Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-02-04
CURIOUS WIND PHENOMENA.
The 'sani Auscrs" of the Piains-Triclxa
OF lsaby Cyclones-A Collapse.

OF Bnby Cychones-A Collapse.
"A curious phenomenon, said Pro-
!cssor i. T.. Clarke to n reporter, "is some.
times observed on wide plains where the
atmosphere Is hot and dry. Il Is the
forming VI miniature cyclones, or rotary
stOrins, which, when occurring on grand
scale, as they do In the western states, are
known rs tOrnatlOes.
"When the Union Pacific railway was
being constructed the workmen had FIRE.
qient opportunities Of witnessing the
formation and progress Of such whirl-
winds, which, ON account Of the peculiar
action they had on dry soil, were called
sand augcrs.' They were especially fire.
quent In Lodge Pole Greek valley, through
which the railway, leaving the Platte
river, runs northerly 70 near the base Of
the Black hills. This valley "a quite mar.
row-avcraging about mile in width
and Is bounded on either side by range
OF low, uneven hills.
'The flrst indication Of the approach Of
one Of these sand augers' would be the
formation, here and there IN the valley,
OF little whlrlgigs Of dusty winds, picking
mp bits Of straw, paper and other uncen.
sidered triiies, sometimes waltKing into
camp and flirting with the canvas tents or
scattering the embers and ashes Of out
door cooking places.
"Thesc baby cyclones would increass IN
number quite rapidly, and then be whisked
away by strong currents Of air, coming
from no one knew where, but all drawing
across the valley toward the eastern
range Of hills, over which would then be
socn advancing funnel shaped cloud,
like that seen over waterspsuts forming
at sea.
From the under surface Of this low
lying cloud q swaying tongue Of lead
colored vapor would prolong itself toward
the earth, from which, 70 meet Il, would
rise cloud Of dirt and sand. This earth
column would ris, higher and higher,
with n whirling motion, becoming more
coapact all the while, until the blue
black vapor and the brown mass from
below would unite above, and the com.
pleted, swiftly whirling column commence
moving slowly down from above on its
way across the valley.
while its forward progress was usually
slow, its rotary motion about its vertical
axis would be very rapid; and SO dense
would lie the mass OF sand gathered up by
II that when the column touched the earth
II would scoop out shallow channel like
the dry bed Of n small stream. Hence its
name Of sand auger.
THE diameter Of these augers seldom
exceeded fifteen or twenty feet at the
ground, but their bulk increased with
their height until they were merged ir ,
the broad surface of the thick, muir : =
vapor from the cloud above, from which
electric flashes frequently played. When
this occurred large hailstOnes would be
formed, which would be thrown, BY CEN
trifugal force, apparently out from the re-
volving storm. They would be found To
be, almost invariably. In the shape uf flat
disks. sometimes three inches In diameter
AMI an inch thick, and ma,le up OF layers
Of ice and sand.
"Onc such sand augcr' passed near an
engineers camp where was at work and
carried OF tent or two. II then graZcd
the c,ige Of corral near by, cutting away
one angle Of an adobe wall, aud. sweeping
by the house itself, left every pane Of
glass In the one window as neatly ground
as II done by sand blast machine.
''Pnssing on. the tents the 'auger' was
carrying of became cntangled In the tele-
graph wires running through the valley,
and after dragging down two poles tho
cyclone collapsed. leaving beneath, when
II broke mp, u mound made up Of sand,
bits Of adobe, some old boots, a sprinkling
Of empty tins. part Of bale OF hay and q
dog cared poker deck Of cards. The LAT
ter were afterward carefully gathered up
by their owner, u genius called Slim Jim,
who always dcp!orcd the fact that the re-
covered pack was imperfect, there being
but four aces left in It by the sand auger"
San Francisco Examiner.