The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-07-07


Upward Of 500 People Killed and
millions Of Property Destroyed M
Far This Year.
The year 1882, says the Chicago Tribune
bids fair to be known hereafter - the tornado
year. There were several wind-storms In 1881,
but only 1877 persons were killed by them, while
already during the first six months of 1882 there
have been SIS 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-stiu
all parts OF the South and Southwest have sur
fered severely, and one severe wind-storm
swept through portion or Pennsylvania
These terrible visitatons commenced III March,
there being two Ii that month-one In
Georgia, involving q 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 l18 persons. In May there was COM
parative lull, though there was a severe tornado
In the vicinity OF McAlhster, Texas, which re-
suited In the death or eighteen persons, and there
were numerous less-destructive blows in Kan
and Texas which helped to swell the DEATH
roll for the month to forty-four. THIS seemed
to be the signal Tor 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 ana 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 brrised and manned, and the
damage occasioned by the loss OF houses, barns,
churches, scho Dis, crops, stock and farming I'M
plements can hardly be estimated. In the
Grinnel disaster the onslaught was unpreee-
dentedly furious three tornadoes raging at ono
time, one commencing III the southwest part OF
Boone county, and ending near o. den; the second
commencing near the Missouri irontler and end
ing near Burlington and the third beginning
near Grinnel and sweeping over course OF
200 miles before It's awful journey was terml-
mated, leaving behind 1t swath half mile In
width OF utter destruction and devastation. As
il not content with these, Nature has mani
tested her anger III unusually severe wind, hail,
and thunder storms, floods and tidal waves,
which have helped to increase the enc-ynous
loss Of property throughout the West
The description or one or these tornadoes
answers for all OF them, for there ID no differ
ence between them except in the aggregate OF
destruction they cause. In each case there ID
the same swiftly whirilng funnel-shaped cloud
giving warning OF it's approach, not only oy lis
distinct form and the comnIotlon it causes
the atmosphere, but also by the terrible
roaring sound which precedes Its assault.
The preliminary phenomena are al
ways The same All the data concerning their
occurrence are now well known, aud 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 aud 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 70 attempt to stop them
by any measures known to science, but they
are so well known IN tn, ir origin, direction,
progress and results that the Signal Service
bureau ought to be able to give timely warn
ing OF their approach 80 that persons may be
able to protect themselves, II not their prop
erty. Ii 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, 1t seems, as one Iowa paper has already
suggested, that strong and substantial shelter
might be designed In the cellar 30 that the
danger OF falling timbers might be averted and
thus u harbor OF refuge would always he at
hand. At Grinnel 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 80 escaped
in almost every instance.