Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-04-24
FIRST BIG SHOCK WAS IN
1868,
Boise Statesman.

Boise Statesman.
The greatest earthquake in the his
tory Of San Francisco previous to the
terrible disaster Of yesterday occurred
October 21, 1868. early in the morning.
The part Of the city which felt the
shock the most was that which is now
occupied by Chinatown and was then
| a part Of the business district. The
buildings were all small and the dam
| age done was not great. Alfred Eoff.
| who went to San Francisco the next
year. says that the damage did not
exceed 100000 and that the loss Of
life was considerably less than 100 and
those were principally people who
| rushed out Of the houses and were hit
by falling timbers. The residence por-
| ton. was not injured and no fires oc-
CURED and the next year when he went
there the damage had all been repaired
| and the earthquake was a legend.
Five Serious Fires.
Previous to that time the city was
visited by five serious fires. the first in
December, 1S49. the second in May,
1850. the next in June. 1850, the next
in May. 1851, and the last in June,
1851. The loss of these fires was said
to aggregate s16.o00.oo0.
Since 1868 there has been no seri-
| GUS earthquake. The one in 1872 was
slight affair, chandeliers swung, pic
lures fell from the wall. but no seri-
GUS damage was done. A few buildings
| across the bay were injured but there
| was no loss Of life.
The ~ months from October, 1867, to
October. 1868, are distinguished by a
series Of physical phenomenon more
remarkable than is known to have oc-
Cured during any equal period Of time
| In history. Hurricanes, earthquakes
and volcanic eruptions occurred in al
most every part Of the world :ulminat-
ing in the great South American earth
| force Of this outbreak was felt all the
way from Peru to the Pacific islands.
New Zealand. Japan and southern
| California.
| In 1911 almost every part of the
United States felt an earthquake
shock, the most serious damage being
done at New Madrid. town in the
Mississippi valley. This shock was
! strongly felt at Washington City and
New York City and finally concentrate
ed its fury in 1912 upon Caracas in
| South America.
Dispatches on the Earthquake.
Regarding the earthquake in San
Francisco in 1868 the following dis
patches are taken from the Idaho Tri-
| Weekly Statesman, dated October 81
that year:
San Francisco, Oct. 81, 1S68-The
| terrible shock Of an earthquake took
place here this morning. A great many
persons are killed and wounded by
falling walls. The city hall Is in an
unsafe condition. and no business will
be transacted today. The city is wild
with excitement. The Bank Of Califor-
MIA Merchants EXCHANGE and Hay
wards ere badly damaged.
San Leandro-Our court house is
down and Deputy Sheriff Josselyn Is
killed.
San Francisco, Oct. 21.-Latest says
Bank of California. Merchants Ex-
change. Hayward's new building and
Masonic hall hadlv damared, Loss.
upwards OF 81 100000. About rs or 80
lives lost, as far as heard from. Large
number seriously wounded. Livingston
block on California street totally de-
stroyed also Heyneman's building.
corner Battery and California streets
utterly demolished. People badly panic
stricken and utterly demoralized.
Court house at San Leandro down
and Deputy Sheriff Jesselyn killed.
Prisoners still in cells and no way Of
extricating them except by tearing
away debris OF building. Considera
BILE damage to property at Petaluma
and Oakland. At p. m. another shock
occurred. but not so hard as the first.
At San Lorenzo the ground opened and
water came up For last two hours
line SO busy with messages that not
much has been heard Of conditions.
San Francisco, Oct. 21.-At 1855 this
morning very severe earthquake oc-
| CURED at San Francisco that extended
as far east as Virginia, New. In San
Francisco. Benica and adjoining cities
many houses were shattered and shak-
en- to the ground. Many persons are
reported being killed.
On October %. two days later San
Francisco felt another shock which
was accompanied BY considerable
damage. Regarding this the Idaho Tri-
weekly Statesman had the following
report:
! "The shock at 2:15 o'clock this morn
ing did more damage to and injury to