The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-20
The Heaviest Earthquake Since 1868
Visited the State Early Tues
day Morning.
Vacaville, Sixty-Five Miles From
San Francisco, the Center of
the Disturbance.
Many Brick Buildings DESTROYED bv tho
Force or the Shock--No Lives
Were Lost.

| oAN ERANClsCO, April 10.--Tho henvies
earthquake experienced in California since
1868 occurred shortly before o'clock thi
morning. The country within 200 miles O
San Francisco was visited by shock whiel
varied in intensity at different points. ii
this city number OF large buildings trsm.
bled. perceptibly, but only one sustained
serious damage. II ID an old church build
ing which until lately was occupied BY th,
academy Of sciences. The front wall CAV.
way, tearing away the balconies. The towr
Of Vacaville, situatsd in the heart OF ths
beautiful Vaca valley, !sixty-tlve miles from
San Franclsco, was the center OF the seis
mio disturbance. On it's main street were
number Of brick buildings. These were
al either badly damaged or totally de-
stroyed, as we'll as number Of brick resi-
dences in the town and vicinity. Many
walls fell outward into the street, which
was filled with debris, but workmen at once
began to clear it away. Many walls wera
fractured and succumbed easily to the
shook. Very slight damage occurred to
frame houses. The only person in Vaca-
vile or vicinity reported seriously injured
~ Rev. O. O. Felkner, Of San Jose. who was
struck BY falling debris and sustained So
we're cuts and bruises. Several persons had
narrow escapes from injury.
Dixon and Winters. towns Of about 1000
inhabitants, located respectively northeast
and northwest Of Vacayille, and within a
few miles Of the latter place, were also
scenes of considerable destruction, The
Masonic hall at Dixon. two-story brick
block. was ruined and it's falling walls
shattered two adjoining houses. Fire,
which broke out among tho ruins, caused
some damage at Winters, but the danger
was lessened by the abundant water sup
ply. The house Of John Thiffel between
Vaoaville and winters, was destroyed BY
fire caused by an overturned lamp. The
occupants barely escaped with their lives,
At Winters the inhabitants for d time were
shock.
there were forty guests in the two story
Bliss hotel at Winters, the walls Of which
collapsed, and the fact that no one was in
jured is remarkable. Old and new brick
school houses and several brick buildings
u Winters n were cracked and wrenched
from their foundations. The banks Of
Putah creek caved in and fssurts opened
IN the bottom of the creek. Three miles
west Of town an acre of ground slid into
the creek and small fissures were made in
the county road. Several great boulders
wore thrown from the hillsides at a point
on Borryesso road, near Winters. blocking
the roadway. ConsidsraI damage was
done to isolated farm buildings, but no
serious personal injuries are yet reported.
The town of Monticello seventeen miles
from Winters was at first reported totally
demolished. but gentleman arriving from
there late this afternoon reported the dam
age nominal. The losses at Vaoavilis,
owing to the destruction of buildings and
other property, IL estimated at 300 600;
at Dixon. $50, 1000; at Winters, from $4,000
to 100000.
Elmira, Fairfield, Santa Rosa. Woodland,
Davisvile and Bsnicia report windws and
crookery broken and number of chimneys
overturned. Some thirty or forty other
towns report trif1inR damage, though all
accounts agree in placing the intensity of
the shook as greater than any in recent
years. The number of shocks felt differed
At various places. At some points only one
shock was registered, while at others two |
,r even more occurred, the vibrations ex-
tending from north to south and from east
20 west, The single shock is generally de-
'cribea aB being the most intense, the vi
whore more than one shook oc- |
,urred, becoming confused.