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Cascadia Historic Earthquake Catalog, 1793-1929
Covering Washington, Oregon and Southern British Columbia
Provided by: The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network
About the Cascadia Historic Earthquake Catalog       One-line catalog format

1793-1849 .... 1850s .... 1860s .... 1870s .... 1880s .... 1890s .... 1900s .... 1910s .... 1920s .... 1930s (not complete) .... Other Cascadia Catalogs

  
Individual Event Report
Event #202 - Summary, and parameter estimates with source IDs                                           
This earthquake was apparently felt from Victoria to Olympia (where Rockwood reports that sleepers were wakened), and from New Westminster (B.C.) to Port Angeles. There is a confusion about the time - the monthly weather report says: "Port Angeles, Washington Territory: a slight earthquake shock was felt about 1:40 a.m. of the 9th". However, most catalogs, starting with Holden (1898) give a time of 10:40 PM, based on Rockwood and Plummer.
Although the Index to the Oregonian lists "at Puget Sound, Dec. 8 1885, no damage", the article could not be found. Additional newspaper research should be pursued.
TIME LOCATION MAGNITUDE MAX. INTENSITY FELT AREA
YR MO DAY HR MIN AM/PM Time
Type		 LAT(N) LON(W) DEP
(km)		 MAG Mag
Type		 Felt
Plc.		 Felt
St.		 Inten-
sity		 Int.
Type		 Felt
Area		 Felt
Area
Int.		 Felt
Area
Units
1885  12  9  6  40    G  47.50  122.50        Puget Sound  WA  V  RF       
RAS - 56 USEQS - 924 - - HOLD1 - 474 -

Underlying Source Material
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1248  Holden, E.S., 1898, A Catalog of Earthquakes on the Pacific Coast 1769-1897, Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, 1087  1898   
Transcription: 1885. December 8, 22h. 40m., 120th Meridian Time. A moderate shock (V) Puget Sound, W.T.__C.G.R.__22h, 40m. Tacoma.__P.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1414  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   
Transcription: 1885 DECEMBER 8. 10:12 p.m. V in the Puget Sound basin. Felt at both Victoria and New Westminster. Br.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
862  Reid 2, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park     
Transcription: Puget Sound 10:40p December 5, 1885 V Felt as far south as Olympia.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
475  Holden, Edward S., 1887, List of Recorded Earthquakes in California, Lower California, Oregon, and Washington Territory  1887  Printed by Direction of the Regents of the University of California, Sacremento, California, 
Transcription: 1885. December 8; 10:12 p.m. Sharp shocks at Victoria and New Westminster, B.C.--H.Ms.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1211  The American Journal of Science  1887  Third Series, Vol. XXXII, Nos. 187-192, July to December 1886, pp. 13-16 
Transcription: Rockwood, C. G. "American Earthquakes", THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, Third Series,, VOL. XXXII, Nos. 187-192, July to December 1886, pp. 13-16.

May 3, 1885 - 23h 30m local time a very light shock (III) at Olympia, W. T. Light shocks continued until 1h 30m of the 4th (U.S. Weather Review)

June 27 - 5h 26m at Olympia, W. T., a light shock (IV) east to west, with rumbling noise (U. S. Weather Review).

October 9 - 8h a moderate shock (V), south to north, at Olympia, W. T.

October 10 - Between 1h and 2h three very light shocks (III), each of about one second duration and separated by an interval of six seconds, at East Portland, Oregon (U. S. Weather Review).

December 8 - In the evening a moderate earthquake (V) occurred in the vicinity of Puget Sound, W. T. The principal shock occurred at 22h 40m, 120th meridian time, and was felt as far south as Olympia, where the motion was east-west and was sufficient to arouse sleepers. At East Sound three light shocks were reported at 22h 35m; two heavy ones, rattling dishes at 22h 40m; two light ones at 23h 15m, and a somewhat heavier one at 23h 50m ... It was also reported from Port Angeles and Salt Springs Island.

December 18 - 0h 30m a very light shock (III) at Tatoosh Island in the extreme northwest of Washington Territory. It lasted about five seconds and was followed by a second shock about ten minutes later (U. S. Weather Review).
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
652  Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park     
Transcription: Victoria & New Westminster 10:12 pm 8 Dec, 1885 V -Holden's Cat. pg 114
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
236  Bradford, Donald C., 1935, Seismic History of the Puget Sound Basin, BSSA, V. 25, No. 2, pp. 138-153  1935   
Transcription: 1885 December 8, 10:12 p.m.; V; sharp shocks at Victoria and New Westminster, B.C. H.MS; 22h 12m, P.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
858  Reid 2, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park     
Transcription: Washington 1885- 1886 Severe
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
235  Bradford, Donald C., 1935, Seismic History of the Puget Sound Basin, BSSA, V. 25, No. 2, pp. 138-153  1935   
Transcription: 1885 December 8, 22h 40m, 120 meridian time; a moderate shock, V, Puget Sound. C.G.R. 22h 40m, Tacoma; P.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
2194  Monthly Weather Review  1885  December, V. 13, p. 313 
Transcription: December, 1885: Port Angeles, Washington Territory: a slight earthquake shock was felt about 1:40 a.m. of the 9th
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
924  U. S. Dept. of Commerce, 1973, Earthquake History of the United States, V. 41-1, revised ed., pp. 89-96  1973   
Transcription: Dec. 8 22:40 Puget Sound, Wash 47.5 122.5 (2) V 25
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
983  U. S. Dept. of Commerce, 1973, Earthquake History of the United States, V. 41-1, revised ed., pp. 89-96  1973   
Transcription: 1885. December 8. Puget Sound, Wash. Awoke sleepers at Olympia. Three light shocks at East Sound; loud rumbling at Victoria, British Columbia.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
2044  Leslie M. Scott, Memoranda of the Files of the Oregonian 1850-1910, Oregon Historical Society  1910  Unpublished index to the Oregonian 
Transcription: at Puget Sound, Dec. 8 1885, no damage
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1679  Woodward Clyde Consultants, unpublished  1981  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. 
Transcription: 188512 90640000 47500-122500 V NO 5 01
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
474  Holden, Edward S., 1887, List of Recorded Earthquakes in California, Lower California, Oregon, and Washington Territory  1887  Printed by Direction of the Regents of the University of California, Sacremento, California, 
Transcription: 1885. December 8; 22h. 40m.; 120th meridian time. A moderate shock (V) Puget Sound, W.T.--C.G.R.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
57  Rasmussen, Norman, 1967, Washington state earthquakes 1840 through 1965, BSSA V. 57, No. 3, pp. 463-476  1967   
Transcription: 57 1885 Dec. 9 09:40 Port Angeles 4 felt?
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
709  Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park     
Transcription: Northeast Wash. 1885 or 1886 Severe -WBR on earthquake of Jan 3, 1905
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
56  Rasmussen, Norman, 1967, Washington state earthquakes 1840 through 1965, BSSA V. 57, No. 3, pp. 463-476  1967   
Transcription: 56 1885 Dec. 9 06:40 47.5 N, 122.5 W V 1
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
1069  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   
Transcription: 1885 December 8. 22h 40m [10:40 p.m.], 120th meridian time. V. Puget Sound. A moderate shock.-CGR. [Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., 32, 15.] 22h 40m [10:40 p.m.]. Tacoma.-P.
 
Source ID Publication Pub Date Pub Details
706  Reid, unpub., Scrapbook and Cardfile, on microfilm at USGS in Menlo Park     
Transcription: Vicinity near Puget Sound 10:40 pm 8 Dec, 1885 V -Am Jr Sc III-XXXII, pg 15 Shock was felt as far south as Olympia, E-W. East Sound: 10:35 pm--3 light shocks 10:40 pm--2 heavy 11:15 pm--2 light 11:50 pm--1 heavy Victoria, BC, 10:12 pm, loud rumbling, 10 or 15 seconds. Also reported from Port Angeles and Salt Springs Island.
 


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