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3 States Jolted; Logan Hard-Hit
A sharp, rolling earthquake, centered in northern Utah, rocked a three-state area early Thursday and caused thousands of dollars damage in Cache Valley.
It was the sharpest quake since 1934.
Seismologists predicted that another quake of lesser intensity could "almost certainly" be expected in the near future.
Reports indicated that only one person received injuries from the temblor, a Richmond, Cache
County, girl who cut her foot on a bottle broken by the shock.
The primary shock wave rolled across northern Utah, southern Idaho and southwestern Wyoming at 6:35:55 a.m.
Strong tremors were felt as far north as the Blackfoot, Idaho, area east to Lander, Wyo., west to Wendover, and south to Wellington, Carbon County.
However, preliminary studies at the University of Utah indicated a Richter reading of 5.5, and pin pointed the earthquake's epicenter--the point directly over the tremor's origin inside the earth--at eight to ten miles northwest of Logan.
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 had a measurement of 8.25, and the 1959 Yellowstone quake scaled 8.
Dr. Charles F. Richter of the California Institute of Technology said he expected "another one of magnitude of about 5" to follow the Wednesday tremor.
Seismologists said they could not predict when the follow-up shock would occur, stating that it might happen immediately, in days, or in weeks.
The Red Cross dispatched a field representative to the Logan area. That agency declares any such incident that affects five or more families is a "disaster," and provides affected families with funds to re-establish themselves, if needed.
More significant effects of the Wednesday tremor were:
--Structural damage to the Logan Temple, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Logan Fourth Ward chapel, two school buildings and downtown businesses at Logan.
--Building damage to several homes in Richmond.
--Temporary power failure and damage to water lines in the Logan area, and a rockslide in the Logan Canyon that submerged half of U.S. Highway 89 beneath tons of displaced earth.
"We could have had some injuries if there were people walking by buildings, because there's plenty of glass on a lot of sidewalks."
Mayor Ross Plant, of Richmond said older homes in the community received masonry damage.
Leonard Bowne, a 48-year-old night watchman at the First Security Bank Building on 1st South and Main streets in Salt Lake City, felt the quake's effects in dramatic fashion.
He said the 15-story building swayed six to eight inches back and forth.
"I was on the top floor when it happened," he said, "and I got right out of there."
The primary shock wave jounced the three-state area for several seconds, and was followed by six small aftershocks.
He said the primary shock wave and after-shocks lasted about 20 minutes.
Utah public officials expressed concern early Thursday that dams in the state might have been damaged, but a check of the structures showed no apparent problems.
Seismologists said the earthquake was of sufficient intensity to cause considerable structure damage if it had been centered at a large concentration of population.
Many residents of the Provo, Salt Lake City and Ogden areas awakened when the earth shuddered just after dawn.
At Logan, the scene took on a more calamitous atmosphere.
When the ground shivered, the sound of shattering glass, splintering timbers and falling bricks alarmed the sleeping city.
Residents had no electricity, and some communications lines were knocked out.
A dollar estimate on the damage in that area was not immediately available.
University of Utah seismologists said they would not be able to determine the exact location of the epicenter nor the precise Richter scale measurement until late Thursday.
[Deseret News; August 30, 1962]
Shake, Rattle And Roll
Residents all over the northern Utah area were startled by the earth tremor which shuddered across Utah early Thursday.
"It almost knocked me over," said James Cook, 3300 S. 3200 West, Granger, "just like an airplane hitting the north end of the house. A lamp rolled around a table."
"I heard a rumble," said Mrs. Melba Standing, 464 3rd Ave., and my bed moved sideways across the room on the hardwood floors."
"It felt like the house was shaking and a door swung open," said Mrs. Clara Baldwin, 473 5th Ave. "My son saw his bureau rocking back and forth."
"We could feel the house sway and cabinet doors began to rattle," declared Loren McCormick, 175 W. 4th South, Bountiful. "The house was really moving."
"I tried to stand up, but the chair rocked like a ship," said Margaret Shirley, 160 Garden Ave., a receptionist at the Primary Children's Hospital.
"A table danced all over the floor and the lights swayed," related Mrs. Eddie Sanchez, 5190 W. 7th South.
"Our bed swayed north and south in a constant motion," said Mrs. Marvin Brown, 4085 W. 5540 South, "and plumbing bubbled up in one of the bathrooms."
"Cracks spread all over our driveway," said Julie Pendleton, 4190 W. 4775 South, "and raised a half inch ridge in the cement in one place."
"I was outside and felt no reaction at all," said Reed Christofferson, 3140 20th East, "but my cement porch sounded as if it were cracking."
"I was shaving," said Ohlan Campbell, 5476 W. Paulette, "when the whole wall started to shake and the cupboard swayed and the windows rattled."
"I talked to a milkman and he said it felt like a car had hit his truck," Mr Campbell added.
"My dog woke up and started to bark and I heard a rumbling in the ground," said Mrs. Lamar Holmes, 815 E. Southwood Dr., Murray.
"A portable television in the bedroom rocked and nearly fell off the table. It sounded like an underground explosion," she explained.
"My house creaked and groaned and the back porch shook," said Mrs. E. S. Ertmann, 1001 8th East. "It really startled me."
[Deseret News; August 30, 1962]
By Christian P. Nielsen
LOGAN--The sharp earthquake which shook northern Utah and Idaho early Thursday left the Logan area with cracked walls, collapsed roofs and broken windows.
Major damage occurred at the Model Billiards on West Center Street, where the swaying movement appeared to spread the walls apart as the roof crashed to the floor. No one was injured although the lunch counter in the front of the building was occupied.
The Logan Fourth Ward chapel, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also had a portion of the roof caved in over the choir seats, and a large crack was opened in the ceiling of the chapel.
Large plate glass windows were shattered in stores in the central part of town, including Keith O'Briens, Pack's Motor Company and Baum's Motor Company. Many other smaller windows were broken in other stores.
At the Logan Temple, the weather cock and lightning rod on the west tower collapsed. In the building a great deal of plaster was jarred loose from the walls and ceilings.
A water flume, carrying water to the Utah Power and Light Company plant at the mouth of Logan Canyon, collapsed and caused a slide that covered half of U.S. 89.
Traffic in downtown Logan, swollen to abnormal size by the curious, moved at a snail's pace through the intersections because the semaphores were inoperable due to the power failure, caused when the quake hit.
Power was restored at 9:20 a.m.
No injuries were reported during the earth movement, but Douglas Gleed, about 18, assisting in the cleanup at the IGA Foodliner on South Main Street, suffered undetermined back injuries when he slipped and fell in some spilled baby food.
Other grocery stores reported major damage as food stuffs were dumped into the aisles. Hardest hit was the Albertson Food Store on 4th North Street where damage was estimated at $5,000. Cleve's Foodland, 1st North and 1st West Street, The Temple Grocery, 2nd North and 3rd East, and other stores had their racks emptied and some suffered broken windows.
The movement started with a rolling sound that was soon lost in the rattle of windows and doorways and the sound of falling bricks and breaking glass. It seemed to last for possibly a minute and at least a minute later the utility wires were still swaying.
Ernie Jaeger, 19, of 1473 Alden St., Salt Lake City, driving an 18,000 pound gross weight truck on Logan's Main Street, said the vehicle swayed so badly he had a hard time holding it on the road.
Damage was reported in communities surrounding Logan. In Lewiston the wall of the Lewiston drug store collapsed and went through the roof of the City Cafe.
[Deseret News; August 30, 1962]
Shock of the earthquake which hit Utah early Thursday caught the University of Utah's seismograph machine totally "off guard."
The measuring device was near the top of the paper, which records the shock via a photographic like process, when the jolt hit.
The shock sent the measurement completely off the paper for more than a minute. When it finally got back on, long vertical lines of several inches were recorded, compared to a normal movement of a fraction of an inch.
"We are simply not geared for quakes of such magnitude," said Dr. S. Theodore Algermissen assistant professor of geophysics.
He explained that the seismograph measures several hundred earth movements in a year, but a shock like this was way out of any expected range.
[Deseret News; August 30, 1962]
Faults Dot Landscape
Earthquakes are no rare thing in Utah.
Despite the excitement generated by a tremor in the state, Utah is actually one of the leading places in the nation in earthquake potential.
Since 1850 a total of 261 quakes which have trembled in the West have had their origin within the boundaries of Utah.
And the Pacific Coast Uniform Building Code rates Utah in Earthquake Zone 2, second only to California, which ranks in Zone 1.
However, despite the frequent quakes which have shaken the area, little damage has been caused and not much public stir created.
This is because Utah has such vast areas of unpopulated land that most quakes pass relatively unnoticed, except on scientific instruments and in a small locality.
There is a potential earthquake disaster in Utah's most heavily populated area, however. The Wasatch front, where most of the residents of the state live, is right on top of the Wasatch Fault.
This fault, one of the biggest anywhere, has produced many quakes over the past hundred years, but fortunately they have been of a mild nature.
[Deseret News; August 30, 1962]
WEST YELLOWSTONE--The sheriff's office here reported no earthquake was felt Thursday morning. "Things are perfectly normal," a deputy said.
West Yellowstone was the scene of a severe earthquake almost three years ago, which caused a major landslide at Hebgen Lake. The quake claimed 29 lives.
[Deseret News; August 30, 1962]
Experts Put Epicenter Near Logan
By Christian P. Nielsen
LOGAN--Cache Valley residents Friday were mopping up in the wake of a sharp earthquake that caused many thousands of dollars in damage early Thursday.
The quake, felt strongly in at least three states, was centered about eight to 10 miles northwest of Logan, according to Utah seismologists.
Significant damage was done to structures in the Lewiston, Richmond and Logan areas, but personal injuries were reported as minor.
At Richmond, the Benson Stake Tabernacle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was so badly damaged that it was ordered razed.
Crews are removing 600 pound capstones from the North Cache High School, and will attempt to remove a loosened chimney capstone that weighs a ton. The school is closed.
The only other school in the valley that remained closed Friday was the Logan Junior High School, which was undergoing an intensive inspection before any decision was made to reopen it.
DeWitt Springs in Logan Canyon, the city's source for culinary water, had increased its flow by three second feet as a result of the tremors.
Mayor Plant said a crew would check the Richmond water line to the springs in Cherry Creek Canyon. A large cloud of dust was reported high in the canyon after the quake--indicating a landslide.
A Trenton farmer reported cracks in the Bear River bottomlands--the first such opening reported after the earthquake.
At Smithfield, a 64-ton electric transformer at the substation of the Utah Power and Light Co. shifted two inches. Damage at Smithfield, however, consisted mostly of falling plaster and bricks.
Further tremors were reported by Logan and Richmond residents during the night.
Four injuries were reported as a result of the quake.
At Logan, Douglas Gleed, 18, slipped and fell while cleaning up fallen canned goods in a grocery store. He was treated at a Logan hospital and released.
Corliss Ann Bullen, 18, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Bullen, Richmond, suffered bruised legs when concrete blocks and brick tumbled onto her bed.
Nadine Housley, about 15, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Housley, Richmond, suffered cut feet when she descended the stairs, stepping on some shattered fruit bottles.
Robert Halverson, 19, was scratched when rubble from a chimney fell onto the bed of his Richmond home.
That would have the effect of making persons with damaged homes or businesses eligible for 3 per cent interest loans to be used to repair the structures.
He said loans could be extended for as long as 20 years.
Dr. S. T. Algermissen, of the University of Utah geophysics department, fixed the earthquake's magnitude at 5.6 to 5.7 on the Richter scale. The 1959 Yellowstone temblor had a Richter reading of 7.1.
Another measurement of earthquake intensity is the Mercalli scale, which determines the magnitude by visible effects.
Dr. J. Stewart Williams, professor of geology at Utah State University, said the Mercalli measurement of Thursday's tremor was 6.5. The Yellowstone Mercalli reading was 10.
As for the possibility of aftershocks, Utah seismologists said some would probably follow. But they said they could not predict the intensity or time.
The earthquake's damage seemed to be concentrated on the east side of Cache Valley, said Dr. Williams. He added that it caused little damage to new buildings, but wrought most of its damage on old or poorly built structures.
It was those aftershock forecasts that caused schools in the area to be closed Thursday.
[Deseret News; August 31, 1962]
"Utah Rocked By Severe Earthquake," read the headline in the Deseret News on March 12, 1934.
That earthquake still remains the worst in the recorded history of the state, according to geology experts at the University of Utah.
Thursday's earthquake has been given a Richter scale reading of 6.1 by the University of California.
Charles Thithel, a city waterworks employee, working in a six-foot deep trench at 60th South and Highland Drive, was seriously injured by a cave-in. He died the following day.
Ida May Venable Atkinson, 21, of Ogden, ill in bed, sat up during the first shock and said to relatives, "Why are you shaking my bed?" She fell back dead.
Schools were dismissed in northern Utah following the second shake.
The Salt Lake City and County Building was evacuated and offices were closed for the day. Courts were also cleared.
Gov. Henry H. Blood was in Hotel Utah leading a highway conference of western states governors. He grasped the podium firmly in the 11:21 a.m. shock and said to his fellow governors:
"I want you to understand that we do not have these all the time. This is just a little special performance that we are putting on for the entertainment of our visitors."
The 1934 quake centered at Kelton, Box Elder County, just west of Locomotive Springs, was on the Great Basin Fault, geologists said. Fissures up to 18 inches in the ground were found in the area the following day.
The quake was felt as far north as Twin Falls, Idaho, west to Elko, Nevada, south to Delta and east to Green River, Wyo.
[Deseret News; August 31, 1962]
Where is the safest place to be in an earthquake?
Under something strong--or out in the open where nothing can fall on you.
Safety experts urge that if you are inside a building--a home, an office or factory--get under something strong so you won't be hurt by a falling ceiling or roof.
A table, a desk, a bench or a heavy piece of equipment is a relatively safe place to be under.
If nothing else can be found, stand under a doorway.
Don't move outside of a building during the actual quake. There is serious danger of falling material.
After the quake, move out into the open, away from buildings and other structures which might fall and cause injury.
If buildings and structures look like they are damaged, stay away from them, even if the earthquake is over.
[Deseret News; August 31, 1962]
By Christian P. Nielsen
LOGAN--Cache Valley continued its return to normal Saturday in the wake of Thursday's earthquake that caused damages unofficially estimated at $500,0000 to $1 million.
Officials are reluctant to set a damage figure until damage can be carefully assessed, so an official dollar value estimate of the destruction may be several days away.
The $500,000 to $l million estimate may be distorted because of the quake's widespread effects and the lack of reports in cases of minor damage.
Workers Saturday began removing musical instruments from the Benson Stake House. Plans call for razing it and building another.
Benson Stake President T. R. Holt said the high council and the stake presidency would meet Sunday to discuss building plans.
Bishoprics of the Logan Fourth-Sixteenth Wards also announced that no meeting will be held in that chapel until further notice. They too, have urged their members to attend other wards in the stake. Damage to the Fourth-Sixteenth Wards' chapel ranges upward from $40,000.
The Logan Hotel's front is being removed and will have to be rebuilt. It was pushed outward from the building. Three street-level stores are open for business, with customers using rear entrances.
Some 20 rooms in the Townhouse Hotel have been cleaned and most of the effects of the water damage from a ruptured main have been erased.
Work began Saturday morning on repairs at the Logan Junior High School, and reports indicated that students at that school would receive three weeks more of summer vacation.
Estimated costs of repair to the school were pegged at $19,000. The work will consist of rebuilding a broken parapet, placing a cast bondbeam around the top of the halls at roof level, repairing a section of roof, lowering the chimney about 12 feet and setting a new cap.
Sherman G. Eyre, superintendent of Logan schools, said the students may have to make up time lost because of the repairs by attending classes on Saturdays or extending the year into next June.
At Richmond, classes were expected to resume at North Cache High School Tuesday after repairs to the school building.
Damage to the Amalgamated Sugar Co. factory in Lewiston was estimated at $25,000, and the company sought to hasten repairs in time for the fall sugar beet harvest.
The American Red Cross, the Farmers Home Administration and the Small Business Administration have designated Cache Valley as a disaster area.
The Red Cross set up a station in Richmond's city office and will be open each day from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.
Miss Mildred Schilling, a Red Cross disaster representative, invited persons seeking aid to visit the emergency station to discuss their problems.
Reports of faults and earthquake cracks were investigated in the Trenton-Cornish area Friday by Dr. J. Stewart Williams, professor of geology at Utah State University. He said the "fault" resulted from soft sand bank of a delta which had been jolted loose by the tremor and slid to the bottom land.
Cracks on the Harold Spackman farm, adjacent to the Bear River west of Richmond, and in adjoining farms bordering the river were caused by drought, Dr. Williams said. The water and sand beneath the baked earth crust was forced upward by the tremor's motion and spurted and flowed like small geysers through some of the cracks.
Some of the eruptions carried an odor of gas. In one area the crust was forced upward approximately a foot, but settled within 24 hours after the tremor.
Dr. Williams said the cracks appeared in the same area where similar results were noted after the 1934 earthquake, which was centered in Hansel Valley, 60 miles to the west.
[Deseret News; September 1, 1962]
Cache County residents will be able to make applications for loans to repair earthquake damage starting Tuesday in Logan.
The Salt Lake branch of the Federal Small Business Administration will set up headquarters Tuesday in chamber of commerce offices in Logan to start processing the loans.
Cache County was declared a disaster area Friday making it eligible for help under the disaster loan program of the SBA.
Ross S. Tyson, SBA branch manager, said the SBA Washington office will appoint an advisory committee of Cache County citizens to screen the applications and make recommendations for approval.
Loans to individuals may be used to repair or replace damaged furniture and household belongings as well as homes. Businesses may use the money to repair or replace buildings, fixtures, machinery, equipment and merchandise.
Loans will not be made to repair or replace summer or winter cottages, camps or lodges used for recreational purposes, Mr. Tyson said.
Purpose of a SBA disaster loan is to restore homes or business property as nearly as possible to pre-disaster condition.
Interest rate on an SBA loan is 3 percent and the repayment period may extend to 20 years.
Mr. Tyson said step-by-step procedure for making applications generally includes making a list of damaged or destroyed property, obtaining estimates of damage, making a list of debts and assets, submitting business records, obtaining loan application, discussing possibility of bank loan, a bank SBA disaster loan, or a direct disaster loan from SBA.
[Deseret News; September 1, 1962]
Damage to Utah State University buildings by the Thursday earthquake was largely superficial, Glen R. Swenson, state building board director, reported Saturday.
Mr. Swenson inspected the buildings Thursday afternoon with USU officials, who are making further inventories of the damage.
Two minor structural problems will require correction, Mr. Swenson said.
One is in the tower of Old Main. The rods there and in another section will have to be tightened right away, he said.
[Deseret News; September 1, 1962]
By Christian P. Nielsen
LOGAN--Continuing discovery of new and extensive damage is one factor holding up an official estimate of damage in last Thursday's earthquake.
Theral V. Bishop, Logan's mayor, said the city engineer has been assigned the task of compiling damage. He indicated it may be several days before an accurate figure can be reached.
Some officials have indicated the total may be over $1 million.
In Richmond, Mayor Ross Plant said approximately 75 per cent of the homes received some damage. In response to a questionnaire sent Friday, Mayor Plant said 40 of the community's homes were not reported. Of those reporting, 202 were damaged by the tremor and of these 177 had chimney damage; 137 had plaster damage and 142 had cracked walls.
"The damage was much more extensive than we had first realized," Mayor Plant said.
[Deseret News; September 3, 1962]
Click here for Herald Journal (Logan, UT) Newspaper Articles for the 1962 Cache Valley, UT earthquake.
Click here for Ogden Standard Examiner Newspaper Articles for the 1962 Cache Valley, UT earthquake.
Click here for Salt Lake Tribune Newspaper Articles for the 1962 Cache Valley, UT earthquake.
Return to Cache Valley Earthquake Summary.
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