176 



EARTHQUAKES ON THE PACIFIC COAST 



resembled distant thunder or the roaring of water which had 

 suddenly been let loose by the bursting of huge dam gates. In 

 a few seconds the noise increased to a roar and the ground be- 

 neath his feet seemed to heave up. 



" The motion at first was west to east," said he, " and then several 

 violent shocks passed from north to south. I felt as if I was 

 on the deck of a vessel during a heavy storm, and I put my hands 

 to the ground to prevent myself from falling on my face. After 

 that brick w^alls and chimneys began to fall all around and the 

 noise for a minute or so was deafening. Occasionally I could hear 

 the shrieks of women above the din, and soon people began to 

 rush into the streets in their night clothes." 



The ground was fissured in many places. The public schoolhouse 

 and the college, a couple of two-story brick buildings near the 

 railroad depot, have also been badly racked. It is thought that 

 the upper story of the school biiilding will have to come down. 



Fig. 



-Map of Yolo and Solano counties showing the area where the earthquake 

 was most severe. 



1892. April 19; Dixon. 



At 2.45 o'clock this morning people were awakened by an ominous 

 rumbling, followed almost immediately by a heavy shock and the 

 twisting and groaning of timbers. 



Scarcely had the first vibration ceased before a second of shorter 

 duration began. Toppled walls and crushed roofs presented 



