318 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE COMMISSION. 
plains on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. The superintendent said that water 
was thrown out of troughs in a northeast and southwest direction. Movable objects 
were not disturbed. 
Mendota. — Mendota is on the low alkali plains on the west side of the San Joaquin 
River in Fresno County. The intensity of the shock was comparatively light. In the 
town there were 17 brick chimneys and not one was thrown down. The railroad tank, 
two-thirds full of water at the time, was shaken down; but it was very insecurely built 
and only a very small vibration was necessary to overthrow it. Bottles and other unstable 
articles were not disturbed. The proprietor of one of the hotels, who was up, stated 
that the first movement was east and west, the second north and south, terminating 
with a decided twist. People who observed the plains at the time said that they assumed 
a wave-like appearance, and that trains rose and fell as the undulations past beneath 
the tracks. They also state that this wave motion was confined to the north and south 
movement, the east and west motion being more in the nature of a tremor. In the irri- 
gated lands south of Mendota, considerable water was thrown from the canals. 
Mendota to Coalinga. — At an oil-pumping station 10 miles south of Mendota, there 
were 10 large tanks; of these the roofs (unsubstantially braced) of 6 caved in, and much 
oil was thrown over the sides. The brickwork of the furnaces was not cracked. At 
the ranch-houses, about 6 miles east of the pumping plant, milk and water were thrown 
from their receptacles, and considerable damage was done by the breaking out of the 
head gates in the canals. The direction of greatest intensity is said to have been east 
and west. Many people in this region suffered from a nauseating sensation following 
the quake. 
Coalinga. —'The tops of a few of the walls of brick buildings were slightly damaged, 
as shown by the accompanying photograph. (Plate 123p.) A few dishes and bottles 
were thrown from the shelves, and water was slopt out of the tanks, but none cap- 
sized. The direction of greatest intensity of the vibrations was northeast-southwest. 
At the oil wells no damage was done either to wells or pipe lines. At a pumping station, 
the brick lining of the furnace was cracked slightly. Considerable oil was thrown from 
the tanks. In a large reservoir containing No. 10 oil (very heavy), the oil was thrown 
up 10 inches on the northeast and southwest sides. In a pump having No. 16 grade, 
the oil was splasht 3 feet up the sides. 
Dudley. — Going south from Coalinga thru the Kettleman plains, the intensity of 
the shock apparently decreased, tho there were so few inhabitants that it was impossible 
to get definite data. At Dudley Station (a farm-house) nothing on the shelves was 
disturbed nor had milk or water slopt over. It was evident that the earthquake 
was less intense than at Coalinga. Entering the mountains west of Dudley, there was 
a further decrease in the intensity. 
Cholame. — At the east side of the Cholame Valley, the occupants of a ranch-house 
had not felt the shock. At Cholame Post-office the shock was felt, but very slightly. 
The postmaster stated that it had a rocking sensation rather than a shaking one. At 
the Cholame ranch a mud chimney about 7 feet high was left standing out by itself 5: 
unharmed, but very insecure. 
Parkfield.—Near Parkfield there are fissures in the earth, bearing N. 45° W., known 
to have existed since the first coming of white men. In some places the depressions are 
35 feet deep. These fissures were not reopened at the time of the late earthquake. 
Stone Canyon Coal Mine. — At the coal mine the shock was very noticeable. The 
fireman on duty the morning of the earthquake stated that the smoke-stacks, 35 feet 
high and guyed, swung considerably in various directions. No shifting occurred in the 
strata of the underground workings. It was stated that the movement was northeast 
and southwest. 
