July 10th, 20h. 15m.—A severe shock at Los Angeles, which did considerable damage.
There were four distinct shocks during the earthquake, with a period of about two or three seconds elapsing between each vibration. During their continuance the ground opened in several places, in fissures of one or two inches, the marks of which remained for several days afterwards. There were some twenty-six buildings in the city more or less injured, which I personally examined, and among them the church, the west wall of which was split from top to bottom in two places, the fissures being from one to two and a half inches in breadth, running entirely through. The east wall split at a slight angle from the perpendicular, and had but one fissure. The walls of the Star Hotel were split in several places, and on the west side there appears to have been a decided horizontal motion, as the wall was displaced on that side horizontally to the depth of about one inch, and some eight or nine feet in length. The amount of displacement decreased from the west end of the building towards the center. It is a fact worthy of note, that none of the thin adobe walls of the buildings suffered injury, while most of the thick-walled buildings were injured to a greater or less extent.
During the earthquake, many articles were thrown down; those that were standing on shelves against the east end of the buildings were thrown westward on to the floor, and those on the opposite end of the buildings were thrown back in an inclined position against the walls. These features were noticed in the drug stores of Doctors Winston and Hope, situated on the main street, and a short distance west of the church.
The meteorological condition of the atmosphere was rather unusual, and is described as follows: The day was unusually warm and sultry, attended with a little rain, (the latter very unusual) and a sudden change of temperature to unpleasant coldness. At Point San Juan there was observed considerable commotion in the water, attended with a strong rushing sound, and two unusually heavy surf swells, immediately following the last shock.
This shock was felt distinctly at the saw-mill, some eight miles east of San Bernardino, about seventy miles east of Los Angeles, and at Santa Barbara, about one hundred miles in a westerly direction.
Aug 12th, 9h. 30m.—A light shock of an earthquake was felt at Georgetown, which lasted about three seconds. The vibration apparently came from the north. Between this date and the tenth July there were four other light shocks, the dates of which are not recorded.
Oct. 21st, 19h. 45m.—A smart shock of an earthquake was felt in San Francisco. The buildings situated over the water were violently shaken. There was much commotion in the water of the harbor a few minutes preceding the shock, which caused several vessels to heave heavily at their hawsers and cables.
Oct 27th, 15h.—A light shock was felt in the valley of Clear Lake. On the same day a shock was felt at Downieville, which lasted about five seconds. At Goodyear’s Bar it was more severe than at the preceding locality.
Dec. 5th, 11h. 20m.—The shock of an earthquake was felt at Humboldt Bay, which lasted about three seconds. There were two vibrations, the last being the most severe.