Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-02-18
ORIGIN OF COLD WAYES.

Cold waves are, of course, nothing more
than abnormal falls in the temperature,
which have progressive movement across
the country. 1t has been ascertalned by
careful observation on the part of the wealth
er signal service, that fall of temperature
succeeds or follows an area of low barom-
eter, and that a rise precedes such an area,
and that in general the reverse is true of an
area of high barometer, viz: That fall
precedes and rise follows it. Information
volunteered by Sergeant Barnes as to the
origin, progressand influences of cold waves,
will prove very interesting. In various
studies of the origin and movements of
areas of high and low barometer it has
been shown generally that they move al
most invariably across the United States
from west to east. Most of the areas of
low barometerS are formed in the regions
east of the Rocky Mountains, and as these
areas move eastwardly the high moves in,
and we have accompanying cold wave
of more or less intensity. The greatest fire.
uuency of cold waves is in the first three
months of the year, and the month of jan
uary has more than any other month.
About fifteen per cent. of the cold waves
come from the Pacific coast, while the re-
naming eighty-five per cent. originate east
of the Rocky Mountains or come down the
east side of the mountains from the British
northwest territory. 1t is supposed that
the latter class have their origin in the
vast regions of ice and snow far to the north
of the signal service stations.
Close Investigation has proved that cold
waves can be divided into three distinct
classes, as to their progressive movement.
First. Those that move directly across the
country from west to east, and which fol-
low an almost nvariable path along the
chain of great lakes and across New Eng
land these do not extend to the States
south of the Ohio River.
Second. Those that move in a south cas-
terly direction and cover the entire country
in their progress.
Third. Those that move sOutherly from
Montana and Dakota to Texas, thence
through the gulf States, and thence north
easterly over the Atlantic coast States.
1t sometimes occurs with this class that
the cold wave is felt first at st. Louis and
Shreveport before being felt at st. Paul and
Chicago, and that there the cold wave takes
the general motion eastward of the second
class.
Waves of the second class have been
found to predominant over each OF the oth-
ers in the ratio Of more than two to one.
1t sometimes happens that cold wave
upon reaching the Mississippi valley, hay
ing set in from the extreme northwest, dl-
vides, a part going northeasterly to the low
er lake region and the other part southWard
to the Gulf States. In either case the in
tensity appears to be greatly diminished.
A sudden development ola storm some
where in the southern part of the Missouri
valley seems to cause this action. A cold
wave is sometimes totally destroyed and tre-
quently retarded by a storm of slig ht ener-
gy remaining in Kansas, Missouri or the
Indian Territory. Again, when thus re-
tarded a cold wave frequently rushes for
ward with increased force and intensity,
spreading over the entire country.
CRIME WAvEs.-Sometimes great wave
of crime passes over the land. This was the
case about the year 1850, when there was a
general epidemic Of burglaries. For some
time the Innuat Register devoted a special
paragraph in its index to burglaries, an un-
pleasant feature which has now happily dis
appeared. 1t began with burglary and
murder at Frimley, where one Mr.. Hollest,
an elderly clergyman, was cruelty killed.
He was awakened in the night and saw two
figures, with their faces covered with Grape,
standing at the bottom of the bed. He at
first thought it was his two sons indulging
in a practical joke, and he rebnked them
for rtheiruntimelya and unreasonable conduct.
He was soon undeceived, and while he was
offering gallant resistance he was wound
ed by one of the burglars. 1t is remarkable
that in the excitement Of the time, and for
some hours afterward, he did not even feel
the wound But when the surgeon came to
examine it he perceived that it must soon
prove fatal. Two men were executed for
the crime. One man who was accepted as