The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-08-26
Analysss OF a Tornado.

AYALE PROFESSORS VIEWS ON TIE wALLING-
FORD. ,WHIRLWIND. 81: ai.E
~ New Haven Palladium, August 14.I -
Professor Brewer, who interests himself
in phenomena, has spent number OF days
at Wallingford studying the features Of the
tornado, and will 60 there again to-day, to
make q more particular examination OF
them. Yesterday he was found at his home
by Palladium reporter, who asked him
for some information or scientific charac-
ter concerning the disaster. The Professor
very willingly gave this to him substantially
as follows:
"No one can tell what makes a tornado.
There are many theories concerning the
cause. ] tlnow Of five hundred persons,
each Of whom has a different theory Light
ming always plays leading part in the dis
turbance In some tornadoes the exhibition
OF electricity is grand. There is no partic-
ular hour at which they are: formed, but
they usually take place In the afternoon, for
it is then that hot day becomes most sui
try. In the northern latitudes the rotary
motion is always from the right to the left.
The column is funnel-shaped, the small part
being on the earth. 1t 'sways from side to
side frequently, and sometimes bounds like
q bsll. The movement is either to the east,
southeast, or northeast. 1t is agreed that
this tornado had all the characteristics OF
other tornadoes. Z ,.rs.. ..tII - '.t....j
81 measured the bluff at the lake lin
Wallingford), where the tornado was FORM
ed, and found it to be about thirty-6ve feet
in height. The cone rose up on this, and
the damage it inflicted shows it to have been
from four hundred to four hundred and
fifty feet wide. 1t was not powerful enough
to uproot trees outside Of this. 1t crossed
the railroad track nearly at right angles, and
about six hundred feet wide. AT Colony
street it was seven hundred, or seven hum
dred and fifty feet in .width-that is, it
was strong enough to tear down houses
within this limit. From the lake to this
point was the space in which it displayed
its greatest energy. The cone was solid
there, or nearly so at its bottom, so
that its centre was rs destructive as it's out
side lines. AS 1t approached the hill, 1t
broadened to about ], 200 feet, and over this
space unrooied houses. 1t twisted of trees
over a still wider area, and further on at
Elm street broadened still more. Its effects
could he seen as far as the eye could reach
through field-glass. The trees ON portions
OF the south line Of the Whirl were laid to
the east, while ON the north line they were
laid In many directions. The tombstones
in the cemetery were laid toward the east, but
the tall monuments were thrown toward
the north The actual direction OF the tor
nado was east-soutbeast. .,,..,.
"In tornadoes the funnel shaped column is
always visible. i.aye witnessed and studied
many sand-whir!s on the plains. These are
harmless, and lose themselves after going
short distances. They appear there in
many shapes OF the funnel, some of them
being larger at the base than others, and
some having a, wide bulk for a short dis
tance and at height Of several feet from
the ground. The tornado at Wallingford
undoubtedly took mud and water from the
lake. The roots of uprooted trees were
washed bare. Some Of the mud, however,
came from the street. The tornado was not
OF unusual strength" u, Pc.