The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-06-30
THE TORNADO SEASON.
Upward of 800 People Killed and
Millions of Property Destroyed So
Far This Year.

Upward of 800 People Killed and
Millions of Property Destroyed So
Far This Year.
The year 1882 says the Chicago Tribune,
bids fair to be known hereafter as the tornado
year. There were several wind storms in 1884,
but only 1877 persons were killed by them, while
already during the first six months of 1882 there
have been 3l5 killed, many hundreds seriously
injured and millions of dollars worth of proper
ty destroyed. Though the principal part of this
loss belongs to what may be called the tor
nado region-namely, that section of coun-
try northeast from the northern part of
Texas, including the Indian Territory, Kansas,
Missouri, Northern Arkansas and Iowa-still
all parts of the South and Southwest have suf-
fered severely, and one severe wind-storm
swept through portion of Pennsylvania
These terrible visitations commenced 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, DESTROY
ing large amount of property and killing no
less than 118 persons. In May there was COM
parative lull, though there was severe tornado
in the vicinity of McAllister, Texas, which re-
suited in the death of eighteen persons and there
were numerous less-destructive blows in Kan
sas 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 constant succession of ter
rible tornadoes throughout Iowa and some
parts of Kansas, the principal ones being most
severely felt at Grinnell, Independence and
Emmetsburg, and other parts of Central Iowa.
The list of dead already reaches 1877, and
many more have received injuries from
which they cannot recover, while many hun
dreds have been bruised and MANNED and the
damage occasioned by the loss of houses, barns
churches, schools, crops, stock and farming inn
plements can hardly be estimated. IN the
Grinnell disaster the onslaught was unprece-
dentSdlY furious. three tornadoes raging at ono
time, one commencing In the southwest part of
Boone county, and ending near Ogden; the second
commencing near the Missouri frontier and end
ing near Burlington and the third beginning
near Grinnell and sweeping over course of
200 miles before its awful journey was termi-
mated, leaving behind it a swath half mile in
width of utter destruction and devastation AS
if not content with these, Nature has mani
tested her anger in unusually severe wind, hail,
and thunder storms, floods and tidal waves,
which have helped to increase the enormous
loss of property throughout the West.
The description of one of these tornadoes
answers for all of them, for there is no differ
ence between them except in the aggregate of
destruction they cause. In each case there is
the same swiftly whirling funnel-shaped cloud
giving warning of its approach, not only by its
distinct form and the commotion it causes in
the atmosphere, but also by the terrible
roaring sound which precedes its assault
The preliminary phenomena are al
ways the same. AL the data concerning their
occurrence are now well known, and the
experiences of the past twenty years in
dictate to an absolute certainty that the region
west of the Mississippi river, from the
northern line of Iowa and Nebraska
down to Arkansas, the Indian Territory
and Texas, must always be exposed to
them, especially in the months of May and
June. 1t is hopeless to attempt to stop them
by any measures known to science, but they
are now so well known in their origin, direction
progress and results that the Signal Service
Bureau ought to be able to give timely warn
ing of their approach SO that persons may be
able to protect themselves, if not their prop
erty. 1t has been proved that the cellar
of house is the only place of safety.
AS it may not be feasible for every man to
casemate himself by cave on his grounds
to which he and his family could
repair, it seems, as one Iowa paper has already
suggested, that strong and substantial shelter
might be designed in the cellar SO that the
danger of falling timbers might be averted and
thus a harbor of refuge would always be at
hand At Grinnell, as at Camanche twenty
years ago. the tornado gave ample warning of
its approach and left sufficient time to seek
refuge in cellars, and those who did SO escaped
in almost every instance.