The Washington times., 1902-08-03
THE DUSTY MISSISSIPPI.
Strange Phenomenon Observed by
Travellers On the Great River.

The Mississippi River is the dustiest
road in the whole country" said man
who travels on the river a great deal
and If you don't believe it put on a
white shirt some time and make a
cruise on the river a few hundred miles.
Really no thoughtful man would lie
stupid enough to question the state
ment if he had ever had any expert
ence on the river. / was reading an
article some time ago about the dust of
the sea. and from the description given
of the fine. dry sediment which falls
from the damp mist Of the sea l an
inclined TO think that the deposit is
not in it with the dust OF the Mississip-
pi. The water of the river is charged
with fine particles. The heavy parti-
cles in the water do not leave the sur
face except TO sink at some point where
an obstruction diverts the current and
causes temporary poise. 1t is this
condition which forms the immense
bars, or sand banks, which we find
along the river. These formations are
due altogether to the resistance en-
countered by the currents of the river.
Mind you, the heavier particles of the
river figure in these formations. The
lighter particles, and the kind have
in mind at this time, form a sort of
river dust which is waited here and
there by the winds which sweep the
stream.
y have heard a great many men al
vance the idea that this dust was blown
from The sandbars and banks of the riv-
er during the dry season. But there Is
nothing in this claim which will explain
satisfactorily the constant settling OF
dust on the boats plying the Mississippi.
1t blows into the cabin, settles on the
deck and other exposed portions of the
boat. and is Just like any other kind OF
dust which one may find In an ordinary
road during a dry season. There is this
difference that it is possibly not so dry,
and hence has a greater cohesive power.
1t sticks to the thing 1t falls on. l have
been travelling on the river for a quar-
ter of a century in the lower trade, and
have paid considerable attention 20
this question of river dust, and 1t Is
really a very interesting subject. and
one which should receive more atten-
tion. 1t may be pure, or impure. In my
judgment no kind of dust can be very
pure.
How this dust gets out Of the river
cannot say, but since no scientist has
explained the matter, or set up stand
ara OF judgment IN TINS respect, nave
the right TO my opinion on the subject.
There are in my Judgment two ways OF
getting the fine particles out OF the wa
ter. They may rise with the mist Of
the morning, and when the sun dries
and dissipates the mist these fine parti-
cles become the sport of the winds, and
are blown hither and thither. Or 1t may
be that the influence of the sun on the
surface of the water will sufficiently dry
and bake these finer particles to make
them an easy prey TO the wind. The
wind which constantly sweeps the sur
face of the river would brush them from
the water and watt them with the direc-
tion of the wind. / do not pretend to
say that this is exactly what happens.
but 1t seems to me to be reasonable
explanation of the existence of the
strange phenomenon we call river dust"
New Orleans Times Democrat.