PNSN > Catalogs and Data > Historic EQs of the PNW > Puget Sound Quakes > December 7th and 12th, 1880 Puget Sound Earthquakes

COMMENTS, Ruth Ludwin, Jan. 2000

The Bainbridge Island weather observer, Riley Hoskinson, tabulated twelve other shocks from December of 1880 through March of 1881. None of these possible aftershocks is documented in any other source. It is interesting to note that Riley Hoskinson did not report either of the December 1880 earthquakes as being especially severe at Bainbridge Island, although both were noted as "wavy". A review of other earthquake reports from Riley Hoskinson suggests that he may have been a reliable observer. The November 1879 earthquakes that he reports are not known from other sources, and should be checked. The April 30, 1882 earthquake, which he describes as "severe", is well documented. Hoskinson notes an earthquake in September of 1884 that he did NOT feel.

ORIGINAL SOURCE MATERIAL

MORE WEATHER REPORTS FROM RILEY HOSKINSON
From Roll No. 530:
Bainbridge Island, Kitsap County - Riley Hoskinson

"December, 1880: Earthquakes as follows:
7th at 5:45 p. m. -- Direction north to south, motion wavy.
10th at 5 a. m. -- motion perpendicular.
12th at 8:40 p. m. -- north to south, wavy.
14th at 7 p.m. -- tremulous.
26th at 10:16 p. m. -- wavy.
29th at 11:25 p. m. --also wavy.
All of the above very distinct, but not severe. Rather pleasant, than otherwise, Riley M. Hoskinson, observer."

Neah Bay, Clallam County, Washingon Terr., James G. Swan

December, 1880 (date very hard to read)

On 12th pleasant day and windy. Earthquake shocks were reported at Seattle, Olympia, and other places on Puget Sound at
8:40 PM but were not observed at this place, or if so were very slight and presumed to be the jar of the waves on the beach.

December 7, 1880 - At 5:45 P. M. a slight shock from the S. W. at Olympia, W. T., lasting a few seconds; felt also at Bainbridge Island, where the direction was N. to S.


December 10 - A shock at 5 A. M. at Bainbridge Island, W. T., motion perpendicular (U. S. Weather Review).

December 12 - About 8:40 P. M. a severe shock occurred in the vicinity of Puget Sound, W. T. It was felt from Victoria on the north to Portland on the south. At Olympia four shocks were reported, lasting ten or fifteen seconds. At Seattle the direction was S.E. to N.W.; at Bainbridge Island it was N. to S.

December 14, 20 - Slight shocks were felt at Bainbridge Island, W. T., at 7 P. M. of the 14th, and 11:16 P. M. of the 20th (U. S. Weather Review).

A SLIGHT shock of earthquake was felt in this place on Tuesday afternoon, just before six o'clock.

EARTHQUAKE A General Shake-up All Over The Northwest
Last Sunday evening about 8:30 o'clock Port Townsend and vicinity was visited by an earthquake which lasted about 10 or 11 seconds. The shocks were plainly felt by many of our citizens and were more severe than the shocks felt on Tuesday previous. Prof. Kerr was in his room at the Cosmopolitan hotel when the commotion took place and supposing something unusual was going on downstairs he rushed down to see what was the matter but found everything was quiet then he became a convinced that it was an earthquake. At Mr. Ben Pettygrove's place about a mile out of town, the children who were in bed commenced crying and calling their mother and telling her that the house was shaking so that they were afraid it would fall. At Chimscum the shocks were quite violent and so frightened some that they ran out of the house. At Seattle according to the Post, the shocks were violent enough to cause a chimney to fall, and in that office lines of type were "pied" and lamps vibrated six to eight inches out of the perpendicular each way. The congregation in the Presbyterian church [The Presbyterian Church was likely at the corner of 3rd and either Madison or Monroe St. - RSL] sprang to their feet but were quieted before a general panic took place. Dogs in the street howled and horses endeavored to escape from their stalls. As far as we can learn the shocks were distinctly felt at every town on the Sound, but no damage resulted there from. In Portland a few minutes before 8 o'clock several lively vibrations were felt in the various parts of the city, and about an hour later quite a heavy shock was felt both in Portland and East Portland. The shock was felt on the Columbia river at Astoria, and in fact all over the Northwest.

ANOTHER earthquake was felt in this place, last Sunday evening about eight o'clock.

Last Sunday night just before the shock of the earthquake a gentleman who was standing on the sidewalk near the Weed property, witnessed a very singular sight. It seemed to be two very large balls of fire that appeared in the clear sky s short distance appart and hung as in in balance an instant, and then darted down and toward each other until they crashed and disappeared. A moment afterwards came the shock. Whether there was any connection between the two cccurrences or not we are unable to say, but it was certainly a very strange phenomena.

From Mr. Atkinson who came down from Newcastle last evening, we learn that the earthquake at that place Sunday evening was not near so heavy as the one of last Tuesday, while at this place the last Sunday's shake was much more severe.

Port Townsend News: Dec. 13, 1880; EDITOR DAILY POST: Last evening about 8:30 p.m., a severe shock of earthquke was experienced here which lasted for a few seconds. Instead of the usual rumbling it seemed as if a heavy blow had been struck which caused timbers to creak in dwelling houses.

From the Daily of Thursday:
Now that earthquakes are becoming so numerous that we are familiar with them, and on fair speaking terms, they bring up reminiscences of experiences elsewhere. A gentleman of this city, in speaking upon this interesting topic yeasterday, said that he was in Callao some years ago, when the last great earthquake and tidal wave created such havoc and terror. He was aboard a powerfully built man of war when the shocks began, and as they grew in terrific violence, the sun became obscured and so remained for eight hours. The inhabitants, although accustomed to earthquake visits, were terrified beyond any conceivable description. The sea, moving uneasily, was lashed into awful mountain waves which came rolling in from ...

Earthquake
Last Tuesday evening, at 5:55 a sharp earthquake shock was experienced at New Tacoma. It lasted about three seconds, and the vibrations were north and south. The tremor was so strong that numerous persons fled into the streets; hanging lamps vibrated violently and crockery rattled on the shelves. At Puyallup the shock was felt more sensibly than here.

In "General News" column [RSL]
The earthquake last Sunday night was felt in Portland; and at all points of the Sound country.

In "Thurston County" Column [RSL]
The sensitive nerves of some of our citizens were shocked by the vibration of the earth last Tuesday evening about six o'clock. It happened too early in the evening to furnish us incidents of interest to relate. The windows and doors on Main street rattled quite distinctly, while in east Olympia the shock was hardly perceptible.

A very distinct earthquake shock was felt in this place about 6 o'clock Tuesday evening, no damage was done.

Last Sunday night at 13 minutes before nine o'clock a heavy shock of earthquake was felt, lasting about 10 seconds. It shook up things pretty lively and was the heaviest known here for many years. Several lighter shocks have been felt since. the heavy one in December 1873, occurred on a cold, clear night just like last evening and about the same hour.

A very perceptible shock of an earthquake was felt in this place, Tuesday evening at a few minutes before 6 o'clock. The vibration seemed to be east and west and lasted over half a minute.

Earthquakes are becoming quite frequent. We had another shakeup, Sunday night, about 9 o'clock. It was felt likewise in Portland and at Seattle and Port Townsend.

1880, December 7. Tacoma.
From passengers who arrived last evening on the Kalama boat, we learn that a shock of earthquake was felt at New Tacoma at six o'clock Tuesday evening. The wave was from north to south, and the oscillations lasted several seconds. Dishes, lamps and earthenware were rattled, but there was no damage worthy of mention. Buildings on the hill felt the shock much keener than those bordering the bay.

Earthquake at Port Townsend
Port Townsend, Dec. 13--A severe shock of earthquake was felt last evening at about 8:30 pm, which was considered heavier than the one last week. No damage is reported yet.

Many slight shocks of earthquake have been felt recently at Seattle and Tacoma; and an eruption of Mt. Baker is now reported. Whether these phenomena have any actual connection or not, the fact that they are simultaneous will suggest it.

1880, December 12. Portland.
The East Portland correspondent of the Telegram says: "East Portland had quite a shake-up Sunday night. The quake was felt by quite a number of persons in various parts of the city. A gentleman living at the head of L street, says that there was two distinct shocks, the last being the most severe, and occurring at exactly 15 minutes before 9 o'clock. Col. A.J. Dufur and .?. in Holladay's addition, noticed but one, and states that it was severe enough to seriously alarm the family, who had just retired. At Mt. Tabor it was felt by various persons."

Slight shocks of earthquake were felt in this city and East Portland last Saturday night. [RSL - It is my opinion that the earthquake referred to here is the one on Sunday Dec. 12, and that the day-of-the-week given here is a mistake]

The people of Puget Sound were treated to a light earthquake shock last week, of which they have made due record as one of their numerous favors received. ..........
Puget Sound had its regular weekly earthquake on Monday. The Columbia river country ought to have something like this to distinguish itself, and we respectfully call the attention of the Portland Board of Trade to this matter.

An earthquake recently shook up the natives of the Sound country

On Monday, the 7th of December, 1880, at 5:45 p.m., strong shocks were felt throughout the Sound country. The testimony is conflicting as to its direction, but it was either from Mount Tacoma or from Mount Baker. The Weekly Intelligencer published at Seattle said in its issue of the following day that "It consisted of three vibrations in rapid sucession. People rushed into the streets from stores, restaurants and saloons." No damage resulted there from so far as could be learned. The vibrations were from east to west and felt in all parts of the city and also along the water front. Captain Ballard of the Zephyr states that he was in his office writing when the steamer was off Milton point and he felt the shocks very distinctly. The steamer rocked as though in a rough sea, and he supposed the commotion was caused by the wave of a passing steamer and did not learn the real cause until he arrived in port fifteen minutes afterward. The Chinese portion of the population were the most frightened and it was an hour or two after the shock before they subsided and stopped their jabbering.

On the following Sunday, the 12th of December, at about 9 o'clock in the evening the entire region of 200 miles around Mount Tacoma experienced a series of sharp earthquakes which were accompanied by deep rumblings. The ground seemed to wiggle and twist and cause many panics in churches, hotels and houses. Dishes were shaken from pantry shelves, clocks were stopped and several lamps were overturned, but no very serious damage resulted. At Tacoma the engineer of a switch locomotive, who was doing some work under his engine, was startled by the loud ringing of the bell and called lustily to the fire-man not to start the locomotive. The ringing of a church bell caused an alarm of fire to be spread. In the Puyallup and Stuck valleys the motion was described as waving and like the swell from the sea. Witnesses near Sumner state that they could distinctly hear the approach and passage of the shocks and were conscious of their direction and that they came from Mount Tacoma. The chimneys of hop-kilns suffered by the shocks and some buildings were strained.

In the latter part of the same month a Whatcom County paper said a "high meteor was observed to descend upon the Chuckanut Mountains, near Samish, a few days ago which illuminated the heavens and made the earth plainly resound to its striking. It was probably a rocket from the fireworks of Mount Baker, which was said to be in a state of eruption at the time."

A clipping from a Seattle paper dated December 21, 1880, states that considerable excitement was caused yesterday afternoon by the announcement.that smoke was issuing from one of the prominent peaks of the coast range of mountains. Hundreds of people lined the streets to witness the strange phenomena, A volume of white smoke could plainly be seen rising from the peaks much as smoke does from the smokestack of steamer, and after ascending a short distance would be scattered as if by the wind. Many brought glasses to bear on the object under discussion, and the prevailing opinion seemed to be that a new volcano in a state of eruption had been discovered, while others throught it might be mist or fog rising from the gulches in the mountains and looking much like smoke."

WHEN THE EARTH TREMBLED IN PIONEER DAYS OF SEATTLE
The trembling of the earth on the evening of the 16th recalls tremors of early days. When Seattle was first settled by the white people the Indians told of a great earthquake that had occurred some fifty years before. They related that the shocks were so severe that the earth opened up in great cracks and that their little mat and slab huts were shaken to the ground and there were great landslides. The largest slide near Seattle was immediately south of West Point lighthouse. It is about a mile in extent and can be clearly seen at the present day. The lower bench of Kinnear park slid at that time from the cliff shore, carrying giant fir trees that still stand on the slide. The Indians said that the mountains "momoked poh" (shot at each other), and roaring of the tidal waves was frightful. The writer, when a little child, picked up a beautiful carnelian pebble in a ploughed field, where large brick blocks now stand, and asked her father what the pebble was and where it came from. An Indian standing near said that the hyha,skokum-amon-ta" (very large mountain, Rainier) had fired it during the great earthquake.

In the fall of 1872 the hardest shock that has been experienced since the settlement of Seattle occurred. It was a clear moonlight night and very still. The shock came about 10 o'clock. The movement was upward, as of an upheaval, followed by waves from north to south of such severity that it was like walking on the deck of a ship in a wind, and it caused nausea and dizziness. A lady who has lived here ever since Seattle has been inhabited by the white people said " I was ill and was sitting in a rocking chair at the time of the great earthquake, and it swayed my chair back and forth and when I tried to walk the floor it seemed to rise in waves." The plaster was cracked in many houses, dishes were broken, lamps tipped over and articles hanging against the wall rattled sharply. Lake Union was like a sheet of glass just before the disturbance. Just as it was over large rollers, approaching a tidal wave, came in a number of feet above high water mark. There was also a disturbance of a like character on the waters of the bay. The tall fir trees that stood thick around Lake Union at that time swayed back and forth as if a heavy wind were blowing. Indians living on the lake shore near the writer's home, were terribly alarmed and rushed from their houses, screaming in excitement. The next day an old Indian named Tesecguia came to the house, saying: "Dabath achieth-tejima culalum Boston hiue mesahche tilacum saukhale tyee hyas solex ticky memaloose nika nika slek lum tum" meaning "We Indians are bad; also, the white people. The Great Spirit is angry, he wants to kill me, my heart is heavy." The earthquake extended over a large area of the Northwest. On the Columbia River not far from Orondo a large mountain was split in two and half of it fell into the river, damming it up so that the river had to cut a new channel. The break in the mountain is sharp and clear and is one of the sights from the river boats. The next earthquake of any severity happened during the fall of 1889[SIC], coming about 9 o'clock at night. It was so sharp that it caused people who were on the streets to stagger. It was a Sabbath evening and quite a large congregation was [unreadable line...] church on Third Avenue, now used as a dance hall. The shock alarmed the worshippers and they arose en masse. One lady fainted and a panic was narrowly averted by the minister and one cool-headed man who stood near the door. There have been light tremblings since, but not of a serious character. Slight shocks are often felt in the eastern part of the state and are somewhat common on Lake Chelan. One was felt at Bear Creek on this lake on the 5th of this month.

About five years ago a strange upheaval of the waters on Lake Chelan occurred at Twenty-five Mile creek. An eye witness describing it said: " The water rose just like the roof of a house, some four feet high, causing a respectable sized tidal wave." Seattle has never experienced the severe shakings up that San Francisco has. A gentleman now living here was there at the time of the great earthquake in the `60s. When the shake commenced he started from a doorway to the street and just as he stepped out two huge brackets from the roof fell at his feet, just missing his head. Buildings were swung out of line a foot or more and several people were killed by falling arches and brick. People rushed out of hotels, flats and houses without looking to see if their hats were on straight. One lady who was in bed at the time sprang up and tried to dress, but failed to get anything on but a hoopskirt over her nightgown. She was carrying her baby by the heels when she reached the street. "Light" costumes were very much in evidence. People were so terribly frightened that they stayed out on the open hills above the city for hours. Should Seattle build many more skyscrapers may the "shakes" be few and far between.

CHELANA

It was a bright, frosty night, the night was clear and the moon was in the full. The Christmas seacon had arrived, and we were having a church social at our house. At 11:00 our guests were putting on their wraps to leave, when all at once the house swayed. Albert Kellogg, brother-in-law of Rolland Denny, was standing near me. He said, "Get your watches out and time the earthquake." There were tremblors off and on until morning. Cows fell down, orchards swayed, and the sidewalks crept like snakes.

Our home was then on the site of the present Frye Hotel. In 1886 [SIC] there was nother earthquake at 8 P.M. We lived on the Butler Hotel site [The Butler Hotel in 1889 was located in downtown Seattle at the northwest corner of the intersection of James and 2nd - In 1927 the Hotel Butler was at 318 Wall St. RSL]. There was a chimney at the front of the house. There was a 16-foot ceiling and the lamps swung 6 or 8 feet as the house swayed. We couldn't open the back door, and were afraid to go out the front door beside the chimney. At the Presbyterian Church, the minister, Rev. Stratton, was quieting the congregation. It was on Sunday night an the church was filled with people.