Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1890 — Causes of Cyclones. [ARTICLE]

Causes of Cyclones.

New York 3 ar. A few days ago Senator PLimb, of Kansas, introduced into the Senate a resolution calling upon the Signal Service to investigate the cyelones and tornadoes which have been s> destructive to life and property, in the State he has represented during the past two years. The object of the bill, the Senator st ’ted. was to see if some means epuld not be discoby which these death dealing winds can be diverted and the destruction that they entail avoided. I asked Sergt. Dunn, of the Signal station in the Equitable building, yesterday, if the Signal Service Department thought it had so far advanced in scientific discovery as to be able to dictate to the winds their course land instruct them when to blow hot and when to blow cold. '*Not quite so far as that yet,” said the genial student of the storms; ••but there are many curious and peculiar features connected, with these rinds that have swept over Kansas and been the cause of so much suffering and distress to the people of that State, and the Signai Service thinks that a thorough investigation of the subject may reveal something which can be utilized to divert the course or lessen the fury of the winds. One of the curious facts connected with them is that they have only visited the State during the past two years. Besot-e that time the people of Kansas were free from them, but during the past two years they have come at about tho same season and have swept oyer almost the same territory. Now, it may bo ihat the occurrence of these winds is simply a freak of nature, and that they may not return again next year; b.it the fact that they have come twice at about the same time and in practically the same places leads us to believe that they will continue to bo an unwel-corc-a visitor to Kansas unless something is done to force them to realize that they are unwelcome. I would liken the visitation of these winds to a disease like hay fever, which comes at regular periods. No one has yet been able to grapple with this disease, and the Signal Service may find these winds too knotty a problem for it to solve. The idea, and such is the object of Senator Plumb’s resolution, is that, as these winds are of very recent occurrence and were unknown until two years ago, there must have been a change of soine kind in the conditions which prevail about Kansas. This change must be the cause of these winds. We may be able to discover what this change is. If we do, we then know whence come these fatal winds. With that knowledge, we may be able, remarkable as the statement doubtless seems, to control the action of the winds.”