The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-05-31
How to Act in q Tornado.

Sergeant John p. Finley, signal !
service officer at Kansas City, Mis-
souri,, has published, in q pamphlet |
on tornadoes, some useful directions !
concerning the course to be taken
to escape the dangers of those ter
rible forces. The inhabitant of a |
tornado-frequented district must be |
Watchful in the season of vista
lions, for he can never know when |
the destruction will come upon him. |
On the first sign of the approaching
vortex, ne must run-alWayS to the
north, unless by going in that direc-
ton he will have to cross the entire
path of the storm. If he is nearer
to the southern edge than to the CEN
ter of the probable path, he may go
south, bearing slightly east; but IN
no event should he run directly to
the east or northeast. It is impos--
sibIe to save any building that may
| lie in the path Of the tornado,
or any property that can not be
get out Of its way. No material, no
method of construction can be COM
petent to resist the raging deStruc-
ton. Nothing rising above the
ground can escape it; the most prac-
| ticable measure of precaution IS to
construct dug. OUT at some suita-
BILE point, within easy distance from
the house, to serve as a place OF
refuge or shelter. The retreat
sshould be entirely under ground,
with a roof at least three feet thick.
| not rising above the surface of the
earth, and entered from the northern
or eastern side. A "cellar-eave"
NAV be constructed from the cellar
| if the house has one, to serve as
substitute for the 'sdug-OuU." Ii
should be excavated from the west
wall of the cellar, toward the west
and should be made as complete
and secure as the "dug-out. lf,hOW
, ever, the storm cannot be escaped, Il
| no refuge is at hand, or there IS no
time to get to it. the safest thing II
do is to place ones self against the
: west wall of the cellar, face for
! ward, or against the south wall, d
y near the southwest corner as poss
: ible. The northeast Qugrter is II
. any case fatal position, anC
y should always be avoided. If ont
! is actually overtaken by the tor
y nado his only resource is to cas-
: himself face downward upon The
U ground, with his head to the cas-
u and his arms thrown over his hea
4 to protect. If stump or Iarg
It stone, or anything heavy that tn
q wind will not blow over, is neal
|, he NAV get a trife of protection b.
n throwing himself to the eastwar
o of it. If in a house with no cellar
ID he should get into the west room
G. on the ground floor if possible, an
IS away from all stoves aud heavy flu
=. niture. The people Of towns mlgt
1, find it to their advantage to proVld
b. for having watch, to be on duC
= on all days when the air bears til
If premonitory symptoms Of q Yiole1
wind storm, to give signal to I'll
i whole population on the appea
= ance of the first real threatenlI
y signs. The signs of the fOrmatlC
DC and approach of a tornado cloud a
t distinct and sufficiently SuggestlT
ae to afford opportunity for timely al
y, concerted action. Sergeant F1nl'
70, is continuing his Investigations
a the phenomena Of tornadoes, and |
Or has prepared three full schedules
We minute inquiries calling for t.
ut facts attendant upon the appea
a ance of the storms, which he sen
or to persons who were wi: hin u
I'D path of one, who were on the out
Ter edge Of the path, and who we
on from ten to 100 miles from it.-Po
Jas q8lar Science AOl1tbly.