Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1882-01-05
The TornadOes Of 1851.


cyclones or tornadoes. They have oc-
CURED with unusual frequency in our
own country; and in England also,
where they are rarely experienced. "a
many as four seriously destructive
whirlwinds visited different parts of Vie
Kingdom during August last.
One of these English tornadoes carried
a pile of timber into an adjoining field,
lifted csrpenter's shop bodily over a
haystack and deposited il on the other
side, and completely unroofed found
nv. A tornado also carried off the roof
IF one OF the large railway stations at
Vienna; and very likely il was whirl-
wind of two or three hundred feet in
breadth which caused the downfall Of
the Tay Bridge. one of the most extern
-siye aud strongest bridges in the world.
Among the tornadoss in this country
during the year. that ut New Tim.
MINI, was the most disastrous. IL oc-
CURED on the 18th of last June, and in
- few minutes wrecked one thousand
buildings and killed thirty persons.
The buildings DESTROYED. moreover. were
not flimsy structures Of wood Indeed.
the wooden buildings. especially those
of what Is known as the balloon frame,
outlastcd the gale. while brick edifices,
of which the town was largely composed.
were demolished as if they had been of
paste-boarl Whole business blocks
were destroyed. and every metal roof in
the city was blown of.
On the 18th of September, during two
minutes. Il hurricane. preceded by an
Il 4
IN this State. The spire of church was
blown across the street, about two tons
of brick were deposited in the organ of
another church, and several brick build
ings bad holes blown clear through
them. On the following day tornado,
lasting only five minutes, laid waste the
village of Camden, ILL.,, all the houses
except tive being more or less injured,
and two churches completely demolish-
ed. Trees were torn up, and corn was
blown out of the husk and scattered far
and wide. Two DAYS later, Stanton in
Nebraska was nearly destroyed by one
of these cyclones; and on the next day
another completely devastated space
eighty rods wide and five or six miles
long in the neighborhood of Wauioma in
Wisconsin. AT the same time "A terrific
tornado caused widespread damage in
the country about Omaha in Nebraska.
On the nth of this month two passen-
ger cars of the Colorado Central Railway
were blown from the track near George
town in that State.
This is a list of only few of the dis
astrons tornadoes which have occurred
in the United States during the present
wear. year memorable for its storms.
its floods and lis droughts. They are
ipstanced by the american -irchitect,
'shich, after the whirlwind at Ulm, adj
dressed inquiries TO scientific men and
architects in different parts Of the coun-
try, with view 20 finding out the char
acteristics of these storms and to obtain
ing practical suggestions as 10 methods
of construction which would enable
buildings 10 Withstand their fury. To
lis inquiries il has received many an
swers. which present interesting facts
regarding torna,locs or cyclones; but so
far As Concerns the main purpose If the
investigation, the devising of means 10
make buildings proof against such
storms. they are very unsatisfactory.
In truth, the general opinion expressed
in the letters published by il seems to
DC that nc structure can be devised
strong enough TO withstand a tornado or
cyclone when once the wind is blowing
in full fury. As one of the writers from
Storm Lake. in Iowa, SAYS; ''out here in
this country Of tornsdoes, we think
hole in the ground about the safest
place 10 retreat To when we hear one
approaching. A Kansas architect re-
plies thai he. tells his clients that he
= win not attempt TO build against
cyclone. but only against steady, heavy
winds from any one direction: " The