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Two sharp earth tremors jarred Salt Lake City shortly before Sunday midnight, awakening sleepers, moving furniture, and breaking a 10-inch line in the city water system.
Commissioner David A. Affleck said Monday a crew worked from midnight on through the night to turn the water out of the big mains so repairs could begin.
He said water was diverted about 7:30 a.m.
The waterworks commissioner said the break occurred in a 10-inch feeder line into the business district from City Creek Reservoir. It poured water over Canyon Road at Fourth Avenue. He said it could be either a broken pipe or a blown out joint.
Neighbors reported the break about midnight.
The University of Utah seismograph reported one shock at 11:50 p.m. Sunday and another at 11:55 p.m. Prof. C. Edward Jacob, head of the geophysics department described them as "very minor shocks--unusual for Salt Lake City, but still minor." He added that "they would hardly have evoked comment in Los Angeles."
Professor Jacob said he had received reports from residents throughout the city that five separate shocks were felt. He said he was changing recording paper on the seismograph at the time one was reported, and the other two did not record.
At Logan Dr. J. Stewart Williams of Utah State Agricultural College reported the seismograph there showed only two earthquakes, one at 11:51 p.m. Sunday and the other at 12:09 a.m. Monday.
Professor Jacob explained the time discrepancy between the two recordings by saying that the clock mechanism on the university machine was running somewhat fast and he would have to figure the correction.
No triangulation was possible to determine the epicenter of the quakes but Professor Jacob said that the first tremor undoubtedly centered in Salt Lake City.
At Logan Dr. Williams estimated the first shock as having a center about 100 miles south of Logan, and the second one 170 miles south of Logan. Neither shock was strong at Logan and residents in the community did not feel them.
Some reports of the earthquake were received from Davis County, but none reported feeling the tremors north of Kaysville.
Some reports of windows having been broken by the shock were received and at least one chimney was toppled.
William C. Hague, assistant supervisor of city waterworks, said no flooding occurred as a result of the water main break because the stream ran off into a nearby storm sewer.
He said service was interrupted at only a few houses in the area and would be restored by late afternoon. Mr. Hague added there was no way of determining cause of the broken main except that it was noticed first immediately after the two tremors.
[Deseret News; March 7, 1949]
Salt Lake Valley was shaken by a seismic tremor again on Sunday just before midnight. A few people got panicky, which is perhaps excusable when one is being shaken in the grip of an unseen and unknown force; others were startled and a little perturbed, which is an even more natural reaction. But most of us slept right through it, and were none the worse for the experience.
Even so, it brings back to us the thought that man, after all, is but a part of the Great Design that we call nature. He may be the directing factor in much of the development of the earth's resources, but he is not yet master of the movements of the earth, or the waters, or the air. He can "replenish the earth" by means of raising crops instead of weeds, or diverting water on to the thirsty land to provide more bountiful food, or even turning the energy locked up in solid or liquid minerals into fuel for transport such as our forefathers never imagined in their wildest dreams. But he cannot yet "subdue" the earth itself. When Mother Earth gets a body-cramp, due to a shifting of weight, there is a movement to ease the strain, a tremor accompanies the movement--and that is your earthquake, in which man or his interest is not even an incident.
"The everlasting hills" are not everlasting, except in a human sense; they are being thrust up from below, and planed off from above by wind and water and ice. As the load on the hills is taken off and deposited on the low places, the shifted weight causes occasional slips, which account for most of our earthquakes except those connected with nearby volcanic activity.
Fortunately for us, the Great Basin region is being stretched, not crowded. The earth therefore yields to lesser stresses, and thereby prevents strains from building up to destructive violence. Each little quake, therefore, relieves the imbalance, and acts as insurance against a violent quake in the immediate future.
[Editorial]
[Deseret News; March 8, 1949]
Did you feel the earthquake Sunday evening about midnight? We certainly noticed effects of it in our casting room at the rear of the Copper Printing shop when it caused a large crevice in the wall.
Thus far, we have not heard of any other damaging effects or results around the town from the tremor.
[Magna Times; March 11, 1949]
Light Home Damages Reported; Patrons Flee City Theaters
Two earthquake tremors described as of "minor intensity" rocked the Salt Lake City area Sunday at about 11:51 p.m., causing a water-main to burst, minor damage to at least one residence, but apparently no injuries.
The tremor appeared to be centered somewhere west of Salt Lake City and apparently was confined almost entirely to the Salt Lake valley.
Except for south Davis county, no reports were received from areas outside Salt Lake county of the quake having been felt. Ogden, Logan, Provo, and Price reported they felt nothing of the tremor.
Prof. C. Edward Jacob, head of the University of Utah geophysics department, who developed the seismograph record, termed the shocks of "minor intensity."
"In an earthquake area, like southern California, they would hardly be noticed."
"Intensity of earthquakes are determined by the Mercali scale," he said. "Shocks of six to seven in intensity would destroy or damage buildings. Apparently this one would be of intensity one."
The last major quake in Utah occurred March 12, 1935. Considerable damage resulted and schools were dismissed. That quake centered near Lucin, Box Elder county.
The chief operator on duty at the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Co., said "numerous" calls were received at switchboards asking information.
Mrs. Samuel G. Spencer, 230 Canyon rd., said the broken water main was in front of the Veterans Volunteer Firemen's hall, 233 Canyon rd., and was "splashing water up about three feet." City crews were at the scene shortly after the break.
Few of the callers reported damage although Mrs. Julia Cabrera, 720 Kilby ct. (320 West st.), told police her big chimney was destroyed. Downtown, no damage was apparent.
Rudolph Orlob, 1514 Arlington dr., who was at Salt Lake municipal airport when the tremor was felt, said "the ground just jumped up and down."
At the Utah theater, 148 S. Main, patrons jumped to their feet and began to rush out. A few screamed, but panic was averted as several patrons leaped on the stage and ordered the audience to be quiet and file out orderly.
The picture was cut off at the Capitol theater, 46 W. 2nd South, and patrons filed out without any kind of panic. Ray Deans, 245 Wilson ave., said, "We felt the tremor but nobody was especially afraid. We just got up and walked out."
Mrs. E. L. Allen, at Allen's Pilot Motor lodge, 1750 W. North Temple, said the tremor there was sharp enough to shatter two small windows in the rear of the adjacent Pilot cafe.
A report of a broken water main, caused by the tremor, was given the Utah Power and Light Co. trouble shooter by a party at 230 Canyon rd.
Jane Butcher, 707 Sagebrush ave., said the shock knocked a mirror from her wall and shattered it on the floor, while Mr. and Mrs. Robert Benson, 713 E st., told of broken dishes.
Persons afoot downtown apparently didn't feel the tremor, however, and a number of persons who telephoned for information said they slept right through the jar.
Jacquelyn Haley, 2500 S. State, said, "I was walking downtown on Main between 1st and 2nd South and all of a sudden people began to run out of the theater. I didn't feel a thing."
The stairs "creaked" at the residence of Mrs. Lizzie O. White, 222 4th ave. "I was sitting typing and my desk lamp began to shake and the stairs sort of creaked," she said.
At the county jail, officers said the place took on a spooky air as iron bars and gates rattled with the roll.
Numerous calls were received at Holy Cross hospital, 1045 E. 1st South, the switchboard operator said. Weather bureau officials said they hadn't received calls but wanted information on the tremor.
Personnel in the basement at Salt Lake General hospital said they knew nothing of the tremors until they were told of the incident by persons working above.
Except for the broken water main, no damage to public utilities was reported in the city.
[Salt Lake Tribune; March 7, 1949]
Two A Minute
"It was just like Dec. 7, 1941," sighed Eva Grover, Tribune-Telegram night telephone operator, several hours after the quake as the flood of calls eased.
"I was working that day when people heard that war had been declared. For hours I answered calls as fast as I could. That's the way it was tonight," she said.
"People first wanted to know if there had been a quake. Some hadn't felt anything; others had had windows broken. We didn't have much to tell them at first--just that it was local and no one was hurt as far as we knew.
"A lot of them were worried about friends and relatives. I tried to reassure them as much as I could.
"I answered a call maybe every 30 seconds. After an hour of this I could hardly make myself heard over the phone.
"Everybody wanted to know if there was going to be another quake. Some asked it they should move out of the house. A few of them said they already had mattresses out on the lawn."
Adele Parks, 1275 3rd ave., was sitting alone on the sofa at the time of the tremor, she reported. She felt a very sharp jar and heard the grandfather clock creak, she said. Then a crystal dropped out of the chandelier.
A watchman at the Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., 550 W. 17th South, reported numerous pheasants which roost in the area fluttered into the air and set up a huge outcry.
At the Salt Lake County jail "ghosts walked the corridors rattling iron gates and cell doors," officers on duty said.
A late caller asked Police Dispatcher Sgt. M. L. Christensen: "How serious was the air raid at the airport?"
[Salt Lake Tribune; March 7, 1949]
Some Awoke
"I thought a truck hit my house!"
"Was it an earthquake or an explosion?"
"Is somebody dropping atom bombs?"
Such were a few of the hundreds of queries received by The Salt Lake Tribune Information department immediately after the crash (?) earthquake (?) explosion (?) shook Salt Lake City and environs Sunday midnight.
Within 30 minutes after the quake more than 350 telephone queries were received, all seeking information on the rumbling which swept through the city. Although the department customarily closes at midnight, it remained open through the early morning hours to service calls from concerned Salt Lakers.
[Salt Lake Tribune; March 7, 1949]
Five Tremors Rock S. L.; Losses Slight
Authorities said Monday there was little chance of an early "repeat performance" of the five earthquake shocks which jarred the Salt Lake area late Sunday and early Monday, alarming many residents but doing little damage.
The temblors were termed a "minor readjustment of the earth" and not comparable to the quake March 12, 1934, which was felt throughout northern Utah and three other states, and which caused considerable damage and closed schools for two days in Salt Lake City.
Only light damage, including broken windows, dishes and a water main, were reported. The quake seemed to center west of Salt Lake City, with effects being felt as far as 18 miles away. There were no noticeable effects east of 18th East.
The seismograph at Utah State Agricultural college recorded two distinct shocks, Dr. J. Stewart Williams of the geology department said Monday. However, residents of Logan and Ogden and areas south of Salt Lake City felt nothing.
Switchboard operators throughout the city were flooded with calls from anxious citizens reporting their version of the tremors and asking for information, especially if there would be any more.
Only a few thought the shocks were from an air raid or an atom bomb.
Pedestrians and autoists downtown apparently did not feel the quake, but patrons of some theaters rushed out, only to return in a few minutes. There was little panic.
Only damage to a public utility reported was a break in a water main at 233 Canyon rd. Crews were at the scene shortly after the break.
Y. Cabrera, 720 Kilby ct., said: "When the first quake struck all the beds began to roll around the room, throwing the children to the floor.
"Then we heard a noise like thunder, which turned out to be bricks from the chimney tumbling off the roof. I knew it was an earthquake, so we all put on our clothes and went outside."
Walter Scott, Airbase Village superintendent of maintenance, 794 Project rd., said the first shock "sounded like someone took a board and hit the window."
Villagers then began calling to ask him whose gas furnace had been blown up, he said. He said the shocks were intense at the village, waking all the residents. Several reported broken dishes and mirrors.
[Salt Lake Tribune; March 8, 1949]
LOGAN, March 7--Two distinct recordings of an earthquake tremor, the first approximately 100 miles south of Logan and the other 170 miles south, were recorded by the seismograph at Utah State Agricultural college Sunday night and early Monday morning, reported Dr. J. Stewart Williams of the geology department.
The first tremor was recorded at 11:51:09 and the second at 12:09:06, Dr. Williams said. Neither was felt in northern Utah.
[Salt Lake Tribune; March 8, 1949]
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