1872 North Cascades Aftershock Fore- and Aftershock Sources
1872 North Cascades Aftershock Fore- and Aftershock Sources |
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Ft. Lapwai
(Note: From Post Records - Ltr. sent to Adj. General Dept. of the
Columbia, U.S. Army, Portland, Oregon)
Headquarters Gro. Fort Lapwai, I.T.
December 15th, 1872
Sir:
I have the honor to report that at 10 p.m., Decbr. 14th, two sharp shocks
of an earthquake were felt at this post. The buildings were considerably
shaken, but no damage of any kind is perceptible. The motion was from
N.N.W. to S.E. and the shocks were accompanied by a low rumbling like
distant thunder. The weather had been quite warm and the sky cloudy
during the day, but at the time of the shock, the sky was clear and the
thermometer showed at 28%degF. The two shocks taken together lasted about
one and half minutes and were separated by a very slight interval. Parties
in the garrison claim to have experienced a slight shock about 8 p.m. on
the 14th and another about 4:30 a.m. on the 15th. I am not able however
to vouch for the accuracy of these statements myself. There was no wind
blowing at the time of the shocks. The sky had a peculiar "blue black"
color and a few light fleecy clouds in the north and west had a slight
red tint. The following are the observations of the barometer.
December 14th 2 p.m. 25.950
" " " 9 P.M. 26.050 " " " 11 P.M. 26.100 (mercury fell in " " " 12 midnight 26.104 (cistern 1/16 inch " " 15th 7 a.m. 26.232 (since 9 p.m. " " " 7:45 a.m. 26.200 " " " 8:00 26.184 " " " 9:00 26.208 " " " 9:15 26.199 " " " 9:30 26.202 " " " 10:00 26.226 " " " 10:50 26.190
I am Sir
Very Resptf. Your Obt. Servt.
M. B. Mumford Captain lst Calvary Comdr. Post
HB: Recovered from original Nat'T Archives, Washington, D.C.
EARTHQUAKE,
On Saturday evening last, at twenty minutes to
eleven o'clock, our citizens were surprised and
startled by an earthquake that shook the buildings
until everything rattled and creaked and strained
like a ship in a cyclone. The night was clear
and frosty, the thermometer indicating 27 , the
moon shining brightly. Its coming was not announced
by any supernatural sounds said to frequently
precede them, but a deep, rumbling noise, like a
heavy wind storm rushing through the forest,
commenced about 10 seconds after the first jar
was experienced, and continued to its close and
left a profound impress, a feeling of awe, on the
minds of all. The shock lasted quite two minutes,
the vibrations being from the south-east and north-
west. It began and ceased with a light movement,
but during the time two shocks were very sharp.
A variety of sensations were experienced, a disagree-
able one being like a nausea or sea-sickness, while
all things human appeared to dwindle into insigni-
ficance when compared to the mighty throes of the
earth. A few moments after the subsidence of the
first heavy shocks, two light ones were felt;
lighter ones were also felt at 12 o'clock, 1 and 5,
making ten distinct shocks during the night. No
damage was done, but many laughable incidents tran-
spired that it is not the province of this article
to speak of. To the northward it was felt equally
as severe, so far as we can learn, at Steilacoom,
Puyallup, Seattle, Port Madison, Port Gamble,
Port Townsend and Victoria, also on the main
land of British Columbia, until lost in the un-
inhabitable wilds of the north. It was an un-
welcome visitor at the southward, remembering
Kalama, Portland and several places up the valley
slightly, Cascades, the Dalles, Umatilla,
Wallula, Walla Walla and other places beyond the
mountains; in no case was damage done. The
time from the north and southeast seems to have
been a little in advance of the first shock here,
together with other evidence, seems to indicate
that it came from that direction, perhaps from
the volcano region of the Rocky Mountains. This
earthquake appears to be exclusively ours at
the north, California claiming no interest in
it whatever, it not extending much towards the
southward. While no harm was the result, further
than fright, a repetition of the experience is
not desirable.
Olympia, W. T.
Pacific Tribune
Dec. 17, 1872
and
Olympia, W. T.
Weekly Pacific Tribune
Dec. 21, 1872 pg 2
Seattle, Washington
MORE OF THE EARTHQUAKE
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, absolutely correct, and the direction noted by a swinging lamp. In an unofficial report to Prof. Davidson, at San Francisco, Capt. Lawson says:
Dec. 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. 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, at 6h. 37 1/2 m.,. a light shock Dec. 16, at 9h 17m. A.M., another light shock. The shock was felt as far south as Eugene, in Oregon, and north far up into British Columbia, probably even in Alaska. In Victoria and else- where 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 what-not and smashed on the floor. in the Seattle stores, we are informed, considerable quantities of crockery and glassware were smashed.
From what is so far known, the earthquake was
confined mainly to the Puget Sound basin, thence
extending north and south with a gradually de-
creasing force, until it disappeared in a distance
of four or five hundred miles.
Olympia, WT
Washington Standard
December 21, 1872
Olympia, WT
The Topic of the Week
The all-absorbing theme of the past few days has been the startling verification on last Saturday night. All appear to have felt a lively interest in the mysterious power and to have exhibited so little con- cern for the result of the unusual phenomenon. It was a profitable visitation from at least one point of view. The people have shaken off the lethargy peculiar to this season and have talked almost incessantly; our brother quill-drivers have exultantly, piled up quires of manuscript, descriptive of the event and its attendant incidents; while the clergy have seized upon the occasion to accentuate their warnings with a solemnity inspired by the grand and mysterious throes of Mother Earth.
The shocks occurred precisely at forty minutes and thirty seconds past nine o'clock, chronometer time, and lasted about thirty seconds, increasing in intensity until near the close of the vibration. Its direction was from the South to the North, and subsequently from the Southwest to the Northeast. In six minutes afterwards, three shocks were felt about one minute apart. At ten and eleven o'clock and on Sunday morning at three, five and half past six o'clock other light shocks were experienced. In fact for the period of twenty-four hours succeeding the first shock, the vibration appears to have been felt at intervals of a few hours, but not of sufficient intensity to create alarm, or even to attract the attention of those engaged in active vocations. No damage has been done in this vicinity, the bank and county jail, the only brick buildings, not showing a crack, and not even a chimney has been overthrown, although the shock has been pronounced as heavy as many in San Francisco that have caused no small damage to property. ..........[AND MUCH MUCH MORE - RSL]
Olympia, WT
Puget Sound Weekly Courier
Dec. 21, 1872 pg 2
Olympia, Washington
Puget Sound Daily Courier
Dec. 16, 1872 pg 2
Olympia, Washington
OUR EARTHQUAKE VISITATION
"Deceased nature often times breaks forth In strange eruptions oft the teeming earth, Is with a kind of colic pinch'd and vex'd By the imprisoning of unruly wind Within her womb; Which, for enlargement striving Shakes the old beldame earth and Topples down steeples and moss grown towers.
King Henry IV
We have always understood and believed that earthquakes were preceded by symptoms and indica- tions of warning, which although different in character, were certain to make their appearance before the final shock. A surcharge of electricity in a hazy atmosphere for months, through which the sun looks red and fiery, sudden changes in the wind from fierce and fitful gusts, to sullen, dark and ominous calms, a terrible feeling of oppression and a sensation resembling vertigo pervading all animal creation, and many other characteristics are noted among the premonitory symptoms which herald the approach of an earthquake.
But the phenomena which made a visitation to this
section on Saturday night, sent no such "avant
coureur". For days and days we have had the
golden sun shining in cloudless skies, the pure
sweet airs, and clear white moons culminating in a
series of peerless days and nights, falling on all
creation like a benison. But at 9:40 P.M. on
Saturday eve, a shock came sudden like a peal of
thunder or a flash of lightning, first seeming to
lift everything upward and then for the space of
55 seconds rocking forward and back, a little
faster than the pendulum of an ordinary clock or
like the motion of a small craft in a choppy sea.
This vibrating movement was of sufficient severity
to seriously alarm our people. Books were thrown
from shelves, chinaware and dishes rattled furiously,
in some houses, the plastering cracked and fell to
the floor, the houses seemed to be afloat and were
thrown back and forward as by the passage of an
irresistible wave beneath them, chandeliers and
hanging pictures were swinging violently; the shade
trees were in strong motion as if grasped by some
invisible power and shaking and bending from north
to south, a feeling akin to sea sickness seized
many people, and all were at least momentarily
alarmed. A great many seriocomic incidents,
bordering on the ludicrous, occurred during the
first shock, which we, however, leave to be related
in the proper column. As it was, no serious harm
was done; but we have no doubt but that the
severity of the shock, if experienced in San
Francisco or other cities, where the structures are
high and top-heavy; with thin walls and insecure
foundations, would have resulted in loss of life and
great destruction of property. A gentleman living
near the bay observed that the water had receded
much more than usual, apparently leaving the bed
of the bay high and dry, but this recession was
not followed by the usual tidal phenomena, which
immediately propels back the waters with redoubled
force. The first shock was followed at intervals
during the whole night by seven others of more or
less violence,' but none equaling in force the
first, the last one occurring at 6:40 yesterday
morning.
Olympia, W. T.
Weekly Echo
Dec. 19, 1872 pg 2
Olympia, Washington
...A few moments after the subsidence of the
first heavy shocks, two light ones were felt;
lighter ones were also felt at 12 o'clock, 1 and 5,
making ten distinct shocks during the night....
Olympia, W. T.
Weekly Pacific Tribune
Dec. 21, 1872 pg 2
Seattle, Washington
"Dec. 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"
Olympia, WT
Washington Standard
December 21, 1872
Olympia, WT
" .....In six minutes afterwards,
three shocks were felt about one minute
apart. At ten and eleven o'clock and on
Sunday morning at three, five and half
past six o'clock other light shocks were
experienced. In fact for the period of
twenty-four hours succeeding the first
shock, the vibration appears to have been
felt at intervals of a few hours, but not
of sufficient intensity to create alarm, or
even to attract the attention of those
engaged in active vocations. ..."
Olympia, W. T.
Weekly Pacific Tribune
Dec. 21, 1872 pg 2
Seattle, Washington
"In six minutes after the first shock
there was another ,followed by two others one
minute apart."
Olympia, WT
Washington Standard
December 21, 1872
Olympia, WT
" .....In six minutes afterwards,
three shocks were felt about one minute
apart. At ten and eleven o'clock and on
Sunday morning at three, five and half
past six o'clock other light shocks were
experienced. In fact for the period of
twenty-four hours succeeding the first
shock, the vibration appears to have been
felt at intervals of a few hours, but not
of sufficient intensity to create alarm, or
even to attract the attention of those
engaged in active vocations. ..."
Olympia, W. T.
Weekly Pacific Tribune
Dec. 21, 1872 pg 2
Seattle, Washington
"In six minutes after the first shock
there was another, followed by two others one
minute apart."
Olympia, WT
Washington Standard
December 21, 1872
Olympia, WT
" .....In six minutes afterwards,
three shocks were felt about one minute
apart. At ten and eleven o'clock and on
Sunday morning at three, five and half
past six o'clock other light shocks were
experienced. In fact for the period of
twenty-four hours succeeding the first
shock, the vibration appears to have been
felt at intervals of a few hours, but not
of sufficient intensity to create alarm, or
even to attract the attention of those
engaged in active vocations. ..."
Walla Walla, WT
Walla Walla Union
Dec. 21, 1872 page 3
".....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."
LEWISTON, IDAHO
Idaho Signal
Dec. 21, 1872 p 3
Idaho City, Idaho
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE
"THE EARTHQUAKE--ON Saturday evening last, at twenty minutes past ten o'clock, this region of country was visited by a series of earthquake shocks. The first oscillation appeared to be from west to east and was about the duration of eight seconds. The first shock was followed by a second, ten minutes later, but of much less force...."
(This was written while he was on a survey from Fort Edmonton and his locality at the time is given as the Henry House. The coordinates for Henry House are given in text as 53 degrees 19" latitude and 113 degrees 48'-10" longitude. The location of the Henry House according to the map of J. Aimesworth which has been reprinted by the Surveys and Map-' Branch, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, MCR2304-indicates that the correct latitude or the correct location of Henry House is 118 degrees 6'. In the typescript, the longitude in degrees is 113 degrees and 113 is written in pencil there but that appears to be an erroneous entry by some later proof- reader or someone who put that in there because the correct locality that Rylatt probably wanted to write down there was probably 117 degrees 48' 10". Henry House is located about 10 miles due north of Jasper The Henry House is an old trading post of the Great Northwestern Trading Company located in the vicinity of Athabasca and Leatherhead Passes, WGE).
December 14th 2 p.m. 25.950
" " " 9 P.M. 26.050 " " " 11 P.M. 26.100 (mercury fell in " " " 12 midnight 26.104 (cistern 1/16 inch " " 15th 7 a.m. 26.232 (since 9 p.m. " " " 7:45 a.m. 26.200 " " " 8:00 26.184 " " " 9:00 26.208 " " " 9:15 26.199 " " " 9:30 26.202 " " " 10:00 26.226 " " " 10:50 26.190
I am Sir
Very Resptf. Your Obt. Servt.
M. B. Mumford Captain lst Calvary
MORE EARTHQUAKE--AT 10 minutes after 11 last
night we were again visited by our earthquake, which
made its coming known by a very sharp shock. Its
stay was very short, not exceeding ten seconds
in duration. It was said to have come again two
hours later in the night, but as we were asleep
and did not notice it, we won't mention it
further. The 11 o'clock quake came suddenly,
breaking on us like a clap of thunder, gradually
dwindling down to nothing. Several clocks were
stopped, swinging lamps put in motion, doors
jarred, restless people waked up, timid people
kept awake, everybody set to talking, Some to
trembling, others to laughing and editors to writing-
No one nor anything was hurt, and people sighed
with relief at its cessation. We have always con-
tended that this Territory was peculiarly favored,
and this is but a verification of that claim. Our
shock of Saturday evening would have been a good
one in the best earthquake country, and seldom if
ever, have there been more shakes or quakes in any
land in the same length of time than we have had
here in the last four or five days.
Olympia, W.T. ****NOTE - This article is from the Ludwin and Qamar collection RSL 9/1/99****
Oregonian
December 21, 1872
Portland, Oregon
"....Olympians experienced another slight earthquake on last Tuesday night. Several clocks were stopped, swinging lamps put in motion, doors jarred, restless people waked up, timid people kept awake, everybody set to talking, some to trembling others to laughing and editors to writing."
Seattle, W.T.
Weekly Intelligencer
December 23, 1872
Seattle, W.T.
"...In this city there was another very slight shock experienced on
Tuesday last night."
Seattle, W.T.
****NOTE - This article is from the Ludwin and Qamar collection RSL 9/17/99****
A chronological history of Seattle from 1850 to 1897
prepared by Thomas W. Prosch, newspaper editor, PI
Manuscript PNW collection N 979.743; P 94 c
1901
1872- On the evening of December 14th, occurred the most severe earthquake ever
experienced in the Puget Sound region. Buildings and trees swayed, clocks stopp
ed, shelf articles were thrown down and people were quite alarmed. On made land
, and structures on piles the stock was greater or more felt than elsewhere.
Three evenings later the earth again quaked, but less violently.
MORE EARTHQUAKE--AT 10 minutes after 11 last night we were again visited by our earthquake, which made its coming known by a very sharp shock. Its stay was very short, not exceeding ten seconds in duration. It was said to have come again two hours later in the night, but as we were asleep and did not notice it, we won't mention it further. The 11 o'clock quake came suddenly, breaking on us like a clap of thunder, gradually dwindling down to nothing. Several clocks were stopped, swinging lamps put in motion, doors jarred, restless people waked up, timid people kept awake, everybody set to talking, Some to trembling, others to laughing and editors to writing- No one nor anything was hurt, and people sighed with relief at its cessation. We have always con- tended that this Territory was peculiarly favored, and this is but a verification of that claim. Our shock of Saturday evening would have been a good one in the best earthquake country, and seldom if ever, have there been more shakes or quakes in any land in the same length of time than we have had here in the last four or five days.
The late earthquake was very severe in Puyallup valley; shaking fowls from their perches, prostrating lar ge trees and startling people generally.
(later paragraph)
A slight earthquake shock was felt at ten o'clock on Sunday morning last.
Pine Grove, W.T.
Oregonian
January 17, 1873
Portland, Oregon
A private letter dated Pine Grove Jan. 2nd. has the following: an occasional
shake up continues to be felt in this vicinity; last Sunday morning, at 10 o'clock, we were treated to qu
ite a shock of earthquake -- so great was the shock that it cracked the crusted snow for nearly a mile in
length.
HOPE, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Cariboo Sentinel
Barkerville, B.C.
January 4, 1873 p. 3
From Yale, dated January 3, reads:
Bristol, the expressman, reports that on the evening of
December 31st, while passing a mountain five miles below Hope, he
saw three flashes of fire issue from the mountain, lighting up
everything around as in the day time. The light was distinctly
seen here by several parties. Several slight shocks of earthquake
have been felt here during the past week.
WALLA WALLA, W.T.*
Oregonian
Portland, Oregon
January 10, 1873
page 1
Earthquake shocks are still felt or supposed to be, at Walla
Walla.
WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON
Walla Walla Union
Walla Walla, W. T.
Jan. 4, 1873 page 3
More shocks - Ever since the big shock of earthquake that we, and all
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 preliminaries to
a good shake-up yet to come.
A friend telegraphs to the Olympia Transcript that the chimney
of Mr. Baker's house in Stuck valley, Pierce* County, W.T., was
thrown down by an earthquake shock on the 19th inst. On Thursday,
the 22d in t, six shocks occurred at noon. The thermometer stood
at 59 degrees.
PUYALLUP VALLEY
The Olympia Transcript
Olympia, Washington
January 25, 1873
There was one shock of earthquake on the 16th inst., and three
shocks on the 17th in the Puyallup valley.
A slight shock of earthquake was felt here last Saturday, about
two o'clock, and another on Wednesday.
A friend telegraphs to the Olympia Transcript that the chimney
of Mr. Baker's house in Stuck valley, Pierce* County, W.T., was
thrown down by an earthquake shock on the 19th inst. On Thursday,
the 22d inst, six shocks occurred at noon. The thermometer stood
PUYALLUP, W.T.
Weekly Intelligencer
Seattle
Feb. 3, 1873
(Monday), page 3
Earthquakes in the Puyallup Valley continue, and are almost of
daily occurrence. on the 16th, at 2:30 P.M., a shock was felt,
which, it is stated, overthrew a chimney on the house of a
Mr. Baker, living in Stuck Valley. On the 18th inst., four shocks
were distinctly felt, and on the night of the 19th two shocks
were observed by persons in various parts of the valley. On the
22d, a series of vibrations were felt, beginning at 12 o'clock
.and continuing nine minutes, during which time six distinct shocks
were felt.
Spokesman Review
January 8, 1906
"...in 1872 a series of 60 distinct shocks was felt here."
University of Washington Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, Box 351310 Seattle, WA, 98195-1310