The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-25
Earthquakes and Tidal Waves
in Alaska.
BOULDERS TOSSED AROUND
Fitty-Two Distinct Shocks-Lakes Broke
Loose-The Big Hubbard Glacier
Moved Mile Out
to Sea.


the coast of Alaska Rev. Sheldon jack
son, educational agent for Alaska,
writes as follows from Yakutat, under
date of Sept. II:
"The first shock was experienced on
Sunday. Sept. 3, but being slight, caus-
ed no alarm. During the following
week other shocks were felt and peo-
pie began to get nervous. On Sept
10 at 9:20 a. m. the shocks became so
violent as to cause genuine apprehen-
sion. During the following five hours
there were 5S distinct shocks, culmin-
ating at p. m. in shock so severe
that people of Yakutat were hurled vio-
lently across their rooms, or if outside,
thrown to the ground, while pictures
fell from the walls and clocks and
dishes fell from the shelves, houses
rocked and swayed, while the mission
bell rang violently in the Skakine
church tower
Panic stricken, the inhabitants re-
gained their feet and attempted to
flee to the hills only to be again ana
again thrown to the earth, all the while
creaking. Rolling and running, they
sought safety. Gaining the hills, ana
LOOKING StdNdIu, llley "Sit
with horror as they saw a great tldal
wave. apparently a wall of water ~
feet high, approaching with the speed
of race horse that would engulf their
village and sweep away thelf hoHes'
Before the shore was reached the eaflh
opened in the bottom of the harbor,
and into this chasm the tidal wave
spent it's force, and around it the sea
sWirled like a great maelStrom. Inis
saved the village from destruction. Ihe
tide would rise 10 feet in the space OF
four or five minutes and in an equauS
short time go down again. IheSe SUD
den fluctuations being frequently re
peated, tents were pitched on the NILS
back of the village and nearly the
whole population are camping out,
fearing that another tidal wave may
come From the 10th to the present
there have been frequent shocks. one
having occurred this forenoon.
Near Hubbard glacier. on Dlsen-
chantment bay, were encamped three
miners. A. Fleuer, w. Rock and J. W.
Johnson, and a mile from them, at an
elevation of 81 feet above the sea,
Messrs. I. Smith, Cox and son, }.
Falls and D. Stevens. When the heaNy
shock of Sunday, the 10th, was eXpe-
rienced the F'leuer party had riggeo
a machine and were taking the os-
citations of the earthquake waves,
they were thrown violently across the
tent. At the same moment large
fresh water lake, back of their camp
and about 40 feet above it, was spllt
open and the waters were thrown upon
the camp, and before the miners couio
regain their feet they were belns
swept out to sea. There, almost at the
same instant, they were met by tidal
wave, which picked them up and not
only washed them ashore, but over a
hill 40 feet high, landing them on the
crest of a divide.
"Regaining their feet, they ran along
the crest with the tidal wave boiling
and seething at their feet alongside
of the hill. Afterward one OF the
party found his baggage and clothes,
one and one-half miles up on a noun
tain side, where the wave had left 1t.
Great spruce forests for miles along the
shore were uprooted, broken into pieces
and massed into great piles with
roar that was deafening. Large rocks
weighing 40 tons or more were rolling
over one another down the mountain
like so many pebbles.
Hubbard glacier, with its two and
a half miles of sea front, thousands OF
feet thick, extending for miles back
to the summit of the mountain, broke
from it's moorings and with grinding
indescribable roar that shook the sur
rounding hills, moved bodily from half
to three-auarters of a mile into the
sea- A large creek 10 feet wide, down
whose bed cataracts were rushlns,
was flooded so that miners were abie
to cross over to the miners camp on
the opposite side. A few minutes later
it had sunk back to it's former bed and
was again an irresistible, uncrossable,
raging torrent Mountains were thrown
down, sea opened and portions of the
islands disappeared. The earth opened
in many places after the great shock
had passed, but miners commenced
preparations to get away. A boat with
oars was found a mile up the noun
tain side where it had been carried
hy the wave With this another boat
was secured that was floating on the
bay
In these two small boats they start
ed for Yakutat bay, 40 miles away: The
first night they made camp on large
moraine, one and a half miles from
the mountains, but an earthquake dur
ing the night loOsened a land slide
that covered not only the one and a
half miles of plains, but also their
tent. Digging out the tent and pro-
visions. they again took to their boats.
On the second night they We're terrified
by strange noises that issued from
the earth, and their tent was blown
to shreds by the strange winds that
seemed to blow from every point OF
the compass. and clouds pouring down
torrents of water they. fed to their
boats. Forcing their boats for IL
miles through fields of fresh forming
ice, and 13 miles of rough sea, they
at length reached Yakutat bay in
safety. Rumors are afloat that por-
ton of Cape Stelias and Khantantia
island have disappeared in the sea-
Without doubt when scientific eXplor-
alton of the Mount st. Elias region
is had then will be found many physi-
cal changes"
Destroyed by Fire.
Wrangel. Alaska. Sept. 20.-The en-
tire property of the Northern Pacific
Trading G. Packing company at Klaw-
ack on Prince of Wales island, about
125 miles from Wrangel, was destroyed
L. AInr,AaA, ,rhn Inrn,nhr-tH, in