An Account of Nevada's Largest Earthquake, the 1915 Pleasant Valley Earthquake(1)
The first indication of disturbance was felt at exactly 3:40 p.m.
Saturday, 2nd inst., when with a terrific report, similar to a large
dynamite blast, the mountain side of Kennedy gave a lurch due
north and then vibrated for about five seconds in a manner
which I would say was rather violent, considering California
disturbances. This shock had hardly subsided when another
deep rumble was heard, followed by swaying motion, which
appeared to be in a northerly direction. From this time on it was
one continuous disturbance; one quake hardly died before a
rumble announced another. This state of affairs occurred
continuously until 5:45 p.m. when the only indication that conditions
were not right was a sort of subdued rumble, such as
might be experienced were there a great cauldron boiling and
bubbling under foot, just beneath the earth's surface. About this
time the inhabitants at Kennedy apparently became accustomed
to this condition and settled down satisfied that the
disturbance had spent itself and was a thing of the past, when
all of a sudden without the slightest warning a great roar was
heard and the earth's surface began to roll and sway up and
down, evidently in all directions. This convulsion continued
without stop for fully one and a half minutes. This disturbance
was in my estimation about twice as violent as that experienced
in San Francisco in 1906.
During this performance of the earth it was next to impossible for
a person to stand erect. From this disturbance on, it was incessant
continued disturbance, the earth never appeared quiet.
About 9 p.m. we retired for the night and as near as I can
imagine the situation, one could shut his eyes and imagine he
was occupying a berth in a moving Pullman car, accompanied
with creakings and rattling of windows, to be abruptly awakened
by outbreaks at intervals of twenty to thirty minutes, lasting from
five to ten seconds. At 10:55 things had quieted, or perhaps we
were unconscious in sleep, when without the slightest warning a
great roar and rumbling was heard and we were thrown violently
out of bed and buffeted in all directions continuously for not less
than fifteen minutes. During this disturbance it would appear to
tire itself and would hesitate for an instant as if it were changing
hands and fumbling in trying to get a good grip and would then
shake violently with the other hand; then it would change hands
and repeat the operation. This shake started at 10:55 p.m.
Western Union time, as recorded(2). I did not note the time of
starting, but when the disturbance subsided sufficiently to allow
one to enter the house in quest of sufficient apparel, as it was
next to freezing outside, I noted the time was 11:10 p.m.
(1)Account from Letter to the Editor of the Silver State, October 5, 1915 edition, by Leon St. D. Roylance.
(2)The best estimate for the origin time of the earthquake is approximately 10:53 p.m. PST on October 2, 1915.
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