springs of the State; many springs have been visited where
neither of them occur, but where one is found the other is
generally found also.
Dr. Cooper presented the following paper for Dr. Newcomb, corresponding
member:
Description of a New Species of Pedicularia.
BY W. NEWCOMB, M. D.
PEDICULARIA SWAINSON.
_Pedicularia Californica_ Newc.
P. testa depresa-globosa, coccinea, minute transverse
striata, supra rotundata, infra late aperta; labio expanso,
semi-circulare; columella crassa, dilatata, intus recta;
apertura elongato sub-ovata; extremitatibus effusis:
Long. 0.4 pol.
Lat. 0.3 ”
Alt. 0.25 ”
Hab. _California_.
Shell depressly globose, crimson colored, minutely transversely
striated, above rounded, below broadly open; lip expanded,
semicircular; columella thick, dilated within, straight;
aperture elongately sub-ovate; extremities broadly notched.
The Genus Pedicularia was established by Swainson for the
reception of a single species (_P. sicula_) of that author.
During the past year another species has been added by that
eminent Naturalist, G. P. Deshayes, of Paris.
In a work published, on the shells of the Isle of Bourbon, he
describes a beautiful violet-colored species under the name
of _P. elegantissima_. The California species (of which only
one specimen has been obtained) can scarcely be surpassed in
brilliancy by its Indian Ocean congener, although bearing the
exquisite name of _elegantissima_.
For the specimen of the species here described, I am indebted
to the extreme liberality of D. N. Robinson, Esq., of San
Francisco, who obtained it from a coral growing on a monster
crustacean of the genus _Echidnocerus_, which was taken in very
deep water at the Farallones Islands.
REGULAR MEETING, FEBRUARY 15TH, 1864.
Vice-President Trask in the Chair.
Present thirteen members.
Messrs. A. Thyark and R. E. C. Stearns were elected resident members.
Donations to the Cabinet: Coral, from the Aitutaka Islands, by Capt.
Edwards. Botanical specimens from the White Mountains, N. H., by Dr.
Cooper.
Donations to the Library: Report of the Committee to prepare a plan for a
State University. Journal of the Society of Arts and of the Institutions
in Union, London, Eng. American Journal of Science and Arts for November,
1863.
Mr. W. P. Blake exhibited specimens of Coal, said to have been found
on the mountains east of the Colorado River, about twenty-five miles
from La Paz. He stated that it was of very good quality and seemed too
brilliant for surface coal, but that this might perhaps be attributed to
the dryness of the climate. He had, however, doubts as to the occurrence
of coal associated with obsidian, as was stated to be the case with these
specimens.
The publishing committee was authorized to furnish copies of the
Proceedings for 1863 to certain libraries and journals in this State.
REGULAR MEETING, MARCH 7TH, 1864.
President in the Chair.
Present twelve members; also Messrs. Turnbull, Smith, Gardiner, and
Burgner, by invitation.
Donation to the Cabinet: Stuffed skin of a large venomous Snake, from the
Sierra Madre of Mexico, east of Mazatlan, presented by Mr. Burgner.
Donations to the Library: Pamphlets on the North American Helicidæ, by
Thomas Bland, extracted from the Annals of the N. Y. Lyceum of Natural
History. American Journal of Science and Arts for January, 1864. Boston
Journal of Natural History, Vol. VII, No. 4.
Dr. Behr presented the following paper:
On Californian Lepidoptera. No. IV.
BY H. BEHR, M.D.
FAM. VANESSIDÆ.
GRAPTA.
_Grapta Comma_ Harris.
I possess but one specimen of this Grapta. It was collected by
Dr. Hillebrand, in Yosemite Valley, during his late visit to
California. It agrees in all essential points with two other
specimens which I obtained through the kindness of Mr. W. H.
Edwards, of New York. The California specimen differs by a
somewhat lighter coloration on both sides, especially below
where the ground color passes into a yellowish brown, while in
the Eastern specimen it becomes a bluish gray. On the upper
side, also, the bluish coloration of the edge of the angulated
wings of the Eastern form is replaced by a yellowish tint.
I would be inclined to take _G. Comma_ for a local variety of
_G. C-album_, were it not for the caterpillar, which, according
to Mr. Harris, resembles that of _G. interrogationis_, and
is entirely without that strangely dimidiate coloration so
characteristic in _G. C-album_.
In _G. C-album_ I cannot find any difference between my
Californian and European specimens. Our vernal generation is
larger and somewhat lighter colored than any European specimens
I have ever seen. The caterpillar has a curious dimidiate
coloration, which I have never seen except in this species: the
fore part being white, the abdominal part yellow. I found it
on Urtica, but it will probably be found on other Urticaceous
plants, herbaceous as well as arborescent. _G. C-album_ is not
common in the immediate neighborhood of San Francisco, but it
is rather abundant in woody and mountainous districts.
The Atlantic States are richer in species of this genus than
either Europe or California, the two latter of which possess
the same number of species.
Europe. California. Atlantic Slope.
_G. C-album._ _G. C-album._ _G. C-album._
_G. Triangulum._ _G. Comma._ _G. Comma._
—— —— _G. Faunus._
—— —— _G. Progne._
—— —— _G. interrogationis._
VANESSA Fabr.
_Vanessa Californica_ Boisd.
The caterpillar of this species feeds on Ceanothus, and lives
socially like that of _V. Urticæ_ L., from which it differs
very little. It is of a velvety black, and the spines which
cover it are also black.
_V. Californica_ is remarkable from its being one of the few
wandering Lepidoptera yet known. The first migration I observed
was on November 15th, 1856, when numbers of this butterfly flew
over San Francisco in a general direction of south-south-east.
They flew singly, and never crowded into swarms. Most of these
butterflies passed over our streets at too great a height
to permit close inspection—a few alighting here and there
on lamp-posts, sign-boards, or in the more rural parts, on
flowers. It was from these that I obtained the specimens in
my collection. They nearly all looked worn and shattered, and
there were no fresh specimens among them: clearly indicating
that they were not raised in the neighborhood of the city,
but had come from distant parts. On the 18th some of the
stragglers were still to be seen, but on the 19th they had
all disappeared. The second migration took place last fall,
but did not reach San Francisco. I received a series of
specimens, caught by Dr. Cooper, on the road to Lake Taho.
Others I received from Oregon, where they were collected by
Mr. Gabb, during his geological examination of those northern
regions. Neither Dr. Cooper nor Mr. Gabb observed any marked
direction in the flight of these butterflies; they agree that
the species was strikingly numerous. Mr. Gabb represents it
as settling on the ground in dry arroyos, very shy, and when
frightened, always returning to the same spot—a behavior which
pretty nearly corresponds with that of the nearest relative,
the European _V. Polychloros_. Both of these authorities prove
merely an unusual number of this butterfly at an unusual time
of the year. The description of the habits of the insect, as
observed by Mr. Gabb in the Umpqua Valley, show clearly that
there it felt at home. By comparing notes received from Mr.
Johnson, of Marin County, I have come to the conclusion that
the country to the northward, crowded with this Vanessa, must
have sent at least one colony south; and I was told by the
above-mentioned gentleman, the statement being confirmed by
several intelligent farmers of the same neighborhood, that
large numbers of a brown butterfly had come from San Quentin,
and crossed over that part of the bay which stretches between
San Rafael and Saucelito. About the same time, great numbers of
the same insect were observed in Lagunita Valley, at the base
of Tamal Pais, where the swarms gathered in a great crowd, and
disappeared as suddenly as they came.
I trust that my loquacity in regard to the habits of this
species will be pardoned. I consider the observation of facts
touching the migration of animals, of the highest importance,
and think it desirable that all observations on these points
should be put on record: so that hereafter, when a sufficient
number of instances may have been collected, conclusions may
be drawn, and perhaps many hitherto inexplicable points in the
geographical distribution of insects, and of organic life in
general, may be explained.
This butterfly is rather rare in common years, and is, perhaps,
notwithstanding its name, _V. Californica_, not exactly an
indigenous species, at least not in the middle counties of our
State. Unlike all other _Vanessidæ_ known to me, it has but one
generation, at least in California, where the imago is always
found late in the season. I do not venture to decide whether
_V. Californica_ requires a longer time for development in the
larva state than the other _Vanessidæ_, or whether it has
its vernal generations somewhere else in adjacent countries.
I have found but one colony of caterpillars. It was in July,
and most of the individuals were nearly full grown; they were
rather delicate, the majority died in the larva state, seven
transformed about the end of the month, and a single chrysalis
produced a crippled butterfly.
_Vanessa Milberti_ Godt.
This species is common in woody localities. The caterpillar
is very much like that of _V. Californica_, and only a few
individuals show a distinguishing mark in the shape of a
longitudinal, lateral stripe of sulphur yellow. It feeds on
_Urtica_.
_Vanessa Antiopa_ L.
There is nothing to add in regard to this long and well-known
species. The caterpillar feeds here, as everywhere else, on
willows.
The true Vanessæ have about the same geographical distribution
as the Graptæ. They also have a predilection for Urticaceous
plants. Only the most northern species is amphigeic.
Europe. California. Atlantic Slope.
_V. Antiopa._ _V. Antiopa._ _V. Antiopa._
_V. Urticæ._ _V. Milberti._ _V. Milberti._
_V. Polychloros._ _V. Californica._ _V. C-album._
There is a balance in favor of the Old World—the beautiful type
of _V. Io_ not being represented on this continent—and also the
type of _V. Polychloros_, containing a few species, as, for
instance, _V. Xanthomelas_, that make it appear more numerous.
PYRAMEIS Hubn.
_Pyrameis Atalanta_ L.
Larva feeds on Urtica.
_Pyrameis Carye._
This species is by far the most common butterfly in California.
The caterpillar is very variable in its coloration, and is
so like that of _P. Atalanta_, in company with which it is
frequently found, that I have never succeeded in finding any
distinguishing characters. It feeds throughout the year on
_Urtica_ and on several malvaceous plants, and has the habit of
all its congeners, of hiding itself in a rolled up leaf.
_Pyrameis Cardui_ L.
This most cosmopolitan of all diurnals, affects here, in its
larva state, several malvaceous plants, and also the genus
_Gnaphalium_, and its relations; but the plant for which it
shows the greatest predilection is _Silybum Marianum_, a
plant which formerly did not exist here, and has only spread
since 1852. It now forms thickets in the neighborhood of San
Francisco, as well as near most of our inland towns, but has
never spread to a great distance from settlements. _P. Cardui_
frequents the same localities, and I found the same species in
Australia in the same relation to the same immigrated plant,
_Silybum Marianum_. I know very well that _P. Cardui_ existed
here, as well as in Australia, before the immigration of this
Mediterranean plant; but still, it is a remarkable fact that
this cosmopolitan butterfly, notwithstanding its ability to
adapt itself to plants of the most different families, still
clings with such tenacity to a cosmopolitan plant, to whose
universal distribution it is perhaps much indebted for the wide
range which it itself attains.
Next to the cosmopolitan character of this plant, _P. Cardui_
owes its great extent probably to its many generations and
certain irregularities in the time of the appearance of the
perfect insect; so that small colonies of the species are
not so liable to be destroyed by inclemency of climate or
exceptional atmospheric agencies; for a being that exists at
the same time in the four stages of the egg, larva, chrysalis,
and imago, has more chances of escaping cataclysms and deluge
than others that are all at one time in the same stage of
existence. The extent of the influence exerted by the number
of generations, and the irregularity of period, can be very
clearly recognized by the circumstance that species with one
generation are always the most local; for instance, certain
_Meliteæ_, _Argynnidæ_, _Theclæ_, most of _Sphingidæ_, etc.;
that also the cosmopolitanism develops in proportion to the
number of generations, and attains its maximum in certain
_Vanessidæ_, _Danaidæ_, _Pyrameis_, etc.
_Pyrameis Hunteri_ Fab.
This species seems to have, in California, but one generation.
It is not common. I have found it only in the latter part
of the season, and have not yet succeeded in finding the
caterpillar. The genus _Pyrameis_ has the widest range of all
the genera of this family. It extends through all latitudes
from the Arctic regions to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape
Horn. On the northern hemispheres it is best represented in
California, which country possesses one peculiar species in
addition to all three of Europe and the Eastern Slope of the
United States.
California. Eastern Slope. Europe.
_P. Atalanta._ _P. Atalanta._ _P. Atalanta._
_P. Carye._ —— ——
_P. Cardui._ _P. Cardui._ _P. Cardui._
_P. Hunteri._ _P. Hunteri._ ——
JUNONIA Hubn.
_Junonia Cænia_ Boisd. et Lee.
Several generations. Caterpillar not yet found in California.
From this enumeration of California _Vanessidæ_ we find, 1st.
That with the exception of _V. Californica_, there is not yet
found any species of this group peculiar to our State, for even
_P. Carye_ exists as well in Chili as here, and is also said to
have been found in Brazil. This circumstance is more striking
since our _Argynnidæ_ and _Meliteæ_ prove altogether local;
none of them being identical with Eastern species, unless a
_Melitæa_, of the type of _Mylitta_, should be found identical
with a form found in Texas. 2. The genera of this group,
north of the Tropic of Cancer, are essentially amphigeic, the
European _Arachnia_ being almost the sole exception. But, as
it were, to compensate this, the tropical amphigeic genus
_Junonia_, wanting in Europe, extends, on our continent, to
high latitudes. 3. As regards the number of specks, the genus
_Grapta_ predominates at the Eastern Slope, _Vanessa_ in
Europe, _Pyrameis_ in California, and our own _Junonia_ is
counterbalanced in Europe by our _Arachnia_.
FAM. LIMENITIDÆ.
LIMENITIS Fabr.
_Limenitis Lorquini_ Boisd.
Like its congeners in other parts of the world, this species
occurs in shady woods, or on the banks of arroyos. It is
peculiar to California and Oregon.
_Limenitis Eulalia_ Doubleday.
In localities similar to the preceding species. These two
species are, as yet, the only ones found in our State. They
represent a peculiar type, forming, in their coloration,
a transition from _Limenitis_ to the South American genus
_Heterochroa_. Neither of these Californians have been found on
the Eastern Slope. _L. Eulalia_ extends to Mexico.
The family _Apaturidæ_ as yet, has not been found in California.
Dr. Trask offered the following article:
Earthquakes in California During the Year 1863.
BY JOHN B. TRASK, M.D.
During the year 1863 we have had but five earthquakes, and as
in former years they have been marked by no serious event, if
we except the light degree of fright induced at the time among
our people.
January 25th.—A severe shock was experienced at San Diego at
2h. 20m. M., which lasted five to eight seconds. There was no
undulation in this case, it consisting of a series of sharp
jars. It was preceded by a deep rumbling noise.
February 1st.—A very smart shock at the Mission San Juan,
Monterey County, at 4h. 1m. P.M. This shock was felt at Gilroys
at 4h. 15m. This town is twelve miles east of the former. At
both places the shock was marked by the undulatory motion. It
was not observed at Monterey, which is nearly twelve miles west
of the Mission.
June——A smart shock at midnight at San Francisco.
August 1st.—Two light shocks at San Francisco, at 10h. 48m.
P.M., and at 11h. 6m. P.M., another shock.
December 19th.—At 2h. 38m. P.M. a smart shock was felt
throughout the city; directly afterwards another and more
severe one occurred. The first was a short, sudden jar, while
the second was undulatory. The accuracy of the telegraph
operator at Santa Clara has enabled us to form a correct idea
of the course of this shock, and to correct to some extent the
popular errors relating to the direction of the seismic wave.
His time was 2h. 44m. 31s., being within 29 seconds of true
time, which would then be 2.45. This gives us only 6½ minutes
difference in elapsed time, and gives for the direction of the
wave an east course in place of north and south, as reported,
which corresponds to our measured observations here. I take
this opportunity of expressing the thanks of the Academy to
this operator for his accuracy and kindness in furnishing us
data in this and other phenomena of scientific and public
interest.
February and March, 1864.
During the present year, 1864, we have had two smart
earthquakes at the date of writing this report.
February 26th.—At San Francisco a light shock at 0h. 40m.
M., and another at 2h. 10m. M. These were reported to me by
persons who were up in the south and west parts of the city.
At 5h. 47m. a very smart shock occurred, having three distinct
vibrations, which induced many to rise somewhat earlier than
was usual. This earthquake was preceded by a strong _electric
storm_ (so called here), between this city and Visalia; the
particulars of which have not as yet all come to hand. It was
followed next day by one of those severe “northers” with which
the people of this State are very familiar. Barometer very low.
This fact is mentioned only on account of the unseasonable
period at which the gale occurred.
This earthquake was felt more severe at San José and Santa
Clara than at this place, and occurred at nearly the same hour.
March 5th.—A severe shock of earthquake at San Francisco at
8h. 49m. M. The first wave had a north and south direction
and continued 1¾ seconds; nearly 1¾ seconds elapsed before
the second shock, which was at 8h. 49m. 3s., and continued 1½
seconds. The second shock was rotatory; the pendulum swinging
north and south from the first shock, began and continued to
describe a short oval or nearly a circle from the effects of
the second shock, and continued thus for more than half an
hour, until stopped and brought to rest. Magnetism was not
suspended in this earthquake, nor any other that has occurred
since my instrument was suspended. These observations were made
at the height of twenty feet four inches from the ground. The
total of time included in the shock was nearly five seconds.
The farthest point south to which I have been able to trace
its effects is the Mission San Juan, and north to Sacramento,
a distance inclusive of 177 miles. In an easterly direction
we have not traced it east of Stockton, about 60 miles. It
was felt at Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Gilroys, south of San
Francisco, and at Santa Rosa and Petaluma to the north.
Since the above was in type, advices have been received from
Visalia. At that locality the shock was very smart. The first
shock took place at 8h. 45m. M., being four minutes earlier
than that at San Francisco. This gives for the entire distance,
north and south (over which the earthquake extended), 257
miles. This extent of latitude, and the almost simultaneous
period of time at which it was observed along the entire line
of distance so far as heard from, leads to the conclusion that
its probable centre was south of San Francisco and nearly in
the same longitude. From the violence of its action I feel
inclined to the belief that its centre was in the neighborhood
of San José, for all accounts agree in this one point, that
more turbulence of the earth’s surface occurred in this region
during its continuance than at any other place yet known. At
Visalia the first shock was a mere tremor, but was followed by
an undulatory movement when the second shock occurred, which
was some three or four seconds later. This wave moved in an
east and west direction at that place.
REGULAR MEETING, MARCH 21ST, 1864.
Dr. Trask in the Chair.
Eleven members present.
Messrs. J. G. Kellogg and Jacob Deidesheimer were elected resident
members.
Resolutions were passed in memory of the Rev. T. Starr King, late a
member of the Academy, and a copy directed to be forwarded to the family
of the deceased.
Donation to the Library: “Descriptions of New Species of Tropical
American Birds,” by Geo. N. Lawrence, extracted from the Annals of the
New York Lyceum, by the author.
A discussion was held on the popular error of supposing that thunder
and lightning are very rare in California, several members stating from
their experience that both are common in the higher and more mountainous
portions, at all seasons of the year, though rare in the lower regions.
Dr. Behr stated that he had used the root of the _Aspidium argutum
Kaulf._, successfully as an antidote for tape-worm since the year 1852,
and with better results than attend the use of _A. filixmas_ of Europe.
REGULAR MEETING, APRIL 4TH, 1864.
President in the Chair.
Present, ten members.
Professor Whitney read a paper by Major Williamson, U. S. Engineer,
giving the methods of determination and results of measurement by
barometer of the depression of “Death Valley” below the level of the sea,
made in 1860 by the Cal. and U. S. Boundary Commission. Death Valley
was found to be the “sink” of the Armagoza River, which runs near the
boundary, east of Owen’s Lake. The observations, are sufficient to show
that the valley is from one hundred to two hundred feet lower than the
level of the sea.
REGULAR MEETING, APRIL 18TH, 1864.
Dr. Trask in the Chair.
Present, nine members.
W. S. Brigham and Horace Mann were elected corresponding members, being
about to proceed to the Sandwich Islands to make a thorough scientific
exploration, under the auspices of the Boston Society of Natural History.
The name of Mr. Louis Janin, elected in 1861 but accidentally omitted
from the list of members, was directed to be published in the proceedings.
Donations to the Cabinet: About two hundred specimens of rocks and ores
from Humboldt River District, by Mr. Highton.
Dr. Trask presented the following paper:
Earthquakes in California from 1800 to 1864.
BY JOHN B. TRASK.
As the subject of earthquakes for some years past has engrossed
much of the attention of scientific observers, I have, at the
request of several members of the Academy, made out a complete
report upon the occurrence of those phenomena upon this coast,
as far as personal observation is concerned, and also so far
only as we have authentic records prior to the occupancy of the
present State of California by the American Government.
The present paper contains, probably, all that can be verified,
and places the subject in a form to which future reference
may be made by other observers abroad; thus enabling them and
ourselves also, to bring together the statistical facts which,
it may be hoped, will help to form some rational theory in
future years relating to the causal agency of those phenomena,
as well as the physical laws governing their action.
In this paper I have reduced the periods of their occurrence
for the thirteen years past to astronomical time, in all
instances where the hour on which the shocks occurred have been
known with certainty, and, without attempting to combat any
theory that has been advanced, or the suggestion of another
relating to their origin, their history has been left as a
record of facts, which will become useful when others of like
character accompany them. Our record, in this State alone has
reached a little more than one-tenth of the number on which M.
Mallet has founded his theory of their origin, and which were
drawn from all parts of the world, and although this may seem a
large proportion for this district of country alone since 1850,
it is not to be presumed that a greater frequency of shocks
have occurred here than elsewhere, but that the same attention
has not been bestowed in recording their occurrence in other
countries where they are known to be much more frequent and
severe than upon our coast.
It might be asked why, if such unquestionable frequency
occurs within the limits of this State we are not subject
to momentary destruction from their effects; the answer to
this is found in the preceding paragraph, from which cause it
will be seen that our experience is more apparent than real,
relatively, and farther still, we should find a much greater
frequency of shocks, beyond all doubt, if the instruments
for their registry in different parts of the State were more
plentiful than at present.
There is no good reason for the supposition that we are in more
danger from these phenomena than upon the Atlantic border,
for the reason that we are so far removed from the centers of
immediate and violent volcanic action, that it would require
dangerous tension of the imagination to place California within
the range of those physical causes which are so conducive to
violent, repeated, and destructive earthquakes. This State
cannot be considered more subject to earthquakes than it is to
volcanoes, relatively, and this is said too in the face of our
own records relating to the former. We need have little fear
from these disturbances so long as we are so far removed on
either hand from the great centers, and even from the terminal
points of those centers of volcanic disturbance, from the
action of which such disastrous consequences have, and will
again follow to their immediate districts.
A moment’s consideration will convince the most sceptical of
the prevailing fallacy relating to this subject. In the first
place, we are situated between two great termini of active
volcanic ranges, the nearest being Colima, 1,200 miles south,
the other on the coast of Alaska, more than 1,300 miles to the
north; the distance inclusive between the points being nearly
or perhaps quite 2,600 miles, in which NO active volcanic vents
abound, unless we make an exception of Mounts Hood and St.
Helen in Oregon, of which the testimony is somewhat dubious,
and the nearest of which is 700 miles. To the east there are no
volcanoes for a distance of 2,500 miles, and to the west for a
much greater distance than in either of the other directions.
This, certainly, should be sufficient to palliate the fears of
the timid, in some degree at least, and to silence in part also
the sensational articles which appear from time to time in the
press of this and the eastern States, as to California being an
oven within the range of active volcanic action, and a volcanic
country.
In preparing this paper I have endeavored to obtain, as far as
possible, the most correct information relating to the history
of these phenomena in former years. It is my desire also to
correct some of the misrepresentations and statements current
relating to the severity of earthquake shocks in this country
during the earlier periods of its history.
I have at the present time some additional information relating
to the great earthquake of 1812, which did not appear in my
first paper on this subject, and which must now be placed on
record. These facts relate more to the phenomena occurring
during that year, rather than to the destruction of the
missions, all of which will be found in their proper place
below.
From careful inquiry of the early settlers and residents I
cannot learn that any more than one earthquake has occurred
which was in any considerable degree of a serious character,
and but one which has caused the destruction of either life or
property to any extent.
This earthquake occurred in the month of September, 1812, and
destroyed the Mission San Juan Capistrano, in Los Angeles
County, and the Mission Purissima (Viejo) in the County of
Santa Barbara. The following is the history of that event
as obtained from the older native inhabitants and foreign
residents on the coast at that time.
The day was clear and uncommonly warm; it being Sunday the
people had assembled at San Juan Capistrano for evening
service. About half an hour after the opening of service,
an unusual loud, but distant rushing sound was heard in the
atmosphere to the east and also over the water, which resembled
the sound of strong wind, but as it approached no perceptible
breeze accompanied it. _The sea was smooth and the air was
calm._ So distant and loud was this atmospheric sound that
several left the building attracted by its noise.
Immediately following the sound, the first and heaviest shock
of the earthquake occurred, which was sufficiently severe
to prostrate the Mission Church of San Capistrano almost in
a body, burying in its ruins the most of those who remained
behind, after the first indication of its approach was heard.
The shock was very sudden and almost without warning, save from
the rushing sound above noted, and to the severity of the first
shock at that moment is to be attributed the loss of life that
followed.
The number reported to have been killed outright, is variously
estimated from thirty to forty-five (the largest number of
persons agree on the smallest number of deaths given), but
in the absence of records such statements should be received
with many grains of allowance, where memory alone is the only
means left, and the term of forty-three years has elapsed
before the period at which this account was placed on paper. A
considerable number are reported to have been badly injured.
There is a universal agreement on this point with those from
whom these facts were derived, viz.: _that the first shock
threw down the entire building, and that a large number of
persons were in it at that moment_, and under the circumstances
it would be most singular if no deaths were caused by such an
event.
It is now nine years since the above facts were published,
and in March, 1864, a writer to me unknown, corroborates this
statement relating to that Mission in these words. “The church
thrown down at San Juan Capistrano by an earthquake in 1812,
was a well built-affair of stone and cement. The cupola or
short steeple falling over the church completely destroying the
building.”
The motion of the earth is described as having _lifted
vertically_, attended by a rotatory movement. _No undulatory_
motion is described by any one. Dizziness and _nausea_ seized
almost every person in the vicinity.
A heavy, loud, deep rumbling, accompanied the successive shocks
that followed, which were five in number, all having the motion
above described, though comparatively light in their effects to
the first. The sounds attending the phenomena came apparently
from the South and East.
In the valley of San Inez, to the south and west of Santa
Barbara, the church now known as the “Mission Viejo” (La
Purissima), was also completely destroyed. At this locality
there were also a number of lives lost, but what number is as
yet very uncertain. The distance between Capistrano and San
Inez is about one hundred and seventy miles. The shock which
destroyed this building occurred about one hour after the
former, and the greater portion of the inhabitants had left
the building but a few minutes before it fell, service having
closed. The first shock felt here prostrated the building, as
in the preceding case.
A Spanish ship which lay at anchor off San Buenaventura,
thirty-eight miles from Santa Barbara, was much injured by the
shock, and leaked to that extent, that it became necessary to
beach her, and remove the most of her cargo.
The writer above quoted corroborates the fact of a ship having
been in this vicinity at the time. The distance of this ship
from Santa Barbara is nearly the same as in my original
statement but in a different direction. From the circumstantial
details of the writer as to the ship “Charan,” _alias_, “Thomas
Newland,” I am inclined to the belief that his statements are
more entitled to adoption than my own; I therefore present his
statement also and leave the reader to adopt either, so far as
regards the ship and her position. “At the same time a Boston
ship the Thomas Newland, known before as the Charan, commanded
by Capt. Isaac Whitmore, was lying off the anchorage not far
from the Gaviota Pass, Santa Barbara County.”
It is an interesting fact, and at the same time somewhat
remarkable, that the time which elapsed between the advent of
the shocks at Capistrano and San Inez is widely variant from
what we should look for, when the distance apart and velocity
of motion in earthquakes are taken into consideration. If the
velocity of the seismic wave in this earthquake was uniform
with those of more recent times, it should have reached La
Purissima in twenty-eight minutes and fifty seconds in lieu of
an hour; but all due allowances must be made for a question of
time in an event of this nature, and also for errors in memory
of persons after the lapse of so many years.
The effect of this earthquake on the sea, in the Bay of Santa
Barbara, is described as follows: “The sea was observed to
recede from the shore during the continuance of the shocks,
and left the latter dry for a considerable distance, when it
returned in five or six heavy rollers, which overflowed the
plain on which Santa Barbara is built. The inhabitants saw the
recession of the sea, and being aware of the danger on its
return, fled to the adjoining hills near the town to escape the
probable deluge.”
The sea on its return flowed inland a little more than half a
mile, and reached the lower part of the town, doing but little
damage, destroying only three small adobe buildings.
Here again I take the liberty of quoting the late writer above
noticed, in corroboration of its effects upon the sea. “The sea
was seen to retire all at once, and to return in an immense
wave, which came roaring and plunging back, over the beach.
This wave penetrated the low lands and gulches a mile from the
shore, forming one of the most terrific sights possible to
conceive.”
Very little damage was done to the houses in town from the
effects of the shocks, while the Mission at San Inez was
prostrated almost instantly. There is no evidence that I can
find, that this earthquake was felt in San Luis Obispo, though
such has been the report.
In addition to my former paper I will now add some information
relating to this and other earthquakes, touching more
particularly a series continuing through a long period for such
phenomena, but preceding the great event of September of that
year.
So far as the archives of the old missions assist us, it is
found that from the foundation of the first mission in 1769, up
to the year 1800, a period of thirty-one years, not an entry
was made of these phenomena. In the latter year an earthquake
is recorded as occurring at San Juan Bautista, on the eleventh
of October. On the eighteenth of the same month, at supper
time another shock was felt, and another still at about eleven
o’clock on the same night. From the records of the Presidio
of San Francisco, we are able to glean the fact, that between
the twenty-first of June and seventeenth of July, 1808, there
occurred twenty-one shocks of earthquakes at this post.
I will here correct the popular error relating to this
earthquake or series of earthquakes during that year. It
is generally stated that this was contemporaneous with
the earthquake which destroyed San Juan Capistrano and La
Purissima; by reference to the dates it will be seen that the
destruction of those missions did not occur until four years
later.
The above are the only records of these phenomena that have
as yet made their appearance in the archives of the province
during the existence of the Mexican Government; and, from the
fact that these archives are all in our possession, there is no
hazard in stating that they constitute all, of which we have
any positive knowledge. As they stand, they are a sufficient
rebuke to the mendacity of sensational itemizers of the public
press; they will find in those records, no basis on which to
indite column articles of such doleful prophecies as the public
of late have been surfeited with.
During a period of thirty-nine years the records of the country
exhibit the fact, that there were but twenty-three days on
which earthquakes occurred and were deemed worthy of record.
If we compare these figures with those recorded from 1850 to
the close of 1863, we shall find much more ground for prophecy
during the latter period than for the eighty-two years of which
records were kept on this coast previous to that time.
From the above extracts from the archives we are left to infer
one of two facts; either that earthquakes were entirely unknown
during the intervals of the record dates, or that they were of
so trivial a character as not to merit the notice of the early
padres during this time; the latter is the probability, for we
can scarcely conceive that nothing of this nature had taken
place. If, however, such be the fact, it cannot be looked upon
in any other light than a manifest anomaly in the history of
this or any other country.
It appears from all the testimony on the subject, that in May,
1812, the south part of the State was frequently agitated with
shocks of greater or less severity, and their continuance was
literally incessant for about four and one-half months. Their
frequency was not less than one each day or two; four days
seldom elapsing without a shock. As many as thirty shocks
occurred in a single day on more than one occasion. So frequent
were they, that the inhabitants abandoned their houses for the
greater part of this period, and lived under trees, etc., and
slept out of doors at Santa Barbara.
This period of time seems analogous in some respects to the
year 1852, and was one of very marked severity on this coast,
as was also the latter year; it was analogous to other periods
of subterranean disturbance in other parts of the earth since
the historic era began, and there is no good reason why we may
not look for the recurrence of similar events in future time.
But we must not lay too much stress on the destruction of the
two mission churches in 1812, to guide us in an estimate of
the force of this earthquake, for the construction of those
buildings had but little relation to similar structures of
modern date, either in strength or material.
From 1812 to 1850, the archives are silent on this subject. In
the latter year our record began and has continued with little
interruption to 1863, a period of thirteen years. Within that
period there are but few earthquakes occurring north of the
thirty-ninth parallel which have escaped notice and have not
been made matter of record.
1850.
During this year the following earthquakes were recorded:
March 12th.—A light shock was felt in San José.
May 13th.—A light shock in San Francisco. An eruption of Mauna
Loa, S. I., and shock same day.
June 28th.—A light shock in San Francisco.
August 4th.—A smart shock was felt in Stockton and Sacramento.
September 14th.—Smart shock at San Francisco and San José.
Total number recorded in 1850, five.
1851.
May 15th.—Three severe shocks in San Francisco. During this
earthquake windows were broken and buildings severely shaken.
A large amount of merchandize was thrown down in a store on
California Street. The shipping in the harbor rolled heavily.
An eruption of Mauna Loa and shock in the Sandwich Islands same
day.
May 17th.—A light shock in San Francisco.
May 28th.—A light shock on the Salinas.
June 13th.—A smart shock at San Francisco. This was felt at San
Luis Obispo and San Fernando.
December 2d.—A shock at Downieville.
December 31st.—A smart shock at Downieville. Total recorded in
1851, six.
1852.
From the beginning of this year until the middle of its last
quarter, no disturbances of the coast was noted until the month
of November. In this month the southern portion of the State
was violently disturbed.
November 26th.—The number of shocks on this day at San Simeon
was eleven, and at Los Angeles and San Gabriel the same number.
Nearly or quite the same number was also observed by parties
having in charge a Government train in transit from Fort Yuma
to San Diego.
This earthquake or the series was experienced over the entire
country, east and south of Luis Obispo to San Diego and the
Colorado River, covering a line of country about three hundred
miles in extent.
From subsequent accounts we learn that it also reached as far
as Guaymas, in the province of Sonora, Mexico.
For a period of six days subsequent to the twenty-sixth of
November, the whole of this region to the Colorado, was
convulsed, with slight intermissions. During this time a _mud
volcano_ opened on the Colorado Desert, and another south of
the river; one of these was visited by a portion of the United
States command under Col. Hientzelman.
December 17th.—Two smart shocks at San Luis Obispo, which
fractured the walls of two adobe buildings, and threw down a
part of the wall of a house belonging to, and occupied by Don
Jesus Pico and family.
During the months of November and December, the southern
particularly, and middle portions of California were much
disturbed; shocks were experienced in those sections for
sixty-five days, with variable intermissions; they were noticed
as far north as the thirty-seventh parallel, but generally
light in their nature. The latest date of this series was to
the fifth of January, 1853, on the valley of the San Joaquin.
The period of time inclusive between the sixteenth of November
(the date of the terrible earthquake at Banda Neira in the
Moluccas), and the twenty-sixth of January, 1853, must be
regarded as one of the most remarkable and portentious periods
of the earth’s history during modern times. For in that period
a greater proportion of the earth’s surface was convulsed by
subterranean forces than has been known for many scores of
years, in the same length of time.
The area most severely affected by these phenomena is included
between the parallels of forty degrees south latitude and
thirty-seven degrees north latitude, and extending from one
hundred and twenty degrees east to the forty-fifth degree
west longitude, being nearly equal to three-fifths of the
equatorial, and a little more than one-half the polar
circumference of the earth.
At this time the coast of eastern Asia, the Islands of the
South Indian Ocean, Singapore, the fated Moluccas, the east
coast of China, the north, east, and south coasts of Australia,
the coast of California, Mexico (west coast,) South America,
with portions of the Atlantic coast of the United States
south of the thirty-fourth parallel, north latitude, shared
in the general disturbance which prevailed on our own shores
during this time. With the twenty-sixth of January ceased the
vibrations on this coast at that time, but we have positive
intelligence that they continued much later on the east coast
of China and Australia, in which countries they did not
cease until the month of February. With these facts before
us we cannot but believe the period included one of the most
turbulent in the earth’s career during modern times.
1853.
Jan. 2d.—A shock of earthquake was felt in Mariposa; this was
observed in San Francisco, Bodega, and at Shasta City.
Jan. 5th.—A shock at Corte Madeira.
Feb. 14th.—A light shock at San Luis Obispo.
March 1st.—A smart shock at San Francisco, which was felt at
San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.
April 24th.—A light shock at Humboldt Bay.
April 25th.—Three shocks in quick succession at Weaverville,
Trinity County.
June 2d.—Two smart shocks on the plains of the San Joaquin.
July 12th.—A light shock at Yreka, Siskiyou County.
Sept. 3d.—Four shocks on the Salinas and San Joaquin Plains.
Oct. 23d.—Three heavy shocks at Humboldt Bay.
Oct. 25th.—A light shock at Humboldt Bay.
Nov. 16th.—A light shock at San José.
Nov. 21st.—A shock at San Francisco.
Dec. 11th.—A light shock at San Francisco and Mission Dolores.
Dec. 23d.—A light shock at Shasta.
Total in 1853, 15.
1854.
Jan. 3d.—Two smart shocks in Mariposa, felt also in Shasta.
March 2d.—A light shock at San Francisco.
March 20th.—A shock at Stockton.
April 29th.—A light shock at Santa Barbara.
May 23d.—A shock at Crescent City.
May 31st.—An earthquake at Santa Barbara at 5h. 10m. In this
earthquake there were three distinct waves. The first was
accompanied by profound rumbling; the second shock was preceded
by a loud, rushing noise like the approach of a strong wind.
About four or five seconds elapsed between each shock. The sea
was much disturbed, and a heavy surf swell came in soon after
the second shock passed. This surf-wave rolled inland some
thirty feet beyond the old wreck at the embarcadero. I saw the
effect of this wave in July following. The inhabitants were
much frightened and left their beds for the open air. Very
little damage was sustained.
June 26th.—Two light shocks in Placer County.
July 10th.—One shock at Georgetown.
July 14th.—A shock at Georgetown.
Sept. 14th.—A light shock at Nevada.
Oct. 21st.—A light shock at Monterey.
Oct. 26th.—A smart shock at San Francisco, near midnight. It
was felt at Benicia. This shock was followed by a swell in the
bay, as vessels at the wharfs swayed heavily on their hawsers.
Total in 1854, 12.
1855.
The following is the record of earthquakes for this year, in
the State of California, with the date and hour of the day at
which they were observed:
Jan. 13th, 18h. 30m.—A smart shock occurred at San Benito and
San Miguel. It was felt at San Luis Obispo.
Jan. 24th, 22h.—A heavy shock of earthquake was felt at
Downieville, which lasted seven seconds.
This earthquake was quite severe at Gibsonville on the north,
at Forrest City, Minnesota, in Sierra County, and at Orleans
Flat, Eureka, in Nevada County, at Georgetown and Nashville
in El Dorado County on the south, and at Keystone Ranch,
in Yuba County, on the west. The entire distance north and
south affected was ninety-four miles, and in a westerly line,
thirty miles. The shock was preceded by a deep rumbling, and
the rushing sound of wind in the distance. It shook buildings
severely. A large pinnacle of rocks on the summit of the
Downieville Buttes was thrown down, and some of the large
fragments reached the south branch of the North Yuba, at the
base of the mountain.
Feb 5th, 22h.—A light shock was felt at Wolf Creek and the
north-east part of Nevada County.
April 7th, 18h.—A light shock was felt at Gibb’s Ferry, Trinity
County, and was experienced as far north as Callahan’s Ranch,
at the head of Scott’s Valley, Siskiyou County.
June 25th, 14h.—A smart shock was felt at Santa Barbara, and
extended northward as far as the valley of Santa Maria. This
shock was cotemporaneous with one that occurred in Switzerland.
July 10th, 9h. 30m.—A light shock was felt in Georgetown, El
Dorado County, which lasted about four seconds.
July 10th, 20h. 15m.—A severe shock at Los Angeles, which did
considerable damage.
There were four distinct shocks during the earthquake, with
a period of about two or three seconds elapsing between each
vibration. During their continuance the ground opened in
several places, in fissures of one or two inches, the marks of
which remained for several days afterwards. There were some
twenty-six buildings in the city more or less injured, which
I personally examined, and among them the church, the west
wall of which was split from top to bottom in two places, the
fissures being from one to two and a half inches in breadth,
running entirely through. The east wall split at a slight angle
from the perpendicular, and had but one fissure. The walls of
the Star Hotel were split in several places, and on the west
side there appears to have been a decided horizontal motion,
as the wall was displaced on that side horizontally to the
depth of about one inch, and some eight or nine feet in length.
The amount of displacement decreased from the west end of the
building towards the center. It is a fact worthy of note,
that none of the _thin_ adobe walls of the buildings suffered
injury, while most of the _thick_-walled buildings were injured
to a greater or less extent.
During the earthquake, many articles were thrown down; those
that were standing on shelves against the east end of the
buildings were thrown westward on to the floor, and those
on the opposite end of the buildings were thrown back in an
inclined position against the walls. These features were
noticed in the drug stores of Doctors Winston and Hope,
situated on the main street, and a short distance west of the
church.
The meteorological condition of the atmosphere was rather
unusual, and is described as follows: The day was unusually
warm and sultry, attended with a little rain, (the latter very
unusual) and a sudden change of temperature to unpleasant
coldness. At Point San Juan there was observed considerable
commotion in the water, attended with a strong rushing sound,
and two unusually heavy surf swells, immediately _following the
last shock_.
This shock was felt distinctly at the saw-mill, some eight
miles east of San Bernardino, about seventy miles east of Los
Angeles, and at Santa Barbara, about one hundred miles in a
westerly direction.
Aug 12th, 9h. 30m.—A light shock of an earthquake was felt at
Georgetown, which lasted about three seconds. The vibration
apparently came from the north. Between this date and the tenth
July there were four other light shocks, the dates of which are
not recorded.
Oct. 21st, 19h. 45m.—A smart shock of an earthquake was felt
in San Francisco. The buildings situated over the water were
violently shaken. There was much commotion in the water of the
harbor a few minutes preceding the shock, which caused several
vessels to heave heavily at their hawsers and cables.
Oct 27th, 15h.—A light shock was felt in the valley of Clear
Lake. On the same day a shock was felt at Downieville, which
lasted about five seconds. At Goodyear’s Bar it was more severe
than at the preceding locality.
Dec. 5th, 11h. 20m.—The shock of an earthquake was felt at
Humboldt Bay, which lasted about three seconds. There were two
vibrations, the last being the most severe.
Dec. 11th, 4h.—A shock was felt in San Francisco and at the
Mission Dolores; at the latter place it is represented as being
quite severe.
The whole number of which I have a record for 1855, amounts
to twelve only; but there may be others which have escaped my
notice on account of absence from the city.
The following table will show the number of shocks for each
year, and each month of the year, for six years from 1850 to
1855, inclusive.
----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------
| | | | | | |No. for
| | | | | | |each
|1850 |1851 |1852 |1853 |1854 |1855 |month
| | | | | | |in six
| | | | | | |years.
----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------
January, | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5
February, | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2
March, | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | 4
April, | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4
May, | 1 | 3 | — | — | 2 | — | 6
June, | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5
July, | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3
August, | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2
September, | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 3
October, | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6
November, | — | — | 11 | 2 | — | — | 13
December, | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | 8
----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------
Total each year,| 5 | 6 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 11 |= 59
----------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-------
From the above it will be seen that of the total number of
shocks in six years in this State, forty-eight have occurred
during the spring, summer, and autumn months, and eleven during
the winter months.
Of the total number noted, twenty-seven have occurred from San
Luis Obispo south, and of the thirty-two remaining, nine have
been felt in San Francisco at the same time they were observed
at San Luis Obispo, while the remaining twenty-three were felt
at San Francisco and north of that point.
Notwithstanding we have had, what may, perhaps, be considered
a frequency in the recurrence of these phenomena, still there
are but a _very few_ of the total number that would merit a
moment’s consideration south of the twenty-fifth parallel of
north latitude, for there they would be regarded as minor
affairs entirely.
From all the facts in our possession relating to the phenomena
on our coast, it appears that the greatest preponderance in
action and severity of effects, is exerted, for the most part,
south of Point Conception, for, from this place, east, south
and north, to near the Colorado, the most conclusive evidence
exists of very recent volcanic action having been exerted on
rather an extensive scale, and is also still persistent in
several localities within the area named, though in a minor
degree.
It would be interesting to examine the changes of level that
have evidently taken place in this State within the last five
years; but as more extended observations would greatly assist
us in forming conclusions on this subject, I will defer that
portion until a future day.
1856.
At the close of 1855, I presented to the Academy a statement of
the occurrence of earthquakes in this State for that year and a
term of years preceding.
During the year just passed, I have kept a careful record
of these phenomena, which have been noticed in this city,
and other parts of the State, and which will be found below,
with their date, and the hour of the day on which they took
place; they comprise all that have occurred, with perhaps two
exceptions, the dates for which were so obscure as to render
it impossible to determine with accuracy the precise period
of their occurrence. So far as I am informed, those shocks
that have taken place in this State during the past year have
not been marked with more severity than has been usual in
years preceding, frequently amounting to a slight tremor, and
at other times to more distinct movements; three only have
possessed sufficient intensity as to command general attention
during the busy hours of day.
Very few have been noticed by persons who were standing upon
the earth at the period of their occurrence. By far the greater
proportion were observed in high situations from the ground,
and in the more retired parts of the city, or on the alluvial
covering of the country to the west and south.
The total number for the past year is sixteen, and of this
number thirteen were observed between sunset and sunrise.
By reference to the statistics below, it will be seen that even
mountain districts, where during the day there is much less of
turmoil and noise arising from business than in the populous
city, that of all those noticed, none have been of sufficient
intensity to attract the attention of the inhabitants during
the hours of daylight. These facts, though few in themselves,
are of importance, to disabuse the public mind in relation
to the danger to be apprehended from the occurrence of these
phenomena. The character which we sustain both at home and
abroad, as being in constant danger of being swallowed up
by these occurrences, and that our country is but a bed of
latent volcanoes ready to burst forth at any moment, spreading
devastation over the land, is one of the greatest fallacies
that ever obtained possession of the human brain. Our State is
as primitive as Massachusetts or New Hampshire, and the dangers
that surround us from the sources above mentioned, are equally
great as in the States just named.
We should remember that when speaking of California as a
State, that we include a line of territory equaling that of
the seaboard lying between Cape Hatteras on the south and the
British Possessions on the north, and including eleven of the
seaboard States of the Union; and when we place our comparative
estimates on this basis in matters of this character, it will
become at once evident that the danger of annihilation from the
causes under consideration, are not of that magnitude which at
first sight would appear.
Along the coast of Mexico and Central America, to the south
of California from all the records that are obtainable here
there appears to have been a much greater exemption from those
phenomena than has been usual in former years; this seems to
have been the fact, also, throughout the Pacific, Oceanic, and
most of the Continental Islands along the coast of China, while
to the north and north-west, beyond the fifty-fifth parallel,
both volcanic and earthquake phenomena appear to have been
greater than usual. This has been observable, for the most
part, in the neighborhood of the Aleutian Archipelago, along
the north-east coast of Japan, and in the British and Russian
Possessions of North America on the Pacific, and islands of the
Ochotsk Sea.
It would be interesting to know more of the predominance of
these phenomena in those regions, and such information could be
easily obtained from the commanders of the whaling fleet, if
the proper measures were adopted to secure it.
Below will be found some interesting matter upon this subject,
which took place during the past year near the Straits of
Ourinach.
The earthquakes which have occurred in this State during 1856,
and the period of their occurrence, is as follows:
January 2d, 10h. 15m.—This morning, a smart shock of an
earthquake was felt in San Francisco. The motion of the earth
was undulatory, and came apparently from the northward. A
pendulum indicated a motion of about five and a half inches.
January 21st, 16h.—Quite a smart shock occurred; it was quite
sharp in the south-west part of the city.
January 28th, 3h.—At the town of Petaluma, Sonoma County, a
shock of an earthquake occurred. It was sufficiently heavy to
awake persons from their sleep.
January 29th, 0h. 45m.—A slight shock was felt in San
Francisco. It was observed also at the Mission Dolores. There
were three distinct tremors, with short intervals elapsing
between. The motion was apparently from the westward.
February 15th, 5h. 25m.—A severe shock of an earthquake was
felt in San Francisco, the duration of which was about eight
seconds. Persons sleeping were aroused, and many persons left
their beds and sought the street. There were two distinct
shocks, the second very light and scarcely perceptible. The
motion was _undulatory_ and _vertical_, and at the end of the
first shock a very strong, profound jar, with which it ceased.
The upper part of a building on Battery Street, for seventy
feet in length, was thrown down, the whole of which was above
the cornice, very thin, and the mortar with which it was
constructed had not become hardened, being easily removed by
the fingers—it more resembled wet sand than a firm mortar.
There appears to have been but little difference in the
sensation of persons situated either in upper or basement
stories.
It was preceded by a deep, heavy rumbling, and the motion
apparently came from the north-west. A distinct shock was felt
at eight minutes past two o’clock the same morning, by persons
who were awake and up at the time.
The rotatory movement was shown in the fact that small square
bottles and boxes that stood upon a line, were moved from their
position horizontally, describing an arc of thirty degrees and
upwards, as shown by the dust upon the shelves on which they
stood.
The first wave came with a force sufficient to project small
articles three or four feet on the floor, from shelves on which
they were placed; they were apparently all thrown in the same
direction. Several clocks were stopped at precisely 5 hours 25
minutes.
All the cracks in walls and ceilings had a direction nearly
north-west and south-east, and most of them had the appearance
of having been produced at the moment of elevation.
The earthquake was felt heavily at Monterey, at five hours
twenty minutes; it was also felt at Bodega, but no time is
given.
The vessels on the coast, and ranging from San Pedro on the
south to Southern Oregon, and at distances varying from eight
to one hundred miles from land, did not experience any shock.
They were twenty-two in number.
Up to the present date the most northern point of which we have
any record of its having been felt, is at Santa Rosa, which
is fifty-three miles north of San Francisco, and at Monterey,
ninety miles south of the latter place; to the east of this
city we have no record beyond Stockton. This would give for
its length one hundred and forty-three miles, and its breadth
sixty-six miles.
Inquiry was made through the State line Telegraph at El Dorado,
Nevada, Downieville, Placerville, Marysville, Sacramento,
Stockton, and San José; it was not felt in any of the
localities named, excepting the two last, and at Stockton it
was quite light.
If the time as given at Monterey was the same as at this city
(San Francisco), the velocity of the earth-wave must have been
much slower than that of the great earthquake at Simoda.
March 24th, 22h. 20m.—A slight shock was felt at Canal Gulch,
Siskiyou County, also at Yreka. The motion is described as
being horizontal.
March 31st, 13h. 25m.—A light shock was felt in San Francisco.
It consisted of three light but distinct tremors.
April 6th, 23h. 30m.—A smart shock was felt at Los Angeles and
the Monte, people were aroused from their beds.
May 10th, 21h. 10m.—A light shock was felt in San Francisco.
The shock was accompanied by a loud report, like the discharge
of a cannon; people mistook it for the signal gun of the mail
steamer. This was felt at Monterey, and in Contra Costa County.
May 2d, 0h. 10m.—A severe shock was felt at Los Angeles. It
caused much trembling among the buildings, and considerable
alarm among the people, many leaving their beds. The shock was
preceded by two loud reports like the blasting of rock; it
apparently came from the north-west; no damage was done.
August 2d, 5h. 20m.—A light shock was felt in San Francisco.
It was sufficiently strong to awaken persons in bed; it was
evidently more severe in Stockton.
August 27th, 21h. 15m.—An earthquake was felt at Mission San
Juan, Monterey County. There were two distinct shocks with
short intervals elapsing, the second being the heaviest. The
motion is described as undulatory and coming from the west. It
was felt at Monterey and at Santa Cruz.
September 6th, 3h.—A smart shock felt at Santa Cruz. It created
considerable consternation and many persons left their beds.
September 20th, 23h. 30m.—A very severe shock was felt in
different parts of San Diego County, and at that town. At
Santa Isabel the ceilings of the dwellings were shaken down;
the cattle stampeded and ran bellowing in all directions, and
the Indians seemed equally terrified. The walls of the adobe
buildings were many of them cracked. The motion is described
as oscillatory. A light shock occurred on the following Monday
morning.
November 12th, 4h.—A smart shock occurred at Humboldt Bay.
Another shock was reported but no date given.
From the record before us it will be seen that of fifteen,
the total number of earthquakes recorded during 1856, seven
have been felt in San Francisco in common with other parts
of the State; seven have occurred south of this locality
that were not observed here, and four north of it. Of the
seven shocks noticed here five only were not observed in any
adjacent district, and may be considered as strictly local.
The periods of the year at which the shocks have occurred, are
as follows: During the winter months, five; during the autumn,
three; during the spring and summer, six. None have taken place
between the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.
We have records of considerable and violent volcanic phenomena
throughout the northern seas, and islands both to the east and
west of Alaska. The Russian frigate _Dwina_, while lying at
Shuam Shu, brings intelligence of the outburst of a volcano
in that vicinity about the twenty-second of June, and on
the twenty-fifth of the same month passed through fields of
floating pumice; the latitude by observation being fifty
degrees fifty-three minutes, and longitude one hundred and
fifty-eight degrees thirty-two minutes east, per chronometer.
An interesting account of a submarine volcano was reported by
the Captain of the bark _Alice Frazer_, in latitude fifty-four
degrees thirty-six minutes, longitude one hundred and
thirty-five degrees west, which is as follows: A portion of the
whaling fleet, four in number, were running through the Straits
of Ourinack, on the twenty-sixth of July last; while passing
the straits a submarine volcano burst out, sending a column of
water several hundred feet upward; immediately following this,
immense masses of lava were projected into the air, and the sea
for miles and for days afterward, was covered with floating
fragments of pumice. The ships _Scotland_ and _Enterprise_ were
nearer the volcano than the ships _Frazer_ and _Wm. Thomson_;
on the decks of the two former considerable pumice, lava, and
ashes fell. There were seven vessels in the straits at the time
of the occurrence, three of which names I could not learn.
The outburst was accompanied with violent shocks of earthquake.
It is the opinion of Captain Newell, of the _Alice Frazer_,
that considerable shoaling has been the result of this
submarine action.
ON THE DIRECTION AND VELOCITY OF THE EARTHQUAKE IN CALIFORNIA,
JANUARY 9, 1857—BY DR. JOHN B. TRASK.
The earthquake which occurred in various parts of this State,
on the morning of the ninth January last excited at the time
considerable attention. This arose from two causes. First,
from the varied reports that appeared on the following day
through the press of the city, detailing its occurrence in
remote mountain towns, and for which there was no foundation.
Secondly, from the great extent over which the commotion was
felt, as was subsequently proved.
Immediately following the occurrence of the phenomenon, letters
were addressed to all the principal towns between Mariposa and
Downieville, east of the valleys, for the purpose of learning
how far the shocks may have extended eastward of this city.
These letters were forwarded by the Pacific Express Company
to their agents, and through them answers were returned in
every case but two through the same source. From the facts
thus obtained, it was found that in no locality east of the
foothills, _was any shock felt on that day or night_.
Another report, equally unfounded, reached us on the arrival of
the steamer from the southern coast, to the effect that several
houses had been demolished in San Diego from its violence,
while the facts in the case are _that the steamer left that
port twenty-four hours before the shock occurred there_.
This earthquake, or more properly speaking the series of shocks
that began on the night of the eighth in this city, and which
continued in the south part of the State during the following
day and night of the ninth, was probably the most extensive of
any on record on this portion of the Pacific coast, excepting,
perhaps, that of the wave of the Simoda earthquake in December,
1854. The linear distance over which we are able to trace its
course, amounts to six hundred and two miles, and its breadth,
so far as now ascertained, is two hundred and ninety miles. It
has all the appearance of having been the terminal movement of
some more violent commotion at a distance from our coast.
From the best evidence obtainable at present, it seems to
have had its origin to the west and traveled in an easterly
direction. This is conclusively proved from the fact that it
was felt earlier at San Francisco than at any other locality
east of this city within the State. We have no record as yet of
its occurrence along the coast of Mexico or of Oregon.
I have been able to determine with considerable accuracy the
period of time at which the shock between eight and nine
o’clock on the morning of the ninth took place, at four
localities east of the City of San Francisco, in this State;
as the shock at that hour seems to have been more generally
noticed than those which either preceded or followed it here
or elsewhere, though at this city it was much less marked than
the shocks at 1h. 33m., 4h. 15m., and 7h., these three latter
occurring at those hours of the morning when most persons are
sleeping. The shock at 7h., produced a circular motion in the
pendulum, the diameter of which was about five inches. The
oscillations of the pendulum in all the others were in an
easterly and westerly direction.
The precise period of time at which the shock took place at San
Francisco, between eight and nine o’clock, is determined by
the stopping of a time-piece belonging to J. W. Tucker, whose
rate of error was three seconds fast. The time at San Diego was
furnished by Mr. Cassidy, of the army, and that of the Tejon
Reserve is by persons at that post. To private gentlemen at
Sacramento and Stockton we are indebted for the time at those
places. The accompanying table of latitudes and longitudes
of localities named, gives the hour at which the shock took
place at each; the difference or elapsed time, from which
the velocity was deduced, are the mean times corrected for
the places named, the time as given above being taken as the
standard at San Francisco.
It is proper to state that three minutes four seconds, was the
greatest error in time found, and the least was twenty-two
seconds:
--------------+-------+--------+----------+---------+----------
LOCALITY. | Lat. | Lon. | Time of | Elapsed | Velocity.
| | | shock. | Time. |
--------------+-------+--------+----------+---------+----------
| ° ´ | ° ´ | h. m. s. | m. s. | miles.
San Francisco | 37 48 | 122 25 | 8 13 30 | 0 00 | 0 0
Sacramento | 38 32 | 121 23 | 8 20 00 | 7 30 | 6 6
Stockton | 37 52 | 121 34 | 8 23 00 | 9 30 | 6 5
Tejon | 35 00 | 118 46 | 8 45 00 | 32 30 | 6 0
San Diego | 32 42 | 117 13 | 8 50 00 | 36 30 | 7 0
--------------+-------+--------+----------+---------+----------
The velocity is given in miles per minute, and by dividing the
sum of the same by their number, it will be found that the
movement of the wave at that time averages a fraction over 6.2
miles per minute.
The results obtained from the above data approximate closely
the deductions of Prof. Bache on the wave which reached our
shores and resulting from the earthquake at Simoda on the
twenty-third December, 1854, and which will be found in a
paper read by that gentleman at the meeting of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science, during the early
part of last year.
From the facts before us, there can be but little doubt of the
direction of the commotion, and that it proceeded from the
west, or a little south of that point. The motion of the earth,
as described at the different localities at which it was felt,
with the motion of the pendulum—which was slightly south of
a west line—leads to that conclusion. Time is an important
element in aiding us to form correct conclusions regarding
these phenomena, and it is to be hoped that our friends in
different parts of the State, in reporting the same, will be
precise in this particular. Of the incidents attending the
shocks, many and varied reports have reached us; it seems to
have acted with greater violence in the vicinity of the Tejon
Reserve and upper Tulare County than at any other place. It is
most remarkable that so small an amount of intensity of force
was manifested when the area over which it extended is taken
into consideration.
The effects were felt in San Francisco several hours before
they are reported to have been observed at any other place
north or south. They began here at twenty minutes past eleven,
on the night of the eighth, and continued till thirteen minutes
past eight the following morning—six shocks occurring in the
interval; while to the south, the first shock noticed at the
Tejon, was at six hours thirty minutes, on the ninth. In Los
Angeles they continued at long intervals through the day until
twenty-three hours thirty minutes of the same date. I have
learned from persons who were present in Los Angeles at this
time, and also at the shock of the fourteenth July, 1855, that
the severity of the latter exceeded that of the ninth January
last past.
1857.
During the past year there has been rather a frequency in the
occurrence of the phenomena of earthquakes; and, with the
exception of two, there have been none that were particularly
remarkable either for extent of surface affected or severity
of action. In one, that of the ninth of January, the greatest
extent of surface, and greatest intensity of action was
manifest. Its principal force seems to have been expended in
the more southerly portions of our State, and in the immediate
vicinity of those volcanic (?) vents found at different
localities upon the Colorado Desert. It is manifest, however,
that this shock and those which preceded it on the night of the
eighth, had their origin to the west of our coast, as the times
of occurrence of the shock at different localities most fully
prove. This matter was fully discussed in my previous paper,
“On the direction and velocity of the earthquake of January
9th, 1857,” read before this Society March 30th, which will be
found in their proceedings.
The other shock of greatest extent, on the second of September,
extended over an area of about two hundred miles, but was
marked by no particular severity or injury, except that of
fright to those who experienced it.
The whole number that can be authenticated as occurring during
1857, amounts to seventeen, being greater than the number
recorded in 1853 and 1856; and it would seem probable from
our records that this number is the maximum to which we shall
probably be subjected in this State.
From the Sandwich Islands we have no news of earthquakes save
one, which is here inserted: “A very severe shock of earthquake
was felt at Kawaihae, Hawaii, on the twenty-fourth of February,
the most severe that the residents there have had for many
years.”
The arrival of the whaling fleet from the Northern seas brings
no intelligence of the occurrence of these phenomena, as was
the case of the preceding year; hence, the presumption is,
that subterranean action has not been violent in those distant
regions during the year just passed.
On the coast of Mexico, and inclusive between the twenty-fifth
and thirty-second parallels, we have received intelligence of
the occurrence of one earthquake, which appears to have been
felt on both shores of the Gulf of California for a distance
of nearly two hundred miles, both north and south. We have no
records south of that point.
The shocks which we can authenticate within the limits of our
own State, are as follows:
January 9th.—This shock was felt from Sacramento to the
southern boundary of the State. It was preceded by three smart
shocks the night and morning previous. At Santa Barbara water
was thrown over the surface from a shoal well, seven feet deep,
the water in which was less than three feet in depth.
January 18th, 9h.—A light shock at Martinez and Benicia.
January 20th, 8h. 30m.—A smart shock was felt at Santa Cruz and
Mission San Juan.
January 21st, 23h.—On the evening of this day a smart shock
was felt at Mariposa. The wave and sound seemed to travel from
north-west to south-east. It was accompanied with a report like
that of a distant gun.
February 5th, 7h.—A smart shock was felt in San Francisco,
which shook the buildings that are situated on made-ground very
severely, while those situated on firmer bottoms were affected.
This shock was felt at Oakland and Stockton, but was not felt
at San José or Sacramento, as reported at the time.
March 14th, 15h.—A severe shock was felt at Santa Barbara and
Montecito. It was momentary in duration, attended with a loud
report.
March 23d, 12h. 27m.—A light shock in San Francisco.
May 3d, 22h.—A smart shock at Los Angeles and the Monte.
May 23d.—A light shock at Los Angeles; a report also that a
severe shock had been felt at Fort Tejon.
June 14th.—A shock was felt at Humboldt Bay. On the same day
several severe shocks were experienced at the Penal Island
(Carmen), Gulf of California, and which extended almost ninety
miles north and south of the island.
August 8th, 11h.—A smart shock was felt at Rabbit Creek, Sierra
County.
August 29.—A severe shock at the Tejon Reserve. No time is
given.
September 2d, 19h. 45m.—A light shock at San Francisco. This
shock was felt at Sacramento, Marysville, Nevada, San Juan,
Downieville, and Camptonville.
September 14th, 2 P.M.—A light shock in San Francisco.
October 19th, 18h. 30m.—A severe shock of an earthquake in San
Francisco.
October 20th, 12h. 8m., 12h. 35m., and 13h. 15m.—Three other
shocks occurred; the last was equally severe with that of
January 9th, at 8 A.M. People were much frightened, and left
their beds. The shock was felt at San José, but not at Oakland.
November 8th, 8h. 45m.—A shock at San Francisco, which was felt
at Oakland and Bodega. December 23d, 7h.—A light shock at San
Francisco.
Of the whole number which have occurred during the year, two
only have been felt at San Francisco that were not experienced
at other localities, and four others have occurred which have
been felt in common at other portions of the State—thus making
about one-third of the whole number that were in common here
and elsewhere.
Eight of the aggregate have occurred between the summer and
winter solstices.
Seven have occurred during the spring and summer months, and
ten during the winter and autumn.
Eight have occurred between the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.
1858.
During the past year we have had occasion to note the
occurrence of eight shocks of earthquake in this State. This
number is one-half less than that in 1857, and one-third less
the number in 1856. The shocks, with one exception, have been
unmarked by anything like violence, being little else than mere
vibrations or tremors, not noticeable by the great majority of
the people. They are as follows:
February 10th.—A smart shock at Kanaka Flat, Sierra County. No
time noted.
February 15th, 4h. 20m.—A light shock in San Francisco. Was
observed in the County of San Mateo ten miles south of the city.
August 19th, 22h. 10m.—A light shock in San Francisco. The
motion was east to west, and was undulatory.
September 2d.—A smart shock at Santa Barbara, no time given.
September 3d, 0h. 40m.—A smart shock in San José. This shock
was felt at Santa Cruz, twenty-five miles west, and was
evidently more marked in strength at that locality. No damage.
September 12th, 19h. 40m.—A smart shock at San Francisco. The
motion was from north to south. There were two vibrations with
undulatory movements lasting about fifteen seconds.
September 26th, 1h. 26m.—A light shock at San Francisco.
November 26th, 0h. 24m.—A heavy shock at San Francisco. This
shock was by far the heaviest during the year, it awoke most
people from slumber and created no little alarm; persons left
their beds and sought cooler situations with less attire
than is usually worn. The iron pillars in the second story
of the custom house have separated from the ceiling above
about half an inch, and are supposed to have settled from the
effects of the shock; I much doubt the alleged cause of this
displacement, as the pillars below present no indication of
similar disturbance. This shock was felt at Oakland ten miles
east of the city, but was not felt at Stockton, Sacramento,
nor Marysville. It was evidently confined to an area of ten or
twelve miles.
1859.
January 25th, 20h. 20m.—A heavy shock of earthquake was felt
in Trinity and Shasta counties. It was felt at Weaverville,
Shasta, and Horsetown.
April 4th, 13h.—Quite a severe shock was felt at San José.
There were several vibrations, apparently from north to south.
August 10th, 22h. 35m.—A smart shock was felt in this city (San
Francisco).
September 26th, 6h. 10m.—A smart shock at San Francisco.
October 5th, 13h. 18m.—A very smart shock at San Francisco.
November 27th, 19h. 15m.—A light shock at San Francisco.
December 1st, 0h. 50m.—A smart shock at San Francisco. Felt at
Oakland and Benicia.
December 1st, 14h. 10m.—Several successive shocks were felt at
San Bernardino; several of them were quite heavy, causing much
alarm. No damage was done.
Whole number of shocks during this year was eight.
1860.
During the year last past this portion of the Pacific coast has
been but little disturbed by earthquakes. There have been but
three during this period that can be well authenticated, and
one, viz.: December 21st, whose character is somewhat doubtful.
The shocks that have occurred are as follows:
March 27th.—A severe shock was experienced at Los Angeles and
vicinity, which was not productive of any damage to person or
property. No time is given in the account.
March 15th, 11h.—A violent shock was experienced at Sacramento;
the wave passed through the counties of Placer, Nevada, El
Dorado and Plumas. At Iowa Hill the church bells were rung,
also at Sacramento. At the latter place and at Forest City,
clocks, in many of the buildings, were stopped. This earthquake
extended to the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada. At Carson
City it occurred at 10h. 45m. and very violent; goods were
shaken off the shelves in many of the stores, and a general
panic and stampede prevailed.
November 12th.—A smart shock was felt at Humboldt Bay and its
vicinity, but no damage was done.
December 21st, 6h. 30m.—At San Francisco a series of light
vibrations of the earth occurred, which continued with but two
remissions for the space of half an hour. These vibrations
were not perceptible to persons in the building otherwise than
by mercurial column, which was equal to seven inches of the
barometer, and was the mercury gauge of an air pump that had
remained stationary at twenty-four inches for the space of four
hours. At this time the column in the gauge began to show much
disturbance by oscillating up and down in a very rapid manner
without any apparent cause; the stop screws (Faraday’s) were
all tried at the moment and found perfectly tight as they had
remained for hours previous.
The oscillations were watched carefully by Mr. J. Roach and
myself for half an hour, at which time they ceased. The maximum
of the mercury column was a fraction over an inch, which was
attained through vibrations of one-fourth to one-eighth of
an inch rapidly repeated and continuous, and as gradually,
through a series of lighter vibrations, the displacement would
diminish and the column subside to its former level; this was
three times repeated, the column at no time being at rest. The
period of time occupied by the column in reaching its maximum
of disturbance each time was from eight to twelve minutes.
There was no apparent cause for this disturbance, unless it
be attributable to a series of light vibrations of the earth
occurring in a vertical direction, and to that cause I am
disposed to assign it.
The passing of carriages on the street did not affect these
vibrations of the column, for they continued in the same manner
when those vehicles were not passing. While the oscillations
were going on, I took a sledge and struck some half a dozen
blows on an anvil block in the workshop, which did not make any
perceptible difference in the movements of the column; after
it had come to rest, the same experiment was repeated, but
the column did not in any manner react to the concussion thus
produced.
1861.
During 1861 there has been but one earthquake recorded in the
State.
July 4th, 16h. 11m.—A severe shock of earthquake occurred at
San Francisco. It consisted of three distinct waves following
each other in very rapid succession. Its effects to the east
of the city in the San Ramon Valley were more severe. Near the
house of Mr. Larabie it opened a large fissure in the earth. In
the vicinity of Mr. Porter’s it opened a new spring of water,
and a small running stream was also caused near Mr. Hunt’s. For
several days after, light shocks were repeated at intervals.
1862.
September 29th, 15h. 5m.—A very smart shock of earthquake at
San Francisco. This was felt at Petaluma.
December 23d, 20h. 19m.—A smart shock at San Francisco.
1863.
During the year 1863 we have had five earthquakes, and unmarked
by any serious event.
January 25th, 2h. 20m.—A severe shock was experienced at San
Diego, continuing from five to eight seconds. There was no
undulation in this instance, the shock consisting of a series
of sharp jars. It was preceded by a profound rumbling sound.
February 1st, 16h. 1m.—A very smart shock at the Mission San
Juan, Monterey County. At Gilroys the shock was felt (or
another) fifteen minutes later. The latter town is near twelve
miles east of the Mission. At both localities the motion was
undulatory. The shock was not felt at Monterey, twelve miles
west of San Juan.
June.—A smart shock at San Francisco.
July 15th, 10h. 19m.—A smart shock at San Francisco.
August 1st, 11h. 6m.—Two light shocks at San Francisco about
one hour apart.
December 19th, 12h. 38m.—A very smart shock was felt throughout
the city; directly afterwards another and more severe one
occurred. The first was a sharp, sudden jar, the second
undulatory. The accuracy of the telegraph operator at Santa
Clara enables us to form a correct idea of the course of this
wave. His time was 14h. 44m. 31s., and within twenty-nine
seconds of true time. The elapsed time is 7m. 31s., and gives
for the direction of the seismic wave a course north and south
(in lieu of east and west in my first notice which was thus
in error.) I take this opportunity to express the thanks of
the Academy to this operator for his accuracy and kindness in
furnishing us dates in this and other phenomena of scientific
and public interest.
The figures derived from our statistics furnish us the
following interesting results as to the frequency of shocks in
one season of the year more than in another. The tables below
furnish the details.
It is found from these figures that during the thirteen years
ending December, 1863:
_First._ The number of days on which earthquakes have occurred,
is one hundred and ten.
_Second._ The month in which the greatest number have occurred
is January, being sixteen; and the months in which the least
number have occurred, is April and February, the sum of each
being six.
_Third._ The winter months have given the largest number in
the aggregate, the sum being thirty-four. The summer months
the smallest number; their sum being twenty-three. The
spring months have given twenty-four, and the autumn months
twenty-nine.
_Fourth._ The number of shocks between the equinoxes foot up
thus. Between the autumnal and vernal equinoxes the sum is
sixty-four; between the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, the sum
fifty-two.
_Fifth._ The number of shocks that have taken place between the
solstices stand thus. From the winter to the summer solstice
the sum is fifty-four. From the summer to the winter solstice,
the sum is fifty-nine.
TABLE 1.—_Giving the number of shocks in each month of the
year, for thirteen years._
-------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
TABLE. |1850|1851|1852|1853|1854|1855|1856|1857|
-------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Jan. | | | | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
Feb. | | | | 1 | | 1 | 1 | 1 |
March | 1 | | | 1 | 2 | | 2 | 2 |
April | | | | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
May | 1 | 3 | | | 2 | | 2 | 2 |
June | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 1 |
July | | | | 1 | 1 | 2 | | |
August | 1 | | | | | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Sept. | 1 | | | 1 | 1 | | 2 | 2 |
October| | | | 2 | 2 | 2 | | 1 |
Nov. | | | 1 | 2 | | | 1 | 1 |
Dec. | | 2 | 1 | 1 | | 2 | | 1 |
+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
Total. | 5 | 6 | 2 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 16 | 17 |
-------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+
-------+----+----+----+----+----+----+------
TABLE. |1858|1859|1860|1861|1862|1863|Total.
-------+----+----+----+----+----+----+------
Jan. | | 1 | 1 | | | 1 | 16
Feb. | 1 | | | | | 1 | 6
March | | | 1 | | | | 8
April | | 1 | | | | | 6
May | | | | | | | 10
June | | | | | | 1 | 7
July | | | | 1 | | 1 | 7
August | 1 | 1 | | | | 1 | 9
Sept. | 4 | 1 | | | 1 | | 13
October| | 1 | | | | | 8
Nov. | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | | 8
Dec. | | 2 | 1 | | 1 | 1 | 12
-------+----+----+----+----+----+----+------
Total. | 7 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 111
-------+----+----+----+----+----+----+------
TABLE 2.—_Number of shocks occurring between the dates of the
equinoxes and solstices, for thirteen years._
-------+---------------+---------------+--------------+-------------
| Sept. 20th to | March 20th to | Dec. 21st to | June 21st to
TABLE. | March 20th. | Sept. 20th. | June 21st. | Dec. 21st.
-------+---------------+---------------+--------------+-------------
1850 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3
1851 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1
1852 | 2 | | | 2
1853 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 7
1854 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6
1855 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8
1856 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7
1857 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9
1858 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5
1859 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 6
1860 | 4 | | 3 | 1
1861 | | 1 | | 1
1862 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1
1863 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3
-------+---------------+---------------+--------------+-------------
Total | 64 | 52 | 54 | 60
-------+---------------+---------------+--------------+-------------
I regret that my records of the occurrence of earthquakes upon
the east coast of the United States is not more complete than
it is, and also that it does not extend through an equivalent
period of time as our own, from 1850 to date; but I have no
authentic records of their occurrence on the other side later
than 1854; my business at that time, and the subsequent period
that has elapsed, being such that I was not able to maintain
their continuation. In order to prove the statement made on
a preceding page correct as to our relative immunity on this
coast over equal extent of territory, I here subjoin the totals
on both coasts during that period of time. This statement
will also include those shocks which were matters of record
belonging to the West India Islands, and which properly belong
to the eastern-coast series.
The figures relating to this matter, stands thus:
In California during 1850, five shocks; 1851, six shocks; 1852,
two shocks; 1853, thirteen shocks; 1854, eleven shocks. Total,
thirty-seven shocks.
In United States, east coast. 1850, three shocks; 1851, seven
shocks; 1852, ten shocks; 1853, thirteen shocks; 1854, eleven
shocks. Total, forty-four shocks.
Balance against east coast, seven shocks.
West India Islands. 1852, seven shocks; 1853, three shocks;
1854, one shock. Total, eleven shocks.
These inclusive with the continental series foot up eighteen
days on which shocks occurred in excess of this coast during
the same period of time, and thus shows a margin of greater
frequency of little more than thirty per cent.
ERRATUM.
Page 131, line 16 from bottom, for “an oven” read “or even.”
REGULAR MEETING, MAY 2D, 1864.
Dr. Trask in the Chair.
Eleven members present.
Donations to the Cabinet: Specimens of dried plants, the types of species
lately described in these proceedings by Prof. Gray.
Mr. Brewer presented for Mr. Gabb the following paper:
On Cretaceous Fossils from Sahuaripa Valley, State of Sonora, Mexico,
discovered by August Rémond
BY W. M. GABB.
Mr. Rémond announced in a letter to me, the discovery of
fossiliferous rocks about a league and a half east of Arivechi,
Sahuaripa Valley, Sonora, Mexico. The fossils occur in a clay
slate, and are in a fine state of preservation. He says: “The
shales rest on sandstones, barren of fossils; feldspathic
porphyries protrude through them, but no alteration of the beds
were observed at the points of contact. Even the lamination of
the fossiliferous strata has not been disturbed, and shells
are found but a few millimetres from the porphyry.” He adds
that the fossil bearing strata may attain a thickness of four
or five hundred feet. The shales are overlaid by thick strata
of compact blueish limestone. The strata dip to the south-east
with an inclination of from thirty to fifty degrees, and form
the first range of foot-bills of the Sierra Madre.
I have identified the following species on a hasty examination,
proving conclusively the cretaceous age of the formation.
It is an interesting fact, that the fossils indicate a
closer relationship to the eastern deposits than to those of
California.
Turritella seriatim-granulata Roem. Cardium Tippanum? Con.
Chemnitzia (?) gloriosa Roem. Trigonia Evansii? Meek. Neithea
quadricostata Sow. Exogyra Texana Roem. Turbinolia Texana Con.
REGULAR MEETING, MAY 16TH, 1864.
President in the Chair.
Fourteen members present.
Rev. Mr. Neri, of Santa Clara, was elected a corresponding member.
Donations to the Cabinet: Volcanic cement, from Sierra County, containing
fossil wood; also a magnesian mineral, from a cavity in a quartz vein
near Nebraska, Sierra County. Mr. Clayton stated that when found it was
gelatinous, semi-transparent, and mixed with loose quartz crystals;
but on drying it shrank greatly in bulk and became fibrous, like fine
Asbestos. The miners say that it is not uncommon in that locality.
Seeds of a large Melon Cactus, from the Colorado deserts; also seeds of a
fine nutritious “bunch grass,” from the dry foot hills near Fresno river,
by Mr. J. E. Clayton.
Mr. Brewer stated that he had obtained further information regarding
the coal brought before the Academy Feb. 15th, by Prof. Blake. On the
authority of J. Ross Browne and another gentleman, he had learned that no
coal occurs in the locality near the Colorado River then mentioned, and
that the specimens were English coal carried up the river by speculators
for the purpose of swindling the public by selling stock in a fictitious
coal mine.
REGULAR MEETING, JUNE 6TH, 1864.
President in the Chair.
Nine members present.
Donations to the Cabinet: A piece of sandstone resembling in shape a
human foot, by Mr. Ed. Webber.
Donations to the Library: American Journal of Science and Arts for
March, 1864, from the editors. Observations on the Genus Unio, by
Isaac Lea, L.L.D., Vol. 10. How to collect and observe Insects, by H.
S. Packard, Jr. Plants of Buffalo, N. Y. and its vicinity, by G. W.
Clinton. Bulletin of the Museum of Zoölogy of Cambridge, Mass. pp. 29—60.
Report of contributions to the Pennsylvania Relief Association for East
Tennessee. Proc. of the Acad. Natural Sciences of Philadelphia from
October to December, 1863, and January and February, 1864. Contributions
to the Physics, etc. of the Sacramento River, by Thos. W. Logan, M.D.,
extracted from the Pacific Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. 7,
1864,—from the author.
REGULAR MEETING, JUNE 20TH, 1864.
President in the Chair.
Eleven members present.
C. W. M. Smith and Dr. McClure, of Redwood City, were elected resident
members.
Donations to the Cabinet: A large crab, from the west coast of Mexico, by
G. O. Haller, through Dr. Cooper.
Donations to the Library: Report of the Smithsonian Institution for 1862.
ADJOURNED MEETING, JULY 11TH, 1864.
Dr. Trask in the Chair.
Seven members present.
The following paper was received from the author, in accordance with the
proposition accepted by the Academy Dec. 7th, 1863.
Descriptions of New Marine Shells from the Coast of California.