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BSSA, Vol. 31, n. 3, p. 259.
June 30, 1941 - A strong earthquake shook the Santa Barbara coastal
area at 11:53 pm. It smashed scores of store windows, cracked plaster,
and toppled bricks from shop facades in Santa Barbara. Four water mains
were severed and a section of the city was without electric light and
telephone source when power lines were disrupted. At least four distinct
shocks followed the first. The earthquake was also felt in Ventura,
Carpinteria, Los Angeles, and Long Beach.
USDC, 41-1, p. 170, 1970 ed.
23:51 Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, 34.4 N, 119.6 W int. VIII (MM)
area felt 20,000 sq. mi.
Total damage about $100,000, of which 35% was to drug and liquor stocks
and to plate glass. A small slide covered the railroad and reached the
highway about 20 miles east of Santa Barbara on Route 101. Telephone
service between Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo
was interrupted. In Santa Barbara, 30 glass-topped street lamps were
snapped off, and practically every store in the 600 to 1000 block of
State Street suffered considerable interior damage. There were 17 breaks
in the larger water mains and 18 service breaks. Sidewalks buckled in
a few places. In Carpinteria about 25 chimneys and a number of walls
fell, one cornice was shaken down, and many dishes and windows were
broken. In both places, many of the structures affected had been damaged
in the 1925 earthquake and imperfectly repaired.
Santa Paula Chronicle, 55th year, no. 42 (Tuesday, Jul. 1, 1941).
Nerves Take Worst Beating in Midnight Quake Here. The earthquake which
severely shatted [sic] Santa Barbara at 11:53 pm yesterday and sent
glass from windows for miles around merely woke startled Santa Paulans
who watched the chandeliers sway and heard window glass rattle.
Most serious after-affect locally was the work stoppage brought on
by the need to discuss the temblor and its several settling shocks between
midnight and about 1:15 this morning.
No damage beyond a crack in house plaster here and there and broken
chinaware [sic] knocked from shelves was reported by police this morning.
Nerves took the major beating and loss of sleep was rampant.
A slide on the road between Ojai and Ventura was reported this morning
by a motorist forced to turn back, along with the slide on the stretch
of coast highway which likewise covered the railroad track.
Telephone operators were working double quick answering queries following
the shock, coming just one day after the anniversary of the big 1925
earthquake in Santa Barbara, center of last nightÕs disturbance.
Opinion was divided on the severity of the temblor, but consensus
was that it was sufficiently hard enough to wake every sleeper and send
still-awake householders to cover.
--Felt Santa Maria to San Bernardino.
The Oxnard Press-Courier, Vol. 34, no. 1 (Tuesday, Jul. 1, 1941).
COUNTY HIT BY RECORD TREMOR. The worst earthquake to juggle the county
in the memory of oldtimers last night shook Oxnarders from their sleep,
ruined liquor supplies and shattered glass windows in Ventura and disrupted
telephone communication with Santa Barbara.
Occurring shortly before midnight, the quake appeared to be centered
between Ventura and Santa Barbara, causing extensive damage in both
cities. A building in Carpinteria partially collapsed but no one was
hurt.
In Oxnard not a single report of damage was forthcoming. Druggists
and grocers reported stocks were not damaged, and that all glass goods
stayed on their shelves undisturbed.
RINCON SLIDE. The quake caused a heavy slide on the Rincon highway,
disrupting telephone communication and forcing auto traffic to one way
travel for more than two hours. Trains were also delayed about that
time. Heavy rock slides were reported on the Casitas Pass as a result
of the severe tremor.
Santa Maria Times, Vol. 60, no. 60 (Tuesday, Jul. 1, 1941).
Santa Barbara Temblor Felt in Santa Maria. Damage in County Seat Considerable
From Night Quake. A strong earthquake which violently shook the Santa
Barbara area at midnight, damaging business buildings and slightly injuring
one person, was felt here but did no damage.
This time a strong sideward shock struck at 11:53 pm. (Santa Barbara)
at least four distinct quakes, less severe in intensity, followed the
first. Here, only the first shock was felt.
Ventura County Star Free Press, 66th year, no. 202 (Tuesday,
Jul. 1, 1941).
QUAKE DOES $6,000 DAMAGE. Tremblor Smashes Windows, Wares: Hitting
with a force which shattered plate glass windows, knocked bricks out
of chimneys, rolled residents out of their beds, cracked buildings,
and caused damage conservatively estimated at $6,000, Ventura and vicinity
last night was shuffled he worst shock since the Santa Barbara earthquake
of 1925.
The first violent shock at 11:53 pm smashed windows at HilfordÕs Furniture
Company on Ventura Ave., the Firestone Tire Co. on Meta Street and ScottÕs
Apparel on Main St.
It wrecked window displays in the business district and rudely awakened
sleeping residents.
Buildings Cracked - It rocked the city until surface cracks appeared
in dozens of buildings.
It smashed bottled goods, shook plaster from walls and ceilings, and
uttered a terrifying rumble.
It frightened residents. Those in bed sat bolt upright, with a queer
trembly feeling in their stomachs, not knowing whether to run out of
the house or stay put. Soon people were running into the streets, attired
in robes, dressing gowns and slippers to await the next shocks.
All Ventura immediately wanted to know what damage had been done and
where the center of the shock was located. They ran to telephones to
call the police, sheriff and fire departments.
Police Contact Santa Barbara - The news spread that Santa Barbara
was in a shambles, and it was impossible for about an hour to reach
Santa Barbara by telephone because of the disturbed lines. The police
department got the first word from Santa Barbara by short wave radio
and within half an hour from the time of the first quake was giving
out information that "damage is not excessive and there are no casualties"
in Santa Barbara.
A series of "settling" waves followed, none of which approached the
intensity of the first jolt. Nevertheless, Venturans held their breath
until each successive wave had passed over.
NewberryÕs Hard Hit - The JJ Newberry Co. in the middle of the 400
block on the south side of Main Street suffered the heaviest damage
in the business district. Manager Cecil Wheatley estimated that the
damage will run in the vicinity of $1,500. Front window displays at
the Newberry store crumpled and piled up in the bottoms of showcases
as if a giant spoon had been used to stir up candies, glassware, picture
frames and other assorted articles. Cans of paint fell from the shelves
inside, puncturing holes in other cans of paint. The storeroom floor
upstairs was covered with paint and smashed merchandise. A large crack
shows on the outside of the building and a number of plaster cracks
show are in evidence on the support pillars inside the Newberry structure.
Drugstore Damaged - Another heavy looser was the R&B Drugstore where
Low Bernstein estimated his damage between $400 and $500, mostly as
the result of liquor bottles smashing to the floor and spilling over
cartons of cigarettes and other merchandise.
The merchants in the 300 block after surveying their own premises,
grabbed mops and brooms and worked for several hours cleaning up the
sea of milk of magnesia, scotch, bourbon, and wine so that the R&B would
be ready for business in the morning.
Downtown Ventura was alive with people. Some people commented that
it looked like Saturday night during the Christmas rush season and wished
they were open for business.
The best of the stock at the Three Star Liquor store was smashed on
the north side of the 300 block yet down the block only 3 or 4 bottles
fell from the shelves of both Mitchells Liquor store and the Rexall
Cut Rate Drug Store.
Broken Window - Again of the south side of the 300 block there was
a broken window at Scotts Apparel shop. The manager like other merchants
hurried downtown after the first shock. He found curious groups of Venturans
inspecting his new open air window display.
The JC Penney buildings developed a few surface cracks.
Adding to the downtown confusion, the burglar alarm at the Hamilton
Diamond company refused to be silenced and rang most of the night.
Clerks at Bennetts Drugstore said between 75 and 100 bottles toppled
off shelves and to the bottoms of showcases.
Union National Bank showed surface cracks.
The P&H market lost approximately 50 bottles of liquor off shelves
and a number of other bottles of olives, pickles, and mayonnaise.
The New York Store reported that a clock hanging on the wall fell
down.
The Ventura Drug Company opened after broken glass had been cleared
from the floor. Several displays were jumbled up.
Two pairs of shoes dropped off their pedestals at the Hirschfield Shoe
Store.
Dome lights in front of the Ventura Motor company were damaged.
Home Damage Light - The residential area although severely shaken up,
came out of the rumbling with very little damage. A few bricks were
jarred loose from chimneys and crockery and glassware hurled from kitchen
and dining room shelves.
Continental Oil Co. officials said rigs swayed like masts on a rocking
ship. None fell down.
BrandÕs Pharmacy at Main and Chestnut suffered bottle breaking as
did a number of other shops in the 500 block area.
John P. McGonigle at 1613 E. Main Street said the initial shock "almost
threw me out of bed".
Santa Barbara News Press, Vol. 78, no. 243 (Tuesday, Jul. 1,
1941).
SHARP TREMOR HITS CITY; DAMAGE REPORTED SLIGHT. All southland feels
earthquake centering here. A sharp earthquake, heaviest in years but
not severe enough to cause more than an estimated few thousand dollars
worth of damage in Santa Barbara, struck southern California just before
midnight last night. Four more shocks followed at few minutes intervals.
Reports from Los Angeles indicated the quake centered in Santa Barbara.
Reports of shocks came from all points between San Bernardino and
Santa Maria. Except for shattered windows, cracked plaster, and temporarily
disrupted telephone service to the south of Santa Barbara, there was
no report of extensive damage.
Windows Broken - The quake hit at 11:53 pm, followed by several "settling"
tremors between 12:18 and 1:15 am. The shock came just one day after
the anniversary of the big 1925 earthquake.
The first shock blasted windows out of State Street stores and buildings,
with 700, 800 and 900 blocks hardest hit. Streets were filled with glass,
doors were shaken open, burglar alarms were set ringing. There was some
damage below Ortega Street on State, but it was restricted to broken
window panes. North of Carrillo Street little damage was reported.
Soldiers Help - Soldiers attached to Hoff General Hospital, some of
whom were downtown on evening leave, promptly stepped in to aid police
by standing guard over the damaged shops to prevent looting. Police
guided traffic around the heaviest spread of glass, at State and De
la Guerra Streets, where buildings of the Benjamin Franklin Building
and parts of the second floor coping were shaken loose.
Ventura County reported a series of quakes in various sections, but
broken windows constituted the only known casualties. A slide was reported
on the Rincon, near the Santa Barbara-Ventura County line, and telephone
communications between Santa Barbara and Ventura were disrupted for
a short time, presumably because of the slide. Reports from sections
around Santa Barbara, particularly Goleta and Montecito, indicated that
the tremor was sharp there, also, but not serious.
Dishes Rattled - Santa Maria reports were similar. No damage was known.
LompocÕs "quake" caused no more than a rattling of dishes and a little
broken glass. San Luis Obispo escaped the quake entirely.
Worst damage in Carpinteria was to the two-story Smith Hardware Building,
where a number of bricks on one quarter of the building was shaken down.
The upper floor is the Masonic Hall. Plaster was shaken loose on many
other buildings, but damage was reported slight.
There were plaster cracks in several Santa Barbara downtown buildings,
and a chandelier in one of the Superior Court rooms in the Courthouse
fell down.
The entire police force went on duty promptly, and firemen were standing
by, but were not needed. About 20 members of the Home Defense Force
and an equal number of Legionnaires reported for duty at once, and some
of them were given special police badges and placed on guard at damaged
store properties.
Police blockaded sections of State, Chapala and Anacapa Streets between
Sola and Montecito Streets.
Several city water lines were reported broken, but none of the larger
mains suffered damage. The only damage at the filtration plant at Sheffield
Reservoir consisted of broken glass.
A chimney fell into the street from an apartment house on Chapala
Street near Cota Street.
Small Gas Leaks - Except for a few blocks plunged into temporary darkness,
there was no interruption of electric power, according to Edison Co.
officials.
A leak developed in the gas main at Mason and Chapala Streets, and
emergency crews responded to several calls to individual homes where
minor leaks were reported. Other gas alarms came from Las Tunas Road
and the 1000 block of De la Vina Street. There was no danger involved,
Southern Counties Gas Company officials said.
Street Department crews were immediately called on to sweep glass
from mid-town State Street, and were busy much of the night.
Santa Barbara News Press, Vol. 78, 244 (Wednesday, Jul 2, 1941).
CITY BACK TO NORMAL AFTER QUAKE DAMAGE IS ESTIMATED AT $25,000. Santa
Barbara returned to normal last night, with the last of the debris left
by Monday nightÕs sharp earthquake largely cleared away and most of
the shattered plate glass windows repaired.
Preliminary estimates of damage indicated that it would approximate
$25,000.
The quake was general throughout southern California, from Santa Maria
to San Bernardino, but damage was reported slight in most areas.
Shattered plate glass windows, damaged merchandise and cracked plaster
in the downtown district, where the shock was felt the hardest, accounted
for most of the loss. Much of it was reported covered by insurance.
(the next 4 paragraphs are unreadable due to copying)
Carpinteria felt the quake about as strongly as Santa Barbara. Coping
fell from the two-story Masonic building, and smashed in the roof of
Bud RileyÕs Camera Shop, damaging considerable merchandise. Shattered
glass and plaster cracks were reported in several other buildings.
Fire on Ranch - The Carpinteria Fire Dept. was called to the Evans
Pillsbury ranch-house on Foothill Road to extinguish a fire started
when a floor lamp fell over.
Traffic was slowed on the Rincon when a landslide covered part of
the highway near the county line. Later it was reported that the highway
bridge over the railroad tracks there had been weakened.
Santa Maria, Lompoc and the Santa Ynez valley felt the quake, but
reported no damage to speak of.
Damage in Ventura was roughly computed at several thousand dollars,
consisting chiefly of broken glass, damaged stocks and cracked plaster.
No casualties were reported. Oil derricks stood firm. Damage was estimated
at $6000.
There were widespread reports of "weird flashes of light" in the sky
just as the quake hit. Edison Company officials ascribed the flashes
to the contact of open wires caused by the shaking. Reports that the
flashes were particularly visible out to sea were traced to the snapping
of a 2200 volt wire running out to the Stearns Wharf causeway. The broken
ends fell into the water.
Buildings Inspected - Building Inspector Pope and Fire Chief Tenney
were busy inspecting damaged buildings Tuesday. Pope reported that the
city as a whole "took it well" from a structural standpoint.
However, he urged all property owners to have a building expert inspect
their structures thoroughly for signs of overhanging tile or plaster
or damaged chimneys, even if quake-caused effects were not immediately
apparent.
Residents with an eye to the calendar noted that the quake struck
just 16 years and one day after the disastrous shock of 1925 when a
number of lives were lost. Nothing more serious than a slight cut on
the hand was known to have been caused this time, however.
July 1, 1941, cont. (note conflicting dates. Ed.)
Rincon Blocked - The Ventura department store escaped without damage.
A slide caused by the quake partly blocked the Rincon between here and
Santa Barbara, but traffic was not cut off. Another slide has been reported
on the Ventura/Ojai road.
At the Ventura Bowling Academy, Ted Hayes was just about to roll.
The quake hit, the pins were knocked over and Hayes scored a strike
without rolling the ball. About 25 pounds of molten metal spilled out
of a 3 ton lead pot in the Star Free Press composing room.
Plaster fell from the Belfry of Mission San Buenaventura, but damage
was not severe.
SECOND ARTICLE: Most Severe Since 1925. Santa Barbara - A strong earthquake
violently shook the Santa Barbara coastal area at midnight damaging
business buildings and slightly injuring one person.
The tremblor came 16 years and 1 day after the disastrous 1925 earthquake.
A strong sideward shock struck at 11:25 pm. It smashed scores of store
windows and toppled brick shop facades and cracked plaster.
At least four distinct quakes, less severe in intensity followed the
first.
COMMUNICATION SEVERED. Four water mains were severed, a section of
the city was plunged into darkness by disrupted electric power lines
and telephone connections were temporarily cut off.
One unidentified person was treated at Cottage Hospital for hand injury
resulting from broken glass.
The quake caused damage over a 30-mile area along the Pacific Ocean.
At Carpinteria, the corner of a hardware store collapsed. Windows were
broken at Goleta and Paradise. Montecito was shaken but reported no
damage. Deputy Sheriff Bishop reported the first shock was preceded
by a rumble. It lasted 12-14 seconds and was followed by several sidewards
shocks. After the first 3 were 4 other minor tremors. The damage was
all minor. Sidewalks and street pavements were cracked in several places.
The quake, although felt over hundreds of square miles, diminished
in intensity east and south of Santa Barbara. In San Fernando Valley
sections of Los Angeles, the quake was strong enough to waken residents
from their sleep. The downtown business sections of LA and Hollywood
swayed in an undulating motion for approximately 20 seconds. Santa Ana
reported feeling the quake but in San Diego it was not noticeable.
Bakersfield and San Luis Obispo barely felt the quake.
Carpinteria Herald, no. 40 (Friday, Jul. 4, 1941).
Carpinteria Again Shaken By Quake. Greatest Damage Was Done to Masonic
Temple -- All Suffer. After sixteen years, one day and about 18 hours
since the big quake of June 29, 1925, Carpinteria again suffered from
a short big heavy stroke Monday night at 11:54 oÕclock. A number of
quakes have been experienced since and it is likely that the earth will
not become settled for another week.
It was a great awakening for Carpinteria. Within a few minutes there
were lights in every house in town and people flocked to the streets
to learn the extent of the damage and to exchange stories of experience
with their neighbors. In fact, Carpinteria. was the liveliest it has
been for some time.
As the houses had been shaken severely, many did not want to return
to them for a time, as there were many tremors.
The Masonic Temple suffered the greatest damage. All of the firewall
on the south and the north sides fell off, a portion damaging the small
store at the southwest corner of the building. All of the other buildings
about town weathered the tremor. This building was only slightly damaged
during the 1925 shake, so that it is estimated that the quake of Monday
night was heavier than the previous one. The 1925 quake continued for
about eight seconds, which the Monday night shake continued for only
about three seconds.
Every store about town suffered damage to stock. Bottled goods were
thrown from the shelves and many were broken. Canned goods were also
thrown from the shelf, but little damage was done to that enclosed in
tin cans.
--Description of buildings damaged about town -- "walls were cracked,
and the plate glass was broken. A portion of the cornice was shaken
off"; another building was "a total wreck"
. --Houses: One chimney toppled; damage done to canned goods.
"The palatial residence of Lloyd Sheldon on Rincon Hill was greatly
damaged by the quake."
"Harry R. Graham, contractor of Santa Barbara, started a crew of workmen
on the repair of the Martindale Building on the state highway. A whole
new roof is being put on.
The Hickey Building at the left of 7th Street was badly damaged by
the quake, the extent of which has not yet been determined. The walls
were cracked and the plate glass was broken. A portion of the cornice
was shaken off and the walls were cracked. The front of the portion
that is occupied by the second hand store was so severely cracked that
a slight shake might cause it to tremble.
The Smith Building, across 7th Street was a total wreck. The back and
portions of the sides of the building were shaken off and the walls
were badly shattered all around.
The Sebastian Building was also badly damaged, some of the cornice
having been shaken off and all the walls were badly cracked.
The greatest damage done to any private residence happened to the home
of Mr. & Mrs. Warren C. Tobey on Linden Avenue. The chimney toppled
over and went through the roof over the dining room. In all residences,
a great amount of damage was done to canned goods especially those in
gl. cont. [sic] and to the stock of groceries on hand.
The fruit in the lemon houses were severely sha [sic], but it will
not be known for some time what damage was done.
The walls of the garages at one of Vic StubbÕs houses fell out during
the quake. The auto belonging to Mr. & Mrs. William Miller was not injured.
The Ojai, Vol. L, no. 27 (Friday, Jul. 4, 1941).
VALLEY GETS MILD SHAKING IN SEVERAL EARTHQUAKE SHOCKS. Beginning at
ten minutes before midnight Monday and continuing for over an hour a
series of four (or, some say, five) fairly harmless earthquake tremors
rocked the Ojai Valley, and continued as faint "settling" quivers felt
by the more elert [sic] several times during Tuesday and Tuesday night.
Santa Barbara, Carpinteria and Ventura however, were more seriously
affected and reported scores of broken windows, water mains (Santa Barbara)
and much damage to store stocks where falling goods ran the loss into
thousands of dollars.
Telephone wires to Santa Barbara were down for a few hours and calls
were accepted Tuesday morning subject to a two-hour delay.
Valley householders who were awake felt the peculiar soft roar which
so often accompanies earth tremors at 11:50 pm and at once felt the
rocking jar which seemed to have a wave like motion. A few bric-a-brac
crashed off mantels, pictures went askew, and other minor disturbances
were noted. Stores in the Arcade had a few broken bottles, pottery pieces,
etc. About 12:15 am another milder tremor was reported and after a few
minutes still another ripple was felt. At 12:30 am an abrupt bump of
no duration ended the noticeable quavers and most of the valley went
back to sleep. On Tuesday very faint ripples were reported about 4 pm
and again about 10 pm and 10:25 pm.
Santa Barbara reported the quake as the most severe since the very
bad one in 1925, lacking, however, the twisting quality which made the
earlier one so destructive.
Santa Barbara News Press, vol. 78, no. 246 (Friday, Jul. 4, 1941).
SCIENTISTS COMPLETE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SOUTHLAND EARTHQUAKES.
Pasadena, July 9th (AP) - Two seismologists place Monday nightÕs southern
California earthquake, which centered near Santa Barbara, three points
lower on an intensity or damage scale than the San Francisco shock of
1906.
These three points mean, however, that in energy the San Francisco
shock was 10,000 times greater, explained the CA Institute of Technology
seismologists, Drs. John P. Buwalda, and Charles F. Richter.
"We found the damage just about as the newspapers have described it,"
said Dr. Richter, "and that the greatest to buildings was along State
Street in Santa Barbara."
"Stores handling liquor, drugs and pottery seem to have the heaviest
losses in goods."
On an intensity scale, Dr. Richter rated the large California shocks
in this order: Santa Barbara, of Monday night, 7; Santa Barbara of 1925
and Long Beach, 1933, 8 each; Imperial Valley, 1940, 9; and San Francisco,
1906, 10.
"There was an earthquake Feb. 9 centering in the ocean off Eureka stronger
than the last Santa Barbara shock," said Dr. Richter. "We lack data,
however, for an accurate comparison."
"The epicenter of the last Santa Barbara shock was in the ocean 5-15
miles southeast of the city. The one of 1925 was approximately the same
distance west."
"The depth of each was about 10 miles. This is about average for California.
In parts of the world shocks originate 400-500 miles beneath the earthÕs
surface."
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