Sources for 1872 Information Reid 2, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park Columbia R. 9:20p December 14, 1872 At Portland it lasted 25 (?) seconds. Dalles reported 4 or 5 shocks. Also felt at Walla Walla. Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park near Columbia River, Washington & Oregon 9:30 pm, 14 De- cember 1872 VI-VII -C.G.R. Am. Jr. Sc. 1873, Vol 6, p 262 At Walla Walla two heavy shocks. At Wallula shocks continued until 4 am. Dec. 15 (This and the shock of Dec 14 further north may be the same with and error in one of the dates. Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park Near Puget Sound (WA) & B.C. 9:37 pm 15 Dec, 1872 VII-VIII -C.S.R.; Am. Jr. Sc. 1873, ser 3, vol 5, pg 263 The above time was reported from Olympia and Victoria. Seattle reported 11:40 pm. There were three series of shocks, the first lasting 4 minutes the other two following soon after lasted for a few seconds each. (It is possible that this shock and the one reported from Columbia River on Dec 14 may be the same with one of Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park Near Columbia River, OR & WA 9:30 pm 14 Dec, 1872 VI-VII -CGR, Am. Jr. Sc. 1873, vol 5, pg 262 At Walla Walla two heavy shocks. At Wallula, shocks continued until 4 am, Dec 15. (This and the shock further north may be the same with an error in one of the dates.) Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park Puget Sound 9h 40m 30s pm 14 Dec, 1872 -Holden's Cat. pg 94 One shock. Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park Puget Sound 10 pm 14 Dec, 1872 -Holden's Cat. pg 94 Several shocks. Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park Near Puget Sound & Bellingham 9:37 pm 15 Dec, 1972 VII- VIII -CGR Am Jr Sc 1873, vol 5, pg 263 The above time was reported from Olympia and Victoria. Seattle reported 11:40 pm. There were three series o;f shocks, the first lasting 2 minutes, the other two following soon after lasted for a few seconds each. (It is possible that this shock and the one reported from Columbia River on Dec 14 may be the same with one of the dates in error.) Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park Puget Sound 1872 (no date, time given) VII -Holden's Cat. pg 95 Reid 2, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park shocks. Puget Sound 10:00p December 14, 1872 Reid 2, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park Puget Sound 9:40p December 14, 1872 One shock. Reid 2, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park Puget Sound December 14, 1872 Shocks felt at various places near Puget U. S. Weather Bureau Climatological Records, for the State of Washington National Archives Microfilm Copy T907, Roll No. 536, 1819-1892 - Camp San Juan, WA- handwritten weather forms 1819-1892 December, 1872, Camp San Juan, WA December 14, Slight earthquake at 9:20 PM from NW to SE December 18, Slight earthquake at 6:30 PM from N to S U. S. Weather Bureau Climatological Records, for the State of Washington National Archives Microfilm Copy T907, Roll Nos. 530-537, 1819-1892 -Cathlamet, Wahkiakum County- handwritten weather forms. Researched by Gerald Elfendahl, curator, Bainbridge Island Hist. Soc. 1819-1892 From Roll No. 530: Cathlamet, Wahkiakum County. December 1872: ...Several smart shocks of an earthquake were felt in the city at 91/2 p. m. on the 14th. I was awakened by a rumbling noise but did not notice any shake. An old frenchman who lives on the tidelands two miles from Cathlamet felt his house swaying to and fron like a pendulum and ran out of doors in great alarm. His clock stopped. Others had rocking chairs set a rocking, and one family had milk spilled out of their pans. The shock was not noticed at Cathlamet but at Westport (not present day coastal city), six miles south. U. S. Weather Bureau Climatological Records, for the State of Oregon National Archives Copy T907, Roll Nos. 427-434, 1819-1892 - Louis Wilson, weather observer - handwritten weather forms 1872 Register of Meteorological Observations under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution adopted by the Commissioner of Agriculture for his Annual Report, "(Observations by Louis Wilson of) Casual Phenomena", Astoria, Clatsop County, Oregon, December 14, 1872. At 9h 31m P. M. the Self Registering Tide Gauge Clock stopped by a shock of earthquake - the most noticeable effects of the shock were the oscillation of chandeliers from about east to west and stopping of pendulum clocks, which was Oregonian Portland, OR December 16, 1872 1872 THE FIRST SHOCK. Portland Visited By a Slight Earthquake Last Saturday Night for the First Time in Her History. Oregon has long enjoyed an immunity from the visitations of plagues, epidemics, storms, earthquakes and destructive fires, which have for years distracted other portions of this continent. By a singular and providential interference, many of these calamities have been averted from this particualar section of the Pacific coast. Twice within the last year, have sweeping conflagrations wrapped in their destroying embraces two of the largest most wealthy and important cities of the Union. Chicago, the Queen City of the great West, has indeed rose, Phoenix like, from the ashes which, but fourteen months ago, marked the spot of her former wealth and commercial pride; but Boston still stands with its blackened and charred ruins--sad monuments of its former self--and fresh with the lingering traces of the remorseless destroyer. Several times within the past three years has California been convulted with earth shocks attended with more or less destruction of property, considerable loss of life, and that natural state of inquietude and apprehension in the minds of the people. If the earth, our natural mother turns against us, where can mortals look for refuge. For the first time in the history of this State, the knowlege of the oldest inhabitant to the contrary notwithstanding, a very slight shock of earthquake was experienced in this city last Saturday evening about 20 minutes before 10 o'clock. The shock lasted about fifteen seconds, and was distinctly felt by a great number of people. With many persons it was confounded with the steamer's gun, and the shock was attributed to the detonation of the charge. But the steamer's gun was distinctly heard a little past 8 o'clock, a few minutes before she reached the wharf. The shock produced a variety of effects on the people. Some it awoke out of a sound slumber, and others, who were gathered at the meetings of various societies throughout the city, were more or less startled by the jar. But the shock was of insufficient duration or intensity to crack buildings or topple over chimneys, and no general panic ensued. The jar came and went so quickly that it was gone before persons were fairly aware of what the trouble was. Incidents. The most noticeable effects of the shock were the oscillation of chandeliers and the stopping of pendulum clocks. At a social meeting of the lodges of the Odd Fellows at their hall in East Portland, on Saturday evening, the shock was clearly felt, but attracted no particular attention among the members. The lamps suspended from the ceilings were violently agitated, and rocked to and fro for some time after the shock passed away. No panic was excited and the affair passed off jestingly. The lamps of the saloon on L street, near the ferry landing, were violently shaken, and some commotion was produced. A fellow under the influence of liquor, who was fast asleep in a chair by the stove, on feeling the jar sprang suddenly to his feet and uttered a loud cry from fright. The sleepers at the Clarenden Hotel were startled by the jar, and numbers of the ladies and gentlemen were seen flitting lively around through the halls in a condition strangely suggestive of our first parents in Eden. The shock was probably more severely experienced at that hotel than any where else in the city, owing to the foundation being less solid that most of the buildings. The excitement, however, soon subsided, when it was found that no serious damage had been done. The scene was one calculated to arouse the risibilities of the spectators. When the shock was first experienced at the Good Templars' Hall, corner of Front and Alder streets, the Lodge was in the midst of its session. The room was first felt to rock gently to and fro, and then the gas burners commenced to oscillate. The Secretary clutched the table convulsively, and cried out "Earthquake!" in a loud tone which brought the Lodge to its feet in a twinkle. Order was restored in a moment, and to the general interrogatory of "What was that?" the Worthy Chief announced, with great mock gravity, that the "chair decided it was a genuine earthquake which had visited them." The momentary fright passed away and the assembled members soon laughed at their previously excited fears. The hall is situated in the third story of a brick building, and had the shock been long and severe the results might have been attended with disastrous consequences. A gentleman having occasion to come down into the business portion of the city returned to his residence about Oregonian Portland, OR December 20, 1872 1872 From what is so far known, the earthquake was confined mainly to the Puget Sound basin, thence extending north and south with a gradually decreasing force, until it disappeared in a distance of four or five hundred miles, The earthquake had a good moral effect at Olympia. The Sunday after it was a matter of surprise at the increase in numbers of the Sabbath school scholars. One young lady who had not attended service or Sabbath school for four months, went three times on last Sunday. The Seattle Intelligencer of the 16th says: "There was a rumor in town during the latter part of last week, to the effect that the schooner Walter Raleigh had arrived all right in California, but we were unable to ascertain how the report originated, or to obtain any confirmation of it. She is undoubtedly lost. In addition to the captain and his family, and the crew, there were two men who took passage on her at Freeport for San Francisco. Their names are not known." A Seattle paper says of the "shake" there: "With the exception of the earthquake at San Francisco in 1865, we doubt whether so violent and long continued a one has been felt for years on the entire coast. No damage was done, but our frame buildings swayed to and fro like a small craft at sea. There were three series of shocks. The first was of about two minutes duration, and the other two soon after of but a few seconds each. They seemed to proceed from the northeast to the southwest." The schooner Nelly Martin fell from the ways on which she was being hauled up, at Seattle a few days ago. She had been drawn up as high as was required, and as the men were about securing her in position, some portion of the ways separated and left the schooner down. She fell three or four feet on the dry beach-the tide being then out-and struck upon her beams' end with a crash, breaking one of her booms, throwing her cargo into confusion, and otherwise damaging her, but to what extent is not yet known. The tide coming in a few hours afterward, she was partially filled with water, and now lies on her side in that condition. Capt. James S. Lawson of Olympia, 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, Captain Lawson says : A shock occurred precisely at 9:40« PM. 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 10:12 2/3 there was another shock, lasting four or Oregonian Portland, OR December 17, 1872; pg 3, col 1 1872 1872, December 17. The Dalles, Walla Walla. Not Felt Although the shock was felt uncomfortably plain at the Dalles last Saturday evening, the residents of the Cascades, it appears, were in blissful ignorance of the fact until the Oregonian reached there yesterday morning, which contained an account of the shock in this city, and also dispatches from east of the mountains. If the earthquake visited that place at all it must have been so slight that its pressure was not detected. Oregonian Portland, OR December 17, 1872 1872 Our neighbors of Washington Territory and Vancouver Island, it appears, were shaken up in a manner decidedly more lively than was accorded to us. While many of our citizens did not perceive the shock at all, and others felt it so slightly as not to be able to distinguish it from the ordinary effect of the steamer's gun, the people along the Sound and at Victoria had some of their window panes broken, their crockery tumbled from the shelves, and their frame buildings rocking in faint imitation of a vessel at sea. We do not wonder that some of the people should have fled to the streets for safety. That is the orthodox thing to do in a first class earthquake. It is what nearly everbody did in San Francisco, at the time of the great shaking up of 1867. It is true, those who remained in their houses escaped harm, while many of those who ran out, got more or less injured by falling cornices and such like; but then the regular thing to be done on such occasions, is to run out in the streets; and the regular thing should Oregonian Portland, OR December 27, 1872; pg 1 1872 1872, December 27. Snoqualmie Falls. Mr Faves of Snoqualmie, Washington Territory, writes to the Seattle Dispatch from his place, near the foot of the Mts., under date of the 17th inst., as follows: "This valley has been pretty well shook up during the past three days with earthquakes. The first was about 10 o'clock on Saturday night, lasting a minute and a half, and was very heavy. We had thirteen more shocks before daylight, but none as heavy as the first. Since then, we have had 10. A very heavy smoke has risen in the mountains a little west of north, seen distincly when not too cloudy. There appears to be two volumes of smoke." U. S. Weather Bureau Climatological Records, for the State of Oregon National Archives Copy T907, Roll Nos. 427-434, 1819-1892 -Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon- handwritten weather forms 1872 Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, December, 1872. (Bad microfiche photography makes this hard to read - R.L. 1994) Two slight shocks of earthquake felt in this city on the 16th and 17`th of December 1872. The first occurred at 20 minutes to 10 o'clock in the evening and the second at a quarter past 2 o'clock on the following morning. The oscillations were from S.W.to S.E. and lasted about 15 seconds. No damage done with the exception of cracking of the plaster in rooms, stopping of clock and spilling of water in a jug and basin and swaying of chandeliers. Vancouver ... Hillsboro ... slight shocks. At Walla Walla two heavy shocks were experienced, at Umatilla three, and Oregonian Portland, OR December 19, 1872; pg 1 1872 At Seattle, Washington Territory, the earthquake shock is said to have been more severe than at any other point on the Sound. Men, women, and children rushed out of doors, and, for a time, the streets were black with the mass of human beings. Children were hurried from their beds by their terrified motheres, themselves, in many cases, en deshabille, and into the streets where [they] crowded to escape injury from buildings which were expected to fall! The lower end of the town is built on the site of swamps covered with sawdust ten feet deep. This is said to have opened in many places and left narrow and deep cracks. The earthquake at Olympia is described by the Courier as follows: "At 9:40PM on Saturday evening, a shock came sudden like a peal of thunder of a flash of lightning, first seeming to lift everything upward and then for a space of 55 seconds rocking forward and back, a little like the motion of a small craft in a short choppy sea. The vibrating movement was of sufficient severity to seriously alarm 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 passage of an irrestible 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 Daily Oregonian Portland, OR Dec. 16, 1872 1872 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 (from Wallula, Dec. 15): At twenty minutes past 9 o'clocklast evening we were visited with quite a heavy shock of earthquake 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 unit four o'clock this morning. Although the first shock was violent enough to shake buildings and their contents pretty lively, yet no damge or injury was sustained by any one that I am aware of. December 15. -- Weather this morning cloudy; no wind; thermometer 30 degrees Wallula - Dec. 15 -- Weather cloudy and foggy; thermometer 30 degrees. We had a very severe shaking last night about 9:30. No damage. Walla Walla , Dec. 15 --- Two heavy shocks were felt here last night. Clocks stopped at 10 minutes before 10. Uamatilla, 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. The Weekly Mountaineer The Dalles, Wasco County, OR Saturday, Dec. 21, 1872, vol. XIII, no. 12, p. 2, c.. 2. 1872 "The Earthquake," , On Saturday evening last, at about half past 9 o'clock, this section of country was visited by a shock of earthquake, which, as far as we are able to learn, did little or no damage. The vibrations lasted probably thirty seconds, and seemed to be from the east to west. The sensation we felt was a very peculiar one and had a tendency in a moment to destroy the illusion and faith we have always had in the stability of the surface of the earth. Animals, especially cows, dogs, and swine, seemed to experience the disturbance, if we judge from the commotion they made at that time. This we believe is the second one that has ever been felt at The Dalles, the former being some six years ago and was quite light. It has been supposed by many that a calm, an oppressive heat and misty horizon are always the fore runners of this phenomenon; but, we are happy to says tghat in this instance these signs all failed, for we did not observe any thing peculiar, either in the air, or other wise, about that time. The cause of earthquakes is supposed to come directly from volcanic force. For instance, when a volcano is in active operation, or as we might term it, "letting off steam," there is no danger of an earthquake; but should it quiet down for a length of time and be followed by a large fall of rain, terrible explosions and quaking of the earth may be Oregonian Tuesday, December 24, 1872 1872 A correspondent at Baker City, writing under dateof the 15th inst., says "At half past ten o'clock last night quite a shock of earthquake occurred, causing many persons to rush out of doors, alarming some and making others quite sick. The shock lasted about thirty seconds, and so violent as to cause hanging lamps to vibrate six inches from the perpendicular. But a single shock occurred. There seemed to be but one shock and the motion to be from east to west. The weather was quite cold and not a breath of wind was blowing at the time. Washington Standard Olympia, WA Saturday, Dec. 21 1872 THE TOPIC OF THE WEEK The all-absorbing theme of the past few days has been the startling visitation on last Saturday night. All appear to heve felt a lively interest in the mysterious power and to have exhibited no little concern 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-dirvers have exaltantly poled up quires of manuscript descriptive of the event and its attendant incidents; while the clergy have seized upon the oxxasion to accentuate thier warnings with a solemnity inspired by the grand and mysterious throes of mother Earth. The shock 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 fron 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 the period of twently-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 chrack 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. Earthquake Incidents--The shaking of old "terra firma" was productive of a firmer terror in the breasts of some of our citizens than any previous experience. One good lady quaked in such perfect sympathy with mother earth that her head is yet swimming. Another most estimable person, awakened at the first shock, made of herself a spectral tableau under the moon's pale light, her robe d'nuit glistening in the frosty air. At St, John's church, a large choir, assembled to practice ancient hymns, had commence to the noble tune Antioch, "Joy to the world, the Lord has come," when they heard "The rolling of his car, The trampling of his steeds from far." and rushed pell-mell into the street, when the ladies enjoyed a fainting bee, until the chorister, agile from long experience in the Barnes Hook and Ladder company, jumped over Ellis' fence, and made a feint of turning the hose stream upon them. One gentleman remained in the church with his jaws expanded from which the "world" had just issued, and watched with dazed eyes the jig performed by a kerosene lamp over his head until the shouk was over. One little boy became sea-sick on short notice, another seized his little overcoat, and wrapping it around the baby deposited the snug sleeper on the undulating sidewalk. Many clocks stopped at the same moment that the door bells commenced to ringing. One young lady was met rushing wildly along the sidewalk near the public square, carrying her hat and cloak in hand. We might multiply incidents indefinitely, but these are enough to show that our citizens were somewhat excited by the shake, Its Extent -- 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 description of the 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 fro by the irresistable forc, their entertwining 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 billows of the ocean. The area affected by the shocks is probably much greater than the limits described, and only 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. Earthquakes in general - From various authenticated sources we compile the follwing facts in relation to earthquakes. They are not confined to any particular portion of the globe, not is their occurrence governed by any known system of computation. No country escapes these visitations, but in volcanic regions, adn districts traversed by mountainous ranges and bordering on the sea shore, are more subject to them than the inland plains. In Central America and Peru, earthquakes are of frequent occurrence, and the habitations of the people are buil low and with substatial walls, to withstand their violence. Southern Italy and the neighboring island Sicily, has been the scene of some of the most terrible earthqaukes. From 1783 to 1786, that country was almost constatnly disturbed. The destruction of the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 63, and Antioch, in Syria, in the year 526 are familiar instances of the violence of these commotions of the earth in those times. In the latter catastrophe it is said that 250,000 persons perished, Of modern earthquakes that of Lisbon, in 1725, and that of Madrid, Mo., in 1811, present some of the moset interesting details. That of Chili, in 1822, is remarkable for permanent elevation of country between the Andes and the coast which attended it. A depression of the ladn was occasioned in the island of Jamaica in 1692, when Port Royal was carried down beneath the surface of the water. A thousand acres or more sunk in less than a minute, the sea rolling in and driving vessels over the tops of the houses. This catastrophe was repeated on a larger scale, on the island of Java in 1772, when an area fifteen miles long and six miles wide, containing forty villages with an aggregate population of 2,957 sunk from sight. The destruction of Lisbon was similar, a tidal wave submerging the city, and destroying 60,000 persons. The earthquake of New Madrid, presents the example of incessant quaking of the ground for several months far from any volcano. The ground sunk in places, and was burst open in fissures in others, from which mud and water was thrown. The direction of the fissures was uniform, and the inhabitants resorted to the expedient of felling rrees at right anble with their course, and stationing themselves thereon to escape being engulfed. The city of Caracas was destroyed, with 12.000 inhabitants. The earthquakes of Napes and Mexico next succeed in time and interest, but they were nowise as destructive as many of their predecessors. The year 1868, is one of the mose remarkable for the wide spread distribution and destructive effects of earthquakes. That which shook the Sandwich islands commencing on the 27th of March in the island of Hawaii is described as the grandest of spectacles. During the two weeks which succeeded that date, full two thousand shocks, followed at intervals by tidal waves, destroyed villages and many inhabitants. Broad rivers of lava flowed into the sea from the volcano, Mauna Loa, and the water boiled with the intense heat. Lofty percipices were levelled to the ground, and vast chasms were opened. The entire topographical appearance of the island was change, so that ancient land-marks could not be identified by even the natives. The earthquakes in South America, however, exceeded even this in their devastating effects. The first shock was felt Aug. 13th. At Arica 500 persons were killed, and not a house left uninjured. The waters arose over the lower portion of the city, and the sea was violently agitated. The U.S. Steamer Watteree, lying in the harbor, was swept inland, and deposited between two hillocks of land, but slightly injured, and the U.S. Steamship Fredonia was dashed to peices on a reef and all on board were drowned. At Arequipa over 600 persons perished. Nearly one hundred shocks were experienced in a period of three days. Callao, Ica, Pisco, Iquique and nearly all the villages in the mineral provinces were destroyed. The steamer San Diego, by a wave in the port of Chala, was carried over a high cliff and left safely inside the channel. In the Republic of Ecuador, the earthquakes of 1868 wre peculiarly destructive, prostrating eight towns comprising many thousand inhabitants. The entire loss of life in South America by this cause is estimatedat 30,000 persons and the value of property destroyed at $300,000,000. On the 21st of October, 1868, the most disastrous earthquake known on this coast occurred in California. The shock lasting forty seconds, cracked buildings, and opened large fissures in the ground but was attended by no great loss of life, only five persons being killed by falling walls and chimneys. The Owen's Valley calamity which occurred last March (26th) prostrated almost every house at Lone Pine and Independence, It was by far the greatest shock sustained in California, of which any record has been kept, but occurring in a sparsely populated region, the casualties are proportionately small. Here the phenomena were substantially the same as those already described - depression and rising of the earthq, seams and chasms, and a tidal wave on Owen's lake. The oscillations continued until the close of May, although in that month they were but mere vibrations doing no further damage. The loss of life was less than thiry, which is remarkable, considering the destruction of tenements. Probably the materials of which they were built - adobes, or sun dried bricks, and the low manner in which they were constructed will account for it. During that year many earthquakes are reported in almost every quarter of the globe, but these include all that were attended by much loss. Attending phenomena -- The approach of an earthquake is said to be heralded by several premonitory symptons. People are sometimes affected with dizziness, the sun appears red and firey, and dumb animals frequently utter cries of The Times (London) London, England January 1, 1873; pg 10, col 3 1873 distress. This is attributed to an eletric change in the atmosphere, which produces a feeling of uneasiness. The wind lulls and rains pour down in torrents at times. The atmosphere is generally very still, while the surface of the ocean or lakes is unusually disturbed. A sound as of distant thunder sometimes accompanies or procedes the On the morning of the 15th of December, about 9 o'clock, three series of earthquake shocks were felt in Oregon, Washington Territory, Vancouver's Island, and adjacent sections. No damage was done. The cause--of earthquakes is defined by Mr. R. Mallet, who has made the matter a subject of much thought and research to be "a wave of elastic compression, produced either by the sudden flexure and constraint of the elastic materials forming a portion of the earth's crust, or by the sudden relief of this constraint by the withdrawl of the force, or by their giving way and becoming fractured." The theory that the center of the earth is a molten mass subject to constant agitation, affords the most reasonable solution of the cause of earthquakes. -- Prof. Rogers attributes the movement to a pulsation engendered in the molten matter, giving vent to elastic vapors, escaping either to the surface or into cavernous spaces beneath. That the electric current which pervades the earth, the subtle fluid of which so little is known, shoud vary or respond in some degree to the changes that occur at the time, is not surprising; but it does not conflict with the theory or afford material upon which to base another recognizing it as the primary agent or cause of the convulsions of nature. How we feel it - These instances if the effects of convulstions of the earth ranging through eighteen centuries, are not cited to create alarm, but to familiarize the mind with the phenomena in its various forms and shapes. Taking the length of time into consideration,the mortality from this cause is insignificant compared with the many ofhte casualties to which humanity is liable. More lives have been destroyed by wear or the ravages of prevailing epidemics, and more property by fire in a single decade, than by all the earthquakes during the Christian era. We daily pass through dangers without realizing their presence, The wide-spread nature of the recent shake-up would appear to indicate that there is no cause for apprehension of danger from local causes. There is scarcely a day that passes but what there is a sensible disturbance somewhere of the earth's surface. A large proportion of these shocks pass unnoted, and it is safe to infer that many even occur that are attributed to other causes than their true origin. Only those that have been attended with great devastation are chronicled, and their effects lose nothing by narration or the lapse of time that has intervened. Our advice to all is: Rest contented. There is no more danger now than has existed from time immemorial, and the mortality record would appear to indicate there is really less. Cultivate amicable relations with your neighbors, keep the conscience clear, and truse in Him who holds the waters of the earth in the hollow of his hand, and who has promised that not a swallow shall fall to the ground without His knowledge, and all will be well in time and eternity. Oregonian Portland, OR March 21, 1873 1873 No Small Shakes. [From the Walla Walla Union.] Mr. Covington, who has a trading post on the Columbia river at White Stone, informs us that he spent the winter in that country, and was there at the time of the earthquake last fall. He says that he counted ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-TWO DISTINCT SHOCKS. Continuing at irregular intervals for forty-two days. At one place he saw a crack in the surface of the earth which is now open for about one hundred and fifty yards in length, and is from two to three feet wide at the top, and from two to six feet deep. At another place he saw where the bank of the Columbia river had CAVED OFF AND SETTLED DOWN for two or three hundred yards in length, and for a width of about fifty yards. The mountains and cliffs were so shaken up and appear to be so greatly agitated and disturbed that large masses of rock are still constantly falling, tumbling, and sliding down. COURSE OF THE COLUMBIA CHANGED. Formerly there was a stream or outlet to Lake Chelan about a quarter of a mile long, by which the waters of that lake were emptied into the Columbia-now, however, the river has changed its course so that it runs right to the lower end of the lake, and the two bodies unite. Our informant says that the Indians tell him that about thirty miles below White Stone, a high cliff or mountain which formerly stood on the right bank of the Columbia river, now stands on the left, and that they can now easily ford the river at that point. A BOILING LAKE. They also say that a lake about fifteen miles from the mouth of the Okanagan river has been agitated, and a dense black smoke seems to issue from its bosom all the time. Mr. Covington inclines to believe the story, for he says that at White Stone the sun has not been plainly visible half a dozen times during the winter, because of a DENSE SMOKE That hangs over the whole country. From all that we can learn, the shocks were more severe in the country up the Columbia river, and the effects more noticeable than in any other locality. NATURAL BRIDGE. It is also reported that the earthquake made a bridge across the Columbia river, at or near Fort Shepherd. This is in British Columbia, about thirtten miles north of the boundary line. We have not talked with any one who has seen it, but hear it from so many sources that there may be something in it; and it is not altogether improbable that such a thing might occur, as the banks are known to be perpendicular in many places, and The American Journal of Science and Arts Third Series, Vol. VI, Nos. 31-36, July to December 1873, pp.40-41 1874 Rockwood, Prof. C. G. "Notices of Recent Earthquakes", THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND ARTS, Third Series, Vol. VI, Nos. 31-36, July to December 1873, pp.40-41. December 14 and 15, 1872 - Fuller accounts have been received of the earthquake in Oregon and Washington Territory on these dates. Shocks occurred at intervals from this evening of Dec. 14 to the evening of Dec. 17. They were felt from Eugene City, Oregon, north into British Columbia, and on both sides of the mountains, i.e. over an area of 200 square miles; but were most severe in the neighborhood of Puget Sound. The following is from the "Pacific Tribune", Dec. 21, 1872 (Olympia W. T.): "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 and the direction noted by a swinging lamp. In an unofficial report to Prof. Davidson, at San Francisco, Capt. Lawson says: (On December 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 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 night at 6h 37 1/2 m a light shock. December 16, at 9h 17m, another shock." Washington Standard Olympia, WA August 19, p. 2, c. 6. 1876 Coast Survey -- The Oregonian gives the following interesting particulars with reference to operations of the coast survey. The service on the Pacific comprises about 15 parties, whose labor extends all over the whole surface of the country, from the Straits of Fuca to Mexico, and eastward to the neighborhood of Salt Lake, all under the superintendency of Prof. Davidson. Over 200 men are employed, besides there are seven steam and sail vessels and several pack trains. On the northern coast there will be this season a primary triangulation of the Straits iof Fuca by Captain J.S. Lawson with the brigh R.H. Fauntleroy; hydrography in Puget Sound by Assistant Gershon Bradford, with the schooner Yukon and steam launch; topography in Puget Sound, south Duwamish Bay, by sub-Assistant E. Eilicht with camp ... and steam cutter, and topography and hydrography of the Lower Columbia river, by Assistant J.J. Gilbert, with barge K....chelow. The appropriation of the Government to carry on this is only $200,000 this year, The object is to obtain a complete knowlede, not only of the coast with its harbors, baus, reefs and shoals, but of the surface of the country, along the coast back and including all the high ranges of our mountains and valleys, with their distances, heights and depressions. The work will take years to finish if carried out as proposed by Prof. Davidson, but in the end will be an untold advantage to the country, to people and their commerce, industry and pursuits. (This article is included because it provides information about Captain J.S. Lawson, who is cited in reports on the The West Shore Portland Vol. 2, p. 226. August 1877 THE DREAMERS by W.S. Nelson In the Big Bend of the Columbia, occupying about sixty miles up and down the river, dwells a band of Indians who are known far and wide by the appellation of "Dreamers". They are exclusive in their associations, and very few whites ever penetrate their domain; beautiful in its savage wildness, and awe -inspiring in its solitude. They are a peculiar race, and their customs differ in toto from those of any of the surrounding tribes; they are wholly bound up in their religion, which is based on the occurrence herein related and which gave them the sobriquet "Dreamers." It occurred about four years since; no one on this coast can have forgotten the thrilling night in 1872, the time of the great earthquake which was felt all over the Pacific coast, more or less severe. For some days before the earthquake, a young Indian, not more than nineteen years of age, had been lying at the point of death at Whitestone, and for two days had lain in a trance showing scarcely a sign of life. When, at last he awoke, it was in the full enjoyment of all his faculties in mind and body, except in one side which had been peculiarly affected; the muscles were so drawn up that nothing could be done to relax them; and poor Quilasket was doomed to be a cripple for the rest of his life; but this was not all -- while he lay in the trance his soul had visited the realmes of the Manitou and held converse in that beautiful land, with the great Father and angels of those happy hunting grounds. They had told him that his people were great sinners, and that they must change their ways or suffer early destruction: also many things he learned hitherto unknown to man, and the Manitou delegated him to go among his people and teach them as he was instructed. It was a great fete day among the Moses and St. Paul (San Puel) Indians, and they were indulging in all manner of wild excessed. Great and small, comprising the whole people, had gathered on the banks of the beautiful Antipeacha, near where it flows into the great Columbia, and when the night drew on the wild whoops and the incessant beating of the tom-tom, and the shrill unearthly songs started the eagle from his eyrie across the dashing waters, and the savage panther fled in affright from his lair in the neighboring wood to the left. The location was one peculiarly fitting such a savage festival -- the rushing of the mighty waters of the great river, breaking its spray on the rocks glittered like a diamond and emerald mass in the bright silvery light of the moon; and on each side the banks rose up in great precipitous piles of granite, excepting the small level at the mouth of the Antipeacha; behind was a dense wood of towering pines grown close and whose gloomy depths were only the more forbidding and impenetrable on accound of he brilliant illumination outside. In the midst of their wild orgies a single horseman came dashing through the darkness and reined up his foaming black steed in the very midst of the gaudily painted warrors and garland decked maidens. The noise was hushed in an instant on sight of this strange apparition. It was Quilasket; and taking advantage of their surprise, he told them over again the tale of his visit and converse with the Great Invisible, and begged them to cease the sinful feast which they were celebrating and gain favor with the Manitou whose priest and prophet he was; and when again they began to jeer and laugh in derision at his pious words he turned his horse's head toward the darkness of the forest, and with the words: "warriors, beware! The Manitou is angry with the wickedness of his people; you will dance no more when this night is half done;" was gone, once again into the darkness of the lonely mountain trail. The night wore on, and , at midnight, the festival was at its height; but suddenly, a rumbling noise drowned the din of their savage songs; the earth trembled beneath their feet; the great piles of of granite fell and rolled in immense boulders among them; ere a moment had passed, hundreds of them lay crushed and mangles, and the festivities forever ended. When Quilasket came again, he came as a cheif among them, and a prophet whose word was law; his power was established, and to this day, rules the remnant of the tribe. He has given them songs and prayers and a complete code of morals, by which they are compelled to abide. Every evening, when the twilight approaches, his Puget Sound Weekly Courier Olympia, WA December 17, 1880, Friday, pg 1, c. 2. 1880 Last Sunday night at 13 minutes before nine o'clock a heavy shock of earthquake was felt, lasting about 10 seconds. It shook up things pretty lively and was the heaviest known here for many years. Several lighter shocks have been felt since. the heavy one in December 1873, occurred on a cold, clear night just like last evening and about the Gilbert, Frank T. "Earthquake of 1872," Historical Sketches of Walla Walla, Whitman, Columbia, and Garfield Counties, Washington Territory, and Umatilla County, Oregon, Portland, Oregon: A. G. Walling Publishers, 1882, quote is from page 310 1882 Saturday night, December 14, 1872, at 3 minutes past 10 o'clock, Walla Walla experienced a severe earthquake lasting about half a minute. Buildings rocked dangerously from SW to NE, though no damage was done except in the breaking of a few articles of crockery and glassware ... This was a very extensive earthquake, being severely felt in British Holden, Edward S., 1887, List of Recorded Earthquakes in California, Lower California, Oregon, and Washington Territory Printed by Direction of the Regents of the University of California, Sacremento, California, 1887 1872. December 14, 15, 16; Olympia. W.T. Professor George Davidson kindly refers me to an account of these earthquakes in the Weekly Pacific Tribune, Olympia, December 21, 1872: "In an unofficial report to Professor Davidson, at San Francisco, Captain Lawson says, December 14, l872: Shock occurred precisely at 9h. 40 1/2m. It commenced with a slight movement, gradually increasing for 18 or 20 seconds. Then came the heavy shock, lasting 4 or 5 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, December 15, at 6h. 37 1/2m., a light shock. December 16, at 9h. 17m. 30s. A.M., another light shock. This shock was felt as far south as Eugene, in Oregon, and as far north as British Columbia--probably even in Alaska. In Victoria and elsewhere 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 damged by the shock. This was a statuette, which was thrown from top of a whatnot and smashed on the floor. In the Seattle stores, we are informed, considerable quantities of crockery and glassware were broken. From what is so far known, the earthquake was confined mainly to the Puget Sound Basin, thence extending north and south with a gradually decreasing force, until it disappeared in a distance Holden, Edward S., 1887, List of Recorded Earthquakes in California, Lower California, Oregon, and Washington Territory Printed by Direction of the Regents of the University of California, Sacremento, California, 1887 1872. December 15; A shock was felt at various places near Puget Sound, W.T.--C.G.R. Holden, Edward S., 1887, List of Recorded Earthquakes in California, Lower California, Oregon, and Washington Territory Printed by Direction of the Regents of the University of California, Sacremento, California, 1887 1872. December 14; 9:20-9:40 p.m. Oregon and Washington Territory.--C.G.R. The Yakima Herald Yakima, WA Thursday, March 4, 1895, photocopy provided by Ted Repasky of the Yakama Indian Nation Water Resources Planning Program 1895 DID YOU FEEL HER SHAKE - "All Nature Like an Earthquake, Travelling Round" -- Yakima Gets a Taste of It --- The Upheaval of 1874 The earthquake of Tuesday morning was felt all along the coast, according to dispatches, from Santa Ana, Califormina, to North Yakima. Here it shook the houses and awakened the sleepers at about three o'clock. They felt vibrations distinctly from east to west. The Hog and Howlett families on the hill reported it in town, and Mr. Ross, who lives in the smaller of the brick Colwell buildings, felt it distinctly. At Fort Simcoe it is reported as so violent as to have shaken some of the little Indians out of bed in the dormitory of the school buildings. At The Dalles and at Portland it was distincly felt, and most accounts mention three distinct shocks. Clerk Charles Lombard, of the Yakima Indian Agency, writes as follows: " Three earthquake shocks occurred here on Thursday, the 26th ult., a very light one at 2:45 a.m. and two heavy ones at 3 and 3:20. The latter frightened the inhabitants, made the houses rock, and shook down a portion of the plastering in the new boarding house. It also wrenched the office sufficient to tear away the light wire fencing attached to the front. Mrs. George L. Mattoon was frightened into sickness, and has not as yet been able to recover from the dizziness with which she was attacked. Central Washington has experienced several lively shakes, buth the only ones of any importance were those of 1874, which H.H. Allen, B.E. Snipes, and other old-timers recall with some feeling of awe. Their effect in Yakima was not so severe as in the country to the north of us, where they changed the face of nature to a considerable extent. There were no less thatn sixty-four distinct shocks occurring at night in midsummer, and all along the upper Columbia could be heard the falling of rocks as mountains were torn down and hurled upon plain or into the river. Not since Washington has been known to white men has there been so great an earthquake within its confines. The indications of its destructiveness are still seen in great crevices, huge stone mountains of queer shape, and broken trails. A great mountain at Cheif Wapato John's ranch, near the nourth of the Chelan river, was rocked into the Columbia, damming that huge stream, flooding the chief's ranch, carrying away his house, and forcing him to fly for Holden, E.S., 1898, A Catalog of Earthquakes on the Pacific Coast 1769-1897, Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, 1087 Washington, D.C. 1898 1872. December 14; 21h. 40m. 30s. Puget Sound. One shock. A chronological history of Seattle from 1850 to 1897 prepared by Thomas W. Prosh, 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 stopped, 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 Seattle Post Intelligencer Seattle, WA Sunday March 20, 1904, p. 1, c.1 1904 WHEN THE EARTH TREMBLED IN PIONEER DAYS OF SEATTLE The trembling of the earth on the evening of the 16th recalls tremors of early days. When Seattle was first settled by the white people the Indians told of a great earthquake that had occurred some fifty years before. They related that the shocks were so severe that the earth opened up in great cracks and that their little mat and slab huts were shaken to the ground and there were great landslides. The largest slide near Seattle was immediately south of West Point lighthouse. It is about a mile in extent and can be clearly seen at the present day. The lower bench of Kinnear park slid at that time from the cliff shore, carrying giant fir trees that sill stand on the slide. The Indians said that the mountains "momoked poh" (shot at each other), and roaring of the tidal waves was frightful. The writer, when a little child, picked up a beautiful carnelian pebble in a ploughed field, where large brick blocks now stand, and asked her father what the pebble was and where it came from. An Indian standing near said that the hyha,skokum-amon-ta" (very large mountain, Rainier) had fired it during the great earthquake. In the fall of 1872 the hardest shock that has been experienced since the settlement of Seattle occurred. It was a clear moonlight night and very still. The shock came about 10 o'clock. The movement was upward, as of an upheaval, followed by waves from north to south of such severity that it was like walking on the deck of a ship in a wind, and it caused nausea and dizziness. A lady who has lived here ever since Seattle has been inhabited by the white people said " I was ill and was sitting in a rocking chair at the time of the great earthquake, and it swayed my chair back and forth and when I tried to walk the floor it seemed to rise in waves." The plaster was cracked in many houses, dishes were broken, lamps tipped over and articles hanging against the wall rattled sharply. Lake Union was like a sheet of glass just before the disturbance. Just as it was over large rollers, approaching a tidal wave, came in a number of feet above high water mark. There was also a disturbance of a like character on the waters of the bay. The tall fir trees that stood thick around Lake Union at that time swayed back and forth as if a heavy wind were blowing. Indians living on the lake shore near the writer's home, were terribly alarmed and rushed from their houses, screaming in excitement. The next day an old Indian named Tesecguia came to the house, saying: "Dabath achieth-tejima culalum Boston hiue mesahche tilacum saukhale tyee hyas solex ticky memaloose nika nika slek lum tum" meaning "We Indians are bad; also, the white people. The Great Spirit is angry, he wants to kill me, my heart is heavy." The earthquake extended over a large area of the Northwest. On the Columbia River not far from Orondo a large mountain was split in two and half of it fell into the river, damming it up so that the river had to cut a new channel. The break in the mountain is sharp and clear and is one of the sights from the river boats. The next earthquake of any severity happened during the fall of 1889, coming about 9 o'clock at night. It was so sharp that it caused people who were on the streets to stagger. It was a Sabbath evening and quite a large congregation was [unreadable line...] church on Third Avenue, now used as a dance hall. The shock alarmed the worshippers and they arose en masse. One lady fainted and a panic was narrowly averted by the minister and one cool-headed man who stood near the door. There have been light tremblings since, but not of a serious character. Slight shocks are often felt in the eastern part of the state and are somewhat common on Lake Chelan. One was felt at Bear Creek on this lake on the 5th of this month. About five years ago a strange upheaval of the waters on Lake Chelan occurred at Twenty-five Mile creek. An eye F. de Montessus de Ballore, 1906, Les Tremblements de Terre, Geographie seismologique, Librarie Armand Colin, Paris, France. Paris France p. 412-413 1906 witness Jusque'a present, il n'a pas ete mentionne de secousses sur le versant pacifique de l'Oregon. Il y a donc une lacune seismique entre Crescent City et Portland (Wash.); elle correspond a la Cascade Range. Cependant, le 14 decembre 1873, un tremblement de terra a grande aire d'action a eu pour ligne epicentrale de Wallawalla a Portland le cours de la Columbia, perpendicularie a la cote. Deckert le met en reladion de avec l'accident tectonique emprunte par le fleuve pour ssa traversee de la Cascade Range et l'on ne connait pas d'autre seisme avec cette disposition. C'est par l'emplacement acutel de cette chaine que la mer neocomienne des Coast Ranges de Californie contournait le Nord de la masse continentale, pour s'entendre dan cl'Est de l'Oregon jusqu'a une distance inconnue. Cette difference d'histoire geologique aved la Californie n'est, a coup sur, point indifferente a la difference de sesimicite de l'une et de l'autre region, d'autant plus que la stabilite de l'Oregon se continue a l'est de la Cascade Range dans le pays de nappes volcaniques. Le massif de Klamath a ete disloque a la in des temps jurassiques; peneplaine dominee par des massifs de plus grande resistance, son imminite seismique s'explique par l'anciennete de ces accidents et par l'absence de plissement recents. Les secousses repariaissent bien a Portland sur la basse Columbia, mais elles ne deviennent frequentes que tour autour de la baie de l'Amiraute et au moins jusqu'a Vancouver, sans cependant y etre jamais redoutables. Il serait encoure premature de faire avec les condidtions geologiques un rapprochement capable d'expliquer leur production. L'extreme complication de decoupures de la cote et des dislocations de la fameuse Olympic Range, a l'extremite N.W. de l'Etat de Washington, laisse seulement supposer d'energiques actions postcretacees, car tel est l'age de couches qui s'y rencontrent. Quoi qu'il en soit, ces tremblement de terre presentent des aires e'ebranlement tres allonees sur les axes de la baie de l'Amiraute de du canal de Georgie; ainsi leur relation avec la tectonique de la depression est mainifeste. C'est bien plus rerement que les isoseistes s'allongent sur l'axe du detroit de Juan de Fuca, au pied de l'Olympic Range. Par consequent, la premiere depression joue un role seismogenique plus net que la seconde, que est transversale. Autrement dit, la plupart de ces seismes sont longitudinaux par rapport au Pacifique et aux chaines que le bordent. On est peu fixe sur le degre de seismicite du versant pacifique des Rochusses canadiennes; on sait seulment que, le 24 fevrier 1890, un violent tremblement de terre aurait devaste l'ile Skidegate et l'Archipel de la Reine Charlotte, et que les secousses ne sont pas rare dans les environs de Sitka...... .. The vibrations reappeared in Portland on the lower Columbia, but they didn't become frequent until aound Admiralty Bay and up to Vancouver. It would be premature to explain them with the geological conditions. Leslie M. Scott, Memoranda of the Files of the Oregonian 1850-1910, Oregon Historical Society Portland, OR Unpublished index to the Oregonian 1910 at Snoqualmie Falls, B-Dec. 27, 1872, p. 1, 40w. Leslie M. Scott, Memoranda of the Files of the Oregonian 1850-1910, Oregon Historical Society Portland, OR Unpublished index to the Oregonian 1910 at Puget Sound, B-Dec. 19, 1872, p. 1; B-Dec. 19, 1872, p.. 1 (Oregon News) Leslie M. Scott, Memoranda of the Files of the Oregonian 1850-1910, Oregon Historical Society Portland, OR Unpublished index to the Oregonian 1910 at Olympia, O-Dec. 19, 1872, p. 1, 200 w. at Olympia, O-Dec. 20, 1872, p. 1, 200 w. Leslie M. Scott, Memoranda of the Files of the Oregonian 1850-1910, Oregon Historical Society Portland, OR Unpublished index to the Oregonian 1910 at Portland, O-Dec 16, 1872, P. 3, 1/2 column. Washington State Historical Quarterly Reminiscences of a Pioneer Woman, Elizabeth Ann Coonc 1917 (Ringold Bar) While at the Bar we never had any trouble with the Indians. There was a big Indian camp above us -- part of Moses' tribe. One day there was an earthquake and a big landslide somewhere up near Chelan. The Indians said that there was a rumble, a smell of sulphur, and that the earth opend up in cracks, taking in some ot the Indians, one of whom was left with a hand sticking out. The water of the Columbia was all muddy from the landslide, which for a time blocked up the river. The Indians came to the house; they sat around on the floor agianst the walls, and I fed them bread and milk; then they smoked and passed the pipe from one to another, before they would talk about the earthquake and landslide with Mr. Coonc. This, I think, was in 1877. Footnote says: This earthquake occurred in 1874 Morning Oregonian Portland, OR May 2, 1928, p. 11 1928 The Morning Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, Wednesday, May 2, 1928, p. 11. THAT WAS AN EVENTFUL DAY IN PORTLAND WHEN THE FIRST EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED (by Edward M. Miller) Portland has had two or three earthquakes, but, as first-class earthquakes go, the local temblors have been flat failures. The first of the quakes took place at 20 minutes to 10 o'clock on the night of Saturday, December 14, 1872. Most of the city's 10,000 inhabitants had gone to bed, although a few were in heavy session at lodge meetings. Save for a few awakenings of sleepers, frightening of timid sdouls and widespread shivering of buildinmgs, the incident is scarely worth mentioning, were it not for the rather amusing incidentt which accompanied the quake. Lodge was in session at Good Templars' hall, corner First and Alder streets. The good citizens were proceeding nicely with the ritual when the building began to rock. Gas chandeliers oscillated madly. The lodge secretary clutched convulsively at his table and cried out, "Earthquake!"--a circumstance which brought the lodge to its feet in a twinkling. After 15 seconds the temblors ceased and the excitement subsided. At the same moment, on L street near the ferry landing, a fellow who was asleep in a saloon and under the influence of liquor, sprang suddenly to his feet and uttered a loud cry of fright. Walls of the saloon shook rather violently. "The sleepers at the Clarendon hotel," reported The Oregonian, "were starled by the jar, and numbers of the ladies and gentlemen were seen flitting lively around the halls in a condition strangley suggestive of our first parents in Eden." The abrupt jars in the Clarendon were attributed to the unstable foundations of the building rather than the severity of the quake. "We have heard of numerous other ludicrous incidents connected with the slight brush of the ague," commented The Oregonian, "but space forbids." The quake was felt quite generally east of the mountains and up the Willamette valley. Though lacking in severity, the earthquake was sufficient to claim the attention of Bradford, Donald C., 1935, Seismic History of the Puget Sound Basin, BSSA, V. 25, No. 2, pp. 138-153 1935 1872 December 15; a shock was felt at various places near Puget Sound. C.G.R. Bradford, Donald C., 1935, Seismic History of the Puget Sound Basin, BSSA, V. 25, No. 2, pp. 138-153 1935 1872 December 14, 21h 40m 30s; Puget Sound; one shock. P. December 14, 21h 46m; VII Puget Sound; three shocks. P. December 14, 22h; Puget Sound; several shocks. P. December 14, 23h; Puget Sound; several shocks. P. December 15, 3h; Puget Sound; several shocks. P. December 15, 5h; Puget Sound; one shock. P. December 16, 9h 17m 30s; Puget sound; one shock. P. December 16; Eugene, Oregon; One shock. P. Bradford, Donald C., 1935, Seismic History of the Puget Sound Basin, BSSA, V. 25, No. 2, pp. 138-153 1935 l872 December 14, 9:20 to 9:4O p.m.; Oregon and Washington Territory. C.G.R. (see next paragraphs). Bradford, Donald C., 1935, Seismic History of the Puget Sound Basin, BSSA, V. 25, No. 2, pp. 138-153 1935 1872 December 14, 15, 16; VII; Olympia. Professor George Davidson kindly refers me to an account of these earthquakes in the Weekly Pacific Tribune, Olympia, December 21, 1872: "In an unofficial report to Professor Davidson, at San Francisco, Captain Lawson says, December 14, 1872: `Shock occurred precisely at 9h 40 1/2m. It commenced with a slight movement, gradually increasing for 18 or 20 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, December 15, at 6h 37 1/2m, a light shock. December 16, at 9h 17m 30s a.m., another light shock. This shock was felt as far south as Eugene, in Oregon, and as far north as British Columbia probably even in Alaska. In Victoria and elsewhere 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 "whatnot" and smashed on the floor. In the Seattle stores, we are informed, considerable quantities of crockery and glassware were broken. From what is so far known, the earthquake was confined mainly to the Puget Sound Basin, thence extending north and south with a gradually decreasing force, until it disappeared in a distance of 400 or 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 [1872 December 14. 9:40 p.m. Portland. Duration fifteen seconds. The Dalles, four or five shocks. Umatilla, three shocks.-Amer. Jour. Sci., 3d. ser., 5, 262.] 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 1872 December 14. 9:20-9:40 p.m. Oregon and Washington Territory.-CGR. (See next paragraphs.) 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 1872 December 14. 21h 40m 30s [9:40:30 p.m.]. Puget Sound. One shock. 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 [1872 December 15. 9 a.m. The Dalles.-Amer. Jour. Sci., 3d. ser., 5, 262.] 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 1872 December 15. Puget Sound. A shock was felt at various places near Puget Sound.-CGR 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 1872 December 14, 15, 16. VII. Olympia. Professor George Davidson kindly refers me to an account of these earthquakes in the Weekly Pacific Tribune, Olympia, December 21, 1872: In an unofficial report to Professor Davidson, at San Francisco, Captain Lawson says, December 14, 1872: `Shock occurred precisely at 9h 40 1/2m p.m. It commenced with a slight 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, December 15, at 6h 37 1/2m, a light shock. December 16, at 9h 17m 30s a.m., another light shock. This shock was felt as far south as Eugene, in Oregon, and as far north as British Columhia-probably even in Alaska.[?] In Victoria and elsewhere 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 top of a whatnot and smashed on the floor. In the Seattle stores, we are informed considerable quantities of crockery and glassware were broken. From what is so far known, the earthquake was confined mainly to the Puget Sound Basin, thence extending north and south with a gradually decreasing force, until it dis- appeared in a distance of 400 or 500 miles.'" The direction of the shock (December 14) at Olympia was south to north at first, then southeast to northwest. [Also reported from The Dalles, Walla Walla, Wallula, and Umatilla.-Amer. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., 5, 262; 6, 40.]informed considerable quantities of crockery and glassware were broken. From what is so far known, the earthquake was confined mainly to the Puget Sound Basin, thence extending north and south with a gradually decreasing force, until it dis- appeared in a distance of 400 or 500 miles.'" The direction of the shock (December Byerly, Perry, 1952, Pacific Coast Earthquakes, Condon Lecture, pp. 33-38 U.W. Library, N979 B991p, Special Collections) 1952 1872, December 15 Aftershock? Felt in Oregon. Byerly, Perry, 1952, Pacific Coast Earthquakes, Condon Lecture, pp. 33-38 U.W. Library, N979 B991p, Special Collections) 1952 1872, December 14 Heavy shock in Puget Sound. VII in Olympia, Washington. Felt as far south as Eugene, Oregon. Milne, W.G., 1956, Seismic Activity in Canada, west of the 113th meridian 1841-1951: Canada Dominion Obs. Pub., V. 18, No. 7, pp. 119-146 1957 1872 DECEMBER 14. 9:40-5 p.m. This was one of the major earthquakes of the Pacific coast region of British Columbia. It has been reported as being felt quite strongly as far north as Quesnel and Soda Creek in the Cariboo and as far south as Eugene, Oregon. If Neumann's curves of intensity versus distance are used, the intensity at the origin of this earthquake must have been VIII or IX on the Modified Mercalli Scale. A corresponding magnitude reading would be 7 1/2, although some of the reports outlined below indicate an even higher value. There were few towns in British Columbia at this time, and fewer newspapers to print accounts of the event, so data are very scarce. Any information available is presented below. Yale: Doors were rattled, bells rang, and floors of buildings were made to wave "like the decks of a vessel in a light sea". Chilliwack: The houses oscillated and there were waves on the ground. A report in a 1915 newspaper states that a big slice of Mount Cheam (near Chilliwack) dropped 1000 feet during the earthquake. This was likely a landslide, but it indicates that Chilliwack was quite close to the epicentre. Vernon: A report in 1936 from this city states that 60 years ago (probably in 1872) the Indians reported a very bad earthquake. It was strong enough to knock people from their feet, and buildings and tepees came down with the vibrations. Clinton: The earthquake awakened many people, and staggered others off their feet, causing general excitement and alarm. Victoria: The motion seemed to be from the east to the west. Bells were rung and crockery was knocked from the shelves. People ran out on to the streets. There are reports of the earthquake being felt very strongly at Matsqui, all along the Fraser River, and at Race Rocks. In the United States there are accounts from Olympia, from Seattle where dishes were broken, from Portland and Delles, from Wallulu and Walla Walla and all along the lower Columbia River. The felt area of this tremor seems to have covered about 500,000 square miles, part of which was at sea. To fix an epicentre for such a tremor, using only scanty macroseismic reports and no instrumental records, is a great problem. Taking the area where waves were seen on the ground as an indication of the epicentral region, then Yale and Chilliwack seem to be very near the origin. On the map the origin has been shown as being within a circle whose radius is 30 miles, andwhose centre is at 49 degrees 10' N.lat. and 121 degrees 00' W.long. No estimate can be made of the accuracy of this epicentre, and it is presented merely as an attempt to fix approximately the origin of the tremor. Certainly it was east of Vancouver, north of Seattle, and probably south of Clinton. The absence of reports from further east than Vernon indicates that the centre was west of that city, and probably west of Okanagan Lake. Rasmussen, Norman, 1967, Washington state earthquakes 1840 through 1965, BSSA V. 57, No. 3, pp. 463-476 1967 21 1872 See Remarks - Puget Sound 1,4 many aftershocks; Dec; 14-16 Rasmussen, Norman, 1967, Washington state earthquakes 1840 through 1965, BSSA V. 57, No. 3, pp. 463-476 1967 20 1872 Dec. 15 05:40 Puget Sound VII 1,4 felt over 150,000 sq. mi. U. S. Dept. of Commerce, 1973, Earthquake History of the United States, V. 41-1, revised ed., pp. 89-96 1973 1872. December 14 to 16. Puget Sound, Wash. At Olympia, there was a severe shock at 21:40 on December 14, followed by many others through December 16. At 09:18 on that date, there was a shock, apparently most severe at Victoria, British Columbia. Very strong elsewhere in British Columbia. Dishes were thrown from shelves at Seattle; slight U. S. Dept. of Commerce, 1973, Earthquake History of the United States, V. 41-1, revised ed., pp. 89-96 1973 1872 Dec. 14 to 16 Various Puget Sound, Wash - - 150,000 VI Coombs, H.A., W.G. Milne, O.W. Nuttli, and D.B. Slemmons, "Report of the Review Panel on the December 14, 1872 earthquake", Appendix D: Selected Supporting Information -- Professor Plummer's Paper on "Recent Volcanic Activity" Read before the Academy of Science - Tacoma Ledger - February 28, 1893 1976 (This is part of an 8 page article - see the WPPSS table for entire text RSL 7/1995) On Saturday, the 14th of December, 1872, at 9:40 p.m., a very strong shock was felt over the whole Puget Sound country and as far south as Skookumchuck, where trees swayed and created a panic among stock. In Seattle it was stated by a paper that "With the exception of the earthquake of 1865 at San Francisco it is doubt- ful if so violent and long continued a shock has been felt for years on the entire coast. No damage was done, but the frame buildings swayed to and fro like small craft at sea. At Olympia roofs were cracked and the maples swayed violently. People rushed from hotels and houses in terror and general panic prevailed until the cessation of the shocks. At Duwamish head a flagpole thirty feet high waved a distance of four feet. At Seattle several lumber piles were thrown down." There were three series of shocks, which witnesses generally agree came from the northeast or from Mount Baker. In this connection I quote from Mrs. Victor, who wrote in 1872 that "St. Helens has been frequently known since the settlement of the country to throw out steam and ashes, scattering the latter over the country for 100 miles and obscuring the daylight (on one occasion) so that it was necessary to burn candles. Mount Baker, more active as a volcano than the other peaks, has since 1867, suffered loss of height and change of form consequent on the falling in of the walls of its crater." Whether the earthquake caused the falling in or the failing caused the earthquake is a question for debate. Coombs, H.A., W.G. Milne, O.W. Nuttli, and D.B. Slemmons, "Report of the Review Panel on the December 14, 1872 earthquake", Appendix D: Selected Supporting Information 1976 (RSL comment: this material is extracted from the "Report of the Review Panel on the December 14, 1872 earthquake" Coombs, H.A., W.G. Milne, O.W. Nuttli, and D.B. Slemmons December 1976. Appendix D Selected Supporting Information) TABLE 1 COMPILATION OF FELT REPORTS 14 COMPILATION OF FELT REPORTS: WASHINGTON Locality- Primary Data Source Date Intensity Remarks Colfax Oregonian 1/17/1873 No descriptive account for main shock of 14th. Colville Simms letter 12/31/1872 v - vi Spokesman Review 1/8/1906 Walia Walla Union 12/28/1872; 1/11, 3115, V+ 6/14/1873 Puget Sound Daily Courier 1/2/1873 Region North Oregonian 1/15/1873 Report of doubtful auth- of Colville enticity - Intensity should not be used and locality cannot be plotted. Hold for corroboration. Duwamish Head Tacoma Ledger 2/25/1893 Near Seattle, intensity not plotted, not a period account. Elk Plain Puget Sound Express 12/19/1872 Near Steilacoom, not plotted. Entiat-Ribbon Wenatchee Daily World 8/8/1925 cf Appendix A Cliffs Ft. Simcoe Pacific Christian 12/26/1872 iv Advocate Kalama Kalama Beacon 12/21/1872 ii - iii Kittitas Valley Olympia Transcript 1/4/1873 v Oregonian 1/7/1873 Klickitat Pacific Christian Advocate 12/26/1872 IV+ Washington Standard 1/11/1873 IV+ LaConner Daily British Colonist 12/15/1872 v - vi Lake Chelan cf Appendix A Lewis River Daily Oregonian 12/17/1872 iv+ est COMPILATION OF FELT REPORTS: WASHINGTON (Continued) Locality Primary Data Source Date Intensity Remarks New Dungeness The Olympia Transcript 2/i/1873 VI est Olympia Daily PaCific Tribune 12/16,12/17, 12/18/1872 vi Weekly Echo 12/19/1872 Puget Sound Weekly Courier 12/21/1872 Washington Standard 12/21/1872 Oysterville The Weekly Echo 12/19/1872 Felt report of an earth- quake on becember 10 at 10:30 P.m. No later dis- patches pertaining to December 14. Pen-a-wawa Walla Walla Statesman 12/21/1872 v Pine Grove Walla Walla Statesman 12/21/1872 v vi Port Discovery Daily Puget Sound Courier 12/19/1872 V+ Not plotted; locality near Port Townsend Port Gamble Daily Pacific Tribune 12/16/1872 vi Port Madison The Weekly Echo 12/19/1872 Felt Port Townsend The Weekly Echo 12/19/1872 Felt Washington standard 12/21/1872 Oregonian 12/27/1872 Puyallup (River) Oregonian 12/23/1872 Vi+ Daily Pacific Tribune 12/16/1872 The Weekly Echo 12/19/1872 The Dalles Mountaineer 2/l/1873 Washington Standard 12/21/1872 V, Weekly Intelligencer 2/3/1873 COMPILATION OF FELT REPORTS: WASHINGTON (Continued) Locality Primary Data qnll-ce Date Intensity Remarks River Station The Montana Pioneer 12/21/1872 Probably not felt report Pend Oreille of 14th - time is afternoon, not evening Rock Island Oregonian 12/30/1872 San Juan Douglas, G.C. 12/1872 Not plotted Seattle Daily Pacific Tribune 12/16/1872 v Numerous dispatches and Victoria Daily Standard 12/16/1872 vi duplicate accounts appear Weekly Intelligencer 12/16/1872 for Seattle. Puget Sound Dispatch 12/19/1872 Skokomish The Weekly Echo 1/2/1873 vi Snoqualmie Weekly Pacific Tribune 12/28/1872 Felt (Snoqualmie Pass) Willamette Farmer 1/4/1873 Vi? Spokane County Tiffin V est Location uncertain. Plotted Garry - at Spokane. The Oregonian 12/30/1872 .(Spokane Bridge) Walla Walla Statesman 12/21/1872 iv Steilacoom Puget Sound Express 12/19/1872 v Stuck Valley The Olympia Transcript 1/25/1873 vi Tenino Daily Pacific Tribune 12/16/1872 Not Felt Texas Ferry Walla Walla Statesman 12/21/1872 V est Tieton Basin Wenatchee World 6/15/1922 Not a period account. Touchet Walla Walla Weekly 12/21/1872 iii iv Statesman Tukanon Idaho Signal 12/21/1872 iv V? COMPILATION OF FELT REPORTS: WASHINGTON (Continued) Primary Data Source Date Intensity Remarks lit- Tumwater Daily Pacific Tribune 12/16/1872 Vancouver Washington Standard 12/21/1872 Felt Walla Walla Walla Walla Union 12/21/1872 v 1/4/1873 Walla Walla Weekly Statesman 12/21/1872 v Oregonian 1/10/1873 Wallula The Daily Oregonian 12/16/1872 Heavy Willamette Farmer 12/21/1872 Wenatchee Washington Standard 1/11/1873 vii cf Appendix A, Appendix B. White Bluffs Oregonian 12/30/1872 White Stone Walla Walla Union 3/15/1873 See slides map. No report of damage. Yakima The Oregonian 12/30/1872 V? The Weekly Intelligencer 1/13/1873 COMPILATION OF FELT REPORTS: BRITISH COLUMBIA Locality Primary Data Source Date, Intensity Remarks Barkerville Cariboo Sentinel 12/2L/1872 No local reports; dis- patches from other areas. Chilliwack Daily British Colonist 12/17/1872 vi - vii Mainland Guardian 12/19/1872 vi - vii The Chilliwack Progress 8/19/1915 Is not a period account. Not used in intensity evaluation. Clinton Victoria Daily Standard 12/16/1872 vi - vii Puget Sound Dispatch 12/19/1872 Oregonian 12/21/1872 Fort Shepherd Walla Walla Union 3/15/1873 Same account found in The New Northwest, 4/5/1873. Kootenai The Victoria Daily Standard 3/12/1873 v - vi Walla Walla Statesman, Weekly 3/29/1873 Lytton Victoria Daily Standard 12/16/1872 iv Matsqui Daily British Colonist 12/151 12/17/1872 v New Westminster Victoria Daily Standard 12/20/1872 Felt Nicola Valley Daily British Colonist 12/29/1872 vi O'Damet Victoria Daily Standard 12/16/1872 iv - v Not plotted. Locality unknown. Osoyoos Victoria Daily Standard 1/10/1873 vi - vii Daily British Colonist 1/10/1873 vi - vii Mainland Guardian 1/9/1873 vi - vii Perry Creek Walla Walla Statesman 3/29/1873 Felt COMPILATION OF FELT REPORTS: IDAHO Locality Primary Data Source Date Intensity Remarks Camas Prairie Idaho Signal 12/21/1872 Felt "Felt ... more particu- larly than elsewhere" Elk City Idaho Signal 12/21/1872 Felt "Felt very plainly" Mumford, M.B. 12/15/1872 iv Lapwai Idaho Signal 12/21/1872 iv Lewiston Idaho Signal 12/21/1872 v Walla Walla Union 12/28/1872 Paradise Valley Idaho Signal 12/21/1872 IV+ Reed's Ferry Idaho Signal 12/21/1872 Felt COMPI 'ION OF FELT REPORTS: BRITISH COLUMBIA )ntinued) Locality Primary Data Source Date, Intensity Remarks Quesnell The Cariboo Sentinel 12/21/1872 (Quesnelmouth) Victoria Daily Standard 1/10/1873 Race Rocks Daily British Colonist 12/19/1872 IV? Not plotted, description not applicable to 14 Dec. event, pertains to "after- shock" on 15 Dec. Shuswap Prairie The Victoria Daily Standard 2/3/1873 V+ Soda Creek Victoria Daily Standard 12/16/1872 Described as "considerable violence" but no damage report. Vernon The Vernon News 4/2/1936 Period accounts not avail- able for this locality; not plotted. Victoria Daily British Colonist 12/15/1872 vi Numerous duplicate des- 12/17/1872 Vi+ criptions or dispatches 12/19/1872 appear for Victoria. Daily Oregonian i2/17/1872 Portland Oregonian 12/17/1872 Yale Victoria Daily Standard 12/16/1872 vi Bushby COMPILATION OF FELT REPORTS: OREGON lit Primary Data Source Date Intensity Remarks Astoria Plaindealer 12/27/1872 v Aurora Puget Sound Dispatch 12/19/1872 Felt Daily British Colonist 12/17/1872 Baker City Bedrock Democrat 12/18/1872 v The Mountain Sentinel 12/21/1872 Canyon City The Weekly Mountaineer 12/28/1872 Cascade Daily Oregonian 12/17/1872 II or NF The Weekly Echo 12/19/1872 Columbia City Daily Oregonian 12/17/1872 Felt Corvallis Weekly Corvallis Gazette 12/21/1872 Not Felt Eugene City Washington Standard 12/21/1872 Felt The Oregon State Journal 1/4/1873 Not Felt Jacksonville Democratic Times 12/21/1872 Felt? Local report uncertain. Jefferson Willamette Farmer 12/21/1872 Felt LaGrande Bedrock Democrat 12/18/1872 iv - v Oregon City Daily British Colonist 12/17/1872 Felt Oregon City Enterprise 12/20/1872 Coombs, H.A., W.G. Milne, O.W. Nuttli, and D.B. Slemmons, "Report of the Review Panel on the December 14, 1872 earthquake", Appendix B: Reports related to the December 14, 1872 earthquake, pp. 19-20. Chelan Leader, September 14, 1899, p 2, Chelan, W. T. 1976 (RSL comment: this material is extracted from the "Report of the Review Panel on the December 14, 1872 earthquake" Coombs, H.A., W.G. Milne, O.W. Nuttli, and D.B. Slemmons December 1976. Appendix B: Reports related to the December 14, 1872 earthquake; pages 19 -20) Chelan Leader September 14, 1899, p 2 Chelan, W. T. A Volcanic Upheaval The Leader is informed that about 2 o'clock p.m. last Sunday, up the lake about 19 miles at E. F. Christie's place, J. A. Graham saw out near the center of the lake a peculiar, upheaval of the gassy surface to the height, apparently, of about 6 or 10 feet. He afterwards watched the waves roll in towards shore. The water came in like a tidal wave, all of slx feet high, driving the little steamer Kitten, moored there, high upon the rocks, then receding, caused it to upset and sink. Succeeding waves continued for two hours before the lake finally quieted down. All observers agree that there was no wind blowing at the time. At Mountain Park, four miles this side, T. R. Gibson says the wave from the upheaval was only 20 minutes in reaching there. The steamer Dexter, which came down Tuesday and assisted in raising the Kitten, reports that the wave was very noticeable at Moore's Point and the head. Judge I. A. Navarre, who came down from 10 miles up 25-mile creek on Tuesday, is said to have been told by some prospectors up there that the creek--one of the largest tributaries of the lake--went dry for aboul three hours on Sunday afternoon, and then resumed its natural flow, which, if true, would indicate a disturbance of some nature--probably volcanic--in the moun- tains. It was certainly a strange and unusual occurrence, and only for the credibility of our informants, we should be inclined to think it a great big sell. Chilliwack Progress August 19, 1915 Chilliwack, B. C. CHILLIWACK, B. C. CHILLIWACK, B. C. CHILLIWACK, Dec. 15--At 9:25 last night the inhabitants were startled by a violent shock of earthquake. The houses commenced to oscillate; the earth rose like waves of the sea; the rivers spashed their banks; horses neighed and cattle lowed. No loss has been sustained save the displacing of some fencing. Chilliwack Valley Experiences Shake ------------------------- Late Sleepers Rudely Awakened by a General Shaking Up of Surroundings - No Damage. ----------------------------- Chilliwack city and valley experienced a real shake yesterday morning a few minutes after six o'clock, which lasted several seconds. The tremor was the most pronounced experienced since 1871, and was sufficient to arouse late sleepers, by the shaking of houses and rattling of windows. Whether the shake was caused by a real earthquake or the fall of a massive glacier in the Washington Public Power Supply System, Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Ammendment 23, WPPSS Nuclear Project No. 1, 1300 MW Nuclear Power Plant, Vol. 2A. Tables 2R-E16 and 2R-E14B. Chilliwack Progress, The, Chilliwack, B.C., August 19, 1915 1977 Aug 18, 1915 CHILLIWACK PROGRESS, THE 08/19/1915 Chilliwack Progress, The, Chilliwack, B.C., August 19, 1915 "CHILLIWACK VALLEY EXPERIENCES SHAKE "Late sleepers rudely awakened by a general shaking up of surrounding no damage. "Chilliwack city and valley experienced a real live shake yesterday morning a few minutes after six o'clock, which lasted several seconds. The tremor was the most pronounced experienced since 1871, and was sufficient to arouse late sleepers, by the shaking of houses and the rattling of windows. Whether the shake was caused by a real earthquake or the fall of a massive glacier in the mountains caused by a long season of dry weather is a matter of conjecture. "The latter view is accepted by many from the fact that the dis-- turbance appears to have been confined to the valley, including the Agassiz district. In 1871, it was discovered after the shock of that time, that a big slice of Mt. Cheam peak had dropped about one thousand feet. " __________________________________ Vernon News, The, August 19, 1915 "TOWN AND DISTRICT "A slight earthquake shock was felt by many in this city on Wednesday morning shortly after five o'clock. it seems to have been a little more noticeable at Coldstream than in town." _______________________________________________ Penticton Herald, The, Penticton, B.C., August 19, 1915 "SMALL QUAKE WAS FELT IN PENTICTON "Earth tremor was noticeable all over province - from Mount Baker. "A distinct earth tremor was felt here at 6:05 o'clock yesterday morning. Dishes rattled on the pantry shelves, furniture and fixtures in the houses shook and citilens generally accustomed to waiting until the respectable hour of eight before waking in the morning woke rather suddenly. "it is seven years since there was any evidence of an earthquake shock in Penticton. Two years ago, there was a very distinct shock in Vancouver and several buildings were slightly strained. "Insofar as can be learned absolutely no damage was done here on Wednesday. The houses shook for two or three seconds as if in a very strong gale, but that was all. Most of the sleepers in the upper floors woke up, but those slumbering closer to the ground, say that they did not know that there was a tremor at all. _______________________________________________ Washington Public Power Supply System, Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Ammendment 23, WPPSS Nuclear Project No. 1, 1300 MW Nuclear Power Plant, Vol. 2A. Tables 2R-E17 and 2R-E14C 1977 1880 "...shook the country for miles around..." A Pioneer Gentlewoman in British Columbia, edited by Margaret Ormbsy, University of British Columbia, (Vancouver, 1976) "In the fall of '80 there was an earthquake which shook the country for miles, reaching the Okanagan. Our -Indians were much disturbed except Cosotasket and Tatlehasket and a few others, hard old nuts. They thought the "Father" was angry and sent for the priests, and many were baptized." Weston Geophysical Research, Inc. Note: The recollections of Susan Allison. Washington Public Power Supply System, Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Ammendment 23, WPPSS Nuclear Project No. 1, 1300 MW Nuclear Power Plant, Vol. 2A. Table 2R-E14A 1977 (RSL Comments: This material is extracted from Washington Public Power Supply System, Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, WPPSS Nuclear Project No. 1, 1300 MW Nuclear Power Plant, Vol. 2A. Vol, 2A has a submittal letter dated September 19, 1977. We have copy number 82. The letter states that Amendment 23 is the response of WPPSS to a request to re-evaluate the 1872 earthquake. Vol. 2A includes the following: 2R-A "Report of the Review Panel on the December 14, 1872 earthquake" by Coombs, Milne, Nuttli, and Slemmons (excluding verbatim original accounts) 2R-B "A review of the North Cascade earthquake of 14 December 1872" by Woodward-Clyde 2R-C "Tectonic Evolution of the Pacific Northwest Precambrian to present, by Gregory A. Davis 2R-D "Geologic Studies in the 1872 earthquake Epicentra Region, by Shannon and Wilson 2R-E "Geophysical and Seismological Studies in the 1872 earthquake epicentral region", by Weston Geophysical _______________________________________________ TABLE 2R E-14a LISTING A LETTERS RELATING TO THE EARTHQUAKE OF DECEMBER 14, 1872 Baudre, Peverend F. M., O.M.I., "Letter to D'Herbormez dated December 28, 1872 from Okanagan Valley", Manu- script in possession of Archives Deschatelets, Ottawa, Canada. "OKANAGAN VALLEY, 28XBRE, 1872* "The earthquake which we have experienced has a great effect on our savages who believed that the last hour of the world had arrived. I know some who passed the night in prayer. At the moment of the earthquake, some of the -Indians were engaged in their extravagant dances. As the others, they were so frightened by the dance of the earth that they knelt down praying, shouting and crying. They asked me a thousand questions about the earthquake: what it was; would it return. "In the vicinity of Osoyoos Lake the shock was stronger; rocks were detached from the mountains. A man was thrown to the ground; two horses were killed, and I do not know exactly where but near Similkameen the earth opened and a stinky smoke came out of that crevasse. "As for us, we thought that our house was going to collapse. We got up to escape from that danger but we escaped with only our fear. "F. M. Baudre, 0. M. I. " *(Weston Geophysical Research, Inc. Note: Locality probably corresponds to the "Mission de l'Immaculate Conception, Lake Okanagan; the modern locality is Okanagan Mission, British Columbia.) Baudre, Reverend F. tl., O.M.I., "Letter to D'Herbormez dated January 21, 1873 from Okanagan Mission", Manu- script in possession of Archives Deschitelets, Ottawa, Canada. "Okanagan mission, January 21, 1873 "The savages of Similkameen are in the greatest consternation. Numerous times during (these) weeks they experienced earthquakes. Two savages who had come from Similkameen reported to me that their brothers from Colville were announcing that the end of the world was not far off. "F. M. Baudre, 0. M. I. " Baudre, Reverend F. M., O.M.I., "Letter to D'Herbormez dated March 7, 1873, from Okanagan Diission, "Manuscript in possession of Archives Deschatelets, Ottawa, Canada. Washington Public Power Supply System, Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Ammendment 23, WPPSS Nuclear Project No. 1, 1300 MW Nuclear Power Plant, Vol. 2A. Table 2R B-4 1977 (RSL Comments: This material is extracted from Washington Public Power Supply System, Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, WPPSS Nuclear Project No. 1, 1300 MW Nuclear Power Plant, Vol. 2A. Vol, 2A has a submittal letter dated September 19, 1977. We have copy number 82. The letter states that Amendment 23 is the response of WPPSS to a request to re-evaluate the 1872 earthquake. Vol. 2A includes the following: 2R-A "Report of the Review Panel on the December 14, 1872 earthquake" by Coombs, Milne, Nuttli, and Slemmons (excluding verbatim original accounts) 2R-B "A review of the North Cascade earthquake of 14 December 1872" by Woodward-Clyde 2R-C "Tectonic Evolution of the Pacific Northwest Precambrian to present, by Gregory A. Davis 2R-D "Geologic Studies in the 1872 earthquake Epicentra Region, by Shannon and Wilson 2R-E "Geophysical and Seismological Studies in the 1872 earthquake epicentral region", by Weston Geophysical TABLE 2R B-4 (RSL 6/1995 - This table was not scanned because of its complex format. However, it presents Modified Mercalli Intensities for the 1872 North Cascade earthquake. MMI values from studies by WPPS (1977), Weston Geophysical (1976), Coombs et al. (1976), Puget Sound Power and Light/Bechtel (1977), Puget Sound Power and Light/N. Scott (1977), and USGS(1977) are tabulated in alphabetical order by place-name. Figure 2R-B1, which follows the tabulation, is an "Isoseismal Map for the 1872 North Cascade earthquake" provided by Woodward-Clyde, the authors of this section) Washington Public Power Supply System, Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, Ammendment 23, WPPSS Nuclear Project No. 1, 1300 MW Nuclear Power Plant, Vol. 2A. Table 2R B-2 1977 (RSL Comments: This material is extracted from Washington Public Power Supply System, Preliminary Safety Analysis Report, WPPSS Nuclear Project No. 1, 1300 MW Nuclear Power Plant, Vol. 2A. Vol, 2A has a submittal letter dated September 19, 1977. We have copy number 82. The letter states that Amendment 23 is the response of WPPSS to a request to re-evaluate the 1872 earthquake. Vol. 2A includes the following: 2R-A "Report of the Review Panel on the December 14, 1872 earthquake" by Coombs, Milne, Nuttli, and Slemmons (excluding verbatim original accounts) 2R-B "A review of the North Cascade earthquake of 14 December 1872" by Woodward-Clyde 2R-C "Tectonic Evolution of the Pacific Northwest Precambrian to present, by Gregory A. Davis 2R-D "Geologic Studies in the 1872 earthquake Epicentra Region, by Shannon and Wilson 2R-E "Geophysical and Seismological Studies in the 1872 earthquake epicentral region", by Weston Geophysical TABLE 2R B-2 LIST OF NEWSPAPERS Contemporary Accounts Location Newspaper Date Baker, OR Bedrock Democrat December 18, 1872 Barkerville, BC Cariboo Sentinel December 21, 1872 January 4, 1873 January 11, 1873 January 18, 1873 January 25, 1873 March 1, 1873 Boise, ID Idaho Tri-Weekly December 24, 1872 Statesman Bozeman, MT Bozeman Avant December 12, 1872 Courier December 27, 1872 Corvallis, OR Weekly Corvallis December 21, 1872 Gazette The Dalles, OR The Weekly December 21, 1872 Mountaineer December 28, 1872 January 4, 1873 February 1, 1873 Deer Lodge, MT The New Northwest December 10, 1872 December 14, 1872 December 21, 1872 December 28, 1872 February 2, 1873 April 5, 1873 Eugene, OR Eugene City Guard December 21, 1872 Eugene, OR Oregon State December 21, 1872 Journal Helena, MT Helena Daily Herald December 11, 1872 December 12, 1872 December 16, 1872 February 8, 1873 Helena, MT The Helena Daily December 16, 1872 World Idaho City, ID Idaho Signal December 21, 1872 December 28, 1872 Idaho City, ID Idaho World December 26, 1872 Jacksonville, OR Democratic Times December 21, 1872 Kalama, WA Kalama Beacon December 21, 1872 Missoula, MT The Montana December 21, 1872 Pioneer New Westminster, BC Mainland Guardian January 8, 1873 January 9, 1873 March 6, 1873 Olympia, VA Daily Pacific December 16, 1872 Tribune December 17, 1872 December 18, 1872 Olympia, WA The Olympia December 21, 1873 Transcript December 28, 1872 January 4, 1873 January 18, 1873 January 25, 1873 February 1, 1873 February 8, 1873 February 15, 1873 March 29, 1873 Olympia, WA Puget Sound Daily December 16, 1872 Courier December 17, 1872 January 2, 1873 January 18, 1873 January 20, 1873 January 22, 1873 Olympia, WA Puget Sound Weekly December 21, 1872 Courier Olympia, WA Washington Standard December 21, 1872 January 11, 1873 Olympia, WA The Weekly Echo December 19, 1872 January 2, 1873 January 9, 1873 Olympia, WA Weekly Pacific December 21, 1872 Tribune December 28, 1872 Phillipsburg, MT Montanian December 19, 1872 Portland, OR The Catholic December 21, 1872 Sentinel Portland, OR Daily Oregonian December 16, 1872 December 17, 1872 December 19, 1872 December 20, 1872 January 15, 1873 Portland, OR Morning Oregonian December 19,1872 December 20,1872 December 21,1872 Portland, OR Oregonian December 17,1872 December 21,1872 December 23,1872 December 27,1872 December 30,1872 January 3, 1873 January 7, 1873 January 15, 1873 January 17, 1873 January 18, 1873 January 20, 1873 Portland, OR Pacific Christian December 26, 1872 Advocate Portland, OR Plaindealer December 20, 1872 Salem, OR Weekly Mercury December 20, 1872 Salem, OR Willanette Farmer December 21, 1872 January 4, 1873 Seattle, WA Puget Sound December 19, 1872 Dispatch December 26, 1872 Seattle, WA Weekly December 16, 1872 Intelligencer December 23, 1872 January 13, 1873 January 20, 1873 February 3, 1873 February 10, 1873 March 3, 1873 November 29, 1873 Steilacoom, WA Puget Sound Express December 19, 1872 Union, OR The Mountain December 21, 1872 Sentinel Victoria, BC Daily British December 15, 1872 Colonist December 17, 1872 December 19, 1872 Victoria, BC Daily British December 20, 1872 Colonist January 10, 1873 January 21, 1873 January 31, 1873 Victoria, BC Victoria Daily December 16, 1872 Standard December 17, 1872 December 19, 1872 December 20, 1872 December 27, 1872 January 7, 1873 January 10, 1873 January 24, 1873 February 3, 1873 March 7, 1873 March 12, 1873 March 21, 1873 Virginia City, MT Weekly Montanian December 19, 1872 December 26, 1872 Walla Walla, WA Walla Walla December 21, 1872 Statesman Walla Walla, WA Walla Walla December 21, 1872 Statesman, Weekly March 29, 1873 Walla Walla Walla Walla Union December 21, 1872 Malone, Stephen D. and S.S. Bor, 1979, Attenuation Patterns in the Pacific Northwest based on intensity data and the location of the 1872 North Cascades earthquake, BSSA, V. 69, N. 2, pp. 531-546 1979 A87212150540 0.00 48.5N 121.0W 7.4 [See published article: This article does not state a location, but shows a location in graphical format. Stephen Malone used the location given above on the map of Washington and Oregon seismicity published in 1994 by the USGS. The article uses intensity data from 14 other earthquakes to estimate an attenuation structure for Washington. They conclude that the earthquake was magnitude 7.4 and located south and west of the original epicenter determined by Milne.] Woodward Clyde Consultants, unpublished 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. 1981 18721214214030 49167-121000 IX W 01 M.G. Hopper, S.T. Algermissen, D.M. Perkins, S.R. Brockman and E.P. Arnold, XXX, The Earthquake of December 14, 1872, in the Pacific Northwest, unpublished Abstract presented at the Anaheim SSA Meeting. Unpublished, presented at the Anaheim SSA Meeting in 1982 1982 ANAHEIM, 1982 THE EARTHQUAKE OF DECEMBER 14, 1872, IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST HOPPER, M.G., ALGERMISSEN, S.T., PERKINS, D.M., BROCKMAN, S.R.,ARNOLD, E.P., U.S. Geological Survey, Stop 966, Box 25046, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Co 80225 Reevaluation of existing intensity data for the 1872 earthquake indicates that the maximum intensity is IX M.M., the epicenter is near Lake Chelan, and the depth, though uncertain, is shallow. Prevlous analyses by five different researchers have determined maximum intensities of VII to X M.M. and epicenter locations from Lake Chelan in Washington north to British Columbia. Comparison of our interpreted isoseismal maping to the other researchers' works on the basis of intensity assignments and intensity attenuation curves reveals that, although the maps appear different, the intensity attenuation is similar. One reason for the map differences is the varying treatment of ground effects, which constitute a large part of the information from the epicentral area; our interpretation treats ground effects as a special category, whereas others either discount these effects or assign very high intensities to them. Consideration of the five interpretations of the intensity data together with our own review of the data leads us to believe that the epicenter of the 1872 main shock is located in the vicinity of Lake Chelan. On all of the isoseismal maps considered, the intensity-VI isoseismal seems best constrained by the data; the centers of the intensity-VI contours for all of the maps lie within a radius of 60 km of the point lat 47.90 N. and long 120.30 W. This area wholly contains Lake Chelan and the town of Wenatchee. Garry Colin Rogers, Seismotectonics of British Coulmbia, PhD Thesis PhD Thesis, Dept. of Geophysics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, pp. 19-27 and p. 228 1983 TABLE Il Larger Historic Vancouver Island - Puget Sound Earthquakes Their Felt Area (In square KM -RSL 6/95) and Resulting Magnitude FELT PREVIOUS(1) FELT AREA (2) DATE COORDINATES AREA MAGNITUDE MAGNITUDE 1872 DEC 14 48.6 121.4 1010,000 - 7.3 1903 MAR 14 47.7 122.2 26,000* 4.3 4.9 1904 MAR 17 47.8 123.0 50,000* 6.0 5.3 1909 JAN 11 48.7 122.8 150,000 5.6 6.0 1911 SEP 29 48.8 122.7 8,000 4.3 4.1 1913 DEC 25 47.7 122.5 20,000* 4.3 4.7 1915 AUG 18 48.5 121.4 77,000* 5.5 4.6 (This magnitude is a typographic error in Roger's thesis correct magnitude should be 5.6, based on the felt area given here RSL 6/95) 1918 DEC 06 49.5 125.9 650,000 7.0 7.0 1920 JAN 24 48.6 123.0 70,000 5.0 5.5 1923 FEB 12 49.0 122.7 8,000 4.3 4.1 1926 DEC 04 48.5 123.0 30,000 4.3 5.0 1928 FEB 09 49.0 125.3 120,000 3.7 5.8 (List continues through 1965 - RSL 6/1995) *Felt area from "Earthquake History of the United States" by Coffman and von Hake (1973). 1)Magnitude in the Canadian Earthquake Data File. 2)Calculated using Toppozada's (1975) relationships 5) Comments on Revisions of Some Key Earthquakes (Figure 6) a) March 16, 1904 In the Canadian Earthquake Data File the epicentre for this event was located on the west side of the Olympic Peninsula and it was assigned a magnitude of 6. in "Earthquake History of the United States" it is given the location of Victoria, B.C. and assigned an intensity value of V. A study of felt levels from newspaper reports suggests the earthquake has an epicentre along the west side of Puget Sound, south of Port Townsend and that the magnitude is about 5. The confirmation that this earthquake was not near the west coast of the Olympic Peninsula is important as no large earthquakes have yet been located along the coast. b) January 11, 1909 Felt reports from newspapers limit this epicentre to the San Juan Islands region where several instances of damage occurred. Felt information also clearly shows that the size of the isoseismal maps is between that for the 1965 Seattle earthquake and the 1976 Gulf Islands earthquake (Figure 7). The magnitude is about 6 according to Toppozada's (1975) felt area relationship. Lack of aftershocks and lack of higher intensities in the epicentral region suggest this event belongs to the deeper suite of earthquakes. This event is significant because it points out that large earthquakes in the deeper suite can also occur north of Puget Sound. c) December 6, 1918 This earthquake has several epicentres in the literature which are shown in Figure 8. Investigations with the set of P arrival times listed in the ISS place the epicentre on Vancouver Island near the west coast, south of the present town of Gold River which did not exist in 1918. Because of the quality of 1918 arrival times this epicentre has an uncertainty of the order of + 50 km. Felt information collected by Dennison (1919) and supplemented by newspaper investigations suggest the magnitude of 7 (Ms) calculated by Gutenberg and Richter (1949) is correct. d) February 9, 1928 Felt information and a 100 mile distance issued from the Victoria seismograph station (VGZ), presumably from the S-P interval, indicates the earthquake was in the vicinity of Barkely Sound and had a magnitude of about 5-3/4. This event was in the Canadian Earthquake Data File but was located in the Strait of Juan de Fuca with a magnitude of 3.7. It is significant that an earthquake of this size occurred in the Barkely Sound region as there have been no events above magnitude 4 in that region since 1928. e) September 17, 1926 and May 7, 1927 Both of these events were assigned epicentres by the ISS at the location previously calculated for the epicentre of the December 6, 1918 earthquake (Figure 8). Because of the proximity of the cities of Nanaimo and Victoria and the distribution of population close to the ISS epicentral region, these earthquakes could not have been located there as they would have been felt. With the data listed in the ISS and felt reports they were located elsewhere. The 1927 event occurred in the vicinity of Brooks Peninsula on Vancouver Island and the 1926 event occurred on the mainland north of Vancouver (see Appendix 1). APPENDIX 1 - Revised parameters fir earthquakes in the Vancouver Island-Puget Sound Region 1900-1950 ( P 128. - Included here are 1900-1928; Times apparently GMT -RSL 5/95) YEAR DATE TIME LAT LONG MAG 1903 Mar. 14 02:15 47.7 122.2 4.9 Location from "EQ Hist. of the US.", mag. from felt area 1904 Mar. 17 04:21 47.8 123.0 5.3 Location from "EQ Hist. of the US.", mag. from felt area 1909 Jan. 11 23:49 48.7 122.8 6.0 Location based on felt reports, mag. from felt area 1911 Sept. 29 02:39 48.8 122.7 4.1 Location from "EQ Hist. of the US.", mag. from felt area 1913 Dec. 25 14:40 47.7 122.5 4.7 Location from "EQ Hist. of the US.", mag. from felt area 1915 Aug. 18 14:05 48.5 121.4 4.6 Location from "EQ Hist. of the US.", mag.