The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-07-02
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Ranse Of Thermometer at the. Dsspatch etEcs
50, "a. s.g u = JaSu !. 1870. ~ ~ .g--s
4 M q SIZE s E MM:::...::...:.' ss ss
Noon. 30 Midnight ........... 76
A Very Interesting Letter abous the
&. Signnl Station ON Pixies Peak.
From q Colorado let.er in the New York Tribune,
-" dated Colorado sptngs, June IL =
On Pixies PEAK there Is the highest babi-
sation on the American continent. Major
Pike took the altitude and recorded 1t at
1S ,5Sl feet above sea level, but it 10 now as.
70 be only "a &c., IS not gene
rally known that on its summit is established
an army signal station. 1t Is the highest
point for scientific observation In the world,
and records Of the observations are sent to
almost every enlightened European nation.
On the summit is stone house, rudely con-
structed, having eighteen.inch walls, and
about twelve feet high. This Is divided Of
into an Office, which Is used as a sleeping.
room also, and kitchen, which also
answers for dining room and bed room.
A rude shed is attached, where are
stored provisions, wood, etc. j. V.
Brown, observing sergeant, is in
charge Of the station, which is the most i'm.
portsnt 10 the service, and he has two assist
ants. One, strangely enough, is j. T.
O'K eiffe, a newsboy and bootbiack of New
York, who passed the competitive examina-
,iou and forced bis way by his superior
scholarship into Annapolis, and was subse-
quently expelled for hazing the coIored Ca
det. The other is T. B. Bo1lus, Of Cleve-
land, very capable and experienced man.
Mr.. Brown was our guide, and not content
with showing US to the summit, he took US
back to OR lodgings, and the next day went
trudging home to his dreary station.
81 have been here" said he 10 answer to
nv questions, .since last March. did not
epen the station. 1t was begun In August,
1873, when the telegraph wire to Colorado
Springs was laid. It's object was to learn
something about upper currents Of the at
Little was known except from
experience in balloons. There is much that
is singular about this station," said he, con.
tinuiug. "For instance, at sea level it is
we'll known that as the barometer rises The
thermometer falls, and as the thermometer
rises the barometer falls but at this station
as the barometer rises so also does the ther.
mometer."
"What instruments have you here?"
"We have the barometer, which gives
the pressure OF the atmosphere; the ther.
mometer, which marks the temperature; the
hygrometer, which indicates the humidity oi
The atmosphere; the thermometer, with self
registering attachment, which marks the ve'
lCcity of The wind, Of which We keep con
tluuous record; and rain.gauge, which
marks the fall OF rain and snow." ....
"What is the lowest temperature ever OBJ
served here?"
SAT one time, do not remember the
date, The thermometer showed 81 degrees
below zero. And at the same time the wind
was blowing 90 miles an hour. At Mount
Washingten, which is less than half as high
as Pixies Peak, the wind is often 100 miles
an hour. This shsnty," continued he. as
ran my eye over the cIumsily.built house,
"is really unsafe. I think 80 mile wind
would unroof it and blow it down. The
contractor did not keep to his specifications.
"Do you send daily reports of your OBJ.
servations to WashingtonW
"Not now, because the appropriation is
exhausted. They were sent three times q
day until last January, but presume they
Will be resumed on the 1st of july"
Continuing my inquiries, ascertained
that this desolate station, which in the best
is wholly cut off from the world for seven
three men bouse themselves. They lay in
provisions to last them until April or May
salt pork, corned beef, canned vegetables,
lard, -four, and groceries. They also keep
fresh meat, beef, and mutton by buryiDg 1t
in the snow. Wood at seventeen dollars a
cord is also laid in in bountitul supply. Du.
ring these seven months not human face do
they see. They can neither get down to the
living world, nor can the living world get up
to them. Half the world may be drowned
and the other half burned for aught they
know. Countries may change, war may have
hlotted out geographical boundaries. If the
telegraph wire works faithfully, which it
does not always in that atmosphere, a scrap
of news is occasionally obtained. But at
best it is dreary, dead, proitless, thankless
life. -s2a:A @Etlt.E 81.
"One of the most remarkable phenomena
seen on the Peak" said Mr. Brown, in a
later conversation, is the electric storm.
These storms generally begin with bail, and
last from half an hour to four hours. The
whole atmosphere is full of electricity.
Sheets OF fire are everywhere. Sparks crackle
about your clothes and in your hair, and fill
the buffalo rotes aud the bedding. The elec.
tricify comes through the roof, through the
windows, and up from the floor. 1t seems as
though YOU are in battery. If you 60 out
doors q cloud of electricity rests on the whole
Peak. 1t comes from the rocks-the clouds
are full of it.. The lightning plays below in
fearsuIin intensity. y The electricity is diffGsed
through the atmosphere, and is every where
in the cabin. Ones hair literally stands on
end, and even the furs in The cabin are stiff
with it. At first one is greatly terrified, but
he GETS used to it." "No," continued he in
answer to question, lit has no marked
effect on person except to give him vic.
lent palpitation Of the heart. IL also, per-
haps, has afatiguing effect"
WINTER LIFE ON THE PEAK. .
Mr.. Brown informed me also that the
frosts on tho Peak are very remarkable. :"
have seen the FROST" said he, "more than a
foot deep all over the summit, on windows,
doors. rocks, and particularly on metals. II
has sometimes clogged the thermometer aud
stopped its working have seen the frost
the telegraph wire more than eight
inches deep, and in long stretches 1t ire.
quently breaks the wire and stops communi''
cation" questioned Brown as 10 his pre-
Gecessor. bis own experience in.reach!ng his
post in March, and various, other personal
matters. It appears that his predecessor,
named Phoedorins, NOW in The main Office at
Washington, was a good deal OF hero.
He was found OF rolling big rocks from the
summit down into what are termed the
8. Craterw and the " Bottomless Pit" and he
kent q crow bar for that.purpose. Every dag
he took his exercise in this way. One very
cold day Phoedorius was engaged in bis
usual recreation. His, crOWbar was under a
huge rock, and he was trying TO raise itWits
ali bis might. Suddenly bis lever slipped
the rock remained frm, but the scientific
Hnnoarian went whiting into the crHtef