Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-29
BREAKERS AHEAD.
The Most Disastrous Storms of
Recent Times Upon Us
IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
The Cotton Growing Season VIII Close
November 5-Indications Point to
an Early and Severe Winter.
A Physical Basis.

Copyrighted, 1891, by W. 7. Foster.l
Special to the Gazette
ST JOSEPH, Mo-, Oct. 23.-We come now
to consider November weather. The in
terror of the United States Jared compara-
lively well through September and part of
October, while the Eastern coasts and the
west OF Europe suffered terribly. Storm
waves move from west 10 east, but the
maximum of storm influences has a retro
grade movement approaching this continent
from the east, and in the history of the re-
cent most terrible storms on both sides of
the Atlantic that have occurred Tor many
years, the outlook for November in the
United States does not promise all sunshine.
Evidences are accommodating for the yeri-
fication of my prediction that the most dis
aStrouS storms of recent times would occur
during the latter part OF 1891 and the first
half of 1892.
The first storm wave of November will be
due to leave the Pacific coast about October
80, cross the great interior valleys from Oc-
tober 81 to November :, and reach the At
lantic coast about the Sd. A cold wave.
severe for the time of year, may be expected
to appear in the Northwest following this
storm center, cand cause froSts in all the
Northern and most of the Southern states.
closing the cotton growing season by No
vember s. Our winter weather will APP
proach from the Northwest and winter Will
set in earlier there and be more severe
than in the Northeastern states, and this
storm wave will be followed by wintry
weather in the upper Missouri and upper
Mississippi valleys.
Among the farmers and planters the i'm
preston is general that we will have an
early and severe winter, and present indi-
cations are quite favorable to this idea.
therefore farm work is being pushed rap
idly. This is especially the case in the cot
ton states where cotton is being rushed into
market at an enormous rate, and this, not
withstanding the early killing frosts, is
made use of to keep down the price of cot
ton. Planters will see their mistake little
later on in not holding their cotton.
WEATHER AND SCIENCE NOTES.
One great need OF the times is Il physical
basis for meteorology Humboldt declared
that the lack of such a basis explained why
meteorology was making such slow prog
ress, and the one principal effort in these
notes is to establish that in electricity we
may find the basis sought. The contest
lies between heat and electricity as the
cause of weather changes, and everything
in these letters has bearing on this
discussion. The government weather bu-
reau officials and all the heads of inStitu-
lions of learning i'll Europe and America
are advocates of the heat theory, while
few of US are battling for the other side.
deny that gravitation is a pull, and as
sert that it is a push. The planets float in
the elements that surround the sun and the
moon floats in the elements that surround
the earth, and these bodies are not held TO
their primaries by any power that can be
called pull.
Before this theory can be accepted it is
necessary to better understand electricity
and its effects as seen in magnetism. For
the purpose of this discussion we will COLI
hot al ,t.iai tbar
attenuated form known to ur senses. 1t
is no more difficult to accept this theory
than to accept Sir Isaac Newtons theory
that light is matter and that the different
Colors contained in white light are only diff
ferent kinds OF matter. 1t may yet be de-
termined that Newton was right and that
the indivisible colors of light are identical
with the original forms of matter Newton
was certainly right in holding that there is
but one kind of electricity, the positive be-
ing the larger and the negative the smaller
quantity the variations in its influence be-
ing accounted for by the different condi-
tons under which it operates.
Put very salty water into glass jar and
on top of it q layer of fresh water; next
layer of inseed oil, then kerosene oil and on
top of this q layer IF gasoline. Quicksilver
will go to the bottom of all this while above
it will be the earth's atmosphere and above
that the electricity or ether of space.
Meteors will float out into space leaving our
a balloon will float several
miles high in the atmosphere, cork will
float on top Of the gasoline, light pine will
float between the gasoline and coal Gil,
heavier pine between the kerosene and
linseed oil, still heavier pine at the top of
the fresh water, an egg will sink to the top
of the salt water, limestone to the top of
the quicksilver and gold to the bottom
These substances take their positions in
accord with their own and the density of
the elements in whih they are placed, and
there can be but little doubt tina. the same
influences operate in locating the orbits of
the planets; but with these planets, if not
with all bodies of condensed matter, there
is another element that has much to do with
their buoyancy and that element is an cleo
trio atmosphere.
%Ghere is an electric atmosphere surround
ing every body. great or small, of condensed