The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-24
CHANGES IN SHORE LINE.
The Earth Has Been in Almost
Constant Motion for a
Fortnight.
FIRST AUTHENTIC REPORT
No Visitors Have Been to the Island
Since the Beginning of the
Seismic Trouble.

SANTA BARBARA, March 23.-The
sloop Liberty arrived from San Miguel
Island this morning and Captain Daily re-
ports that the seismic convulsons, dating
back to the 18th inst, and to which such
wide notice has been given, still continue,
apparently not decreasing in intensity.
Changes are continually taking place in
the CONFORMATION OF the island and there
is steady upheaval of the oceans bed
along the shore. AS the captain expresses
it, 'the earth is all the while dancing a
double-reefed Jig"
Navigation in the region OF the island is
becoming perilous undertaking, for rocks
are rising from the harbor-bed and the
soundings are constantly changing.
The captain, who is the master of the
only boat that sails to and fro be-
tween the island and the mainland
and who is an experienced and fear
less sailor, declares that he could not
be induced to run into Cayler's harbor, the
islands only port, at night, for when he
stands out he wants to know where he is
going, and with these changes so rapidly
taking place he is likely to run his boat on
rock at any moment. The shore line OF
the harbor has advanced hundred feet
since his last trip.
A curious feature of the commissions is
that no disturbances of any kind are re-
ported at any of the great islands in the
vicinity, one of which is separated from
San Miguel only by narrow stretch of
water.
San Miguel Island is about nine or ten
miles long and some three or four
miles wide, comprising about 1900 acres.
1t is owned by Captain Waters, who was
for many years connected with the staff
OF the CALL. The island is given over to
grazing purposes, being stocked with sheep
by E. w. Gaty, proprietor of the Arlington
Hotel, who sets as general manager of this
ocean stock ranch.
The resident population of the island
consists only of Captain Waters, his house
keeper and her husband and the men en-
ployed in herdlng sheep. On the end of
the island opposite the ranch house there
is camp of otter hunters headed by Cap
tain Ellis, Santa Barbara man.
San Miguel is noted above all the other
channel islands for its delightful climate.
1t was Cabrillo's favorite resort, and some
where along its lonely but beautiful mesas
4les tHe 1oIgolten grave OF the great eX-
plorer.
Alfred Poett, the well-known civil en-
gineer, to-day received a telegram from
Professor George P. Davidson, chief of the
Coast Survey, asking him to make in
quiries as to the truth of the re-
cent reports concerning the upheaval at the
island and to report to him, promising
that if the result confirmed the reports he
would send down a boat to determine the
changes that have taken place in the
harbor. Mr.. Poett called upon Mr..
Gaty, the manager of the island,
who told him that while seismic disturb
ances had taken place along the islands
shore line the account of an alleged eye
witness, furnished to San Francisco
morning paper, was untrue from beginning
to end, as no correspondent had set foot
on the island since these reports came.