The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-31
DUSTY OLD MISSISSIPPI.
Travellers Theory as to n Concomitant
of Travel on the Big River.

New Orleans Times-Democrat.
THE Mississippi river is the dustiest road
in the whole country" said a man who
travels on the river a great deal, land if
you don't believe it put on a white shirt
some time and make a cruise up the river a
few hundred miles. Really no thoughtful
man would be stupid enough to question
the statement if he had ever had any ex-
perience on the river.
Il was reading an article some time ago
about the dust of the sea, and from the de-
scription given Of the fine, dry sediment
which falls from the damp mist of the sea
I am inclined to think that the deposit is
not in it with the dust of the Mississippi.
The water of the river is charged with fine
particles. The heavy PARTICLES in the water
do not leave the surface except to sink at
some point where an obstruction diverts the
current and causes a temporary poise. 1t
is this condition which forms the immense
bars. or sandbanks. which we find along
the river. These formations are due alto
gether to the resistance encountered by the
currents of the river. Mind you, the heavier
particles of the river figure in these forma-
tions. The lighter PARTICLES, and the kind L
have in mind at this time, form a sort of
river dust which is waited mere and there
by the winds which sweep the stream.
Il have heard a great many men advance
the idea that this dust was blown from the
sandbars and banks of the river 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 por-
lions of the boat. and is just like any other
kind of dust which one may ind in an ordi-
nary road during a dry season. There is
this dinerence-that II is possibly not so
dry and hence has a greater cohesive DOW
er. 1t sticks TO the thing il falls on. 1
have been travelling on the river for a quar-
ter of a century in the lower trade. and (
have paid considerable attention to this
question OF river dust, and il is really a
very interesting subject and one which
should receive more attention. 1t may be
pure or impure. In my judgment no kim
OF dust can be very pure. How this dust
gets out or the river l cannot say. but since
no scientist has explained the matter or
set up a standard OF judgment in this re-
spect have q right 10 my opinion on the
subject.
There are. in my Judgment. two ways Of
getting the fine particles out OF the water.
ing. and when the sun dries and dissipates
the mist these fine particles become the
sport OF the winds, and are blown hither
and thither. Or il may be that the inhu-
ence Of the sun on the surface or the water
will sufficiently dry and bake these finer
particles TO make them an easy prey to the
winds. The wind which constantly sweeps
from the water and watt them with the di-
rection OF the wind. l do not pretend 10
say that this is exactly what happens. but
II seems TO me TO be a reasonable eXplana-
ton % the existence OF the strange phe-
nomenon &c call river dust"