The evening world., 1888-01-03
SAND AUGERS.
Curious Wind Phenomena OF the Plains
Slim Jim's Ruined Poker Deck.

fFrom the San Francisco EraminerJ
ga curious phenomenon, /" said Prof. F. f.. Clarke
yesterday to an reporter, sis sometimes
observed on wide plains where the atmosphere Is
hot and dry. 1t is the forming Of miniature
cyclones, or rotary storms, which, when occurring
on a grand scale, as they do In the Western States,
are known rs tornadoes-
when the Union Pacific Railway was being
constructed the workmen had frequent opporluni-
ties OF witnessing the formation aud progress Of
such w~hirlwinds, which, on account of the peculiar
action they had on dry SOIL, were called sand
augers.' They were especially frequent In Lodge
leaving Inc PIastc River, runs nsi nor,neply fI 10 near
the base OF the Black HIS. This valley Is quite
narrow-averaging ABOUT a mile ia width-and il
bounded on either side by q range OF low, uneven
hilis.
these sand augers would be the formation, here
and there In the valley, Of little whiriigiRs
OF dusty wind, picking up bits of straw, paper and
camp and flirting with the canvas tents or scatter
Ing the embels and ashes of outdoor cooking
places
''These baby cyclones would Increase in number
quite rapidly, anu then be whisked away by strong
currents OF air, coming from no one knew where,
eastern range of hills, over which would then be
seen advancing a funnel-shaped cloud, like that
'sFrom The unatr surface q this sI Iow-lyinu cloud
q swaying tongue of lead-colored vapor would pro-
long itself towards the earth. from which, to meet
column would rise higher and higher, with q whlrl-
Ing motion, becoming more compact all the while,
until the blue-black vapor and the brown ma u
from below womb unite above, and the completed,
swiftly whtrling column ommence moving slowly
down from above on Its way across the valley.
"Whtle Its forward progress was usually slow
It's rotary motion about Its vertical AXIS would be
gathered up by 1t that when the column touched the
earth II would scoop out q shallow channel like the
dry bed Of O 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
into the broad surface OF the thick, murky vapor
from tue cloud above, from when electric flashes
frequently played. When this occurred large hail
stones would be formed, which would be thrown,
by centrifugal force. apparently: out from the re-
volying storm. They would be found to he, almost
invariably. In the shape OF nat disks, sometimes
three inches In diameter and an inch thick, and
made no Of layers of Ice and sand.
One such sand auger passed near an engi-
neers' camp where l was at work and carried OF 4
tent or two. 1t then grazed the edge of q corral
aud, sweeping by the house Itself, left every pane
of glass In the Que window ~ neatly ground ~ II
done by q sand-biast machine.
Passing on, the tents the 'auRer was carrying
OF became entangled In the telegraph wires run
ming through the valley, and after dragging down
two poles the cyclone collapsed, leaving beneath,
when It broke up, q mound made up Of sand. bits
OF adobe, some old boots, a sprtnEling Of empty
tins, part OF q bale OF hay and q dog-eared poker
deck OF cards. The latter were afterwards care
luily gathered up by their owner, a genius called
Slim jim, who alw avs deplored the iact that the
recovered pack was imperfect, there being but
four aces left In II by the sand auger,"