The crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1877-1878, 1878-08-22
TICE ON KANSAS.
Marked Meteorological Changes Produced
by New Railroad Lines.

Marked Meteorological Changes Produced
by New Railroad Lines.
Special Corr, OF the Globe Democrat.
| left st. Louis on Saturday night, the
9th ult,, on the st. Louis, Kansas City
and Northern railroad-a model road in
management equipment and everything
that tends to the convenience, ease
and comfort of travellers. BY daylight we
were at Salisbury, and in due time at
Kansas City, where we took the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe for Pueblo, Col.
In Central and Western Missouri, the
wheat crop-a heavy one and of superior
quality-had all been harvested and Sc
curely garnered But corn and tobacco
did not look so promising. owing to want
of rain latterly. They had, however, a
healthy deep green color, and were strong
and vigorous. There is remarkably
strong contrast this year between the rain
falls in Kansas and west to the mountains
and the Missouri and Ohio Valleys. In
Missouri, Southern Illinois, Kentucky and
eastward to the Alleghenies, since June,
there has been Il deficiency in the amount
of rain, while from Eastern Kansas to the
Rocky Mountains it has been greatly in
excess. Evidently great climatic change
is taking place on the great plains. For
fifteen years after the first settlement of
Kansas and Nebraska, every year the crops
suffered more or less for want of rain. In
deed, so characteristic was this climatic
feature that the soubriquet of 'droughty
Kansas was applied to the region. For
the last eight or nine years the crops have
not suffered for want of rain, but often
from excess Of it. The Upper Mississippi
Valley since then has experienced likewise
a remarkable change in the increase in
numbers and frequency Of cyclones. |
think it is within limits to say the latter
have increased tive-fold since then. 1t is
A SIGNIFICANT FACT
that the number of the earthquakes in
California i'll the same time has decreased
in the same ratio. But the most signif-
cant fact is that the commencement of
this change is synchrOnOus with the extern
sion of telegraph andrailrOad lines to, and
across the Rocky Mountains Isl because
these iron lines conduct electricity from
the mountains, the natural discharging
points on the earth. the lesscning frequen-
cy of earthquakes there, and distributing
it where demanded under the clouds trav-
erSing the plains, forming more frequent
and violent rain storms than formerly?
This is my notion; and when the electric
agency in the formation of clouds and
storms is once conceded. it will then be
seen that Il change in climate as far as
rainfallS are concerned, is the natural and
inevitable result. Last Autumn soon after
the completion of the telegraph lines from
Texas across the Stakcd Plains to the Rio
Grandc at the foot of the Mexican Cordil-
lcraS | predicted il change of climate not
only on the Staked Plains, but in the ter
ritOry east and northeast of them. So far
this prediction has beenverifed by the m-
the Indian Territory and Lower Arkansas
But it is not my purpose toinfict a lecture
on mcteorology upon your readers, at least
not during the "heated term" The A.
T., and S. f., runs on the southside of the
Kansas or Kaw River, at the base Of low
hills, diversified with well-improved and
productive farms and forest trees. indigcn-
Gus the Mississippi Valley. The Kaw was
over its banks, flooding its bottom from
bluff to bluff. Hundreds of acres of corn,
ten to twelve feet high, were inundated to
a depth, at places, of several feet. The
rise was caused by heavy rains on the pre-
vious Sunday and Monday in the valleys
of the Smoky Hill, Salina, Solomon, and
Republican, in the Western part Of the
State, supplemented by
TREMENDOUS RAINFALIS,
on Thursday night and Friday, in the Cen
trail and Eastern part of the State The
waters, however. had commenced to re-
cede, but the skies were lowering and
threatening more rain, and frequent show
ers fell during the day.
At Topeka the road enters an elevated
rolling plain, whose summit is not attain
ed until you have passed the head waters Of
the Cottonwood, near Newton, within
twenty miles of the Arkansas Near To-
peka this plain, where not cultivated, is
well diversified with young and vigorous
growth of the common forest trees. The
maple only was absent, but several varie-
ties of hickory and the black walnut were
conspicuous. | also saw the buckeye in
fruit. After passing the Wakarusa, the
general growth of young forests disappears,
and the rolling plain-green as in May
shows no arborescent growth except along
the small streams that wind in graceful
curves down the plain. There are many
cozy fam-houses, surrounded with taste
full gardens and orchards. The soil is
black and very productive. The wheat crop
has been enormous, and notwithstanding
the frequent rains was secured in excel |
lent condition. Corn promises satisfac- |
tory yield. The question is what is to be
done with these enormous products of the
nnrnolcp