Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-09-14
THE WIND AND THE WAVES


The Dallas. Texas. News OF Sept. 18th.
speaking Of the storm that In a few
hours destroyed the prosperous city OF
Galveston and desolated a vast area OF
the state, Gays II IL doubtful whether
1t has been eQualed by any
atmospheric disturbance Of the age.
such was the force OF the wind and the
destruction wrought Ordinarily winds
Of such high velocity the same paper
points out are confined 70 narrow
courses. But this storm has covered
the state from the Gulf to Indian Ter
ritory, 1t gradually grew less furious
as 1t wldened it's course northward but
the wind and rain were general.
Since the FIRST word Of the disaster
was received, the reports OF the havoc
have confirmed the impression that the
visitation was one OF terrible severity
Parallels may be found In the inunda-
tions that have In recent years desc
lated parts OF Japan and China. But II
IL without comparison the greatest dis
aster in this country In modern times
Words fan 90 express the fun scope Of
the calamity. Not only have thousands
lost their lives, but thousands more are
left to mourn their dead and the loss
OF their property In homes, crops and
stock II IL national calamity, CALI
ing for the benevolent sympathy Of
nation.
The following from the Chicago Re-
cord gives a clear explanation Of the
cause Of the disaster;
'"rhe storm that raised the gulf level
was one Of the kind known as cyclOnic;
that Is, Il was a body OF air revolving
around a center where there was an
area Of very low barometer There are
two forms OF motion in the cyclone the
center travels IN a generally north
eastery circle, The area affected by
cyclone may extend 200 miles from the
center In which case the velocity of the
wind Is not likely Go be as great as II Is
ln one which has a smaller radius. and
| It's forward movement VIII also be slow
ef. in the northern hemisphere the
wind roY0lyes against the SUM- as the
EfNAI0N NhgN AAlaAA ~ AlNlll AhlAh ~ lNAAf
IN an opposite direction from the move
ment Of the hands Of the clock. Consea
Quently when q cyclone approaches a
ship or island any one wishing 20 know
! where the center Is may ind out its
| bearing by facing the wind. since the
center win lie on a line exactly 80 de.
/ grees 90 the right In the West indies
and I'm the southern states the course
/ OF the center ls somewhat north ~ west
| II the wind begins 90 SHIFT Co the right
| the observer viii know that he is on
/ the right hand OF the cyclones track;
] n the shifts o. wind are 90 the left he
! win know that he Is on the loft-hand
] side Of the storms course, We know
/ that Galveston was on the right-hand
! slide of this particular storm. and conse-
| quently the wind shifted 20 the right.
] The cyclone had been reported ap-
! preaching the gulf since the first Of the
! month 10 was not a very rapid travel
| or Saturday afternoon last the center
/ had reached a point IN the gulf bearing
/ southeast from Galveston, al was shown
! by lhe low reading Of the barometer IN
! that City-2g. 22 luChes-and the velocity
| of the northeast wind-forty miles an
| hour IN is highly probable that me
| center had passed sufficiently 20 the
! southwark ~ the Florida straits TO
/ bring the fan force Of the north half ~
/ the revolving storm against the OUT
| ward flow OF the gulf stream thus rais-
| ing tha general level Of the water In the
/ gulf
How utterly Insignificant Is the pow
or OF man against forces that az the viii
of coo Ruler % the universe can llft
oc.ar and hurl them beyond their
boundaries! How frail In His presence,
who makes me winds 10 serve as His
messengers and the flames of fire as
/ His minister's 1tlsnot possible 10 con-
template IN their true light. such ex-
raorllnary connections IN nature with
ont being Impressed with the fact that
they are meant for q testimony and a
voice Of warning, as was said almost a
generation ago by the Prophet Of this
dispensation For after your tt IT,
mony cometh the testimony of
the voice Of thunderings. and the voice
Of tcmnosts and tho voice 0f the waves
OF Che sea. heaviug themselves beyond
their bounds" This kind ~ testimony
may not be generally accepted. but rs
language is nevertheless forclhle. and