The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-31
HOW TO ACT IN AToRHADo.

Sergeant John L. Finley, signal service
officer at Kansas City. Mo, has published
| liz pamphlet on tornadoes some useful
| directions concerning the course to be
taken to escape the dangers of those ter
rible forces. The inhabitants of tornado
| frequented district must be watchful in
| the season of visitations, for he can never
| know when the destruction will come up
on him. On the first sign of the approach
| ing vortex, he must run-always to the
| north unless by going in that direction
he will have to cross the entire path of the
storm. Ii he is nearer to the southern edge
than to the center of the probable path,
he may go south, bearing slightly east
but in no event should he ever run direct
ly to the east or northeast. 1t is impos-
sible to save any building that may lie
in the.path of the tornado or any proper
ty that cannot be got out of its way. No
material no method of construction, can
be competent to resist the raging destruc-
ton. Nothing rising above the ground
can escape it. The most practicable meas
ure of precaution is to onstruct dug out
at some suitablepoint, within easy distance
from the house, to serve as place of
refuge or shelter The retreat should be
entirely underground, with a roof at least
three feet thick, not rising above the
northern or eastern side. A cellar cave"
may be constructed from the cellar if the
house has one, to serve as a substitute for
the dug out" It 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. IF, however,
the storm cannot be escaped. if no refuge
Is at hand, or there is no time to get To it
the safest thing to do is to place ones self
against the west wall of the cellar, face
forward. or against the south wall as
near the southwest corner as possible The
northeast quarter is in any case a fatal
position. and should always be avoided
If one is actually overtaken by the lorna
do, his only resource is to cast himself
face downward upon the ground, with
head to the east and his arms brown over
over his head to protect it. IF stump or
large stone, or any thing heavy that the
wind will not blow over, is near, hemay
get tritie of protection by throwing him
self to the eastward OF it, If in Il house
wi til no cellar, he should get into the west
room, on the ground floor if possible, and
away from all stoves and heavy furniture. |
The people of towns might find it to their
advantage to provide for having watch, |
to be on duty on all days when the air
bears premonitory symptoms of violent
to give signal to the whole |
population on the appearance of the first
real threatening signs The signs of the |
and approach of tornado |
cloud are distinct and sufficiently sugges /
tive to afford opportunity for timely and |
action. Sergent Finley is con
tinning his Investigations of the phenOme
na of tornadoes and he has prepared three
full schedules of minute inquiries calling
for the facts attendant upon the appear
ance of storms, which he sends To persons
who were within the path of one, who
were on the outer edge of the path, and
who were from 10 to 100 miles from it.
From q" Popular Miscellany" az Popu
l0 Science Monthly fortune.