Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1883-12-13
OUR FIERY SUNSETS.
Not Being a Mere Local Phenomenon.
what Are They !-They Seem 10 At.
tend Volcanic Eruptions and Electri.

Last evening we had an example of
the recent red sunsets, but it was less
brilliant than those of a week ago.
Coming on the heels of a snowstorm
shows that the phenomenon is not
caused by dust or smoke in the atmos.
phere, at point below the region of
the clouds. If caused by volcanic
ashes or dust of any kind these mate
rails must be very finely divided, and
falling from the regions far above the
clouds.
Although new to the Pacific Coast,
SO far as the observations of white set.
tiers extend, the appearance has been
observed and studied to some extent
in Europe in all ages. The conclu.
sion there arrived at was that there
was some connection between these
"dry fogs," as they are called for want
OF a better name, and volcanic erup.
tons, earthquakes and similar disturb
ances. Electrical disturbances have
been observed, but it would seem that
these have been caused by the pecu-
liar condition of the atmosphere; the
friction of minute PARTICLES of dust and
ashes in the upper regions Of the air,
or the mingling with the atmospheric
air of gases belched from the volcanoes
in various parts of the earth.
We have not had time in which to
very thoroughly investigate statistics
relating to the peculiar phenomenon,
but hope that what we offer may in
duce some scientist to lookIinto the
matter. 1t is just 100 years since the
occurrence of one of the most noted
of these "dry foys" of which we have
any particulars. In 1888 appeared
what was called the "great fog" 1t
was of the same nature as the present
fog, but appeared to have been more
dense, as "the sun ut noon looked
rusty red" 1t seems to have extended
over the whole of the Old World, but
to trace it everywhere-even where
records Of such things are kept-would
be a great task.
1t first appeared at Copenhagen,
May 20, reached Dion, June II, and
Italy on the 10th. 1t was noticed at
Spydberg, Norway, June %, at Stock
holm two days later, and the following
day reached Moscow. On the Esd
OF June it was observed on the St.
Gothard, and at Buda, and by the end
of the month had entered Syria. On
the 18th of July it was observed in
the Altai Mountains. 1t everywhere
produced great CONSERVATION; as one
chronicler observes: "There was much
fear that the end of all ages was at
hand'
The heat was intense during its con-
tinuance, and the atmosphere was
highly electrical. The ''lightnings
were awfully vivid and destruct:ve.'
In England many persons were killed
by the lightning, and much property
destroyed. In Germany many public
buildings were demolished or con-
sumed by lightning, and in Hungary
one of the chief northern towns was
destroyed, being struck and fired in
nine different places.
This "dry fog" seems to have COW
cred the whole of Europe for nearly
two months. 1t was very different
thing from the smoky atmosphere of
yearly occurrence in the autumn, called
''moor-rauch," in Europe, and pro-
ducing the equivalent of our Indian
summer. 1t produced sickness in
many places. In st. Petersburg 49,
600 persons were attacked with in
huenza. Earthquakes and tremen-
dous volcanic eruptions preceded the
''great fog" of 1888. Calabria and
Sicily were convulsed by earthquakes
February 5, 1888, Messina and other
towns Of tia y and Sicily were over
thrown, and in all about 10000 per-
sons persisted. In Iceland volcano
was active, and about the same time
volcano sprung out of the sea off the
coast of Norway.
The co-existence of dry fogs with
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions
was observed as early as A. d. 545,
when there was an earthquake which,
as is recorded, ''was felt by nearly the
whole world" In November, 1913,
when there occurred in England the
greatest earthquake ever known in
that country; III l126, when Palermo
was nearly DESTROYED and 5000 lives
lost; IN 1929, wi en- Mercia and num-