Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Volume III, 1863-1867Various
Science
Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Volume III, 1863-1867
Various
California Academy of Sciences -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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