Nevada Appeal at 150: Oct. 4, 1915: Seismic controls have merry time

Editor’s note: At an estimated 7.1 magnitude, one of the strongest earthquakes in Nevada history shook Pleasant Valley, some 40 miles south of Winnemucca, and surrounding areas in north-central Nevada on Oct. 2, 1915. Although its epicenter was in a remote location, damage was reported to adobe structures as well as mine foundations, ranches and mine tunnels. No fatalities were reported, but aftershocks were felt throughout Northern Nevada.

Oct. 4, 1915: Seismic controls have merry time

The powers that control seismic disturbances were in convivial mood all Saturday afternoon and evening and paid their respects to almost every town on the West Coast located between Salt Lake and San Francisco on the east and west, and nearly the whole section between the borders of British Columbia and Sonora in Mexico. The visits did not do much material damage, but the oscillations were of sufficient force to let people know that something out of the ordinary was doing.

In Carson and vicinity six distinct shocks were felt, the first occurring a little before 4 o’clock in the afternoon and the last a few minutes before midnight. The heaviest movement was felt at 5 minutes to 11 and was of sufficient magnitude to awaken scores from their slumbers and scare them from their homes. It lasted fully forty seconds, and during that period it kept people guessing whether it was going to quit or not.

No damage was done in this section beyond the breaking perhaps of some glassware and the globes of chandeliers in some of the public buildings.

For a while the story was current that the temblor had cut off the supply of water at the Carson Hot Springs and the rumor was carried even as far as Reno, but inquiry proved the story a canard, and a visit paid to the springs yesterday by a number of town visitors showed that the water flow was normal and no change was noted in its temperature.

This continues the Appeal’s review of news stories and headlines during its Sesquicentennial year.