Earthquakes and Phonographs

[Victrolacollector]

Sadly, California experienced a intensive earthquake. I have always wondered if people in California, somehow tie brace the machines so they don't go rolling across the floor. Especially with those casters on some of the cabinet models, the machines can start dancing.

[TinfoilPhono]

This was a very strong jolt, the most powerful since the huge 1989 Loma Prieta quake and stronger than any other earthquake I've been through in almost 40 years here.

The 1989 earthquake caused some small damage in my house. My Wurlitzer jukebox rolled several feet out of the corner where it was displayed. Last night's temblor (fortunately) caused no damage at my place. A few picture frames needed restraightening but none fell off their hooks.

I do worry what might happen to some machines on shelves if we got hit with a bigger quake, or closer epicenter. I'm afraid that most of us take something of a 'head in the sand' approach. Or false confidence. Otherwise we'd be paralyzed with worry.

I have screwed some of the shelves to the wall, and put non-skid material under some machines in the hopes they won't 'walk' off their shelves. But the reality is that I'm inevitably vulnerable if we got hit with a close and intense one.

But life is a risk everywhere. I have friends who have lost possessions in tornadoes and hurricanes in other parts of the country.

The New Madrid Fault in Missouri is far more potentially dangerous than the San Andreas or Hayward faults here in California. I really fear for the day when that fault ruptures.

[Victrolacollector]

Tinfoilphono, that was a great response. I was curious. We have had some small earthquakes in the Chicago area, again never know when something serious could happen.

[JohnM]

I lived in the Los Angeles area for twenty years, and was a facilities manager for fifteen of those years and took many classes in earthquake preparedness. I lived in Downey when the Whittier quake struck, in Sierra Madre when the Sierra Madre quake struck, in Claremont when the Upland quake struck, and was even at Candlestick Park for the World's Series in 1989 during the Loma Prieta quake. All one can do is take reasonable precautions like keeping shampoo bottles capped, micro-crystalline wax to secure things to surfaces, strap water heaters, use cabinet latches, and screw large items like bookcases to the wall framing so that precious things aren't lost in small-to-moderate quakes. Although the Richter Scale isn't used anymore, the description he used to describe a '10' is "No man-made structures left standing".

[gramophone78]

I emailed a friend this morning when I heard where (Napa) the quake was. His email bounced back to me. I hope all is well... .

[HisMastersVoice]

I emailed a friend this morning when I heard where (Napa) the quake was. His email bounced back to me. I hope all is well... .

That likely means that you mistyped the address. The server on the receiving end sends the undeliverable message if it can't find the address in the database. The mail box doesn't reside at your friends home, so that's certainly not a good indicator.

[gramophone78]

I emailed a friend this morning when I heard where (Napa) the quake was. His email bounced back to me. I hope all is well... .

That likely means that you mistyped the address. The server on the receiving end sends the undeliverable message if it can't find the address in the database. The mail box doesn't reside at your friends home, so that's certainly not a good indicator.

I sure hope so Brandon. We email each other all the time and the bounce back showed his correct "napa.net" email. In light of what you wrote.....I sent another email to him. Since he has a world class collection.....I would hate for him to have a problem.

If any one down there see's a bunch of jukeboxes rolling down the street......chances are they are his.... .

[Edisone]

Caruso also vowed not to sing in Buffalo again; the streetcars could be heard inside the music hall (built as an armory, so not acoustically ideal!) & the trolley company refused to stop service during his performance.

[epigramophone]

After escaping from his hotel following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake Caruso was heard to mutter "Ell of a place. I never come back here".

Arriving back in New York he reportedly said to the waiting journalists "Give me Vesuvius".

So it was that San Francisco joined Naples and Barcelona on the list of cities in which Caruso vowed never to sing again.

[fran604g]

After hearing the news of this latest quake, I was thinking of this first hand account by Peter Bacigalupi after the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 and the resultant fire:

http://www.sfmuseum.org/1906/ew16.html

I can't even imagine going through an earthquake and the hopeless devastation wrought by one.

Fran