Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-02-08
THE ROSY SUNSETS.
Some Interesting Evidence fram the
Pacific Coast

Augustus G. Merriam writes to The
New York Tribune: As the problem
of the late phenomenal sunsets is far
from solved, and evidence bearing
upon their cause is still In order. |
send you the substance of letter Just
received from one OF my brothers, who
has lived for some years upon the Pa
ciic slope, about twelve or fifteen
miles up the country from San Diego.
A three years course at the naval
academy, and years of experience as
an observer for the Smithsonian in
Kansas, and for the signal service in
California, render his account of con-
siderable value, as trust 1t may prove
OF interest to the readers of The Trib-
une:
APEy, Cal, Dec. %, 1888. An ar
ticle upon the recent remarkable sun
sets, In which the theory was advanc
ed that they were caused by excessive
humidity in the atmosphere, has just
fallen under my observation, and leads
me to give our experience of them in
this southwestern corner of the United
States. These sunsets lasted with US
a couple of weeks or more, and one
again last evening; but that of Tues
day evening, Nov. 81, was observed
with the greatest care. as | was on
my way home from San Diego at the
time. This was more brilliant than
any other, and began after sunset by o
rosy tint covering perhaps one third of
the southeast sky. In few minutes
the same color was transferred to the
northeast, extending three-fourths of
the way TO the zenith, These two
phases lasted perhaps fifteen minutes
and then disappe tred. Next the glow
began IN the west-white close to the
horizon, then yellow, with pink and
red above, lasting an hour or so. This
glow In the west was SO bright an
hour after sunset as to cast a shadow.
We.passed along the east edge of a
hill IN dense shadow, while beyond
us, on slope fronting west, small
just before sunset, when the sun
housed stood enveloped in that pecul-
lar light sometimes noticed atssthe cast
shines under particularly dense and
black thunder-cloud. The zodiacal
light was seen often about that time,
but | do not remember whether or not
we saw IL that evening.
However, the point to which am
leading is this: We were then eX-
periencing what we call here a dry
storm, common affair in fall and
winter, caused by east or northeast
winds blowing from tn: Colorado
desert beyond the mountains some
fifty to one hundred miles east of us
These storms on the desert are perfect
| ly dry, and the resultant here is a
dry east wind which comes laden
with the most impalpable
powder, through which the
sun shines with a pale,
dusty color They usually last three
days, and during that time the humid
ity of the atmosphere is very rarely
more than or 6; in fact, when l first
came here, and for some years kept a
record of the weather for the signal
service, special tables for computing
the humidity had to be constructed
for our use. The air during all these
storms is highly charged with cleo
tricity, so much so that the hairs OF
the horses tails stand out in every
direction, and will emit slight sparks
our lips crack colds are easily caught
and a miserable feeling generally per-
vades the whole human family under
their influence
Therefore 1 conclude that humidity
can not have been the cause of the
sunsets. The one we had tonight
followed three days rain ending
yesterday, and consequently occurred
in very humid atmosphere, though
not cloud was to be seen; nor is
there even a cloud during our dry
storms. Brilliant sunsets on this coast
are no rarity, but those witnessed re
Gently surpass anything ever before
observed.
n u NrDpIIH