History for Chron

Numerous earthquakes were detected beneath the peak of Mount Hood, causing a volcano hazard watch to be issued. Scientists installed three seismometers and a telemeter station on the peak, with more than 50 earthquakes found in four days. The main concern of the scientists was where the earthquakes were happening 4 miles underneath the center of the mountain, possibly indicating magma shifting.

The same phenomenon happened when Mount St. Helens erupted less than two months before. Oregon Public Safety began making contingency plans for evacuation and gave residents warnings ahead of time. The last time Mount Hood erupted was in 1865, with a reported dense plume and nighttime glow in 1907.

A Boise resident was found dead in a parking lot in Spokane and indentified as homicide victim Theodore B. Welch. A suspect was arrested in Boise a week later. Steven S. Stoffel was being held without bond on charges of being a fugitive in Idaho. Stoffel indicated he would fight extradition to Spokane to face a murder charge.