Quake Rocks Idaho Towns With Vigor
Chimney
in Boise Business Section Falls Plaster
and Dishes Crumble Irrigation
Canals Damaged, but Loss Is Slight Gas
Well Is Set Aflame Eastern
Oregon and Montana Also Shaken; Disturbance is Second Within Two Weeks,
but Difference is Noticeable Effect
of Earthquake in Various Cities
Idaho
Boise—Chimneys, plaster and dishes shattered; people flee from
buildings.
Weiser—Gas well is set afire and pressure greatly increased.
Payette—Windows are rattled.
Emmett — Inhabitants frightened by violence.
Nampa—Shock slight.
Irrigation canals damaged.
Oregon
Ontarlo — Persons on upper floors made dizzy.
Baker— Shock felt on upper floors.
Montana
Anaconda-—Slight shock felt.
Boise,
Idaho, May
12.—Boise experienced the most violent earthquake shock in the history
of the city at 7:26 tonight. The tremor lasted about three seconds and
was more in the nature of an upheaval than a wave.
In the downtown district people rushed from the buildings to the
streets. Only slight damage
had
been reported early tonight. The quake was the second in a
fortnight, the last one having been recorded April 30.
In
Boise a chimney of
a business block in the heart of the
city was shaken down and others were damaged, and in other buildings
plaster was broken from the walls. Dishes fell from
tables and
plate racks, tables, chairs, beds and desks were moved.
Citizens Are Alarmed
Aside from fright to residents and fear of a repetition of the shock
Boise and Southern Idaho escaped serious injury.
The
quake in many
sections of this part of the intermountain country was without
direction in its motion, and in that respect was different from the one
felt here last fall. The swaying motion was not felt in the
quake here tonight
Two
weeks ago there
was a distinct shock in this territory but no damage was done.
The
swaying of
lights, the rattling of furniture and dishes of timbers in buildings
for two or three seconds were
other incidents of night's shake.
Residents exhibited
as much curiosity as fear over the disturbance.
Dam Escapes Danger
Reports from the surrounding territory are to the effect that the shock
was distinctly felt, but there were no casualties, and no particular
damage done.
Fearing
the quake
might have damaged the great Arrow Rock dam, 23 miles above this city,
inquiry was immediately made of the caretakers after the shock, but
they reported that while the quake bad been felt there, the dam was not
damaged in the slightest.
From
the irrigated
sections reports have been received that some of the canals were
damaged, but not beyond repair.
The
earthquake last
fall split a deep seam across the New York Canal, one of the largest in
Idaho, and it required weeks to repair it.
Quake Violent at Weiser
Instruments at the local weather bureau office indicated the quake was
confined to the Intermountain country and that the duration of the
quake less than half a minute.
At
Weiser, 80 miles
west, the quake was felt with exceptional violence. A new gas
well in which a flow struck ten days ago, showed remarkable increase of
pressure immediately after the shake-up. This
morning the pressure was 7pounds. Tonight the flow caught fire, and
hundreds of people are out watching the shooting flames.
Twenty-five
miles
north, at Emmett, the quake was violent and alarmed the
inhabitants.
Nampa, to the south, also felt the shake, as did Idaho City, 26 miles
north.
Windows rattled at Payette.
Ontario, Oregon is Shaken Up Persons
in Upper Rooms of Hotel Become Dizzy
Ontario, Oregon, May 12-—Special— Two distinct earthquake shocks
were here at 7:30 o'clock tonight No damage has been reported.
The first tremor lasted only a few seconds and was barely
noticeable.
The second, commencing a moment later continued nearly 40
seconds.
Walls
of buildings
trembled and doors and windows rattled.
Persons in the upper rooms of the Moore Hotel, the highest building in
town, became dizzy.
Tremors Last 15
Minutes Main
Shock Unusually Severe, Spokane Seismograph Shows
Spokane, Washington, May 12.—The seismograph,
at Gonzaga University
here registered one pronounced earthquake shock at 6:29 o'clock
tonight, followed by several smaller ones, the entire disturbance
lasting about 15 minutes. Father Adams, the local observer, said the
general direction of the trembler was southeast to northwest, the main
shock being unusually severe for this region.
The
quake occurre,.
Father Adams estimated, about 80 miles southeast of Spokane.
Quake
of 1915 Is Recalled Many
Western Cities Rocked and Upheaval Visible
Reports of the earthquake in Idaho last night recalled the series of
tremors which continued at intervals for nearly 12 hours October 2,
1915, rocking Western cities from Victoria, B. C. to Southern
California and from the Pacific Coast to Eastern Utah and Eastern
Nevada. The states affected by the disturbances at
that time included Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Nevada and
Utah, and also British Columbia.
Portland
and vicinity experienced nothing unusual at that time.
Near
panics prevailed
in several cities and many clocks were stopped in Boise and other
minor damage resulted.
The
first tremors
were reported in Nevada in the early afternoon, and reports of quakes
continued until nearly midnight, the last being reported from Ontario,
Oregon, where the earth rolled like a huge ocean wave, according to the
dispatches.
Baker,
Oregon was
shaken severely, clocks being stopped and a dancing party was put to
flight when the hall in which the festivity was being held began to
tremble as though it would fall. Several Idaho towns were shaken
severely that night also.
Baker Feels Slight
Shock Quake
Noticed Only by Persons on Upper Floors of Buildings
May 12.— Special.—A
slight earthquake was felt here about 6:20 o'clock
tonight and was felt by those in rooms above the first floor, but not
on the street. On the second floor of the telephone exchange central
girls saw the switchboard and chandeliers sway about them, while
persons in upper floors of hotels called to the office to learn why the
electric light fixtures were dancing. A clerk in Muegges
drugstore was using the delicate scales and saw them become erratic.
The
tremors lasted
about four seconds, and were not understood until word from Boise told
of the disturbance there.
Reno Records Quake
Reno, Nevada, May 12.—The seismograph at the Mackay School of Mines,
University of Nevada, registered an earthquake at 6:31 o'clock tonight.
The disturbance lasted until 6:36. Professor J. C Jones, of the
university, figured the center of the disturbance as about 400 miles
north of Reno.
Anaconda Feels Quake
Anaconda, Montana, May 12 -- An earth shock was distinctly felt here at
7:30 o'clock tonight. Buildings in the
business district were shaken, but no damage was done.
Source:
The Oregonian, May 13,
1916
Submitted and transcribed by Frances Cooley
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