The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-03
DREADED SANDSTONE.
Great American Desert and Its Most
Terrible Phenomenon.
Harper's Weekly.


That the Great American Desert still eX-
lists. i'm spite OF strenuous efforts on the
part of certain politicians, railroad corpor-
atons and other interested parties 10 op-
literate il from the maps. II fact only TOO
well known to many thousands or disap-
pointed settlers. army people. prospectorS
and travellers over several lines OF ran
way Most especially is Ii in evidence on the
route of the Southern Pacific road. winch
traverses its desolation for hundreds OF
miles and whose tankcars for the transpot-
tation of water form an important Item OF
equipment. 1t is true that portions OF It's
unproductive lands are irrigabe tat a vast
EXPENSE and may thus. In the distant in-
ture be reclaimed to the uses OF agricul-
turc. AT the same time II Is equally true
that wide areas lie so remote from revivlfy-
ing Influences that. unless SUBJECTED 10 lad-
ical climatic changes. they must always re-
main deSolate. wind-blOWn wastes. eXhlblt-
ing the characteristics and phenomena OF
all deserts existing under similar condl-
tons.
OF these desert phenomena none is more
to be dreaded than that of the Sandstorm,
which. at certain seasons. sweeps. grandly
terrible and Tesistless. with suftocating en-
Velopment and a pitilesS hurting OF Singing
particles. across the arid plains OF western
Texas. New Mexico. Arizona and southern
California east of the Sierras. 1t is the
blizzard of the North with the breath CT a
furnace, sitting its victims with heat and
choking them with imDalpable aust rather
than numbing them with "A deadly cold: "A
black death with sable plumes streaming 10
the heavens instead of n white winding
Sneet EOth are In their utmost power TOT
evil when animate nature is least fitted 10
oppose them. The blizzard is the demon OF
winter, the sandstone of such time when,
parched with drought. the solid earth dis
ntegrates. springs retreat into hidden cav
erns of the under world. and rcck-ribbed
watercourses. void of moisture. lie gaunt
and empty beneath the braZen stare OF
cloudless skies Vegetation has disap-
peared. save for such scanty fragme ats AS
crumble at the touch, and the very atmos-
phere SINNERS in heat waves that form
q IL bphOldGr
fantasies that prelude madness.
Under these conditions there comes a
morning when ii molten sky assumes a
paliid hue. and as the day wears on. an
ashen haze wells the desolate landscape.
This deepens and darkens until the round
sun is but a blot or blood. casting a bale
full light, and the desert is hushed in an
awful stiffness. The gloom thickens and
the sun disappears behind blackness that.
beyond the reach of vision and enshrouding
all things with its ominous folds. sweeps
across the motionless plain. The heated
air for miles in advance Is sucked back
wards into its whrlng vortex and the loose
sands in its path leap in gusty spirals to
meet it.
With a thunderous roar the Sandstone
hurls itself upon its victims. driving them
before it with irresistible furry. No ami
mate form may oppose it and live. but
man and beast so i'll fated as to be caught
within its dread radius must submit to be
| driven forward like an autumn leaf. blind.
ed. choked and sorely dashed. until some
| storm is exhausted. If he stumbles and
| falls or sinks through weakness he is lost
; and the skeletons of former victims are
| stripped of their heaped covering to fur
| nish him sepulchre.
Although the sandstone is generally oj
short duration, 1t sometimes lasts for hours
| and has been known TO rage for days with
unabated fury While thus exercising its
evil powers it destroys life and changes the
| whole aspect of the country over which II
| sweeps, moving hills and valleys to new pc
| sitions filling dry watercourses. buryfnl
| springs and celebrating trails. In the old
| days of slow-moving wagons trains il Wa.
this era of railroad it brings distress ant
| peril to the traveller. 1t fills the most care
| fully protected cars with a sitting dust
| blocks the tracks with heavy drifts. cut,
| down telegraph poles with it's rasp o
| finty particles. grinds clear glass int
| opaqueness, and in a thousand ways rem
derS life miserable and a burden.