From Arizona and the West, A Quarterly Journal of History, edited by H. P. Hinton, vol. 19,
issue 2, Summer 1977, pages 107–120. (Scanned and reassembled by Norman Meader,
Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, September 2008.)
AN AFTERNOON OF TERROR
THE SONORAN EARTHQUAKE OF MAY 3, 1887
by
E. FAY BENNETT*
SHORTLY after two o’clock in the afternoon of Tuesday, May 3, 1887, a severe earthquake
rocked the southwestern region of the United States. Newspapers near and far gave vivid reports
of falling mountains, erupting volcanoes, shaking buildings, and terror-stricken people. Because
of the great excitement generated by the quake, many of the first reports were exaggerated and
soon were revised or discounted altogether. The epicenter of the quake was located near
Bavispe, Sonora, where more than forty people lost their lives. Strong shock waves reached out
400 miles, affecting northeastern Sonora, southern Arizona and New Mexico, and western Texas.
This event not only caused human distress and property damage, but also stimulated the first
significant investigation of seismic activity in the Southwest.1
Many of the early reports on the earthquake came from Tombstone. A major tremor hit
the town at 2:11 P.M., and lasted about forty seconds. Sounds resembling the explosion of
dynamite echoed through the area, and the earth began to shake violently. Merchandise fell from
shelves in stores, and glassware crashed to the floor. Along Allen Street, gapping cracks
appeared in buildings. At the Crystal Palace Saloon, globes toppled from the chandeliers and
fractured into many pieces. Even though the major shock of the quake quickly subsided, smaller
rumblings followed for several hours, and some believed that another quake would occur. But
the afternoon passed without further incident.2
*
Dr. Bennett is a Free Methodist missionary in Mexico who teaches at the University of Sonora, Hermosillo.
1
Tombstone Epitaph. May 4. 1887; George E. Goodfellow. “The Sonora Earthquake,” Science, XI (January–June
1888), 162–63. Earthquake History of the United States: Part I (Washington: Department of Commerce Bulletin
41-1. 1965, 56. John S. Sumner. “Earthquakes in Arizona,” Arizona Bureau of Mines [ABM] Fieldnotes, VI
(March 1976), 1–5.
2
Tombstone Epitaph. May 4, 1887. Four time periods seem to be involved in the areas most affected by the quake:
Sonora (state) time; two different standard time zones for New Mexico, West Texas and Arizona; and the mining
(local) time. Jose G. Aguilera, a Mexican engineer who investigated the quake, estimated that the major shock
occurred shortly before 3:00 P.M Sonoran time. Reports from various Sonoran communities harmonize with this
observation. Jose G. Aguilera, “Estudio de los fenomenos seismicos del 3 de Mayo de 1887,” Anales del Ministereo
de Fomento de la República Mexicana, X (1888), 5–56. The New Mexico-west Texas time zone apparently
paralleled that of Sonora, because the tremor reportedly struck there shortly alter 3:00 P.M. However, Arizona time
apparently was one hour behind the other time zones, for reports indicated that the quake hit shortly after 2:00 P.M.
On the other hand. some communities were governed by mining (local sun) time, which was over thirty minutes
faster than standard (railroad) time. Goodfel1ow, a physician from Tombstone, mentioned this fact in “Sonora
Earthquake,” Science XI. 166. Robert Lenon, a mining engineer in Patagonia, Arizona, in describing mining (local
sun) time, writes (May 4, 1977): “To set out Local Solar Noon, I would accurately determine true (astronomical)
North by observations on the sun or Polaris and set a permanent mark due North of a high vertical flagpole. Every
day, when the sun’s shadow crossed the direct line between the base of the pole and the stake or mark, I’d blow the
mine whistle that would be high noon, Mining Time, in that specific camp. . .”
2
The quake was felt deep in the mines near Tombstone. When the shock hit, William F.
Staunton, a mining engineer, was working in the nearby Toughnut Mine some 150 feet below the
surface. Initially, he heard a loud explosion, and then a thunderous roar. Loose rock from the
hanging walls of the mine crashed down noisily, striking sparks as they hit the hard footwell.
Staunton shouted to his partner, Sam Cheyney: “It’s an earthquake. Get under something
quick!” Cheyney replied: “The Lord knows, I’m under enough already.” Despite the excitement
and confusion, no serious damage was done to the mine, and regular operations resumed. At the
West Side Mine miners were working at the 500-foot level at the time of the tremor. When the
earth began to shake, they dropped their tools, rushed to the shaft and boarded the cage, and were
hoisted to the surface. Outside the mine, they gathered and discussed the frightening event, then
decided to return to work.3
As an uneasy peace settled over the community, there were those who sought to exploit
the situation. “Pinkey,” the town joker, that evening entered the Crystal Palace Saloon, where a
faro game was “in full blast.” He glanced around, then suddenly threw a pound of large bird shot
against the walls. The pellets came showering down, making a tremendous noise. At the gaming
table, the “lookout man” in the chair yelled and fell flat on the floor. The dealer shouted and
“ran like an Apache.” A Chinaman exclaimed, “Him come again,” and fled in dismay from the
scene. It was a cruel joke to play on an apprehensive populace. The next day, another person
sought to profit from the excitement. J. V. Vickers, a local insurance agent, began distributing
circulars that advised the townsfolk to insure themselves against accidents by earthquakes.
Except for their momentary terror, the citizens of Tombstone—both underground and on the
surface—escaped major injury and property damage.4
Charleston, fourteen miles to the east on the San Pedro River, was hit hard. The quake
there lasted thirty seconds. The ground shook so violently that every building in town was
damaged. In the neighboring mountains, boulders were loosened and came crashing down the
slopes striking sparks and setting fires. In the foothills water spurted from large fissures in the
earth, while in some places spring-fed streams stopped flowing. Although no one suffered
injury, the local residents abandoned Charleston, moving to Tombstone and other neighboring
communities.5
At St. David, to the north of Charleston, the quake lasted a full three minutes. Several
buildings collapsed, the schoolhouse was wrecked, and water was thrown out of irrigating canals.
The inhabitants slept outdoors that night, so great were their fears of a repetition of the shock.
The water level changed abruptly on the day of the quake, and artesian ponds suddenly appeared
in the valley adjacent to the village. The new source of water brought beneficial effects to the
health of the community. Before the quake, St. David sat in a swampy marshland which caused
malaria to reach epidemic proportions. With the appearance of artesian ponds, fresh water
3
William F. Staunton, “Memoirs, the First Fifty Years,” Special Collections. University of Arizona Library. Tucson.
William F. Staunton, “Effects of an Earthquake in a Mine at Tombstone Arizona,” Seismological Society of
America [SSA] Bulletin, VIII (1918), 26. Ten miles from Tombstone a lake covering an acre of ground was
completely dried up in twenty minutes. Embankments along the New Mexico & Arizona Railroad were moved as
much as twelve inches. Tucson Arizona Citizen, May 4, 1887.
4
“Pinkey” was not identified by name. Tombstone Epitaph, May 4. 1887. Phoenix Herald, May 3, 1887.
Alma D. Ready, “Charleston, the Town that Never Grew Old,” Arizona Highway, XXXVIII (November 1962), 7.
At neighboring Fort Huachuca, the shock cracked the hospital walls so severely that daylight showed through. In
the same vicinity the quake reportedly hit Calabasas at 2:10 P.M., Crittenden at 2:13, and Olive Camp at 2:30 P. M.
Tucson Weekly Arizona Citizen, May 7, 1887. James R. Hastings, The Changing Mile (U. of Arizona Press. 1965),
162–163.
5
3
replaced the stagnant pools and the malaria subsided. Apostle David Snow, a local Mormon
leader, had predicted that the epidemic would come to a dramatic end. According to Snow, God
used the earthquake to fulfill his prophecy.6
The Abbott Ranch, to the northeast in the Sulphur Springs Valley, also benefited from
the earthquake. When the tremor struck in midafternoon, a group of cowboys was busy with a
roundup of 1,000 head of cattle. As the ground began to undulate, the parched earth opened in
every direction. Geysers of water spurted as high as two feet in places, and, in an incredibly short
time, filled the neighboring washes. One stream of water gushed from a seam ten inches in
diameter and created a shallow lake a mile wide. The ranch owners immediately speculated
about using the water for irrigation, as well as for the cattle. Roy Pascholv, a ranch spokesman,
reported that there was sufficient water to supply 100,000 head of cattle and irrigate 1,000 acres
of land. He surmised that the ranch would become the most valuable in Arizona. However,
within a few days the water level began to subside, and the springs reverted to their former state.7
The earthquake created a sensation at Benson. Shortly after 2:00 P.M., buildings began to
sway and some developed large cracks. A Southern Pacific engine sitting on a turntable with its
brakes set was moved forward and backward on the tracks like a toy. The residents, fearing that
the buildings would fall on them, rushed from their homes and places of business into the streets.
Smoke and fire in the neighboring Whetstone Mountains added to their fears. Many thought that
the smoke and fire represented volcanic activity.8
A short time later, a correspondent from Benson sent a sensational report to the San
Francisco Chronicle. Forty shocks, he declared, had struck the town on the day of the quake,
and volcanos had appeared on the neighboring mountains, with rivers of lava flowing from their
craters. He also noted that the water level in the San Pedro River had risen as a result of the
seismic disturbance. The editor of the Tombstone Epitaph promptly labeled the reporter “the
Benson liar who misrepresents that section of the country through manufactured specials.... Had
the man given facts alone it would have been bad enough, but it seems that it is impossible for
him to confine himself to the truth about anything.” Whether true or not, such reports
immediately turned the eyes of the nation toward the Southwest.9
The earthquake struck the little town of Pantano, east of Tucson, with heavy force. A freight
train was leaving the depot when the shock came. The impact rocked the track and almost threw
the engine from a bridge into a creek bed below. Local residents were terrified. A reporter,
assessing the effect of the tremor, stated: “Several of the depot chimneys were shaken down, and
the dishes upset in all of the houses. Cupboards were turned over and the looking glasses in the
rooms were knocked about. The adobe house of Mr. Marshall was considerably damaged, the
roof being removed from its fastenings. Mrs. Shaw’s adobe house near the Total Wreck Mine
was also damaged by being cracked in several places.”10
6
Olive K. Mitchell. Life Is A Fulfilling, (Brigham Young U. Press. 1967), 98-99; James G. Wolf, “When the West
Was Young,” Arizona Highways. XVI (April 1940), 29.
7
Phoenix Arizona Gazette. May 6, 1887. The shock cracked the Abbott ranchhouse from the plate to the foundation
and broke off the chimneys. A cowboy had his leg broken when his horse was knocked off its feet and fell on him.
Tombstone Epitaph. May 4, 1887.
8
9
El Paso Times May 5. 1887; Phoenix Gazette, May 5. 1887; Tucson Citizen, May 4, 1887.
Tombstone Epitaph, May 8, 1887. The major newspapers in the nation picked up the Benson story in the San
Francisco Chronicle. For example, see New York Times and New York Herald, May 5-6, 1887.
10
Tucson Arizona Star. May 5, 1887.
4
Figure 2 – Dr. George Goodfellow, of Tombstone, made a detailed investigation of the Sonora earthquake. Caption on
photo reads: “Horse given him [Goodfellow] by President Diaz for service rendered in Bavispe Earthquake.” – Arizona
Historical Society, Tucson.
5
6
In Tucson the quake hit at 2:12 P.M., and generated considerable excitement and fear.
“The trembling was a series of very rapid vibrations,” a newsman declared, “commencing with a
barely perceptible movement, and gradually increasing in intensity until one could hardly keep
on one’s feet. It lasted just four minutes.” The Oscillations of the quake caused several buildings
to sway greatly. The walls in Charles Etchell’s blacksmith shop and the town marshal’s office
were badly cracked. The office of the Tucson Weekly Arizona Citizen, a large two-story
building, shook so violently that no one could stay in it. The courthouse cupola moved “like the
mast of a ship in a turbulent sea.” The school building swayed and plaster fell from the walls,
creating intense fear among the students. “The school was at once dismissed for fear of’ a
repetition of the shock,” a school official said, adding: “Miss Annie Wood fainted and Miss
Mamie Freese was cool-headed enough to take care of her regardless of the panic.”11
The tremor damaged a number of homes. The two-story residence of merchant B. M.
Jacobs was bandied about and severely damaged. The brick capstone of a house in the Barrio
Libre collapsed. On Pearson Street the shaking caused brick work to crack in several places.
Elsewhere in the city, windows and doors rattled, crockery crashed to the floor, and lamps
swayed to-and-fro. In the stores, shelved goods were thrown on the floor, furniture careened
about, and many people were moved in their chairs two or three feet. The shock affected the
delicate mechanisms of pendulum clocks, causing them to stop instantly. Fearful for their lives,
people fled for the safety of the streets, and a large number experienced nausea.12
In some parts of Tucson, the earthquake modified the water level. Shock waves
compressed the earth so tightly that underground water sources were cut off from the surface.
When that happened, springs and wells on the surface ceased flowing. An example of the
phenomenon was the effect on the well at the McKay home. Before the quake, the deep well in
back of the residence had ample water, but soon after the tremor it dried up and was used
thereafter as a depository for trash.13
In the Santa Catalina Mountains, north of Tucson, the quake broke large boulders from
their moorings. Rocks crashed down the mountainsides, and large clouds of dust rose several
thousand feet above the peaks. One towering peak—a landmark known as the “Old Castle”—
partially disappeared. Preliminary reports indicated that a volcano had blown the crest off the
mountain.14
The tremor produced great anxiety among livestock. Ranchers noticed that cattle acted
strangely just before the quake, and when the shock hit, they “ran wild with fright.” At the Pusch
Ranch, a mare stood for several hours after the shock passed, trembling with fear and refusing to
move. That evening, the dogs were unusually quiet and few barked. Animal sensitivity to the
disturbance was common throughout the area.15
11
Ibid., May 4–5, 1887. Tombstone Epitaph, May 7, 1887. A Mr. Wetmore reported that when the quake hit
Tucson, the wind was blowing from the west, the mercury stood at 84 degrees, and the sky appeared practically
cloudless.
12
The Tucson Weekly Citizen, May 7, 1887, stated: That earthquake was a strange visitor to Arizona. We are
assured by those who have had access to the old records of the mission fathers and have read the history of this
territory covering a period of nearly 300 years, that no seismic disturbance had been known here for the last three
centuries.
13
Adrienne B. Anderson, “From Family Home to Slum Apartment” (M.A. thesis, University Arizona 1970), 135.
14
Tucson felt one or two subsequent tremors after the quake and also on the following day. Tucson Star, May 4-5,
1887. Phoenix Gazette, May 5, 1887.
15
Tucson Star, May 6, 1887.
7
From Tucson the tremor moved in a northwestern direction to Phoenix, being felt there at
2:55 P.M. At first there was no noise—only a wavelike motion. As buildings swayed, the
population dashed into the streets. They grew more frightened when they heard a deep rumbling
sound to the southeast and saw a massive dust cloud rising over the mountains. Several days
later they learned that a rockslide near the Salt River had caused the phenomenon. No injuries or
property damage occurred in the Phoenix area.16
Globe, located directly east of Phoenix, also felt the seismic disturbance. When the
tremor struck, the pendulum clocks in town stopped at 3:11 P.M. One observer, commenting on
local reactions, said: “All knew it was an earthquake and that they had been wonderfully shook
up. The townsfolk fled from their homes into the streets wondering why this dreadful quake had
to happen to them.” Several feared that another shock would hit the town and completely
destroy it. A few residents—in a more humorous mood—expressed concern that other localities
would be able to “out-brag” them in stories about the quake. Fortunately the shock did little
local damage.17
On the neighboring San Carlos Reservation, the Apaches became very excited when the
earthquake jolted their area. Fearing a second shock, they abandoned their homes and rushed to
the mountains, believing that higher elevations offered more security than the river bottoms,
which were subject to flooding. When a second shock failed to materialize, the Indians gathered
their belongings and returned to their homes.18
Solomonville, located eighty miles north of Benson, felt the impact of the shock at 3:10
P.M. At the time of the tremor, Judge Walter Barnes was presiding over a jury trial. The
courtroom was filled to capacity, and spectators were intently following the animated
proceedings. Suddenly, a strange noise pervaded the courtroom—and grew louder and louder.
The building began to shake, and the walls cracked. The people looked around at each other, and
many seemed stunned. Pandemonium ensued. Spectators, judge, jury, counsel, and even the
defendant raced for the nearest exit. Tom Holliday, a 250-pounder from Pima, got stuck in
trying to get through a window, and had to be helped by the sheriff. Outside, the people gathered
in small groups, talking excitedly about the strange occurrence.19
The earthquake not only affected the state of Arizona, but also jolted some areas in
western Texas and several towns along the Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico. The residents of
El Paso felt the shock at 3:08 P.M. When the quake hit, Judge John Falvey was conducting a
district court trial concerning a Mexican charged with intent to murder. As the courtroom began
to shake, the spectators charged outside. The judge maintained later that he and Attorney Roy
Fielder were the only ones who remained in the courtroom during the quake. However,
witnesses reported that they heard the judge remark, “Court is adj________” as he shot through
the door. Many townspeople complained of nausea. Some residents said that the quake
resembled the “rocking of a boat on a choppy sea.” Others detected a distinct and offensive odor
of sulfur a few minutes prior to the shock. Although there were minor discomforts, El Pasoans
16
Los Angeles Times. May 4, 1887. Severe shocks were felt at Fort McDowelI at 2:30 P.M. At the mining camp of
Pinal, northeast of Florence, a short but sharp shock was felt at 2:35 P.M. Florence apparently was not affected, nor
was Prescott, Flagstaff, or Kingman—all north of Phoenix. Florence Arizona Weekly Enterprise, May 7, 1887;
Phoenix Herald, May 3, 1887; Kingman Mohave County Miner, May 14, 1887.
17
Tucson Weekly Citizen, May 14, 1887; Tucson Star, May 4, 1887.
18
Tucson Weekly Citizen, May 21, 1887. The shock reportedly lasted two minutes as San Carlos, and three minutes
at Fort Apache. Tucson Citizen, May 7, 1887.
19
Tombstone Epitaph, May 7, 1887.
8
escaped with little property damage. Shock waves hit Albuquerque at 3:13 P.M. Smoke and fire
were seen on neighboring mountains, and it was rumored that an extinct crater had erupted.
When the residents realized there was no relation between the crater and the tremor, the
excitement subsided.20
As it was learned later, the earthquake had caused the greatest damage in the region
around Bavispe in northeastern Sonora. In midafternoon of May 3, the people in that village
heard a low subterranean roar, then felt a sudden shaking beneath them. Deep cracks appeared in
the streets, the ground sank in several places, and water flooded the depressed areas. Fire and
smoke belched from the towering Sierra Madre Mountains to the east, causing many to think that
volcanoes had erupted. Smaller shocks followed, adding to the terror. Forty people lost their
lives and twenty-nine suffered serious injuries when residences, stores, and the church collapsed.
The local priest promptly called the villagers to assemble at the ruins of the church. The event
was an example of God’s wrath because of their sins, he declared, and he urged everyone to pray
for forgiveness. In succeeding weeks, the ruins provided a dramatic backdrop for regular
religious services.21
In Fronteras, located sixty-two miles northwest of Bavispe, the quake also struck with
devastating force. A number of buildings—some more than one hundred years old—collapsed
instantly. In one instance, a child, unable to escape from falling adobe masonry, was crushed to
death. Others narrowly escaped with their lives and several were injured. For several days,
aftershocks were felt in the village.22
The village of Oputo, forty-five miles southwest of Bavispe, suffered heavy damage.
Like Bavispe and Fronteras, Oputo lay in the line of maximum quake intensity. When the adobe
buildings crumbled under the impact, nine people were killed and several injured. The villagers
were further terrorized by fires on the nearby mountains which burned for several days. Many
believed that the fires were the result of erupting volcanos.23
Tepic, located forty miles west of Oputo, was also in the path of the earthquake. On the
afternoon of the tremor, a festival was in progress. Couples danced and promenaded to lively
music played under an arbor in the town plaza. Shouts of laughter permeated the air as the
festival gained momentum. Suddenly, at 3:00 P.M., three strong subterranean shocks convulsed
the area. The ground oscillated, sank, buckled, and trembled violently. The walls and roofs of
many buildings collapsed instantly. Large cracks opened in the streets, some as wide as six
inches. The crowd became panic-stricken, running, stumbling, and falling as they fled to the
nearby hills. Believing that the end of the world had come, women wept, prayed, and begged
God to help them in their time of great need. As there were no deaths and few injuries in the
quake, some people believed that God had answered their petitions.24
20
Tucson Citizen, May 4, 1887, says the shock waves hit Albuquerque at 3:33 P.M. See also May 4, 1887 issues of
El Paso Times, Las Vegas Optic, Santa Fe New Mexican and San Diego Union for reports on the shocks felt in New
Mexico.
21
Sterry Hunt and James Douglas, “The Sonora Earthquake of May 3, 1887, Nature, XXXVI (October 1887), 572.
Tucson Weekly Citizen, May 14, 1887. The quake reportedly was felt in Altar and Guaymas at 2:45 P.M. Tucson
Citizen, May 4, 1887.
22
Walter M. Brodie, “Earthquake Phenomena in Arizona,” The Engineering and Mining Journal, June 11, 1887,
416-17. [Note: Incorrect author; author given as “An Occasional Correspondent.”]
23
Francisco R. Almada, Diccionario de Historia, Geografía y Biografía Sonorenses (Chihuahua: Talleres
Arrendatarios de Impresora, 1952), 781. Tucson Weekly Citizen, May 14, 1887.
24
Bernard MacDonald, “Remarks on the Sonora Earthquake: Its Behavior at Tepic, Sonora.” SSA Bulletin, VIII
(1918), 74-78.
9
Figure 3a,b – (top) Church in Bavispe, Sonora, after 1887 earthquake. (bottom) Earthquake
destruction in Bavispe. – Arizona Historical Society, Tucson.
10
Figure 4a,b – (top) Religious procession in Baceras, Sonora, after the 1887 earthquake. –
Arizona Historical Society, Tucson. (bottom) San Xavier Mission near Tucson, in 1902. Fence
[brick wall] to left of building [between the mission and the smaller building to the far left] was
damaged [knocked down] by earthquake of 1887. Photo by David Griffith. – Arizona State
Museum, Tucson.
11
In Tepic, animals and fowls reacted with fright to the powerful stresses of the
earthquake. A dog owned by Bernard MacDonald sensed the coming of the shock, and ran and
threw himself at his master’s feet, whinning pitifully. Chickens clucked and complained noisily
while the ground shook. A rooster crowed vigorously, and other roosters in the neighborhood
joined the chorus. This crowing in midafternoon provided an eerie benediction to the drama of
the forces of nature.25
Soon after the quake, Paul Gregory, a physician in Hermosillo, sent a letter to the editor
of the Tucson Weekly Citizen, requesting aid for the victims in Tepic and other Sonoran villages.
Gregory vividly described the suffering: “Think of poor sick women and little children camping
out under a mesquite tree with very poor shade and no protection from the hot sun. The worst of
it is, they have no provisions but the very little that could be spared from hereabouts.” Gregory
appealed for help: “Open your hearts my countrymen and help these excellent people.” Several
Tucsonans who read Gregory’s letter responded generously with flour, coffee, sugar, and
clothing.26
Initial speculation about the earthquake of May 3, 1887, was inaccurate and exaggerated
For example, scientists at first believed that the center of the quake was located in Tucson,
Arizona. However, subsequent investigation discounted this view. An informative letter in the
Tucson Weekly Citizen commented on this on May 14, 1887: “The center of the convulsion
turns out not to have been Tucson, as seismologists first declared, but some fifty or sixty miles
south of the border.” One group of scientists explained the quake in terms of the unified field
theory. They contended that a general convulsion was at work in the bowels of the earth, and
attributed various tremors throughout the world to the same cause. Another group argued that
earthquakes were strictly local convulsions and that no interconnection existed between them.
“Professor Falb of Vienna,” the paper said, adhered to the unified field theory…and connected
the shock in Tucson with “earthquakes in Italy, and the explosion of gas in the coal mine in
Vancouver.” On the other hand, a Professor Huess who was “especially well informed,” had
pronounced the convulsions “purely local,” and ascribed them “to a slip of the surface of the
earth along one of the geological breaks.”
As was the case in many frontier areas, there were no geologists on hand to observe and record
the character and magnitude of the May 1887 earthquake. When the Sonoran shock occurred,
Clarence E. Dutton, head of the United States Geological Survey, was evaluating the evidence of
a tremor which had hit Charleston, South Carolina, in August of 1886, and had no personnel to
send west. Dutton, however, moved quickly: he telegraphed a printing house in Tucson to
distribute questionnaires throughout southern Arizona to acquire information on the shock; and
he contacted an acquaintance living in Tombstone, George E. Goodfellow, a physician, and
asked him to make a report for the USGS. Goodfellow recently had returned from Sonora,
where he had gone to see a new volcano graphically described by an imaginative correspondent
of the New York Herald, but he agreed to return.27
25
Ibid., 17.
26
Tucson Weekly Citizen, May 28, 1887.
27
Clarence E. Dutton, Earthquakes in the Light of the New Seismology (New York. 1904), 53–55, 66. Goodfellow,
“Sonora Earthquake,” Science, Xl, 162-63. The New York Herald on May 9, 1887, mentioned the volcano. An
earthquake struck Centerville, California at 7:20 A.M. on May 3, 1887, but apparently it had no relationship to the
Sonoran tremor later in the day. The Tucson Weekly Citizen, May 7, 1887, mentions USGS questionnaires.
12
Figure 5a,b – (top) Aerial photo (1976) by Peter Kresan showing line of 1887 fault scarp in San
Bernardino Valley in northeastern Sonora. (bottom) Photo (1974) by John R. Sumner of fault
scarp of 1887 quake. East side of fault is in rear. – photos courtesy of John S. Sumner,
Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson.
13
Figure 6 – Aerial photo (1976) by Peter Kresan showing line of 1887 fault scarp in northeastern
Sonora. Sierra de la Santa Lucia in background. – Courtesy John S. Sumner, University of
Arizona.
14
In July, Dr. Goodfellow, with several Mexican guides, headed south and at Bavispe met
Jose G. Aguilera, an engineer sent by the Mexican government to study the disturbed area. They
discussed the quake, agreed to exchange information, and separated to make independent
surveys.28
The investigators experienced difficulties from the first. An editorial introduction to
Goodfellow’s report stated: “…it was almost impossible to ascertain the time of the first shock
in and about the epicentral area, and some other important data, on account of the absence of
timepieces, the illiteracy of the people and their indisposition to give facts if they had them, the
sparse population and inaccessibility of the country, the absence of all means of rapid
communication or transit, and last but not least, the unparalleled severity of the rainy season of
1887.29
One of the first objects of the investigation was to determine the epicenter of the quake.
Goodfellow believed the area of maximum intensity was in the Teras Mountains. While “circling
that region,” he wrote, “those mountains were continually the seat of various seismic
manifestations. The principal of those was the rumbling, roaring, or, as it seemed to me, the
groaning of those massive peaks. Usually this would be succeeded by a more or less severe
shock.… I had rigged up a seismograph...consisting of a bullet suspended in a large beer bottle.
This, with moderate accuracy, gave me the direction of the vibrations, and all seemed to come
from the northern end of the Teras Mountains.” In his report, Aguilera placed the epicenter in
the Batepito Valley. “In the eastern edge of the Valley of Batepito between the river of the same
name, which runs for the most part through the valley, and the slope of the mountains which are
a continuation of the range of the Teras, the dislocations and other effects of the tremor are seen
in their greatest intensity. It is in this part of the valley that we may locate the epicenter.”30
On the west face of the Teras Mountains, the investigators found a large fault or scarp
which ran along a winding course for over thirty-five miles. The fault began a few miles south
of the Arizona line, in Elias Creek, increasing in width as it curved toward Los Embudos
Canyon; it then ran south along the foothills, crossing the Yaqui River, and cutting across spurs
and canyons as it ascended into the Teras Mountains. At the northern end, the displacement in
the first twenty miles rose to eleven feet, according to Goodfellow, then diminished again and
disappeared. Near the scarp were innumerable fissures, depressions, and widespread devastation.
Millions of cubic feet of rock, Goodfellow reported, had been thrown down from the mountains
to the canyons and watercourses below. Cliffs of solid crystalline rock are shattered and split, as
if a charge of giant-powder had been lodged carefully among them for the express purpose of
annihilating them.”31
28
Aguilera, ‘Fenomenos seismicos del 3 de Mayo de 1887,” Anales, X, 5–56; Aguilera, “The Earthquake of 1887,”
SSA Bulletin, X (1920), 41–44. Aguilera was listed as Chief of the Naturalist Section, Scientific Commission of
Sonora, and Assistant Naturalist, Geographic Exploration Commission.
29
Goodfellow, “Sonora Earthquake,” Science. XI, 162.
30
Ibid., 164; Aguilera, “Earthquake of 1887,” SSA Bulletin, X, 42.
31
Goodfellow, “Sonora Earthquake,” Science, XI, 162–63. Dutton, Earthquakes, 53–55. The quake produced a
ground breakage that runs for nearly 100 kilometers south from the Arizona border; the scarp reaches a height of
seven meters in some places. Sumner, “Earthquakes in Arizona,” ABM Fieldnotes, VI, 3. John Randolph Sumner,
“The Sonora Earthquake of 1887,” unpublished manuscript, 1, and figure 1, corrects Aguilera’s 1888 map, which
placed the fault trace seven kilometers too far east and failed to depict mountain ranges east of the fault. This
manuscript, by a member of the Department of Geological Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is
based on intensive field study in 1974 of the 1887 site, and will soon appear in the SSA Bulletin.
15
Sonorans who had witnessed the quake told of volcanos erupting in the mountains. “The
shifting of such a tremendous mass of earth,” Goodfellow stated, “must have had some
concomitant phenomena; and if water and gas shot out to varying but moderate altitudes, why
should not ignited gas do the same?” Aguilera wrote: “The explanation of mountain fires is, in
our opinion, that the jarring of the stones forming the many peaks which suffered landslides,
generated heat enough to set fire to the dry grass which is especially dry at this season of the
year. Beginning in this manner the fire spread, making a general conflagration.”32
Special attention was given to the impact on water flow in the affected areas.
Goodfellow described “outbursts of sand and water through fissures and small crater-like holes, a
few inches to a foot or more in diameter.” At the Batepito Ranch, four inches of water covered
an area two miles long by one mile wide immediately after the first shock. This phenomena was
temporary, however, for the flow ceased as soon as the violent shaking ended. Of more
importance was the permanent modification of the water supply. Goodfellow found that stream
flow had been definitely altered in the Yaqui and San Bernardino Valleys. Both gained in
volume, and new springs came into being.33
Goodfellow and Aguilera also speculated about the cause of the tremor. They theorized
that a sudden upheaval of a section of the Sierra Madre Mountain range, known locally as the
Teras Mountains, had caused a dislocation of the earth’s crust. Aguilera attributed the tremor to
“a fracture of ancient rocks” and believed that “the lifting of the Sierra Madre has not yet
ceased.” Dutton, after studying the reports, attributed the, quake to dislocations of large masses
of rocky strata. In contrast to quakes of volcanic origin, dislocation quakes involved more
energy, covered greater areas, and were exceedingly violent and destructive near the dislocation.
Aftershocks could follow for days and weeks, keeping the local population in a state of terror.34
The sudden uplift of the Sierra Madre range had sent out powerful shock waves more
than 400 miles. “The earthquake,” Aguilera wrote, “extended over a large zone limited on the
south by the valley of Mexico, on the east by the Bolson de Mapimi, on the west by the Gulf of
California and the pacific Ocean, and on the north by an oblique curving line which extends from
Santa Fe, New Mexico, to the junction of the Gila and Colorado Rivers, passing Prescott,
Arizona on the south.” This area, though irregular in outline, marked a triangle whose respective
vertices were Santa Fe, Yuma, and Mexico City. It embraced a surface of 1,200,000 square
kilometers.35
Despite the rainy weather which made it difficult to trace the fault and assess local
damage, both Goodfellow and Aguilera completed their labors in the late summer of 1887.
Goodfellow returned to Arizona and conducted interviews in various towns to obtain firsthand
stories, and later shared his information with Aguilera. Goodfellow’s report to the USGS was
32
Goodfellow, “Sonora Earthquake,” Science, XI, 165; Aguilera, “Earthquake of 1887,” SSA Bulletin, X, 32-33.
Tucson Weekly Citizen, May 14, 1887.
33
Goodfellow, “Sonora Earthquake,” Science, XI, 163.
34
Aguilera, “Earthquake of 1887,” SSA Bulletin, X, 44; the earth’s surface is divided into rigid plates of strong,
lithospheric rock and these plates are in motion. Earthquakes occur at the point of contact between these plates.
The earthquake damage scale in present use is the modified intensity scale, which ranges from I to XII. The more
modern Richter magnitude scale. based on standardized instrumental response and energy release, is not necessarily
an earthquake damage scale. A magnitude 5 earthquake has about the energy of a medium-sized atomic bomb.
Sumner, “Earthquakes,” ABM Fieldnotes, VI, 3–4.
35
Aguilera, “Earthquake of 1887,” SSA Bulletin, X, 32–33. The Sonoran quake disturbed the needle of the
magnetograph of the Coast and Geodetic Survey at Los Angeles, a distance of more than 600 miles. On the coast, it
was felt from Fuerte River to the Colorado River. Dutton, Earthquakes, 53–55, 66.
16
published in Science magazine early in 1888. Aguilera’s study was completed in March of 1888
and appeared (with maps and graphs) in Anales del Ministerio de Fomento, published by the
Mexican government in 1888; a brief resume in English was in the Bulletin of the Seismological
Society of America in 1918.36
The earthquake of 1887 left an enduring scar on the land. Shock waves radiating from an
epicenter in northeastern Sonora not only caused property damage and human distress, but also
created changes in the earth’s surface. In a region where sputtering Apache wars had captured
the nation’s attention for over a decade, a new horror had now occurred. Newspaper coverage of
the earthquake, although somewhat exaggerated at first, made the public acutely aware of the
local hazards of a major tremor, and pointed up the need for trained personnel to investigate
seismic activity. Subsequent reports by Goodfellow and Aguilera gave formal dimensions to the
nature and character of this singular event, which momentarily terrorized thousands of people on
the Southwestern border in mid-afternoon on May 3, 1887.
36
Goodfellow, “Sonora Earthquake,” Science, XI, 162–66; Aguilera, “Earthquake of 1887,” SSA Bulletin, X, 43;
Aguilera, “Fenomenos seismicos del 3 de Mayo de 1887,” Anales, X, 5–56. Professor John S. Sumner, Department
of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, estimates that the 1887 Sonoran quake would have measured about
8.1 on the Richter scale; the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 registered 8.3. Sumner to Editor, March 31, 1977.
The most recent earthquake in Arizona (Richter magnitude of 5.2) occurred on February 3, 1976, in Chino Valley
northeast of Prescott. Sumner, “Earthquakes,” ABM Fieldnotes, VI, 3.