last Saturday night, the people of
this valley and the surrounding country were treated to a genuine
earthquake. This is generally claimed to be the first that has
ever been felt here since the country was settled by whites, although
there are those who claim that we have at one or two different times
had a slight jar. On this occasion there was no room for doubt.
Everybody felt and exclaimed, "What is that?" At first a trembling
sensation was felt accompanied by a sound resembling the rush of
a heavy blast of wind, although there was no wind stirring. Next
the houses, trees and everything began to rock from southwest to
northeast. Those who closely observed thought that in the height of a
a common door the top moved from side to side from four to six inches.
The chandeliers in the stores and saloons swung from one to two feet,
and kept it up for about three minutes, showing that although you could
not feel it, still the earth was being disturbed. Almost all the
pendulum clocks were stopped, and Straight's big chronometer marked
3 minutes past IV. In just three seconds after the first distinct
motion was felt,
WHERE IT WAS FELT
WALLA WALLA, W.T.
Walla Walla Weekly Statesman
December 21, 1872
Walla Walla, W.T.
A Tremblor. On Saturday night last, about
10 o'clock, our citizens were visited by a
decidedly new and stunning sensation. At
the hour named, a low, rumbling noise was
heard, followed by the rattling of windows,
and the swinging of picture frames, the
whole concluding with a ground swell, that
can best be compared to the rolling of waves
in a rough sea. The whole lasted, probably,
less than a minute, but in that brief time
we had all the experience of a first-class
earthquake. Those of us who happened to be
old San Franciscans, understood in a moment
what was up, but with very many of our
citizens, an earthquake was something
entirely new, and these, for the moment,
thought that the world was coming to an
end. So fierce was the shock, that people
tumbled out of their houses pell-mell, and
those who had retired for the night, made
their appearance in rather scanty wardrobes.
At first, it was supposed that the shock
had occasioned considerable damage to brick
buildings but these fears proved unfounded,
and, beyond the stopping of clocks, and the
toppling over of glassware, we have no
damage to report. At Wallula and other
points on the River the shock was even
more severe than here, and at Pine Grove,
as well be seen by reference to the letter
of our correspondent, goods were thrown
from the shelves, and things generally
smashed. Portland papers make mention of
the earthquake having been felt in that
city, and, from the news received from
other quarters, it would seem that the
earthquake was felt over nearly the whole
Northwest coast. About a year ago, a
slight shock of earthquake was felt in
this locality, but so slight as to be
scarcely observed. This time we had a
genuine shake up, and one that would have
done credit to the great San Francisco
earthquakes.
WALLA WALLA, W.T.
Walla Walla Union
January 4, 1873
Walla Walla, W.T.
Railroad Surveyors - Major Eastwick and
party arrived here Thursday from the count
northeast of us. They have been engaged
from the latter part of the summer to the
present time in locating the railroad rout
from the mouth of Snake River to Pend'
Oreille Lake. A portion of the party were
paid off here, and the Major with the
remainder of the party will proceed to
Kalama. We have been unable to learn any
facts of interest concerning the work of
this party.
More Shocks - Ever since the big shock of
earthquake that we, and all the surrounding
country for hundreds of miles, felt, it
seems that things have not fairly settled
down. Since that time, we hear that both
here and elsewhere, light shocks have been
felt almost daily, in one place or another.
The most interesting question just now is,
whether these are the last efforts of the
old earthquake or, are they the preliminary
to a good shake-up yet to come.
River Open - On last Saturday the steamers
succeeded in making connections between
Portland and the Dalles - the first for
about a week. The river is now reported
clear, and there is not much likelihood
that it will again close during the Winter,
as it is not a common thing for it to close
after having fairly opened during the
Winter.
Walla Walla, W. T.
Oregonian
January 10, 1873 p. 1
Portland, Oregon
Earthquake shocks are still felt or supposed
to be, at Walla Walla.
_________________________________________________________________________
ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Wallula, Washington
Data Source Date Code Remarks
Daily Oregonian December 16, 1872 A
*The Weekly Echo December 19, 1872 C
*The Catholic Sentinel December 21, 1872 C
Willamette Farmer December 21, 1872 A Similar dispatches ap-
pear in Victoria Daily
Standard, December 17,
1872 and Cariboo Sentinel,
December 21, 1872,
not included in this
compilation.
*The New Northwest December 28, 1872
Additional Reports from Coombs et al, 1976 [RSL 8/11/1999]
A. Period Account: Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
felt report.
B. Period Account: Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.
C. Period Account: Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
cription or duplicate data with more complete
data available in other sources.
D. Later descriptive account identified with period sources.
E. Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.
*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.
WALLULA, W.T.
Portland Daily Oregonian
December 16, 1872
Portland, Oregon
THE EARTHQUAKE We are indebted to Capt.
Ainsworth, President of the O.S.N. Co.,
for the following dispatches received by
him from points along the Columbia:
Capt. J.C. Ainsworth: At twenty minutes
past 9 o'clock last evening we were visited
with quite a heavy shock of earthquake,
lasting about fifty seconds, I should judge,
followed by five lighter shocks at inter-
vals of about fifteen minutes, after which
a heavy, rumbling sound was heard as
distinctly as a heavy peal of thunder.
The thermometer fell from 30 degrees to 26 degrees. The
shaking mania that had attacked terra firma
continued at irregular periods until four
o'clock this morning. Although the first
shock was violent enough to shake buildings
and their contents up pretty lively, yet
no damage or injury was sustained by any
one, that I am aware of.
McDonald.
Wallula, Washington
Willamette Farmer
December 21 , 1872
Salem, Oregon
Earthquake - On Saturday evening last,
about twenty minutes to ten o'clock, a
slight earthquake shock was sensibly felt
by a number of people in this city. Dis-
patches from different parts of the coast
north represent the shock as quite alarming
to some people. The heaviest shocks appear
to have been at Wallula, Victoria, and on
Puget Sound.