Electronic Supplement to
Geologic Setting of the 1884 Bear Lake, Idaho, Earthquake: Rupture
in the Hanging Wall of a Basin and Range Normal Fault Revealed by
Historical and Geological Analyses
by James P. Evans, Dawn C. Martindale, and Richard D. Kendrick,
Jr.
Part One: Felt Reports
Note: The following are the various felt reports as reported in
journals and newspapers. They include several newspapers, one
journal and a monthly newsletter. The newspaper articles appear
exactly how they do in the actual paper, including grammatical and
spelling errors. If an article appeared in several newspapers, the
additional references are listed below the source. The journal
article also preserves the authors style, but line length is
normal. The monthly review abstract came from a published source,
and transcribed in modern settings.
NEWSPAPERS
Source: Deseret News Semi-Weekly, Wend, 12 Nov. 1884, col 7,
pg 2
Duplicate of Paris Points article- Deseret Evening News, 13
Nov 1884; Deseret Weekly News, Wend, 19 November 1884, col 3, pg
689)
More of the Earthquake. - "M," writing from Richmond, Cache
County, on the 10th inst., speaks thus of the earthquake
experienced there and in different parts of Utah early that
morning: "At about five minutes before two oclock this
morning, the people of this place and the surrounding country were
awakened by low rumbling sounds, like distant thunder, or the
approach of a severe wind-storm, followed quickly by a sudden
trembling and shaking of the earth. The shock was quite severe in
some parts of the town. At the co-op store canned goods were shaken
from the shelves. The earthquake has been the town-talk
during the day."
The Ogden Herald. Of the same date says:
"Early this morning the slumbers of a number of the citizens of
Ogden were disturbed by the rattling of windows, furniture, etc.,
caused by a slight shock of earthquake. During the day reports have
been received from stations along the Utah & Northern to the
same effect, the worst being apparently experienced between Logan
and Pocatello, the shock at Battle Creek being very severe and
scaring the people considerably. The tremors evidently followed the
chain of mountains, for the residents in the western part of this
city, knew very little, if anything of the occurance at the
time."
Source: Salt Lake Daily Tribune, Tuesday morning, 11 Nov
1884, col 4, pg 4
The Earthquake About 2 oclock yesterday morning the city
was perceptibly shaken by an earthquake. It was distinctly felt by
a great number of citizens in all parts of town, come asserting
that the movement was from east to west and some that is was from
north to south. Chandeliers were seen to move mirrors to tremble
and the rattling of dishes and windows was distinctly heard by many
residents. The swaying motion was felt for fully half a minute, but
of course it seemed a good deal longer time than that to most
people. The last shock perceived here was the one that occurred two
years ago this month about 6(?) oclock one evening.
Source: Deseret Evening News, 15 Nov 1884, col 1, pg
5
LOGAN had two distinct shocks of earthquake last Monday morning.
It is understood that Blaine has had several also.
: Deseret Evening News, 13 November 1884, col 2, pg 3. (Repeated
in The Deseret Weekly News, Wend, 19 Nov 1884, col 1, pg 697.)
PARIS POINTS EARTHQUAKE INCIDENTS AND OTHER JOTTINGS Brother
Richard G. Lambert, of this office, who is traveling through the
"north countree" in the interests ofthe NEWS, sends us a few
interesting fragments picked up in Paris, Bear Lake County, Idaho.
He begins with last Mondays earthquake of which we have
already heard something. Says he: "This quiet town was startled
this morning at ten minuets to two oclock by an earthquake,
the shock lasted at least half a minute. It was quiet severe,
causing ornaments to be thrown from shelves and a rattling among
dishes. It was preceded by a rumbling sound resembling, as mush as
anything, a runaway team with a heavy wagon, or a heavy train or
cars. It cracked the walls of houses and four lighter ones followed
the first shock. The town was throughly startled, some thinking
that the end had come. One young man who drives a team, imagining
it was running away, awoke calling out "Whoa!Whoa!" In the office
of Wolley Bros., a heavy clock was thrown from the top of a safe to
the floor and broken. Sundry articles were cast from the shelves in
their store. The shock seemingly passed from north-west to
south-east, and was felt at Evanston and north of here along the
Oregon Short Line. At Soda Springs and Pocatello the shock was
heavy and was felt at other places as well. Sources:
Deseret Evening News, Monday evening, 10 November 1884, Col 2, pg 3
(repeated in Deseret News Weekly, Wend, 12 Nov 1884, col 1, pg
684.) "Did You feel the Earthquake." --This question passed from
mouth to mouth, this morning, among neighbors in different parts of
the city. "Yes" and "No" were the answers elicited. From several
reliable
s we learn that about 2 a.m. a low rumbling was heard, which
lasted a few seconds and passed; others felt a shaking which awoke
them, and windows and pieces of furniture were affected by the
vibration. Others heard and felt nothing at all, being sound
sleepers. That it was an earthquake tremor there is but little
doubt, as so many experienced its effects which though not violent,
were plainly manifest. The following dispatch was received this
morning: [SPECIAL TO THE NEWS.] Paris, Idaho, Nov. 10, 1884. Six
distinct earthquake shocks were felt here this morning. The first
at seven minutes before two, was terrific and lasted over half a
minute. Five other shocks, comparatively slight occurred at brief
intervals afterwards; the last at twenty minutes after four. The
shocks were felt through the valley as far as heard from.
Considerable damage to houses is reported, and some movable
articles were broken, although nothing serious occurred. People
were affected as if by sea sickness. The movements of the first
were severe shocks from northeast to southwest, and then a swaying
motion from north to south. The others were from east to west.
Source: Salt Lake Tribune, 13 November 1884, col 3, pg 4
Earthquake in Bear Lake Valley EDS. TRIBUNE:
This small berg and surrounding country was thrown into a fever
heat of excitement by a terrible shock of earthquake. It began at
1:56 a.m. by a low, rumbling noise, accompanied by a slight
trembling, sufficient to cause a rattling of windows, stoves, etc.,
and was followed in about 10 or 15 seconds by a most terrific
shock, throwing books, dishes, etc., from their shelves and rocking
houses to and fro almost akin to a vessel at sea. This was followed
at exactly 2 a.m., or about four minutes after the first shock, by
another shock much lighter than the first, and again at 2:53
another shock was felt, but was so slight as to be hardly
noticeable. As the election of our President has been that all
aborbing event of the world for the past week, it is quite safe to
attribute this subterranean distrubance to the glaring error of the
American people, but if the mere possibility of Clevelands
election should cause such a revulsion on the part of Mother Earth,
what must we expect on the 4th of next March? W.X.Y.Z MONTPELIER,
Idaho, Nov. 10, 1884.
Source Journal History- Deseret News, 14 Nov 1884
LAKETOWN, Rich County, has been heard from on the earthquake. It
shook beds, woke people up, scared children and lasted about ten
seconds. So says Joseph H. Pugmire, who also places it between two
and three oclock a.m The 10th inst.
Source: Journal History, Utah Journal, 22 Nov 1884
THE EARTHQUAKE --Woke some of the sisters up and frightened them
considerably. They thought there was a man in the room. Horrible
thought! Opened some of the doors and rattled down a pan in ye
humble scribes abode frightening me out of seven years growth
which is an awful [illegible] cicumstance as I an not long for
[illegible] world.
Source: Journal History, Utah Journal, 15 Nov 1884
MORE ABOUT THE EARTHQUAKE- every day since it happened we have
been receiving letters about the earthquake. It was probably the
most severe one ever felt in these mountains since their
settlement. It seems however, to have varied in severity in
different localities, probably owing to differences in the
subterranean formations. Though we do not print the letters we have
received- there are too many of them and they are too much alike-
we are glad to have received them for they indicate that we have an
extensive and alert corps of correspondents.
Source: Journal History- The Utah Journal, Wends, 12 Nov
1884
EARTHQUAKE- Many citizens of Logan and other portions of this
country felt an earthquake at a few minutes before two oclock
last Tuesday morning. In Logan there were two very distinct shocks,
causing persons in some instances to leap from their beds in alarm.
At points on the O.S.L. there were as many as six shocks. It was
felt at various points in Utah and Idaho.
Source: Journal History, Utah Journal, 15 November
1884
GENTILE VALLEY NEWS- ..... (skip first paragraph- story relating
to wagon injury) Monday morning at about half past one oclock
the people of this valley were suddenly aroused from their peaceful
slumbers by hearing a rumbling noise, followed by a general shaking
up of everything; at first some thought it was the Antis
kicking over the defeat, they were blasting rock to erect a
monument over the grave of the late Singiser. But we all came to
the conclusion that it was nothing but a severe shock of an
earthquake. There were three distinct shocks, and one man claims to
have felt five. The first shock was severe enough to splash milk
out of pans, stop clocks, crack plastering on walss, and give
everyone a good scare. Wednesday morning at about the same time
another slight shock was felt, but so light as to be scarcely
perceptible. (Misc stories to follow- not related to quake)
DEMOCRAT GENTILE VALLEY, Nov. 12, 1884
Source: Journal History- Ogden Herald, 10 Nov 1884
At two oclock, this morning, all stations along the line
of Utah & Northern Railway, between Logan and Pocatello,
reported having experienced a heavy shock of earthquake; the shock
lasted twenty-five seconds and is reported to have been severe.
Animals stampeded and people were awakened from their slumbers by
the manifestations of the disturbance in the internal economy of
Mother Earth. No lives were lost so far as is known, and the mails
will probably bring us full particulars of the occurrence. The
shock extended as far south as this city and many residents here
were awakened by the rattling of household goods, and the shaking
of windows. The event is significant of the mighty parturition
which is now agitating the political world the finis of which is to
be the birth of a new era of reform with Grover Cleveland at the
helm.
Source: Journal History- Ogden Daily Herald, 11 Nov
1884
BRIGHAM BITS (Stories first irrelevant to quake) SHOCK OF
EARTHQUAKE was experienced in this city about twenty minutes to two
oclock, this morning. Parties who felt it, say they shock
appeared to pass from north to south, the vibrations lasting about
ten seconds. Mr. David Booth said he was awakened from a sound
sleep by the shaking of the bed, and experienced a very peculiar
sensation which he could not describe. In another instance a lamp
was shaken from a table, breaking the chimney and leaving the globe
uninjured.
Source: Journal History: The Daily Herald, Tuesday, 11 Nov.
1884.
THE EARTHQUAKE Salt Lake Visited with a Slight Shock on Monday
Morning Visitors and telephone messages came in thick succession to
THE HERALD office yesterday morning, all eager to know what had
been reported of a sudden movement in real estate during the
previous night. All account agreed that there had been a sharp and
generally prevalent shaking up at about 2 oclock Monday
morning, and a reporter, who had slept too soundly after the
denionstration to have heard it himself, started out to see what
could be learned concerning the event. At the telephone office the
young man on night watch, J. Moore, said his hair was lifted by
suddenly seeing the gas lamps commence a fearful shaking without
any visible reason for it. There was no other movement that he
could perceive and according to his judgement the movement
continued for twenty or twenty-five seconds. Other accounts do not
make it of so long duration. Mr. J. S. Barne, Seventh Ward, was
awakened by a violent shaking of his bed; his daughter was also
aroused in an adjoining room, and called out to her father asking
what the matter was. Mr. Barnes looked at his watch on the moment
and found it was just five minutes of 2. He thought it lasted from
five to ten seconds. The inmates of Bishop Sharps house, and
that of Mayor James Sharp, Twentieth Ward, were also awakened by
the shock. Dr. Benedicts family, Ninth Ward, were among those
who experienced it. Frank Jennings, Eighteenth Ward, Francis Cope,
Sixteenth Ward, W.J. Bateman, Seventh Ward, the White House, and
residents in many other quarters of the city all report that the
shock was unmistakable, and all agree that it occurred about 2
oclock. Mr. J. F. Little awoke to find himself upon his feet
in the center of the room and the windows rattling fearfully on
every side of him. The shock seems to have been severest up north.
The Utah & Northern train running south was shaken up and the
passengers arrived in Ogden terribly frightened. Reports from other
points have not reached us, but the following is an account of how
they felt in Idaho. PARIS, Idaho, Nov. 10 1884 Six distinct
earthquake shocks were felt here this morning. The first at seven
minutes before 2 was terrific and lasted over half a minute. Five
other shocks, comparatively slight, occurred at brief intervals
afterwards; the last at twenty minutes after 4. The shocks were
felt throughout the valley as far as heard from. Considerable
damage to houses is reported and some movable articles were broken,
although nothing serious occurred. People were affected as if by
sea sickness. The movements of the first were severe shocks from
northeast to southwest, and then a swaying motion from north to
south. The others were from east to west.
Source: The Bear Lake Democrat, 14 Nov 1884, col 2-3, pg. 3
(also appears in Journal History for 14 Nov.) EARTHQUAKE!! Bear
Lake Receives a Good Shaking up. AND CAUSES A LITTLE DAMAGE About
ten minutes to 2 oclock, last Monday morning, the people of
Paris were awakened from their peaceful slumbers by a most
tremendous shock of earthquake, which lasted fully 30 seconds at
the least. To give here the different versions of the shock, as
recited by those who experienced it would take up more space than
we can devote. But the following is about as true and faithful a
report of it as we can give: About 11 minutes to 2 oclock or
a few seconds before the first and most terrific shock was felt,
a roar as of a rushing wind was heard approaching from the
northwest, and as it came nearer resembled the report of heavy
cannonading. Striking the houses it took hold of them as toys,
rocking them t o and fro as a person would rock a cradle. People
were aroused from their sleep in dread and fear, and for the moment
hardly realized what it was! When the truth flashed across their
minds many of the frail sex swooned with fright, others were
prostrated with sickness, and nearly all say that they never
experienced anything so much like seasickness before. Several had
their arms, legs, or other portions of their body entirely
paralized with electricity. Although the shock was not fatal, so
far as we have learned, it had done considerable damage. Clocks
were stopped, some being thrown from their places and smashed,
crockeryware of all descriptions were thrown from shelves and
tables and broken; milk was upset out of pans; books, papers, etc.,
were stewn around the house in horrid confusion; chimneys fell to
the ground; plaster cracked and dropped; wood work from stables
loosened and fell; the water in several ditches was upset, while
new channels were formed; people in bed were literally uncovered;
pictures were thrown from the walls; hanging lamps swayed to and
fro as though done by the hand; bedsteads rocked like small
cradles; and all this confusion, accompanied by the bellowing of
cattle, barking of dogs, bleating of sheep, neighing of horses and
crowing of roosters, made the scene a perfect picture of terrible
bewilderment. In fact we cannot begin to give a faint idea of the
fearful affair. Several other shocks followed, but none to equal
the one just mentioned. We here give the time of the shocks as they
were felt on Monday morning in Paris: 1:52; 1:58; 2:10; 2:19; 2:24
and 3:15. On Tuesday morning two more shocks were felt at 1:55 and
7. On Wednesday three more shocks were felt, viz: at 1:50; 2:34 and
5:05. (On Thursday morning two shocks were experienced distinctly,
one at 1:55 and the other at 3:40. We herewith give reports as
received from the various settlements: LIBERTY. I send you today an
account of some of the pranks of the "but cut" of an earth quake,
which introduced itself to the citizens of this burg rather
unceremoniously last night. The shaking up or the shaking down,
commenced at 1:52 a.m., standard time. Twenty one shocks followed
at intervals, the last occurring at 10:25 a.m. They seemed to come
from the northwest, passing to the southeast. The casualties are
not serious, although some persons were somewhat frightened, two or
three woman fainting from fear. One man, living about two miles out
of this town, hooked up his team, loaded in his family, and came
into town to visit some friends, arriving at 2 oclock.
Nearly, if not all the clocks in the settlement were stopped, one
effectually being pitched nearly across the house. Plastering was
shaken out of log houses, and chimneys were thrown down. David King
had just completed his new house and was ready to move in, but
Monday morning found it so badly damaged by the earthquake that he
found it necessary to re plaster it, and re-build the chimneys, as
the latter were broken off at the roof. At Liberty saw mill the
people were greatly disturbed by logs rolling down the hillside
from the mill yard, which is situated on quite a steep side hill
above the houses. There was almost a constant rumbling noise as of
distant thunder or cannonading, and it did not seem to be very far
off some of the time either. Cattle bellowed, dogs barked, turkeys
gobbled, cocks crewed, and general confusion reigned throughout the
night. Some experienced a seasickness. The air seemed full of
electricity. Tuesday night, at 8 or 10 oclock, more shocks
were felt, being sufficiently strong to shake the houses and wake
the people. One man rose up in bed and ballooed: "Whoa!" thinking
his team was running away. I heard of one man starting up in bed as
fear came upon him, and said he would never scratch another ticket;
but he is a Parasite. BLOOMINGTON On the morning of the 10th inst,
at about two minutes to 2 oclock, the first of three shocks
of earthquake was felt in Bloomington. Different parties describe
it very differently. My own experience is, that a rumbling noise
like that of a slow railroad train, was accompanied by six or eight
sharp jerks, north and south; which made the castor bedstead strike
the south wall near it three or four times, followed in five or ten
minutes by a light shake, and another very light shock about 5
oclock. Several parties in Bloomington think the rolling
motion was from east to west, and several saw a bright glow in the
sky, going from west to east. One lady, who resides in an old log
house, thought the building was falling, and told her husband she
always told him it would. A young married couple ran to the next
house, leaving the baby in bed. ST. CHARLES On the morning of the
10th isnt. at St. Charles, at 1:55, my house had the motion as if
on wheels, moving north and south, in sailors parlance, the
house lurched forward. The motion lasted for about thirty seconds.
The sky was clear, excepting a slight haze around the moon. The
thermometer at that time was 190 above zero. This is the second
shock of an earthquake that I have felt in my lifetime, the first
when a boy in Scotland. LAKETOWN A shock of earthquake occurred
here this (Monday) morning at about two oclock, standard
time. Several of our citizens experienced quite a rocking in their
beds. GEORGETOWN this place got a lively shaking up last night; or
rather this morning, somewhere near two oclock. Things danced
around in a lively manner, frightening many of the female portion,
as well as some of the opposite sex out of their wits. Nearly all
the clocks in town were stopped, milk thrown out of the pans all
over the cupboard, and articles that were on shelves and bureaus
were thrown into the middle of the floor. No particular damage was
sustained, with the exception that dishes were thrown from
cupboards and broken. There were four distinct shocks, the first
being the most severe and of the longest duration. The length of
the shock is variously estimated at from twelve or fourteen
seconds, to from one to seven minutes. I think perhaps fourteen or
fifteen seconds would be nearly right. I was wide-awake when it all
happened. At first I heard a rumbling noise, which I took for the
cars on the O.S.L. R.R., at some distance, it kept getting louder
and louder until I thought it was crossing the railroad bridge just
below Georgetown, when all at once the house began shaking like
"Sam Hill." That is all I know about the row. RANDOLPH The
earthquake was distinctly felt here, but not with so much violence
as at Paris. It done no damage that I have heard of.
Source: The Salt Lake Herald, Tuesday, 11 Nov. 1884, p8, col
4.
OGDEN FLASHES SEVERAL of Ogdens citizens were awakened
last night by a slight shock of earthquake, which did no serious
injury, excepting to frighten some timid and nervous persons. The
only accepted theory for its appearance is that Mother Earth was
congratulating Grover Cleveland on his election.
JOURNALS
Source: Sunday 9th, 1884- Methias F. Cowley Journals, Special
Collections, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Archives,
Salt Lake City, Utah.
"Went to Lewiston, riding with Bishop Herman Hyde and wife.
Attended meeting afternoon and night. Slept at Bro. Harvey M.
Rawlins. About 2 I think Monday morning quite a heavy shock of
earthquake was felt by many of the people in Lewiston, although I
believe none of us at Bro. Harvey Rawlins felt it. It was
also felt in different parts of the country."
MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW
Source: "Earthquakes," Monthly Weather Review 12, no. 11
(November 1884): 288. Courtesy of Wyoming State Library, Cheyenne,
Wyoming.
9th- Fort Bridger, Wyoming: at about 2:00 a.m. of this date, an
earthquake shock was felt at this station, causing windows to shake
and alarming the garrison. The Signal Service observer reported:
"Telegraph poles shook and the wires swung perceptibly; the shock
lasted five to ten seconds, and, as nearly as I can estimate, moved
from west to east." 10th- The "Kansas City Review of Science"
publishes the following: "A severe shock of earthquake was felt at
Salt Lake City, Utah, at about two oclock on the morning of
the 10th. Much alarm was felt but no damage was done. The tremors
lasted about ten seconds. At Paris, Idaho, six shocks were felt
about the same time, and from then till four oclock.
Considerable damage to houses is reported and the people were
affected as by sea-sickness. The shocks were from northeast to
southwest, then a swaying motion from north to south; the
succeeding shocks were from east to west."
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