352 



L. MARTIN ^ALASKAN EARTHQUAKES OF 1899 



creased; it lasted 1 minute and 10 seconds. The north-south vibrations 

 were so violent that Lieutenant Babcock saw the ground move, cook pails 

 were upset, tall spruces swayed dangerously, and he had a feeling not of 

 fear, but of utter helplessness, accompanied by a slight nausea resembling 

 seasickness. After the shaking eight muffled reports at intervals of about 

 12 seconds were heard, perhaps from falling avalanches. 



In the Tiekel Valley, near Copper Eiver, E. S. Larson says the shocks 

 caused the ground to move, the trees to wave, and woke a man sleeping 

 on the ground. The date was not recorded, but possibly is that of Sep- 

 tember 3. 



At Valdez, 250 miles northwest of Yakutat Bay, Dr. L. S. Camicia, a 

 watch-repairer and optician, reports a strong shock at 2.33 p. m,, during 

 which it was impossible to stand on one^s feet. Jacob Suter^^ says his 

 chair creaked and swayed, the log cabin shook, and trees rocked. Valdez 

 was not damaged by water waves because the shock came at low tide. 



Upper Copper Eiver. — At Copper Center, 250 miles northwest of Yaku- 

 tat Bay, Mr. J. F. Eice, a quartermaster's clerk of the Copper Eiver 

 Exploring Expedition, was shaken off a stump on which he was standing 

 and making observations at 2 p. m.^^ The ground rocked, trees swayed 

 as in a hurricane, and avalanche roars were heard. 



Mr. A. N". Powell, a scout and guide for the same expedition, who was 

 near the Junction of the Klutina and Copper rivers, said the earth gave 

 about three swings during 5 seconds, and that there was nothing unusual 

 in the smoking of Mount Wrangell at the time.^^ 



Wrangell Mountains. — Mr. Oscar Eohn, geologist for the Copper Eiver 

 Exploring Expedition, was near the divide of the Nizina and Chisana 

 (Tanana) glaciers, in the Wrangell Mountains. This is 170 miles north- 

 west of Yakutat. The surface of the glacier swayed up and down with a 

 slow undulating movement, violent and persistent enough to cause a 

 touch of nausea. The vibrations were perhaps two or three a minute and 

 the motion approximately northeast and southwest. There were minor 

 rapid after-shocks. ^^ 



Nutzotin Mountains. — Near Mentasta Pass shocks, presumed to be of 

 this group, were felt by Mr. G. B. Eorer, a prospector. This pass across 

 the N'utzotin Mountains is about 250 miles northwest of Yakutat. 



21 Seattle Daily Times, September 21, 1899 ; same, September 29, 1899. 



23 Senate Document 306, 56th Congress, 1st session, Washington, 1900, p. 102 ; and 

 Senate Report 1023, 56th Congress, 1st session, Washington. 1900, p. 788. 



2" Op. cit.„ page 132 in Document 306 and page 804 in Report 1023. 



2* Copper River Exploring Expedition. Senate Document 306. 56th Congress. 1st ses- 

 sion. Washington. 1900. p. 123 ; and Senate Report 1023, 56th Congress, 1st session, 

 Washington, 1900, p. 800. 



