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 Two: Individual Town Summaries Based on Felt Reports

UTAH

BRIGHAM CITY, BOX ELDER COUNTY, UTAH

-shock felt on Tuesday according to journal history (Nov 11) [aftershock?]

- felt at 1:40 a.m.

-passed from north to south, lasting 10 seconds

-shaking of bed for one man, another house a lamp broke, but not the bulb.

LAKETOWN, RICH COUNTY, UTAH

- shook beds, woke people up, scared children

-lasted about ten seconds.

-approximate between 2 and 3 a.m. on the 10th

- At about 2 oÌclock (standard time)

-several residents experienced quite a rocking in their beds.

LEWISTON, CACHE COUNTY, UTAH

-journal entry from visitor- quake hit at about 2am. Heavy shock felt by most people, but not everyone.

LOGAN, CACHE COUNTY, UTAH

- Ogden Herald estimated largest damage felt from Logan to Pocatello

- at least two distinct shocks felt Monday morning

-Utah Journal writer-22 Nov. [assume account from Logan, since that is where the paper was located]

-woke up sisters and frightened them

-opened doors and rattled down a pan

-Utah Journal writer-15 Nov. [assume account from Logan, since that is where the paper was located]

-probably most severe in these mountains since area settled.

-varied in severity per town, assume due to subterranean formations.

-time noted as a few minutes before 2 oÌclock on Tuesday morning [Nov 11-aftershocks] Logan had to distinct shocks.

-caused people two leap from beds

OGDEN, WEBER COUNTY, UTAH

-rattling of windows, furniture, etc. cause by slight shake

-reports from Utah & Northern to same effect

-tremors followed mountain chain, few- if any- on west side of town knew of quake

-rattling of household goods, and shaking of windows

-frightened the women

RANDOLPH, RICH COUNTY, UTAH

-distinctly felt, but not as much violence as Paris.

-no damage known of.

RICHMOND, CACHE COUNTY, UTAH

-occurred at 1:55 a.m.

-low rumbling, like distant thunder or severe windstorm

-sudden trembling and shaking of earth after rumbling

- hit parts of town harder than other sections

- co-op store had canned goods shaken from off shelves

-Chimneys fell

SALT LAKE CITY, SALT LAKE COUNTY, UTAH

- city shaken at about 2 oÌclock a.m.

- some say movement from east to west, others say from north to south

- chandeliers moved, mirrors trembled and dishes & windows rattled

-swaying motion for full half a minute

-some felt quake, others did not.

-heard low rumbling, lasted a few seconds and then passed; others felt shaking

-windows and furniture affected by vibration

-effects not violent

-sharp and general prevalent shaking at about 2 oÌclock a.m.

-gas lamps at telephone office shook without explanation, nothing else seemed to shake. Lasted for 20 to 25 seconds.

-Mr. Barne of Seventh Ward awaken from bed by violent shaking. Recorded time as 1:55 a.m. and said lasted for 5 to 10 seconds

-Inmates at Bishop SharpÌs and Mayor James Sharp (Twentieth Ward) felt shock.

- People in Ninth, Eighteenth, Sixteenth, Seventh Wards and White House all felt shock at about 2 a.m.

-on man [location in city not provided] heard his windows rattle all around him.

IDAHO

BATTLECREEK (FRANKLIN), ONEIDA COUNTY, IDAHO

-shock was severe and scared the residents

BLAINE/LITTLE WOOD RIVER VALLEY, ALTURAS COUNTY, IDAHO

-felt several shocks

BLOOMINGTON, BEAR LAKE COUNTY, IDAHO

-three shocks felt, the first at about 1:58 a.m.

-described differently by others (this account by author of article)

-rumbling noise similar to slow train accompanied by six or eight sharp jerks going north and south; made castor bedstead strike south wall near it three or four times. Followed in 5 to 10 minuets by light shake, then another very light shock at about 5 a.m.

-Other descriptions say rolling motion from east to west, and several saw bright glow in the sky going from west to east.

GENTILE VALLEY, BINGHAM COUNTY, IDAHO

- rumbling noise at 1:30 a.m. aprox. - followed by general shaking up of everything.

- three shocks felt, one man thought felt five

-first shock severe enough to splashed milk out of pans, stop clocks, crack plastering on walls, and give people a scare.

-Felt Wednesday morning at same time (1:30 a.m.) another light shock, but scarcely perceptible [aftershock]

GEORGETOWN, BEAR LAKE COUNTY, IDAHO

-felt at near 2 oÌclock in the morning.

-General Damage: items danced around, men and women frightened; nearly all the clocks were stopped; milk thrown out of the pans all over the cupboards; articles on shelves and bureaus thrown into middle of floor; No particular damage except dishes thrown from cupboards were broken.

-Four distinct shocks. The first the most severe and the longest. Estimates of the first shock run from 12-14 seconds to 1-7 minutes. Author thought 14-15 seconds most correct.

-(Author awake when quake hit): heard rumbling noise and thought was the cars for the O.S.L. R.R. at a distance, then sound increased till thought it was crossing the railroad bridge just below Georgetown, then suddenly began shaking the house.

LIBERTY, BEAR LAKE COUNTY, IDAHO

- first shock at 1:52 a.m. (Standard time)

-twenty one (21) shocks followed at intervals, last occurring at 10:52 a.m.

-come from northwest, passing to southeast.

-casualties not serious, most frightened; two or three women fainted.

-General Damage: almost all, if not all, the clocks were stopped; one clock was pitched nearly across the house; plastering shook from out of log houses, and chimneys thrown down. [Even damaged new home- age of home not matter.]

-At saw mill: logs rolled down steep hill from mill yard above houses.

-constant rumbling noise as if distant thunder or cannonading (sometimes the noise not seem so distant)

-Animals: cattle bellowed; dogs barked; turkeys gobbled; cocks crewed

-some experienced sea sickness.

-air seemed full of electricity

-Aftershocks:

Tuesday night at 8 or 10 p.m. more shocks felt enough to shake houses and wake people. (One man thought his team was running away)

MONTPELIER, BEAR LAKE COUNTY, IDAHO

-began at 1:56 a.m. by low rumbling noise, then slight trembling enough to cause rattling of windows, stoves, etc.

-followed in 10 to 15 seconds by terrific shock, throwing books, dishes, etc. from shelves.

-rocked houses to and from like vessel at sea.

-At 2am (four minutes after first shock), second shock came, much lighter than first. At 2:53 was another shock, but so slight as to be noticeable.

PARIS, BEAR LAKE COUNTY, IDAHO

- Richard G. Lambert said it hit at 1:50 a.m.

-ornaments thrown from shelves

-rattling among dishes

-preceded by rumbling sound similar to runaway team with heavy wagon load or a heavy train or cars.

-some thought end had come

-cracked walls of houses

-first shock followed by four lighter ones.

-one man dreamed quake was his team out of control and yelled ÏWhoa!Ó

- office of Wolley Brothers- heavy clock thrown off safe to the floor and broke and sundry articles were cast from shelves.

-shock past northwest to south east.

- felt north along Oregon Short line.

-six distinct shocks felt. 1:53 a.m. was the first. Lasted over half a minute and ÎterrificÌ. Other five followed a brief intervals, comparatively slight, last one felt at 4:20 a.m.

-felt throughout valley

-considerable damage to houses, movable articles broken, nothing serious occurred

-people felt sea sickness.

-first shock from northeast to southwest, then swaying from north to south; others were from east to west.

-1:50 a.m. aprox people awoken by tremendous shock, lasted 30 seconds at least.

-At 1:49 a.m a roar of rushing wind hears approaching from northwest, sounded like heavy cannonading.

-Striking houses as if toys rocking them to and fro as person would rock a cradle.

-people woken from sleep.

-females were afraid, others felt sea-sickness/ nausea

-several had arms, legs, and other body parts paralyzed with electricity.

-shock did considerable damage: clocks were stopped, some clocks thrown from places and smashed; crockeryware of all descriptions thrown from tables and shelves and broken; milk upset out of pans; books, papers and such strewn around the house; chimneys fell to ground, plaster cracked and dropped; wood work from stables loosened and fell; water in several ditches upset, and some new channels were formed; people in bed were uncovered; pictures thrown off walls; hanging lamps swayed to and fro; bedsteads rocked like small cradles

-animals: cows bellowed; dogs barked; sheep bleated; horses neighed; roosters crowed;

-Times of quake and aftershocks: (6 aftershocks)

Monday morning: 1:52, 1:58, 2:10, 2:19, 2:24, and 3:15 a.m.

Tuesday morning: 1:55 and 7 a.m.

Wednesday: 1:50, 2:34, 5:05 [a.m.?]

Thursday morning: 1:55 and 3:40 a.m.

-Óconsiderable damage to houses

(***Paris also felt quake from Ogden the day before)

POCATELLO, FORT HILL INDIAN RESERVATION, IDAHO

-Ogden Herald includes Pocatello in report of where earthquake strongly felt.

- Richard G. Lambert: shock was heavy in Pocatello

ST. CHARLES, BEAR LAKE COUNTY, IDAHO

- At 1:55 felt movement of house as if on wheels, moving north and south (like sailorÌs parlance, house lurched forward). Lasted 30 seconds. Sky clear, only a haze around the moon. Thermometer at 190 above zero.

SODA SPRINGS, BINGHAM COUNTY, IDAHO

- Richard G. Lambert, Paris Idaho: shock was heavy

WYOMING

EVANSTON, UINTA COUNTY, WYOMING

Richard G. Lambert mentioned that quake was felt in Evanston. No other info given.

FORT BRIDGER, UINTA COUNTY, WYOMING

Felt at 2am. Windows shook, Telegraph polls shook and telegraphy wires swung. It alarmed the garrison (IE: it frightened the troops). Lasted 5 to 10 seconds and felt from a West to East motion. [*This quake was reported to have occurred on the 9th, but since it happened at 2am- it is possible that there was an error in recording the date. Hence, it has been included with the 10th quake]

RAILROADS

-According to Richard G. Lambert, Paris, Idaho account- quake felt north of Paris along the Oregon Short Line.

- At certain points on O.S.L., up to six shocks felt on Tuesday, Nov 11 [aftershocks?].

- reported by Ogden Herald:

-stations along Utah & Northern Railway from Logan to Pocatello reported a heavy shock.

-The Utah & Northern train running south was shaken up and the passengers arrived in Ogden terribly frightened.

UTAH/IDAHO-GENERAL INFO

Between Logan and Pocatello

-animals stampeded

-people woken

-lasted 25 seconds, and reported as severe

-no lives lost at this point/ some minor casualties, but no details.

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