San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-07-20
THE TORNADO SEASON
Upward OF 800 People Killed and N,u,.
Property Destroyed 80 Far This Yea,


The year 1882, says the Chicago IT,,
b'lne, bid fair'to be known hereaite,
the tornado year. There were sevs,.,
wiod-storms in 1881, but only 1877 No,
sons were killed by them, while alre.s.
during the first six months ~ 100.
there have been 3l5 killed, many Hmm.
dreds seriously injured, and millions =,
dollars worth of property DESTROYED
Though the principal part of this lo,.
belongs to what may be called the to,
nado region-namely, that section a,
country northeast from the northern
part of Texas, including the Indian
Territory, Kansas, Missouri, Northern
Arkansas and Iowa-still all parts q,
the South and Southwest has suffered
severely, and one severe wind.stO,n
swept through portion of Pennsyl.
vania. These terrible visitations com.
mence in March, there being two in
that month-one in Georgia, involving
loss of six lives, and one in Dakota
which sacrificed twenty.six. In April
heavy winds were very prevalent all
over the Southern States, destroying
large amount of property and killing
no less than 118 persons. In Nav
there was comparative lull, though
there was severe tornado in the vicin.
ity of McAllistsr, Texas, which resulted
in the death of eighteen persons, and
there were numerous less-destructive
blows in Kansas and Texas, which
helped to swell the death-roll for the
month to forty-four. This seemed to
be the signal for unloosing the fury Of
the winds in the West, and the month
of June has Witnessed on almost con.
slant succession of terrible tornadoes
throughout Iowa and some parts Of
Kansas, the principal ones being most
severe felt at Grinnell, Independence
and Emmetsbprg, and other parts Of
Central Iowa. The list of dead elready
reaches 1877, and many more have re-
ceived injuries from which they cannot
recover, while many hundreds have
been bruised and MANNED, and the
damage occasioned by the loss Of hous'
es, barns, churches, schools, crops,
stock and farming implements can hard
" be estimated. In the Grinnell disas.
ter the onslaught was unprecedentedly
furious, three tornadoes raging at one
time, one commencing in the southwest
part of Boone county, and ending near
Ogden; the second commencing near
the Missouri frontier and ending near
Grinnell and sweeping over course OF
200 miles before it's awful journey was
terminated, leaving behind it swath
half mile in width of utter distruc'
ton and devastation. AS if not content
with these, Nature has manifested her
anger in unusually severe wind. hail.
and thunder storms, floods and tidal
waves, which have helped to increase
the enormous loss of property through
out the West.
The description of one OF these tor
nadoes answers for all OF them, Tor
there is no difference between them e1'
cept in the aggregate of destruction
they cause. In each case there IS tne
same swiftly-whirling funnel-shapea
cloud giving warning of its approach
not only by its distinct form and the
connection it causes in the atmosphere,
but also by the terrible roaring souna
which precedes it's assault. The prenm'
mary phenomena are always the Salne'
All the data concerning their occurrence
are now we'll known, and the experlen'
ces of the past twenty years indicate
70 an absolute certainty that the region
west of the Mississippi river from 'l'
northern line of Iowa and NeorasAa
down to Arkansas, the Indian lerri.Oi'
and Texas, must always be exposed "
them, especially in the months OF may
and June. 1t is hopeless to attempt "
stop them by any measure known v
science, but they are now SO well AnO
in their origin, direction, progress anu
results that the Signal Service bufeAI
ought to be able to give timely WarniDe
of their approach so that persons m-.
be able to protect themselves II ~,
their property. 1t has been PROF.