The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-19

with the city for some hours.
In August, 1890, Palmetto, New, had an
unusual and remarkable experience ia
storms Palmetto is little old mining
camp about two days Journey south Of Co
lumbus. Of which the Sun has told a num-
Der OF stories. On the 7th OF the month a
large cloud gathered on the mountains east
or the camp, and eventually, after the
fashion Of these summer thunder clouds,
sRgged down till the crests of the mountains
were inclosed. This done, the cloud, in
stead of diSsipating itself there, as such
clouds usually do. rolled rapidly down the
sides Of the range into the valley with much
water IN its trail. 1t Is said to have been a
fearful spectacle, though in no way to be
compared TO what was seen on the 18th.
On that day two distinct clouds gathered,
the one to the east aud the other to the
north of the camp. Neither was "A whirl-
iug cloud, though both masses of vapor
were in a great tumult After hanging
over the mountains separately for a time,
the zigZag lightning incessantly piercing
the black folds and the thunder booming
the while, they started down into the val
ley, quickly drew together, and with q
roaring whirr that drowned even the boom
Ing Of the thunder, started swiftly across
the valley, genuine tornado. The whole
valley was darkened by the vast masses Of
vapor that we're thrown out
IN all directions from the crest
of the whirling nucleus, while a
flood poured down from these clouds that
in ten minutes covered the entire surface OF
the valley-covered sixty square miles OF
earth-from two to three inches deep. Ter
rltied by the darkness and stupefed by the
awful roar the people stood still or sank
down to the ground to await the death that
seemed inevitable But their terror and sus-
pense passed away as quickly as the storm
had come. The tornado wore it.
self out by its frightful energy III
less than half an hour It missed the
camp entirely, and when it was gone the
people went out and found that it had
scooped out a ditch 500 feet long that was
in some places seven feet deep, but nowhere
more than twenty feet wide. The mass of
water that fell rushed in a giant wave out
through Dry Creek canyon into Fish Lake
valley, destroying nine miles of the stage
road and creating a rise of water in the
marsh there such as had never been known
before, although this valley had been in
habited for more than twenty years. Con-
sidering the amount of water that fell IN
the ten minutes, the storm was the most re-
markable known to the desert region.
In contrast with the storms noted SO far
are those observed by the signal service
officer stationed in Death valley at the sug-
gist sharp OF the agricultural department,
who had the valley explored scientifically
in 1891. The observer was there for 157
days. During that time rain fell twenty
two times but on the thirteenth Of these oc-
casions there was such slight sprinkle that
no measurement could be made. The other
nine occasions were thunder storms, :" &C
cording to the report, the largest fall meas
ured being "a of an inch. on Aug. 16,
81 l. -
were in every case local. In commenting
on the total rainfall for the five months d. 4
inohes Mark W. Harrington, the
chief of the agricultural departments
weather bureau, says; This for the dry
season is by no means very dry, but tue ex-
cessively low humidity and brisk winds
evaporate the rain rapidly"
or this light humidity of the air there
several interesting observations were made.
While rain wes falling at one time the air
near the earth had 90 per cent. of the
moisture of saturatiop, while at another
time it bad 4S; ten minutes after a third
rain there was but 20 per ceut., and during
the heaviest rain Of all the per cent. ives
only Is. These conditions of affairs will
be better appreciated when it is remem-
bered that a comfortable and healthful per
cent. is 20 or more. The fact that during
the heaviest rain of all the sur,
face air held but IS per cent. Of
the moisture Of saturation shows, &C
cording to Mr.. Harrington, that The
deadly stratum OF arid air In this valley il
usually a very thin one. 1t must have beer
thin, or else il would have absorbed the
raindrops before they could pass through it,
Nevertheless it must be deep enough to cover
the adjoining canyons, for a party of men
who once started from the old borax works
there to go over to those In the Amargosa
valley failed to reach the spring twelve
miles up the canyon, and would have died OF
thirst had not the Death valley superinterd-
ent understood the condition Of affairs, and
sent a relief expedition after them with
water.
However, IDeath valley, or rather the
mountains round about, have frequent
cloud bursts and foods. They have never
been reported save In one case noted in the
SUMS series Of articles on the desert region,
but the effects of these storms are plain
in every canyon. 1t Is even said by the
desert men that the bottom of the valley,
which, according to Mr.. Merriam's topo-
grapher, is 4SO feet below sea level, has in
recent years besn flooded until it was lake
a good many miles in extent. The valley is
the sink of the Amargosa river, but this
river has no visible flow of water within
fifty miles of the sink. The lake, is one did
exist temporarily. was probably caused by
some cloud burst, though it is not impossi-
BILE that a blanket storm did within the
memory of the Oldest Arab cover and food
the region.
The hardy tourist who ventures on des-
ert will fnd many peculiar and attractive
features of nature there-the rugged mount
aims, the barren valleys, the scant aud
perched heritage, the gsunt fauna, the mi
RACES, the cloudless gales, the brown fogs OF
sand, and, if lucky, the cloudburst and the
tornado He will endure some hardships
and risk some dangers, but when he has re,
turned and sits down to think it all
over, he will say that the time
spent there was to start. and
that not waking hour
was dull II he be asked what
feature of all was most interesting, be will
very likely reply that he is unable TO de-
eide, but among those that we're most i'm
pressive none exceeded in grandeur she
ominous. black. lightning-streaked cloud
that on hot day appeared above some
mountain top, and while the thunder
roared and reverberated through the deep
canyons below, sagged down until it envel-
oped the peak, and poured out its foods, to
run thence in crashing waves to the mesas
and valleys miles away below.