Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1920-05-06
FREAKS OF tine DUST STORM
Queer Effects OF Electricity IL Kan.
San Air.

Following the dust storms Of |
few days ago the Reflector publishes
dispatches telling Of queer freaks o
electricity In western Kansas Some
folks thought the stories were fake
but the scientists are investigating
and hnd them true.
The electrical disturbance which
was prevalent through western Kan
Sas recently during the high winds
and in which many people Were
severely shocked, although there
was neither lightning nor thunder
was caused by static electricity, ac'
cor,llng to s. u. Flora, state metro
logist, who has been investigating
Hutchinson motorists reported So.
we're shocks when they touched
their cars. which became highly
charged. Harmed, Kinsley Pawnee
Rock and other points reported au.
tomobiIes becoming charged with
the currents. becoming short circuit
ed. and otherwise having trouble.
This is not. however the first
time this phenomena has occurred
In western Kansas.
Rarbed wire fences become So
strongly charged that Of night
time every barb has been seen 10
give OF glow like Il tiny incande-
scent electric light bulb One well
authenticated case Is reported where
wire thus charged came loose dur
Ing high wind and described an
arc over the grass. killing all vege-
tation Il touched A few years ago
prairie fire originated on the farm
Of ] w Tough anchman near
Scott city. which was undoubtedly
caused by loose wire charged from
one of these storms falling upon q
bunch of dry grass.
In Meade county near Plains. u
dog had been chained 10 metal
clothes line. The line became so
highly charged during one of these
storms the dog set up prolonged
howl Of misery, and every attempt
to release him was SO shocking
to the persons trying II they fiinal-
" had TO resort to thick gloves 10
loosen the chain.
During the dust storms last
month many automobiles ia Central
and Western Kansas were stalled
when this static electricity accum
ulated in their engines and stopped
ignition.
One of the employees Of the Uni
ted Water. Gas & Electric Co., man
aged to drive his car when others
stalled by letting a wire trail from
the rear axle of his car.
The wire grounded the charge and
the automobile rolled Off In fine
style. but 1t was necessary to keep
the wire trailing behind to avoid
more engine trouble.
After one Of these storms has pas
scd. green vegetation presents the
peculiar Cooked" appearance 1t has
after a killing frost
What causes It? The dust. moth
ing more. The fine dust carried by
the gales of wind became highly
charged with electricity possibly by
friction in the dust storm.
The state meteOrologist who made
thorough investigation of these
storms, found that cooking utensils
on stoves became SO highly charged
housewives had to wrap the handles
with heavy cloth, not to prevent
burning, but to avoid the pain Of Sc
we're electric shocks from them. One
case was reported 10 him where a
stoyepipe passing through an iron
roof gave continuous discharge OF
sparks to the roof and their constant
Stamping was almost as lound as the
clicking Of telegraph instrument
Another observer reported that
sparks passing from leg Of a stove
to a copper wash boiler nearby made
a noise as loud as a match that sud
denly ignites when 1t has been
stepped on.
The night time effects OF these
storms are startling in tn extreme
to an inexperienced person. Mum
erous instances have been reportd,
to Mr.. Flora. where herds Of cattle
have been seen with balls of fire
as large as marbles on the tips of
their horns, and ranchman In
Cheyenne county had the unique ex-
perience one night Of driving cattle
with this continuous display from
their horns and similar balls Of fire,
which he described as large as the
"cork of an ink bottle" at the top of
each ear of the mule he was riding
- n1ao - Aha ond of hic RIDING