WESTERN VOLCANOES

       Chances That Western Washing-
           ton May See Disastrous
                 Eruptions.

    Mountain Peaks of the American Andes
            and Their Interesting
                  History.

    Professor Plummer's Paper on "Recent
     Volcanic Activity" Read Before the
             Academy of Science.
       Tacoma Ledger-February 28, 1893


     The announcement that Mr. Plummer would read a paper on "Recent Volcanic
Activity in Washington," drew to the Annie Wright seminary a full  attendance
of the Academy of Science last night. Some  brief  routine  business  was  quickly
transacted, including the appointment of a committee to  arrange  with  the  Al-
pine club to form the fifth department of  the  academy,  and  another  committee
to consuls with the Commercial club and chamber of commerce regarding an
extra edition of the pamphlet containing Judge Wickersham's recent paper
on "Mount Tacoma."  Messers. Taylor, Bingham and General Kautz are the first,
and M. S. Hill, Judge Wickersham and G. W. Thompson composed the second
committee. In this connection letters were received  from  Dr.  Abbott  of  the
museum of archaeology and palaeontology of the University of Philadelphia,
and the Oneida Historical society of Utica, NY, expressing approbation and
encouragement for the academy's efforts to secure general  recognition  of  the
rightful name of the mountain.

     Professor Fred G. Plummer's paper was listened  to  with  close  attention,
it follows in full:

     During the preparation of this paper the writer  has  become  convinced  that
he runs some risk of being call an alarmist, and indeed  he  must  confess,  after
a careful study of the subject, there is cause for some apprehension.  To say
the very least, it will not be an overexercise of  caution  for  engineers  and
architects to give this subject more than a passing thought.

     What may occur in the future is entirely a matter of speculation-accurate
prediction is impossible. But we may study the  history  of  this  locality  and
from it form our opinions as to what may possibly, if not  probably,  happen  at
any moment and without warning.

     The Puget Sound valley lies nearly north and south.  The  sun,  moon  and
planets rise in the Cascades and set behind the Olympics.  In this lowland
nearly eighty miles in width are already  many  flourishing  cities,  surrounded
by fertile lands, unlimited forests of timber, a wealth  of  minerals  and  with
every facility for commerce. It is the very nearness  of  our  mountain  ranges-
with their inexhaustible resources of coal and minerals  and  water  power  that
will in time give us supremacy in the commerce of the world;  but  we  will  do
well to remember that we are living in a part of the world  just  made,  and  that
we view on every side the most recent of the volcanoes  of  this  vast  range--
the American Andes.



     Bordering the Sound country there are at least twenty prominent peaks from
which eruptions may take place, or which may be centers of earth tremors or
shocks, and several of these have within recent years given ample proof of
life.

     The following is a table of  the  more  prominent peaks together with their
directions and distances from Tacoma according to the best available data:


                                      Distance From  Elevation
     Name         -Direction           Tacoma-Mile'         Ft

Mount  Ellner     N66  w                42
The  Brothers     N53  w                40
Mount  Olympus    N52  w                66      8,150
Mount  Constance  N42  w                46      7,777
Mount  Moriarity  N35W                 160      5,185
Mount  Whymper    N34  w               141      5,120
Four  Brothers    N14  E               130
MduntBaker        N16  E               110     11,190
Mount Sheeksan    N22  E               118
Mount Sauk        N26  E                96
Mount Hozomeen    N34  E               128
Mount Bonaparte   N51  E               182      6,300
Mount Howard      N65  E                75
Mount Stuart      N74  E                65
Mount Aix         S59  E                66
Mount Tacoma      S56  E                41     11,450
Mount Miles       S50  E                82
Mount Adams       S34  E                85      9,570
Mount Abernathy   S23  E                91
Mount Hood        S18  E               130
Mount St. Helens  S15  E                60      9,759
Saddle Peak       S6  E                100
Saddle  Mountain  S32W                  108

     To the southward of the above group stretches a  long  line  of  cones  ending
only at Cape Horn.  Among the prominent peaks are Jefferson, Three Sisters,
Diamond, Scott, Pitt, Shasta, St,'Johns, Lassens, Whitney, Orizaba, Ixtaccihuatl,
Potocateptl, Mombaco, Ometepe, Orosi, Cotopaxi, Chimbrazo and Acongagua.

     To the northward are Calder, Edgecombe, La Perouse, Crillon, Lituya,
Fairweather, Tebenkof,.Hendrickson, Seattle, Hubbard, Vancouver, Cook, Logan,
St. Elias and ending with a long line  ofactive  cones  extending  out  and  forming
the  Alaska  Peninsula.

     It may well be believed that this enormous chain of upheavals, extending
a length of nearly 9000 miles makes  the  greatest  catastrophe  in  the  geological
history of our planet.

     It seems proper to preface this paper with some old Indian traditions, not
because of their having any real scientific value,  but  rather  that  they  may  be
compared with the accounts which follow and with  the  conditions  now  known  to
exist.

     Hamichous legend, as recorded by Winthrop, tells  of  a  wise  old  Squally-
amish hunter who lived near Nisqually,  whose  evil  spirit,  Tamanous,  directed
him to ascend Tacoma in search of the precious hiaqua--money.  Upon the
sumit the old hunter found the treasure in  the  crater  of  the  mountain,  near
a black lake, to the east of which were  three  stones  resembling  a  salmon's
head, a torch and an elk's head. The time  may  come  when  some  siwash  Ignatius
Donnelly will affirm that an Indian had reached the  summit  and  that  he  was
describing a large crater between the three peaks which judging from the
present shape of the mountain, probably existed at some early time.

     Another Indian legend recites that ages ago all the Indians around
Mount Tacoma became bad, and Soch-u-le-tyee (God) concluded to dispose
of them.  Wishing, however, to save some few good Indians, together with
representatives of the animal creation he directed a noted temanimus
(medicine) man to undertake their delivery.  This the temanimus
accomplished by shooting an arrow up into a cloud.  it stuck in the cloud.
Then he shot another arrow which stuck into the first.  In this way he
fastened together a long line of arrows extending from the cloud to the
earth.  The good Indians and animals climbed this rod and so were safely
lodged in the cloud.  Then the floods came and fire spouted out of the
mountain and all those bad Indian's were swept from the face of the earth. --After
many days  the temanimus man, thinking that the volcanic  furor  might  have  abated
enough to make it safe for them to come down, sent several animals out to explore.
The fish   finding a nice brook concluded not to go back at  all.  The  duck  also
deserted, but the beaver came back with a lump of mud on ms tail, assuming
then that the volcano had ceased to spout and that they might safely venture
out.  For  this reason the beaver has ever since been held  in  high  esteem  while
the fish was then and there sentenced to remain all  his  life  in  the  water,
and the duck was condemned to a wabbling gait forever.  The  good  Indians  and
the animals accordingly descended, the snake  coming  last, When  the  temanimus
man saw him crawling out to the rod he broke it off.  Hence the snake did
not come down at all, and to that is due the fact  that  there  are  no  snakes
around Mount Tacoma.

     A familiar tradition is one  which  recites  that  the  ColumbiaRiver  formerly
flowed under a natural bridge where it crosses the  axis  of  the  Cascades  range
and that during a convulsion of rature this bridge  fell,  and  the  debris  choking
the canyon formed the cascades of the Columbia.

     According to the story of John Hiaton (now living)  it  was  about  the  year
1820 that he witnessed an eruption of Mount  Tacoma,  accompanied  by  fire,  noise
and earthquake.  He had heard from older members of his tribe that this had
happened many times. He had also seen fires  from  Mount  Baker,  and  a  tradition
of his race is to the effect that this mountain was formerly  much  higher  and
that a tremendous explosion threw down  the  entire  south  side.  The  present
shape and condition of the mountain confirms  this  story.  Hiaton  also  refers  to
a tidal wave which washed up the Puyallup valley.  This was probably the
effect of submarine volcanic action,  It is possible that this was at the
same time and had the same cause as the tidal wave which swept over Santa
Barbara in 1812.


     The earliest reliable records of eruptions related to Mounts Hood and St.
Helens, both of which were visible from the early settlements on the
Columbia river.  An old historian, Rev. Samuel Parker, tells that "the Indians
say that they have often seen fires in the chasms of Mount Hood.  Tilki, the
first chief of the La Dalles Indians, who is a man of more than ordinary
talents, said that he had often seen fires in the fissures of the rocks in
the mountains."  A few years ago Captain Symonds, in his report on the
Columbia river, notes-that "persons who have visited Mount Hood say that near
its summit there are places where hot sulphurous gases still escape, and
there are many who claim to have seen smoke in large quantities issuing from
the mountain."

     In the story of his explorations Mr. Parker relates that "there was in
August, 1831, an uncommonly dark day, which was thought to have been caused
bv an eruption of a volcano.  The whole day was nearly as dark as night,
except a slight red, lurid appearance, which was perceptible until near
night.  Lighted candles were necessary during the day.  The atmosphere was
filled with ashes, which were very light, like the white ashes of wood, all
having the appearance of being produced by great fires, and yet none were
known to have been in that whole region around.  The day was perfectly calm,
without any wind.  For a few days after the fires out of doors were noticed
to burn with a bluish flame as though mixed with sulphur.  There were no
earthquakes.  By observations which were made after the atmosphere became
clear, it was thought the pure, white, perpetual snow upon Mount St. Helens
was discolored, presenting a brown appearance, and therefore it was concluded
that there had been upon it a slight eruption."

     In a foot-note this author says: "I have been creditably informed that
lava was ejected at that time from Ilount St, Helens."  The Klickitat name of
Mount St. Helens is Tak-one-lat-clah, and means "fire mountain."

     The historian, Thornton, in his "Oregon and California" writing of
Mount Hood says:  "The Indians affirm they have often seen fires in the
chasms of this mountain.  Independent of this, there are many facts that
leave no doubt that this is a volcano.  Mount St. Helens is an active
volcano, and was in a state of eruption in the year 1831.  With the exception
of a slight red, lurid appearance the day was dark and so completely was
the light of the sun shut out by the smoke and falling ashes that candles
were necessary.  The weather was perfectly calm and without wind, and during
several days after the eruption the fires out of doors burned with a bluish
flame as though the atmosphere was filled with sulphur.  Credible persons in
Oregon have informed me that they have ora several occasions since seen the
fire and smoke of this volcano.  The Rev. Josiah L. Parrish, who is connected
with  a Methodist mission in Oregon, informed me that on one occasion he wit-
nessed one of the most remarkable eruptions of this mountain.  I regret, however,
not having noted his relation in my journal.  The date of the eruption and the
facts connected with it have been obliterated from my memory.  I only remember
that the earthquake was felt, no noise was heard and that he saw vast columns i-
of lurid smoke and fire shoot up, which, after attaining a certain elevation, -
spread out in a parallel to the plain of the horizon and presented the appearance
of a vast table supported by immense pillars of convolving flame and smoke."


          At 1:40 p.m. Of June 29, 1833, two earthquake shocks Of slight intensity
     were felt at Fort Nisqually-  A  messenger  who  afterward  arrived  from  Fort
     Vancouver, 100 miles to the southward, reported that no shock was
                                                      felt at that
     point.


          The Rev. Gustavus Hines, an  oarly  missionary  to  the  Colum . bia river coufttry,
     writes that "in the month of October 1842,  St.  Helens  was  discovered  all  at
     once to be covered with a dense cloud of smoke, which continued to enlarge and
     move off in dense masses to the eastward,  and  filling  the  heavens  in  that
     direction, presented an appearance like that occasioned by a tremendous
     conflagration viewed at a vast distance. When  the  first  volume  of  smoke  had
     cleared away it could be distinctly seen from  different  parts  of  the  country
     that an eruption had taken place on the north side  of  St.  Helens,  a  little
     below the summit, and from the smoke that continued  to  rise  from  the  chasm
     or crater it was pronounced to be a volcano  in  active  operation.  When  the
     explosion took place the wind was northwest, and on the same day andextending
     from thirty to fifty miles to the southeast there  fell  showers  of  ashes  or
     dust, which covered the ground in some places so  as  to  admit  of  its  being
     gathered in quantities. This last  phenomena  has  been  of  frequent  occurrence
     and has led many to suppose that volcanic eruptions  are  not  uncommon  in  this
     country."

     The explorer, Fremont, says that on the  13th  day  of  November,  1843,  two
of the great snow cones (Mounts Tacoma and St.  Helens)  were  in  action.  "On
the 23rd of November St. Helens scattered its ashes like a light fall  of  ;now
over the dalles of the Columbia fifty miles away," and it was still burning
on February 16,1844, when another witness described it thus-, "The  mountain
burned most magnificently.  Dense masses of smoke rose up in immense columns and
wreathed the whole crest of the peak in sombre and massive clouds, and in the
evening its fires lit up the flaky mountain side with a flood of  soft,  yet
brilliant radiance."

     Father De Smet testifies that "in the year  1846  Mounts  St,  Helens  and
Baker became volcanoes, the latter immediately preceding the time of writing
had undergone considerable changes on the side where the crater was formed,"
This corresponds in some degree to the story of John Hiaton, although the
dates are not the same. It is also reported that Mount Tacoma  showed  signs
of activity at this time.

     Settlers of Whatcom County have often seen Mount Baker in a state of
eruption, giving out fire and smoke.  One old resident says he has at night upon
the water, several times seen the fires of Mount Baker, the smoke from which
draws down the Skagit valley. Parties who reached the summit in the year 1866,
report that the chasms on the northwest side are ot frightful depth. The top
of the mountain is of solid ice and snow, The crater lies to the  southward
and far below the summit. From the top smoke was plainly seen coming from  the
crater and a sulphurous smell was plainly perceptable.

     In January 1853, persons living down Sound could  distinctly  see  a  long.
black streak  on the southwest slope of Mount Baker which was variously estimated
at from 1000 to 2000 feet in width.  It was several months before this mass of
lava (as it undoubtedly was) had cooled so as to receive  the  falling  snow.
Persons who reached the summit in 1881, report that just south  of  the  peak
is an enormous chasm bearing nearly east and west and at  least  1000  feet
beloif the summit. At the bottom of this chasm is the crater,  and  it  was
from its western mouth  thip river of lava flowed.,

     In 1861 people at Port Ludlow saw Mount Oympus in a state of eruption.

     Mrs. Victor, while describing Oregon scenery, says (in 1869) that a
late slight eruption of Mount Hood, lasting for several  hours,  must  have
been distinctly visible at Dalles City.

     On Sunday,June 27, 1869, at about-8:30 p.m. quite  a  severe  earthquake
shock was felt at Seattle. Very little damage was  done  although  dishes  were
thrown from pantry shelves and many. people were startled by  the  sharpness
of the shock.

     The most violent earthquake of recent times occurred  in  September  of
the year 1870. All evidence goes to prove that the  shocks  came  from  the
direction of Mount Olympus in the Olympic range.  On  the  Cowlitz  prairies
stock was stampeded, chimneys were destroyed, fences were  leveled  and  in
the houses the chairs rocked and clocks were thrown  from  the  mantels.  At
Yelm there were observed two very strong shocks, followed by several
slight ones.  Clocks were stopped and many thrown down.  Chickens were
thrown off the roosts and chimneys and buildings were cracked.  In many places
earth fissures were formed, and on the Columbia river trail  it  was  necessary
to make repairs in many places to prevent  accidents  to  horses.  Numerous
cracks  were found, some as far east as Okanogan and Yakima.  In many parts a
dull rumbling noise was heard. At Olympia  houses  rocked  violently,  throwing
down chairs, and destroying crockery, and a child was thrown from  its  bed.
The maple trees swayed to and fro like inverted  pendulums,  and  people  who
stood in the streets to avoid falling chimneys, were thrown  to  the  ground.
In Lewis County many chimneys were broken off close to the roofs.    The  side-
wheel steamer Alida was lying at her dock at Port Gamble  with her   stern
pointing north and the dock to the westward.  Her officers and her   men were-
startled by a strong blow against the guards on the port side, and   rushed
out upon the dock thinking the steamer had been run  into.  A  strong swell
immediately began to roll the boat, and from the excited people who had
rushed into the streets, they learned that an earthquake had occurred.
Gamblers deserted their tables, leaving their gold in the  scramble  to  get
out from under buildings.  It may be presumed that Port Gamble was well
and truly named.  With this earthquake is connected the fall of a
large portion of Mount Tacoma, for upon the first clear day following
the shocks it could be clearly seen that the Liberty Cap Cor north peak)
had lost about eighty acres from its southern end, which h.ad  been  detached
from the main part of the peak and was distributed down  the  western  slope.
The Liberty Cap  now shows a nearly perpendicular face on the southern side
which is plainly visible from points south of Yelm.  Were the evidence
as to the direction of the earthquake less clear, it might be argued
that the falling of this immense mass produced the  shocks,  but  the
reverse is probably true.  The Puyallup Indians have a tradition that
at one time Tacobet (Mount Tacoma) broke near  the  summit.  A  point
fell off and drifted over to the Olympics, and after this phenomena
there was snow on the Olympics--but never before.

     On Saturday, the 14th of December, 1872, at 9:40  p.m.,  a  very
strong shock was felt over the whole Puget Sound country  and  as
far south as Skookumchuck, where trees swayed and created a
panic among stock. In Seattle it was stated by  a  paper  that  "With
the exception of the earthquake of 1865 at San Francisco it is doubt-
ful if so violent and long continued a shock has  been  felt  for
years on the entire coast. No damage was done,  but  the  frame
buildings swayed to and fro like small craft at sea.  At Olympia roofs
were cracked and the maples swayed violently.  People rushed from
hotels and houses in terror and general panic prevailed until the
cessation of the shocks.  At Duwamish head a flagpole thirty feet
high waved a distance of four feet.  At Seattle several lumber piles
were thrown down." There were three series of shocks, which
witnesses generally agree came from the northeast  or  from
Mount Baker. In this connection I quote  from  Mrs.  Victor,  who
wrote in 1872 that "St. Helens has been frequently  known  since  the
settlement of the country to throw out steam  and  ashes,  scattering
the latter over the country for 100 miles and obscuring the
daylight (on one occasion) so that it was necessary to burn
candles. Mount Baker, more active as a  volcano  than  the  other
peaks, has since 1867, suffered loss of height and change of
form consequent on the falling in of the walls  of  its  crater."
Whether the earthquake caused the falling in or the failing
caused the earthquake is a question for debate.

     On the 9th of January 1873, several sharp  shocks  were  felt
at Tacoma, and with less force at Seattle. No  damage  was  done.
On November 20th of the same year shocks were felt at Tacoma,
and the following December three shocks were felt at Olympia.

     In the year 1874, persons living on the prairies  south  of
Tacoma distinctly felt several slight shocks.

     On Monday, the 7th of December, 1880, at 5:45 p.m.,
strong shocks were felt throughout the Sound  country.  The
testimony is conflicting as to its direction, but it  was  either
from Mount Tacoma or from Mount Baker.  The Weekly Intelligencer
published at Seattle said in its issue of the following day
that "It consisted of three vibrations in rapid  sucession.
People rushed into the streets from stores, restaurants and
saloons.i., No dama e resulted there from so far as could be
learned.  The vibrations were from east to west and felt in
all parts of the city and also along the water  front.  Captain
Ballard of the Zephyr states that he was in his office  writing
when the steamer was off Milton point and he felt the shocks very
distinctly.  The steamer rocked as though in a rough sea, and
he supposed the commotion was caused by the wave of a passing
steamer and did not learn the real cause until he
arrived in port fifteen minutes afterward.  The Chinese portion
of the population were the most frightened and it was an hour or
two after the shock before they subsided and stopped their
jabbering.

     On the following Sunday, the 12th of December, at about
9 o'clock in the evening the entire region of 200 miles around
Mount Tacoma experienced a series of sharp earthquakes which
were accompanied by deep rumblings. The ground  seemed  to
wiggle and twist and cause many panics in churches, hotels and
houses.

     Dishes were shaken from pantry shelves, clocks were stopped
and several lamps were overturned, but no very serious damage
resulted. At Tacoma the engineer of a  switch  locomotive,
who was doing some work under his engine, was startled  by
the loud ringing of the bell and called lustily to the fire-
man not to start the locomotive.  The ringing of a church bell
caused an alarm of fire to be spread.  In the Puyallup and
Stuck valleys the motion was described as waving and  like
the swell from the sea.  Witnesses near Sumner state
that they could distinctly hear the approach and passage of
the shocks and were conscious of their direction and that they
came from Mount Tacoma.  The chimneys of hop-kilns suffered by
the shocks and some buildings were strained.

     In the latter part of the same month a Whatcom County paper
said a "high meteor was observed to descend upon the Chuckanut
Mountains, near Samish, a few days ago which illuminated the
heavens and made the earth plainly resound to its striking.
It was probably a rocket from the fireworks of Mount Baker, which
was said to be in a state of eruption at the time."

     A clipping from a Seattle paper dated December 21, 1880,
states that considerable excitement was caused yesterday
afternoon by the announcement.that smoke was issuing from one
of the prominent peaks of the coast range of mountains.  Hundreds
of people lined the streets to witness the strange phenomena,  A
volume of white smoke could plainly be seen rising from the
peaks much as smoke does from the smokestack of a steamer, and
after ascending a short distance would be scattered as if by
the wind.  Many brought glasses to bear on the object under
discussion, and the prevailing opinion seemed to be that a new
volcano in a state of eruption had been discovered,  while
others throught it might be mist or fog rising from the
gulches in the mountains and looking much like smoke."

     In the summer of 1883 Tacoma received  a  shock  which  has  not  been
reported from other localities,  Buildings were strained, and one
ordinarily steady-going building is  said  to  have  danced  on  its  founds,
tions-  The direction of this shock was from Mount Tacoma, as shown
by the swinging of  kerosene  chandeliers  which  were  hung  on  hooks.  The
stroke of this shock is variously estimated at from three to six inches.

     On June 16, 1884, at about 7 p.m., jets of steam were seen shooting
upward from the summit  of  Mount  Tacoma  to  a  considerable  height.  This
phenomena was repeated at short intervals until darkness cut off the
view.  There was no fire, and no earth tremors  were reported.

     In the fall of 1889 several slight tremors  were felt in
the Puyallup valley and in the regions immediately surrounding Mount
Tacoma, and in September, 1891, there were several small shocks
felt at Tacoma, but these were so slight that to my knowledge no
record has been kept of  the  dates  or  directions.

     On November 20, 1891, at 3:15 p.m., two very perceptible shocks
were felt at Tacoma a few seconds apart.

     Climbers in the Cascades in 1891 have seen fires coming from
Mount Hozomeen, which is eastward from Mount Baker,  Sheep herders
east of the mountains have frequently seen eruptions bf this mountain
in recent years, and if one report is true this volcano is the
"Old Faithful" of  the  Cascades.

     On April 17, 1892, at 2:55 p.m., two slight shocks were- felt at
Tacoma.

     For the purpose of convenient reference the foregoing data is
arranged in tables as follows;

                 EARTHQUAKES



Year   Shocks   Force

1820   Several  Violent
1833   Two      Slight
1869   One      Sharp
1870   Two      Severe
1872   Three    Sharp
1873   Several  Sharp
1874   Several  Slight
1880   Three   Strong
1880  Several  Sharp
1883   One      Strong
1889  Several  Slight
1891  Several  Slight
1891   Two      Slight
1892   Two      Slight


                     ERUPTIONS

      Name                Year  Duration

Mount  Tacoma            1820?  --------
Mount  Tacoma             1843  -     --------
Mount  Tacoma             1846  --------
Mount  Tacoma             1884  2   Hours
Mount  St.   Helens       1831  12   Hours
Mount  St.   Helens       1842  Short
Mount  St.   Helens       1843  Short
Mount  St.   Helens     1843-4  85   Days
Mount  St.   Helens       1846  Short
Mount  Baker             1820?  --------
Mount  Baker              1846  --------
Mount  Baker              1853  --------
Mount  Baker              1880  --------
Mount  Hood              1831?  --------
Mount  Hood               1869  3?Hours
Mount  Hozomo-en          1891  --------
Mount  Olympus            1861
Mount  Olympus(?)         1880  3?Hours


     An  eminent  seismographer,  Professor  Alexis  Perry,  by  a  long   series
of observations and carefully prepared tables, has sought to prove that
there  is  a  relation  between  the  occurrence  of,earthquakes  and  the  motions
of the moon. While it  may  be  acknowledged  that  in  the  history  of the
earth more earthquakes  have  occurred  near  the  times  of  new  and  full
moons  than  at  the  quarters,  it is still an open question if the moon actually
exerts an influence.  That our complaisant satellite may attract the
subterranean  fluids  as  well  as  those  upon  the  earth's  surface  needs
no proof, but  that  there  are  such  fluids  is  yet  to  be  demonstrated.
Eminent  scientists  of  both  hemispheres  believe  that  volcanic   eruptions
are chemical rather than mechanical in their nature, and it is now a
favorite  theory  that  volcanic  outbursts  are  the  results  of  the  sudden
dntrance of sea water into subterranean caverns.  It may, indeed, be argued
that the presence of volcanoes is indicative of comparative safety from
violent earthquakes, inasmuch as they are really great safety valves
which to  relieve internal pressures.  If  this  be  true  Tacoma  has  nothing
to fear from earthquakes, for we have volcanoes to spare,

     The intensity  of  an  earthquake  shock  depends  upon  the  distance  and
depth of the center of activity, as well as the initial violence of the
shock. The  intensity  is  inversely  as  the  square  of  the  distance,  and  it
follows that a shock which  might  throw  a  man  off  his  feet  at  Mount  Tacoma
might be barely  perceptible  in  this  city.  It  is  not  rpcorded  that  any  of
the earthquakes experienced  in  the  Puget  Sound  valley  have-  been  fatal  to
man or beast, but it  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  last  shock  of  any
consequence was in 1880,  and  at  that  time  there  were  no  tall  buildings  of
brick or  stone  to  be  destroyed.  Buildings  of  wood  are  more  elastic  than
those of  masonry,  and  will  stand  a  shock  of  greater  amplitude  without
destruction.  A comparatively light series of vibrations mig_ht be cumulative


in effect and shatter the strongest and highest of our buildings, while
lower and weaker structures might show no strains.  It is only fair to
admit that a shock like that of 1872 might be very disastrous to the
Sound cities as they are now built, and such shocks are quite likely to
occur at any moment if we are to judge by the past.