Tucson earthquake rocks the Santa Catalinas

This article on the Great Earthquake of 1887 was originally published in the Tombstone Epitaph on May 4, 1887:

"Tucson, May 3. There was a lively earthquake, commencing at 2:15 this afternoon, lasting for about four minutes. Oscillations were from North to South. Buildings were swayed considerably, in some instances cracking their windows and doors, people left their houses for safety. The public school building rocked to and fro like a cradle and some of the plastering fell, creating utmost consternation among the scholars. The school was at once dismissed for fear of repetition of the shocks. Clocks were stopped in some residences, Crockery was thrown from shelves, and hanging lamps swayed to and fro like pendalums.

The Citizen office, a large two-story brick building, rocked so greatly that no one could remain in it, the walls seemed to sway three or four feet fiom their proper position. The city marshal's office in the rear of the city hall, had a hole knocked in it by the shake. The brick caping of a house in Barrio Libre was thrown in every direction, and Pearson's block suffered many cracks in the brick work and the plastering and inside need repairs, the trembling was very serious and of very rapid vibrations, commencing like barely a conceptible movement, gradually increasing in intensity until one could hardly keep on his feet. It lasted, according to a gentle man who timed it, just four minutes, beginning at 2:14, One or two slight vibrations have since been felt." 1

Nineteen years later, in 1902, the Bisbee Daily Review reprinted the entire article above. It described the activity in the Santa Catalina mountains:

"The shock evidently loosened a quantity of rocks from the towering peaks of the Santa Catallnas at the old "Castle," for a huge volume of dust was soon afterwards seen to rise above the peaks and a portion of the familiar landmark was found to have disappeared." 2

The merging of the East Fork and Canada del Oro rivers is a fertile area that has experienced some human activity. The legend of the lost city in the Catalinas may be located somewhere in this portion of the mountain range.