The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-04-07
CURIOUS ROTARY STORM.

CURIOUS ROTARY STORM.
West.
"A curious phenomenon" sad Prof..
E.E Clarke to q San Francisco E1ans-
liner reporter. sis sometimes observed
on wide plains where the atmosphere is
hot and dry. 1t is the forming Of mini-
allure cyclones or rotary storms.
which. when occurring on grand
scale, rs they do in the Western st"tes'
are known rs tornadoes.
"When the Union Pacific Railway
was being constructed tho workmen
had frequent opportun ties Of witness
ing the formal OH and progress OF such
whirl-winds, which on account OF the
peculiar action they had on dry soil,
were called sand augers. They were
especially frequent in Lodge Pole
Creek Valley, through which the rail-
way leaving the Platte River. runs
northenly to near the base Of the Black
Hills. This valley is quite narrow
averaging about mile in W dth--and
is bounded on either side by range Of
low. uneven hills.
1.-THE first indication of the approach
of one of these sand augers' would DO
the formation, here and there IN the
valley, of little whrliggs of dusty
wind. picking up bits of straw. paper.
and other unconsidered trifles, some
times waltzing into camp and flirting
with the canvas tents or scattering the
embers and ashes of outdoor cooking
places.
''rhese baby cyclones would increase
in number quite rapidly. and then be
VIII sked away by strong currents Oh
air, coming from no one knew where.
but all drawing across the valley 10
ward the eastern range Of hills, over
which would then be seen advancing o
funnel-shapped cloud, like that seen
over waterspouts forming at sea.
"From The under surface Of this low
lying cloud u swaying tongue OF lead
colored vapor would prolong itself to-
ward the earth, from which to NEST it,
would Sc cloud OF rt and sand.
This earth column would SO higher
and higher. with whirlng motion,
becoming moro and more compact ali
the VIII le, until the blue black vapor
and the brown mass from below wonld
unite above, and the completed, swift
ly 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 be the mass Of sand
gathered up by it that when tho col
umn touched the earth t would scoop
out o shallow channel like the dry bed
of a small stream. Hence its name OF
sand anger"
'Thc diameter of these augors seldom
exceed fifteen or twenty feet at the
ground. but their bulk increased with
their height until they were merged MO
the broad surface Of the til ok, murky
vapor from the clouds above. from
which electric flashes frequently play
ed. When this occurred large hal
stones would be formed which would he
thrown. by centrifugal force, appar-
emily, out from the revolv ng storm.
They would be found to be almost in
var ably in the shape of flat disks.
sometimes three inches in diameter and
an inch thick, and made of layers Of
ice and sand.
''One such sand nuger' passed near
an engineers camp where was at
work and carried off tent or two. 1t
then grazed the @ ige OF q corral near
by, cult ng away one angle of an adobe
wall, and sweeping BY the house itself,
left every pain of glass in one window
as neatly ground rs done by sand
blast machine.
Passing on. the tents the anger
was CARRYING off became entangled in
the telegraph W re running through the
valley and after dragging down two
poles the cyclone collapsed leaving be-
meath. when it broke up. II mound made
up of sand, bits of adobe. soma old
boots. sprinkling of empty tins, part
of bale of hay and dog-eared poker
deck OF cards. The latter was after
ward carefully gathered up by their
owner. a genius called Slim j m.
who always deplored the fact that the
recovered pack was imperfect there
being but four aces left in it by the
sand .auper.'"