ISOSEISMALS: DISTRIBUTION OF APPARENT INTENSITY. 169 
Regarding other parts of the valley, Mr. Blackburn reports that all the other towns 
bordering on Eel River Valley suffered less than Ferndale. Loleta, on the northeastern 
edge of the valley, partly up Table Bluff, did not suffer severely. Fortuna, northeast- 
east of Ferndale, suffered less than Ferndale, tho only 6 miles distant; other towns up 
the Valley suffered still less. At Grizzly, population 70, 5 miles east of Ferndale, chim- 
neys were thrown to the ground and crockery in the houses smashed, according to Mr. 
A. C. Matheson. 
To the west of Ferndale, on the coast about 0.5 mile south of Oil Creek, a large landslide 
was caused by the earthquake and is described in the following note by Professor Kakle: 
“A section of the coast roughly estimated as one-third of a mile in length slipt on a 
75° plane into the ocean, forming a point of land extending 100 yards or more into the 
sea. The slide destroyed a portion of the coast road which ran along the edge of the 
cliffs. The coast cliffs consist of Merced sandstone, dipping 45° to the north, and there 
is evidence that landslides have been quite frequent here in the past.’’ 
Cape Mendocino Light Station (R. Jensen). — The shock traveled from southeast to 
northwest. The light-tower and house were heavily shaken. The brick foundations 
and water cisterns, as well as the concrete in the yard, were broken. 
Petrolia, Humboldt County. Population 200. (A.S. Eakle.) — Practically every house 
was thrown off its foundations. A moderate shock, however, could do much damage 
to the town, owing to its situation and the way the houses were constructed. The houses 
are built on the soft bottom land of the Mattole River, several of them within a few feet 
of the river, and their supports are simply blocks of wood, stone, or concrete resting on 
the surface of the ground. In the shake-up the blocks under the houses were unequally 
rocked and some became overturned, causing the houses to slip. The movement was in 
general east and west. Cracking of the land occurred along the edge of the river in close 
proximity to the hotel, which was quite badly damaged. ‘Two houses on a terrace about 
20 feet high, on the right bank of the river, were not injured as much as those below. 
A note from Mr. Blackburn regarding this same town says that the only place which 
is reported to have suffered relatively more than Ferndale is the little town of Petrolia, 
on the Mattole River; there frame houses were moved from their foundations and even 
fell completely; the earth cracked very much and made wide fissures; many slides 
occurred and the shock was heavier. The general direction of the shock was from the 
southwest. The valley along the Mattole River is very narrow and the mountains are 
higher than near Ferndale. 
From Petrolia to Shelter Cove we have the following note by Professor Eakle as to 
the destructive effects of the earthquake: 
About 10 miles up the river at Upper Mattole, the ranch house of Mr. Roscoe was moved 
about 2 inches westerly and the chimney destroyed. At the town of Briceland, on the south 
fork of the Mattole River, the shock was severe but considerably less intense than at Petrolia. 
The store moved westward one inch and the stock was thrown from the shelves. Damage 
to the town was slight, and at Garberville, farther east, it was still less. From Briceland to 
Shelter Cove by stage road there are but two houses and these had their chimneys thrown off, 
but nothing more serious. No cracking of the land occurred except in the vicinity of the 
Cove. The buildings at Notley’s, within 1 mile of the fault on the west side, suffered no 
damage. Even a terra-cotta chimney was not overthrown, altho it was knocked awry. 
Some of the furniture was displaced and some of the goods in the store were scattered about. 
On the stage road between Eureka and Sherwood, Professor Kakle reports that the 
shock was sufficiently severe to throw some chimneys at the various very small settlements 
along the road, and that the general movement of the vibration in this section was re- 
ported to be easterly and westerly. The town of Fortuna suffered most. 
Fortuna, Humboldt County. Population 1,100. (D. L. Thornberry.) — Many windows 
in stores were broken and the stocks of merchandise on the shelves were thrown down. 
