Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-03
THE BIG BLOW.
why the we'll of the Academy Of
Music Went DOWn-An Interesting
scientific Expianafi0Rs


Scientific Explanation.
TIE the Union and American:
University OF NASHVILLE, Nav 2,
1s74.-Haying heard good many glesses
and conjectures as to the manner in which
the walls were blown out of the two build
ines on Broad street, during the violent
STORM last week, none Of which are salts
factory, send y5ti the following and prob
ably correct explanation.
The winds struck these buildings nearly
in the rear and, strange 10 say, took out
the front walls. It would appear upon a
superfcial examination that the wall of
the Academy Of Music. having been thrown
down from some Gauss, parapet or other
wise, carried along with it the wall Of the
adjoining building. But this was not the
case. the front walls of the two buildings
we in no way ait lched as they weIt
down. but fell independently of each other,
and they both fell from the same cause;
the same force that pushed out the Academy
Wall Prodsced a similar effect
in the other building. What was it7 1t
could not have been due to the direct force
of the wind entering at the windows and
rear part Of the building and thus, by mere
pressure, driving the front wall out; for in
this case the windows would have been
first broken in; the scenery and fixtures on
the stage of the Academy would have been
blown out with the wall, whereas they
| were almost intact; moreover this cause
could never have forced ont tbs front wall
of the next building without first going
through the partition wall between them
The true cause, and one which would ap-
Div independently to both houses, was the
sudden and rapid expansion of the air
within the buildings. The tornado whirl-
ing almost instantly over and by the side
of these buildings, leaped across Broad
street, this causing a m"mentary vacuum
or. eddy Immediately IN front OF Them
The pressure on the outside thus beirg re-
moved, the elastic force Of the confined air
caused il to suddenly expand thus pushing
| the walls outward. Ii is the same force
which causes the draught to howl up the
| thirtiner. or burst open the door Of room,
wlel a suIdei e''st of wind, sweeping
across the chiIBney-top, produces partial
vacuum in the chimney.
Had perfect vacuum existed the tension
of the air within would have been 10
pounds to the square inch. complete
vacuum cculd hot, however, have been pro
| duced. Let Us suppose that only One-1fth
of vacuum occurred: the excess Of press
ure sn the inside would then have been
pounds TO tbs stIuars inch or A32 pounds TO
the square foot, enough ceftginiy TO force
any wall from yerticle line, gravity aiOnei
then, causing the fall. If the front wall of
| the Academy is, say 80 feet wide and 80
| feet high, then the total excess of outward
| or available pressure sustained by II was
$4,000 pounds. THIS immense pressure
| could have been eXerted agaitst tliH inner
| side of the wall without materially affect
| ing articles within the building.
| To illustrate this more clearly, let 4 tube
some ten feet long and a few inches in di-
ameter be filled with smoke. If a candle
be then placed a; oIe end and two books be
| clapped together at the other, the candle
| will be extinguished, but not puff or par
| ticle of the smoke viii be elected from the
tube, thus demonstrating that the impulse
or force can be Transmitted through the arr
without yisibly altering the position Of mat
ter suspended in Il.
Or again. as The breakers Of the ocean rush
with tremendous force against the beach,
while log of weod or a chip, few hun
bred yards from the shore, rides up and
doysn in perfect safety. with no apparent
| tendency TO approach il. The waves, or
force, move onward, but the fiiOlecnies. Of
water have only vertical swing, and with
them only, the floating object moves.
Instances Of a nature similar To that OF
these two buildings are on record, and the
above is given as an explanation of such
meteorological phenomena.
j. w. YEATMAN.