The 1872 North Cascades Earthquake - WASHINGTON (COLVILLE) REPORTING LOCALITIES

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ACCOUNTS EVALUATED 


               Colville, Wash.




Data Source             Date               Code    Remarks




John A. Simms Letter 	December 31, 1872  A	   Extracts appear in numerous                                                   newspapers.


Walla  Walla  Union     December 28, 1872  A


Puget  Sound  Daily


  Courier               January   2, 1873  A 


Walla  Walla  Union     January  11, 1873  A


Oregonian               January  15, 1873  B       Refer to Plate  III,


                                                   aftershocks 


*Puget Sound Daily


  Courier               January  20, 1872  C       Refer to  Simms'  letter


*Victoria Daily


  Standard              January  24, 1873  C       Refer to  Simms'  letter


*Cariboo   Sentinel     January  25, 1873  C


The Olympia Trans-      February  8, 1873  C       Brief extract from


  cript                                            Simms' letter


*New Northwest          February 22, 1873  C       Refer to  Simms'  letter


Walla  Walla  Union     March    15, 1873  A       Refer to Plate  III,


                                                   aftershocks


Walla  Walla  Union     June     14, 1873  A       Listed under Colville


                                                   Reports, locality un-


                                                   known.  Refer  to  Plate


                                                   III, aftershocks.


Spokesman Review        January   8, 1906  D       Some of the data
                                                   appears consistent with
                                                   period accounts.


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.
Colville, Washington
Walla Walla Union December 28, 1872 - p. 3 Walla Walla, Washington
From Colville--Hon. W.P. Winans sends us the following items under date of 16th inst.:
EARTHQUAKE.
Our valley was visited by an earthquake at 10 1/2 o'clock P.M., on the 14th inst. The first shock lasted about three minutes, toppled clocks, shook down crockery and bottles from shelves, etc. Several slighter shocks occurred during the next five hours.
The weather is cold, and sleighing good.
John A. Simms to Genl. R. H. Miroy, Records of the Washington Superintend ing of Indian Affairs, 1853-1874, Letters from agents and employees in lo cal jurisdictions of the superintendency, 1853-1874. Feb. 24, 1854- July 13, 1874. Microcopy No. M5, Roll No. 30, Washington State Library. Fort Colville WT.. Dec 31, 1872 Genl. R. H. Miroy Superintendent of Ind. Affairs. Olympia WT.. Sir: I have the honor to report that nothing worthy of particular notice occured at the Agency during the past month, until the evening of the 14th, at half past ten o'clock when we startled by quite a severe shock of an earthquake which was followed by four or five other distinct shocks at intervals during the night. Slight vibrations have been felt every night since. ***** on the morning of the 28th about half past ten, there wasn't any perceptible shock. Most of the Indians that I have heard from are very much frightened and in some instances fatal deaths have followed. One woman of the Lower Spokane lost her mind, and wandered off to the mountains and was found dead a day or two afterwards. ******* others are quite ill from its effect. The earthquake was particularly severe in the vicinity of Okanogan and Og*ssius Lake. The Indians who come over from there, report that a point of land projecting into the Lake has disappeared and that the earth has opened from eighteen inches to two feet in several places. They state also that the country was full of smoke to the north, and that a noise resembling thunder comes from the same direction. There is great consternation among the Okanogan Indians and I have determined to send over the Interpreter to endeavor to pacify them and to report upon the results of the earthquake. I have the satisfaction of reporting a marked improvement in the moral condition of the Indians of this Agency since my arrival here. Most of the ****** Spokane have abandoned the evil habits of gambling and dissipation. The chiefs and head man feel much encouraged and feel hope for the future. They are consciously waiting for news concerning the Reservation, and believe that some satisfactory arrangement will be made in the spring and that work at the Agency will be commenced in earnest. Very respectfully Your ***** ****** John A. Simms ****** ***** ****** COLVILLE, WASHINGTON TERRITORY Puget Sound Daily Courier January 2, 1873 Olympia, W.T. The letter mentioned elsewhere, from Mr. Winans, states that the earthquake of the 14th ult. was felt at Fort' Colville at about 10 1/2 o'clock P.M. and shook down bottles and crockery from the shelves, stopped the clocks and frightened people generally. COLVILLE, W.T. Walla Walla Union January 11, 1873 Walla Walla, W.T. COLVILLE Our occasional correspondent has written us an account of the earth- quake at Colville, but the letter has evidently been delayed. He states that articles on the store of Oppenheimer and Co. to the value of $30 or $40 were knocked off the shelves and broken by the first shock. At 3 A.M. the same night quite a heavy "shake" was experienced, and trembling continued at intervals, for two or three days. The weather was quite cold, the thermometer on the 19th registering 20 degrees below zero, but clear and seasonable, not much snow having fallen at this date. The farmers are busy threshing, and all is going on pretty much as usual. "Hyas Quass concludes his letter thus: This last sensation (quite new to most of us) is one with which we could have most willingly have dispensed, and I can only hope that your correspondent for one may never experience another such shaking as we were all treated to on the 14th inst. COLVILLE, W.T. Oregonian January 15, 1873 Portland, Oregon A private letter, dated Fort Colville, W.T., Jan. 6th, to a gentlemen in the city, says, the earthquake which began at that place on the 14th, continued at brief intervals for ten days, and that it was very severe, both at Colville and points to the north of that place. In Colville glass ware was thrown from store shelves so frequently that merchants were compelled to either take down their goods of' that kind or put a guard around the shelving to hold the crockery in. It was reported by Indians y that two houses north of Colville were shaken down, and that mountains had sunk away out of sight. The inhabitants of the entire region were in a state of considerable fright from the numerous repetitions and violence of the shocks. Quite a severe shaking up was experienced on the 4th inst- COLVILLE, W.T. Walla Walla Union March 15, 1873 Walla Walla, W.T. LETTER FROM FORT COLVILLE THE EARTHQUAKE LEGACY - REMARKABLE PHENOMENON - THE NEW INDIAN RESERVATION - THE WINTER AND ITS PASTIMES - IMPROVEMENTS - ETC., ETC. Fort Colville, W.T., March 2, 1873. Editor Union: I ventured to express a hope in my last that we should experience no more "shocking" effects of the late earthquake, but we have felt several shocks since then at intervals. The most remarkable phenomenon is a LOUD REVERBERATION which has been heard continually in some parts of this Valley every night with but very few intermissions. Through the kind- ness of a friend I had an opportunity of passing a night in a farm-house where these nocturnal noises were reported to be nightly heard. I am free to confess that, in common with many others, I was a little skeptical about the affair, being inclined to attribute it to fancy and an overwrought imagination. However, on the occasion above mentioned, I most distinctly heard a succession of loud noises, similar to thunder, or the discharge at short intervals of heavy ordinance. Strange to say, the reports (if I may so describe them) were, and are, only heard in a few particular localities, most notably at the residence of Mr. D. White, from whom I first heard of the cir- cumstance and who kindly gave me the oppor- tunity of satisfying myself by oracular demonstration that it was no ,myth as had been supposed, but a bona fide "noise." By what theory to account for it, I know not. Some are inclined to think it is produced by some distant volcano: but then why should the noises always occur in the night? I leave it to some of your readers more conversant with the freaks of nature to solve the question of this nightly serenade than the humble individual who now addresses you. THE WINTER We have had a long Winter, but have not experienced any unusual degree of cold, although some of our farmers are getting a little anxious to see the snow move off, so that feed for the horned stock may not run short. Many have turned their horses out on good feed on the hill-sides, which have been bare in many places for some time, as horses can paw and scratch round for a living where horned cattle would perish. THE AMUSEMENTS There has been the usual amount of "shin-digs," "corroborees," or by whatever other name you like to designate the social dance, in which the Colvillites delight. Sleighing has been good, and the young people have been kicking their heels to the cheerful accompaniment of the violin, and occasionally assuaging thirst and laying the dust with a little of the ardent. DEATH's DOINGS On the other hand there has been an unusual amount of sickness, and Death has knocked at more than one door in Colville during the Winter. Mr. Jno- Ouplessis, an old resident farmer, died last week, after a protracted illness. His funeral was largely and respectably attended. NEW FLOURING MILL Mr. Meyers has built a new grist mill on the site of the one formerly run by him, which was in a very dilapidated state. Although I have not seen it, I am informed that the new structure is well and completely finished and fitted with some useful improve- ments on the old edifice, and is altogether a credit to the owner and builders. THE NEW RESERVATION The Indian Reservation is, I believe, decided on, the site to be at Killespelm. The Indians are more favorably inclined toward the proposal than they were at first, and if they do not again (with the versatility peculiar to great minds) change their "tum-- tums," I presume no difficulty need be appre- hended in carrying out the proposed measures of the Department, under the supervision of Mr. Simms. I learn that work will be commenced COLVILLE, W.T. continued Walla Walla Union March 15, 1873 Walla Walla, W.T. on the Reserve during the coming Spring, but beyond that I can at present furnish you with no more definite information con- cerning the future intentions on the part of the Government towards Mr. and Mrs. "Lo." I fear you will find this rather a stupid letter, but things are a little slow here just now, and I have to cudgel my brain for materials even to fill up such a yarn as the present, but I hope you will take the will for the deed, and when any more news turns up you shall hear again from CULTUS NANNITCH. COLVILLE, WASHINGTON TERRITORY Walla Walla Union June,14, 1873 Walla Walla, W.T. STILL SHAKING - A Gentleman just down from the upper Columbia: informs us that about a week ago they had quite a severe shock of earthquake and that the earth has continued to shake and tremble at short intervals ever since the big shake up last Fall. He says that there is a large number of Chinamen working on the bars along the Columbia, but that the mines are paying only small wages. Colville, Washington Spokesman Review January 8, 1906 p-5 Spokane, Washington 60 EARTHQUAKES IN 1872 S. F. SHERWOOD OF COLVILLE TELLS OF LIVELY SUMMER Troops Paraded at Midnight After Shock--Indians Left Country --Rocks Fell. COLVILLE, Wash. Jun. 7--S. F. Sherwood, who has been for more than ten years a resident of Stevens county and has been county auditor for several terms. In commenting upon the earthquake shock felt here last Tuesday morning, states that in 1872 a series of 60 distinct shocks was felt here. The first shock occurred just before mid- night, and was so severe that the soldiers at Fort Colville were ordered out of quarters. In the Wenatchee section loud reports were heard at intervals of once or twice a day during the summer, and the Indians were so much alarmed that they left that country temporarily. At one point above Wenatchee the point of a heavy promontory was shaken from its place and plunged into the river, obliterat- ing the trail an the north side of the stream that had been traveled for many years by miners and trappers going north. No particular damage was done by the earthquake, but it was severe enough to have damaged property at this time when the country is so much more advanced.