The 1872 North Cascades Earthquake
Idaho Reporting Localities



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ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Camas Prairie, Idaho 


 Data Source             Date                            Code        Remarks




Idaho Signal     December 21, 1872  B






A.  Period Account:  Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
                                     felt report.


B.  Period Account:  Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.


C.  Period Account:  Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
                                    cription or duplicate data with more complete
                                    data available in other sources.


D.    Later descriptive account identified with period sources.


E.    Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.


*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.


Camas Prairie, Idaho
Idaho Signal
Dec. 21, 1872 p. 3
Lewiston , Idaho

From all we can learn the greatest force of the shock followed the streams, as those residing on the uplands felt it but slightly. To the westward from here the vibration seems to have been more severe than east from Camas Prairie.



Idaho Signal
Dec. 21, 1872 pg. 3
Lewiston, Idaho
Camas Prairie, Idaho

To the east of here, as far as Elk City, it was felt very plainly, - -at Camas Prairie more particularly than elsewhere except at Reed's Ferry, northeast of the latter place, where a correspondent writes, the shock lasted two minutes (?) and was followed by two others of less duration and violence.



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ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Elk City, Idaho 


 Data Source             Date                            Code        Remarks


Idaho Signal          December 21, 1872  B






A.  Period Account:  Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
                                     felt report.


B.  Period Account:  Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.


C.  Period Account:  Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
                                    cription or duplicate data with more complete
                                    data available in other sources.


D.    Later descriptive account identified with period sources.


E.    Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.


*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.


Elk City, Idaho
Idaho Signal
Dec. 21, 1872 pg. 3
Lewiston, Idaho

To the east of here, as far as Elk City, it was felt very plainly,--at Camas Prairie more particularly than elsewhere except at Reed's Ferry, northeast of the latter place, where a correspondent writes, the shock lasted two minutes (?) and was followed by two others of less duration and violence.



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ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Lapwai, Idaho 


 Data Source             Date                            Code        Remarks


Mumford, M.B.	      December 15, 1872  A
Idaho Signal          December 21, 1872  A




A.  Period Account:  Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
                                     felt report.


B.  Period Account:  Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.


C.  Period Account:  Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
                                    cription or duplicate data with more complet
e
                                    data available in other sources.


D.    Later descriptive account identified with period sources.


E.    Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.


*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.


Lapwai, Idaho
Idaho Signal
Dec. 21, 1872 pg. 3
Lewiston, Idaho

At Lapwai a gentleman was rudely awakened, and in a moment after heard a terrific uproar in his chicken-coop. He jumped out of bed, and with a lighted candle in one hand and an ax in the other he went for the intruder with dire intent. As he reached the coop, we are credibly informed, an immense coyote rushed out so close to him that his light was extinguished and he had nothing to see by but the glimmering moonlight.. This was sufficient, however, for him to discern dark objects moving about' inside. Still having coyote in his mind, he made a dash at. the moving objects and wielded his ax so effectively that by the time his wind was exhausted he had completely cleaned them all out. Upon examination with a light he discovered that he had killed seventeen of his best hens. No dead coyotes were found on the premises.



Ft. Lapwai
(Note: From Post Records - Ltr. sent to Adj. General Dept. of the
Columbia, U.S. Army, Portland, Oregon)
Headquarters Gro. Fort Lapwai, I.T.
December 15th, 1872

Sir: I have the honor to report that at 10 p.m., Decbr. 14th, two sharp shocks of an earthquake were felt at this post. The buildings were considerably shaken, but no damage of any kind is perceptible. The motion was from N.N.W. to S.E. and the shocks were accompanied by a low rumbling like distant thunder. The weather had been quite warm and the sky cloudy during the day, but at the time of the shock, the sky was clear and the thermometer showed at 28%degF. The two shocks taken together lasted about one and half minutes and were separated by a very slight interval. Parties in the garrison claim to have experienced a slight shock about 8 p.m. on the 14th and another about 4:30 a.m. on the 15th. I am not able however to vouch for the accuracy of these statements myself. There was no wind blowing at the time of the shocks. The sky had a peculiar "blue black" color and a few light fleecy clouds in the north and west had a slight red tint. The following are the observations of the barometer. 
December       14th    2  p.m.                      25.950


"  "		"     9  P.M.           26.050
"  "		"     11  P.M.          26.100      (mercury fell  in
"  "		"     12 midnight       26.104  (cistern 1/16  inch
"  "		15th  7  a.m.           26.232      (since  9  p.m.
"  "		"     7:45  a.m.        26.200
"  "		"     8:00              26.184
"  "		"     9:00              26.208
"  "		"     9:15              26.199
"  "		"     9:30              26.202
"  "		"     10:00             26.226
"  "		"     10:50             26.190






                I am Sir


            	Very  Resptf.
         	Your      Obt.       Servt.


                M. B. Mumford
                Captain lst Calvary
                Comdr.  Post


HB:   Recovered  from original
     Nat'T Archives,  Washington,  D.C.




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ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Lewiston, Idaho 


 Data Source             Date                            Code        Remarks




*Plaindealer          December 20,  1872  B
Idaho Signal          December 21,  1872  A
*Washington Standard  December 21,  1872  B
Walla Walla Union     December 28,  1872  B






A.  Period Account:  Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
                                     felt report.


B.  Period Account:  Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.


C.  Period Account:  Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
                                    cription or duplicate data with more complete
                                    data available in other sources.


D.   Later descriptive account identified with period sources.


E.   Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.


*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.


LEWISTON, IDAHO
Idaho Signal
Dec. 21, 1872 p 3
Idaho City, Idaho

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE

THE EARTHQUAKE--ON Saturday evening last, at twenty minutes past ten o'clock, this region of country was visited by a series of earthquake shocks. The first oscillation appeared to be from west to east and was about the duration of eight seconds. The first shock was followed by a second, ten minutes later, but of much less force. The violence of the first shock created considerable alarm among those who had never experienced such a thing before. Persons who were up at the time ran into the streets, while those who had retired supposed that a fierce and sudden gust of wind caused their buildings to sway and rock. Clocks were stopped and crockery and glassware caused to jingle. Frightened chickens flew about as though possessed by the devil. Dogs howled, cattle lowed, and all nature, animate and inanimate, was much disturbed.

In this place and the immediate vicinity the force of the shock was greater along the margins of the streams than elsewhere. Along the waterfront of town on Clearwater it was more severe than back near the bluff. Up to the present writing we have heard nothing from Portland or San Francisco, and there- fore are not apprised of the violence of the earth- quake, if any was experienced in those localities. Many laughable incidents occurred of which we may mention a few. One gentleman, who does an exten- sive business in the hardware line, after accusing his better half of shaking the bed, and being assured by that lady that she did no such thing, heard his chickens making a noise, and fearing coyotes, he sallied out, six-shooter in hand and nether garment fluttering in the keen night wind to put an end to such night prowlers. The flying chickens put out his light and he had to get back into bed without having slaughtered a single coyote. A young gentleman and prominent member of the Champions, who had just been to Lodge, and had seen a young lady home, was sitting conversing a few minutes with her previous to bidding her good night. When the shock came the young lady, being of an excitable nature, clasped him frantically around the neck and implored him to protect her. The services of the Coroner were not required anywhere else in town, that we know of. A lady of placid temperament insisted upon her drowsy lord getting up and looking under the bed, as she was sure there was a man underneath who was rocking 'it.

A gentleman. with a heavy black moustache, rushed down town, with his hat on the back of his head, and asked every one he met if they felt it. He says HE was not frightened. Another gentleman who was occupying a cozy corner behind a stove, made hasty strides for the door and never stopped to heed the statement of his older brother that it was a mere nothing. A Teutonic gentleman of our acquaintance informed us that he "made himself und vas to home mit a hurry."



LEWISTON, IDAHO
Walla Walla Union
December 28, 1872
Walla Walla, WT

The Lewiston Signal has arrived at last, and we are glad that after three weeks of waiting it is here. If it had not come to time this week, there would have been a signal for an unpleasantness. We did fear that the late earthquake had Died the establishment, but it seems that our apprehensions were unfounded.

The Lewiston paper states that the walls of Stine's hotel were cracked by the earthquake. This is an error, as the walls of that building or any other were not cracked or injured.



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ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Paradise Valley, Idaho 


 Data Source             Date                            Code        Remarks




Idaho Signal           December 21, 1872  A






A.  Period Account:  Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
                                     felt report.


B.    Period Account:  Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.


C.    Period Account:  Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
                                      cription or duplicate data with more complete
                                      data available in other sources.


D.    Later descriptive account identified with period sources.


E.    Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.


*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.


Paradise Valley, Idaho
Idaho Signal
Dec. 21, 1872 pg. 3
Lewiston, Idaho

North of here, in the vicinity of Paradise Valley, the shock was so severe as to make everything fairly dance.



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ACCOUNTS EVALUATED
Reed's Ferry, Idaho 


 Data Source             Date                            Code        Remarks




Idaho Signal          December 21, 1872  B






A.  Period Account:




B.    Period Account:


C.    Period Account:


Primary source for evaluation of intensity or
felt report.


Insufficient data to evaluate intensity.


Item appearing as dispatch, summary or brief des-
cription or duplicate data with more complete
data available in other sources.


D.    Later descriptive account identified with period sources.


E.    Later descriptive account not confirmed in period documentary sources.


*Designates duplicate data not included in compilation.


Reed's Ferry, Idaho
Idaho Signal
Dec. 21, 1872 pg. 3
Lewiston, Idaho

To the east of here, as far as Elk City, it was felt very plainly,--at Camas Prairie more particularly than elsewhere except at Reed's Ferry, northeast 'of the latter place, where a correspondent writes, the shock lasted two minutes (?) and was followed by two others of less duration and violence.