Felt from Portland to Salem. Although the Oregonian Index says: " broke window at McMinnville, rang bells at Dayton, Oregon City", and Townley and Allen cite theS.F. Chronicle, [April 3, 1896, p. 4.], the Oregonian article makes no mention of McMinnville.
From the Oregonian: "The Earthquake Yesterday Morning Was Severe, and Lasted Ten Seconds, but Did No Damage. The earthquake of yesterday morning is said to have been one of the most severe that has been experienced in Portland in many years. It did no damage to property, but it managed to waken thousands of people from sound slumber, and caused no little alarm.... Mr. Blandford, ... was able to furnish some information about the shock. "The earthquake," he said, "occurred at 3:13 this morning, and lasted between 8 and 10 seconds. It began with a severe and quick jerky vibration, and then, after a moment's interval, the vibrations resumed with lesser force until the finally died away. ... I should say the earthquake was rather severe at first." The time at which Mr. Blandford fixes the shock was corroborated by almost everyone who thought to notice the time, though there was considerable disagreement as to the duration of the vibration, some contending that it did not take up more than five seconds. That it was a severe shock is proven by the general attention it attracted. Many were the stories told yesterday of what the earthquake had done. One young man said it wakened him, and as he looked at the wall he saw the pictures swinging to and fro and heard the shutters moving, though it was a quiet night. The unusual loudness of the rumbling which accompanied the shock was what attracted general attention, many of those who noticed the earthquake saying that it sounded like the collapse of some big brick block. One man ... said that his house rocked as if it were about to tumble. It nearly overturned a lamp standing on a table besides his bed, and twisted the nails in the woodwork. The shock was less severely felt in The Oregonian building then almost anywhere else ..." |
