The Osceola times., 1880-07-31
Our Cyclonic Visitors.
81 louis Repnblican.

~ LOUIS INlhbli'dht
Usually the first accounts of disas-
tiers are more or less exaggerated. but in
the case of the recent cyclone the latest
Developments are the worst. The deaths
at notwithstanding those already
dead and those whose injuries are likely
to prove fatal-will hardly fall short of
one hundrcd while other towns. with
isolated settlements, will probably add
twenty-five or fifty more. The number
of persons permanently disabled cannot
be estimated, nor is il possible to Calcu-
late the loss oi property. Enough is
known, however, to justify the statement
that 1t is the scvercst calamity of the
kind that ever visited this country since
the European occupation, and no flood
or fire in this country has ever caused
such loss of life. We must go to the
tropical regions to find parallel for it,
either in meteorological peculiarities or
in destrnctlvcncss.
The Republican, in its notices of former
cyclones, has taken the ground that
their frequent occurrence indicates i'm
portant changes in what may be termed
our atmospheric surroundings; but the
assumption that cyClonic visitations are
more frequent has been disputed by
some whose opinions are entitled to high
rcspect. II is claimed that the seeming
frequency Is due To thr more thickly set
tied condition of the rural districts
enabling us to hear of everyone that oc-
ours, and that the occurrence of many
unreported ones is proved by the wind
rows" or areas of fallen timber, oftcu
discovered in the virgin forest. This OBJ
lection, we think, is deprived of much of
its force by the fact that the
sections in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and
Arkansas, where cyclones have latterly
been so disagreeably abundant have been
at least tolcrably thickly settled for
period there have always been enough
,,cople scattered through these localities
TO know what was going on; and cy-
clone. whether near or remote IN its
point of attack, could not be overlooked
or forgotten. Tradition, if nothing else.
would have tr9nsmittes the story. But
up to 1860, the stories are very few and
yery far between. Our files from lSOS
to 1860 do not furnish dozen; but since
the aforementioned year, when a cyclone
struck Alton, they have been numerous.
so that now scarcely a season pas es
without two or three disturbances of
this sort-not all of them serious In their
consequences, but all having the same
distinctive and unmistakable character
istlcs. Previous TO 1860. gales or hurri-
canes sufficiently strcng to blow down
fences and unroof houses were not un-
common; but the funnel-shaped cloud
with its vibrating tail, whirling trees,
stones, buildings, animals and men into
the air, and sweeping the earth like a
demon of wrath, was never seen or
heard of in northern ATTITUDES.
Therefore we think there can be no
reasonable doubt that our atmosphere
surroundings are changing, or have al
ready changed-and not ior the better.
Whether the scientific investigation
which the Marshfeld calamity may pro-
woke will throw much light upon an
obscure and all-importapt subject, is ex-
tremely doubtful. But any light, how
ever small and feeble, is better than
total darkness; and we trust the investi.
gators-who ought TO have the aid and