A Story from the Early 1900s

In the previous posts, we have considered some fairly "heavy" material about the Cascadia region and earthquakes. Sometimes, people just need some "lighter" reading. So, that is what we are going to do today. The subject for today is about a very unusual geologic event, which is said to have occurred around 1906. But, let the writer give you a clear warning. He is presenting this information only as an alleged story, because he has come across it in his research. The validity of this story, which comes from a number of sources, would need to be investigated further.

This story revolves around the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It also includes a man named Charles Leaming Tutt Sr., possibly known by many of his day simply as Charles Tutt. Who was this man? A Wikipedia entry (link) states this: "Charles Leaming Tutt Sr. (14 February, 1864 - 21 January, 1909) and his descendants are famous in Colorado Springs. He became a wealthy man by the time he was forty years old." Where did he get his money? Tutt did well in gold and copper mining, plus the ore milling business. Tutt also "did much to help plan and develop the city of Colorado Springs." So, it is clear that the human subject of our story was a very well known individual in earlier times. But, there is more to his story.

It appears that Tutt's health began to deteriorate (link) at a rather early age. It appears that this caused Tutt, at least part time, to move to a lower elevation. The linked page declares: "He bought an island in Puget Sound which is in the northwest part of the United States. Here he bought a yacht and sailed wherever he wanted. He even entered sailing races." But, Tutt's health issues ultimately caused him to die "at the young age of 45." A webpage, linked here, on PDF page 4 of 11, states that Tutt "announced  plans to retire in December 1905, concentrating thereafter on his real estate interests in the city, as well as yachting and a summer home on Puget Sound." But then things changed and Tutt came to an "unexpected death on 21 January 1909 in New York City at the age of forty-five..."

Regarding Tutt being in sailing races, an article in the San Francisco Call, of 9 June 1906 (link), states: "Charles L. Tutt of Colorado Springs, who owns the Anemone, has selected a crew of eleven men for the forthcoming race." This race was across the Pacific Ocean, from California to Hawaii. Another article found in The Sportsman's Magazine of the West, Volume 9, of 1906, linked here, declares: "The ketch Anemone, owned by Charles L. Tutt of Colorado Springs, was the largest boat in the race and took second place. She sailed 2,309 miles in 14 days and some minutes, or at an average daily rate of 165 miles."

So, once again, it is clear that Charles L. Tutt was a very real man who enjoyed sailing. It was also noted above that "he bought an island in Puget Sound." But, there is more to this story. There is something which is especially of interest to those in prospecting or mining. An article in the Colorado Transcript, December 28, 1905, which is linked here, contains the following information: "Is Denver a seaport? Charles L. Tutt of Colorado Springs has named Denver as the port of entry of his yacht, the Anemone. On the 14th inst. the Anemone left New York on a 17,000 mile trip around the Horn to San Diego, California. It will arrive there about April and Mr. and Mrs. Tutt and party will take a three months cruise around the waters of southern California. In June and July they will go farther north to Puget sound, where Mr. Tutt can oversee his great copper property at Waldo, Oregon." What? Tutt's "great copper property at Waldo, Oregon?"

Well, check out the following article from the March 28, 1903 issue of Mining Magazine, which is linked here, on page 240. The article is titled 'Waldo Copper District, Southern Oregon.' It states: "The development of the Waldo region is the most recent and most imporant [sic] of any copper-gold district in Oregon." The article speaks of a "Waldo Smelting and Mining Company..., with Mr. Gunn as president, and Mr. Charles L. Tutt and Mr. Spencer Penrose of Colorado Springs, and Prof. R. A. F. Penrose of Philadelphia as officers and prominent stockholders..." The article states further that "it has been demonstrated beyond dispute that the Waldo district is a continuation of the Shasta copper belt, and promises to rival it in point of richness and output."

An entry in Ores and Metals, Volume 16, of January 5, 1907, on page 17, which is linked here, declares: "The worth of the mines of the Waldo copper district is no longer a matter of conjecture. The size and richness of the ledges is a certainty, and when the district is given a railroad, as it surely will be in the not distant future, Waldo will be known to the world as one of the West's greatest copper centers." So, one thing is very clear. There was a good reason for Tutt to have a residence on the West Coast, even if it was far north in the Puget Sound area.

At this point, the story surrounding Mr. Tutt gets more interesting, especially for those with an interest in geology. An entry in Ideal Power, Volume 4, Page 157, published in 1907, which is linked here, declares the following: "Charles L. Tutt, a wealthy Colorado miner, purchased an island in San Juan group in Puget Sound, intending to build a home on it. When he went to examine his purchase it was not there. Investigating proved it had completely sunk during the San Francisco earthquake. Recently, however, the island again arose to the surface. All trees and foliage on it were dead. Tutt promptly christened it Denver Island." Well, this sure sounds like some very fantastic story. But, are there any other sources which can help back it up?

An entry in Popular Mechanics, September 1907, on page 994, which is linked here, under the title of 'A Mysterious Island,' declares: "Denver Island is, at this writing, one of the San Juan group in Puget Sound, and was an extremely beautiful piece of land. A hustling real estate man sold it to Charles L. Tutt, a wealthy Colorado miner..." Once again, the story gets more interesting. It states: "When Tutt went to examine his purchase it wasn't there." Tutt was sure he had been swindled, but witnesses "swore it was formerly at the location stated." But, again, what had happened to Tutt's island?

The Popular Mechanics article, linked above, states: "Investigation proved it had completely sunk beneath the water during the San Francisco earthquake, leaving several acres of water but no land." But, it appears there was somewhat of a happy ending to this story, for it is written that the "...island had come up again...[but] the trees and foliage were all dead and slime covered the surface once green with grass..." But, Tutt had his island back and he "promptly christened it Denver Island."

So, at least two sources have spoken about this rather unusual island in the San Juans, which sunk and rose again, apparently in association with the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. But, once again, are there any other sources which can help verify the occurrence of this very unique and very strange geologic event?

There was a book from 1908 called The American Home Encyclopedia of Useful Knowledge. On page 66 of that book, which is linked here, is an identical story to that found in the Popular Mechanics article, linked in the paragraphs above. Furthermore, in the May 1908 issue of Pan American Magazine, Volume 6, linked here, is found what appears to be a more detailed account of this very unusual geologic event. It is found in an article titled 'An Island Sinks and Rises Again.' The following highlights are from that article:

"Islands of the sea are known sometimes to sink beneath the ocean's surface, but it is very seldom that these same islands are known to rise again." Yes, this is a very valid piece of information. The article goes on to state: "From Puget Sound comes a well-authenticated report of the reappearance of an island in those waters." Of the island, the article states that it "suddenly disappeared under the sea on April 18, 1906, at the time of the great seismic disturbance all along the Pacific Coast." Then the article goes on to speak about the purchase of the island by Tutt, and its rising again.

The Pan American Magazine article about Mr. Tutt and his island goes on to state: "The submergence of the island was evidently due to seismic disturbances, but the cause of its reappearance greatly puzzles the scientists. It has risen to about the same altitude above sea level that it formerly occupied, and the general configuration of Denver Island remains practically unchanged after its temporary submergence. Mr. Tutt congratulates himself on having regained his lost island. Though the area is not very large, the island is of much value." So, there you have it. Yes, this is a very unique and amazing geologic story.

At this point, there are some very important questions which should be asked. What are we really dealing with here, on the West Coast of North America? Is there a deep-seated seismic connection, or an important and possibly dangerous geologic feature, which exists somewhere below the western states of California, Oregon and Washington? Is this geologic feature missing from the models of the scientists? Is it missing from the information used in making predictions for the magnitude and duration of the coming Cascadia megaquake event? Could the unique geology of the Cascadia region present a seismic hazard much different than people commonly realize?



For further reading:

Current Expectations for a Cascadia Mega-Quake
https://cascadian.neocities.org/cascadiaquake.htm