GREAT EARTHQUAKE OF SEPTEMBER TENTH 367 



Along the Upper Yukon or Lewes Kiver, near the month of ISTorden- 

 skiold Eiver, 190 miles north of Yakntat, Mr. J. J. Mc Arthur, in charge 

 of the telegraph line, did not feel this earthquake personally, probably 

 because he was travelling on horseback, although his men working on the 

 winter trail did. He did hear an irregular succession of loud detona- 

 tions like the booming of cannon, and thought it was blasting. It may 

 have been the fall of avalanches. He followed a trail from which his 

 axemen had removed fallen timber that morning and found that trees up 

 to 12 inches in diameter were overturned across the trail by the swaying 

 motion of the earthquake. There was no wind at the time. 



At Whitehorse, south of Lake Lebarge and 170 miles northeast of 

 Yakutat, Mr. Gr. S. Fleming, the government telegrapher, reports that the 

 severe earthquake September 10 came at 1.30 p. m., lasting between 45 

 and 60 seconds. Windows and dishes rattled; water splashed out of a 

 pail; people rushed out of a log cabin, but had no difficulty in walking. 

 Several waves crossed the river and dust rose from falling river bluffs. 

 The motion of the earth was gradual. H. E. Porter observed trees sway- 

 ing overhead on a perfectly still noon. 



At Tagish, on Lake Bennett, 180 miles east of Yakutat, this shock was 

 also felt and reported by telegraph to Whitehorse, 50 miles northward. 

 The level of Lake Bennett is said to have been disturbed. 



At Caribou Crossing, Bennett, A¥hite Pass, and various other points 

 on the trails in Yukon Territory between Lake Bennett and the Klon- 

 dike district, the earthquake was also felt,^^ the information being often 

 indefinite as to date, place, etcetera, or exaggerated in details. 



North of Saint Elias Range. — At Dalton House, Yukon Territory, east 

 of the Alsek River, near 60° 6' 30" north latitude and 137° 4' west longi- 

 tude, about 90 miles northeast of Yakutat Bay, the great earthquake was 

 felt by Sergt. A. E. Acland, of the Eoyal N'orthwest mounted police. It 

 came about noon and lasted fully a minute. A log cabin was so severely 

 shaken as to be unsafe ; trees and flagpoles vibrated like a snapped whip ; 

 Avater spilled out of the east and west sides of wash dishes and pails; 

 kitchen utensils swung on their nails; plates and cups were shaken off 

 shelves ; horses grazing two miles away came home at a gallop, frightened 

 and snorting. There were heavy noises from the southwest, resembling 

 far-away explosions or rumbling of thunder, thought by Mr. Acland to 

 be due to shifting of glaciers in the Alsek Valley, but perhaps caused by 

 avalanches. The motion was a gentle shaking at first, growing grad- 

 ually more severe and then dying away. The men had to brace their 

 knees in order to keep from falling. 



8« victoria Semi- Weekly Colonist, September 25, 1899; Seattle Weekly Times, Septem- 

 ber 27, 1899 ; same, October 4, 1899. 



