Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-08
CYCLONES EXAMINED.
Advance Sheets Of Professor
Tees New Work.
atmospheric PhsnOmsna Described
by AerOnauts and Others.
sandspOuts, waterspouts and
the WhirIwinds.

s%andspout. 1t is Of the same nature
and character as waterspouts at sea
and of lsndspouts, hal is, tornadoes
on continents. II is is produced by
the same cause that produces them
and, and differs in nothing from them
except that sand is gulped up instead
OF water, or of soil. 1t is preceded
and attended by the same phenomena
as those that accompany other cy-
clones, or as earthquakes are, namely,
BY intense heat, a dismal haze, a rec,
darkened sun and Intermittent pufs
Of hot air.
The nature Of a sandspout is illus
trated and explained by facts observed
and narrated by Professor Wise in his
balloon ascension from Allentown,
Penn, on the 9th Of April, 1889. He
says: "At twenty Eve minutes after 2
p m. my air ship stood over the town
OF Bethlehem and also had entered
the clouds. The wind was southeast
and the temperature had fallen thirty
six degrees, which made it unpleasant
ly cold. My ears began to ache in
tensely, and there was a cracking
noise and painful sensation generally.
! felt really distressed for a few
minutes, The balloon now was com.
pletely distended and had become
electrified. A quantity of loose saud
lying in the car under electric influence
streamed up against the balloon, then
was upset and hurled down toward the
earth OF back again int the car. 1t
kept up this action for several min,
utes The gas was a milky color when
the balloon started from the earth.
but 1t had now become transparent
Water now ran down the sides of the
balloon and dropped copiously from
the lower end. 1t emitted a strong
sulphurous odor. Some powerful
electric influence must lave been the
cause Of these extremities."
The car and the balloon were insu-
lated from each other, being attached
by silk cords. According to electric
laws the upper part of the balloon be-
came charged by induction from the
clouds with negative electricity-be
cause the clouds are positive-and the
lower part Of the balloon became
positive, The positive on the
lower part Of the balloon evoked
by induction a negative charge
upon the upper part Of the Jar, and
drove the positive To the lower part
This is clear to everyone familiar with
the laws Of electric induction. The
positive on the lower part Of the bal
loon by .attraction pulls upon the
upper part of the car and upon what
ever it contains. In the meantime
the negative on the car by self repul-
sion endeavors TO throw of the sand,
because that part Of the car and the
sand are affected withsthe same kind
OF electricity. Under the influence
of attraction from above, and repul-
sion from below, the sand rises and
pours itself in a stream upon the bal
loon.
This kind Of electric action can
be seen in any balloon ascension.
Small and light pieces of paper
thrown out by the aeronaut rise
and strike the balloon, adherins
to it sometimes for an instant
before they drop to the earth. The
inference Of Prof. Wise was correct
that the lifting of the sand from bis
ear, and squirting it over the balloon
were due to the electrified condition
OF the latter.
1t is said above that sandspouts are
identical with cyclones and other
atmospheric and tellpric phenomena,
WHICH lie shown by the fact that they
are accompanied by the same physical
conditions.
There are other facts besides those
adduced that show their identify.
Some Of these facts are in every re
spect similar to those that occur In
h%ailstorms, and tornadoes. Sand.
spouts however OCCUR only in large
sandy wastes, or in sandy deserts.
Alexander Keith Johnston, in his
physical Atlas, says: ~Sandspouts in
deserts generally prevail ONLY
during the heat Of the day
the same is true Of h~ailEtoTms and
tornadoes aud worry seldom
pccEr 10 the morning. The winds are
excessively hot $50 they are Ia lorna.
does) and dry. When they riso the
SUI becomes obscured or of a 6gry
red. On the verge Of the deserts TIE
yerdure OF plants is changed into a
dull blue, animals and birds are agi.
lated and restless, and the skin Of 10
human body becomes dry and In.
Humbolds describes a sandsDout
observed by him in the Llanos de
Apure, South America, of which he
says: Under the vertical sun the
singular Phenomenon Of s~andspouts
occurs. Vertical currents of air univ
arise when the air is generally calm .
ms Is also the cage with tornadoes.
a conleal cloud makes its appear.
anee IN the otherwise unclouded sky.
the point Of which descends 10 the
earth. The sand rises in the electri-
ied air through the center al The
whirling vortex. The lowering sky
sheds q dim, almost straw colored
light 90 the dismal plain, which seems
to contract, and the horizon seems
suddenly to have drawn nearer. The
air is now filed with hot, dusty par.
tlcles, and the heat is almost suffoca.
ting. Such clouds of hot dust and
sand may prove fatal 10 travellers who
do not cautiously avoid them The
middle of the sandspout has a TEN
peratqre Of llQto l2O degrees Fahren-
A high, a blistering temperature
prevails also in the vortex Of lorna.
does. but for the present this must
for identifying sandspouts
with weterspouts and landspouts. or
tornadoes as the latter are q
called 1t is, however,
proper to add that oil cyclones occur
under q low baeometer, and the lower
inc readings of tie barometer, The
hereeF will the Cyclone be, No one
has ever heard of a hurricane A ~.
nad9 or a w%aterap6ut except under
low barometer The rapid falling Of
we har9meter Is regarded everywhere
as 9 sure Indication Of the approach or
passage Ola cyolone,except on deser
we never hear OF trs ,elors con
tia h-hron,at.. III !"