The Osceola times., 1883-06-09

by every one. On the day of the
storm, and for several hours previous
to the appearance of the tornado
clouds, the atmosphere is sultry and
oppressive. Clouds form first in the
southwest and then almost immedi-
ately in the northwest, or vice versa.
If they are light their appearance
resemble smoke issuing from a burn
ing building or straw stack, rolling
up in fantastic outlines to great
heights; again, like fine mist, or
quite white like fog steam. These
dark clouds at times present a green
ish or copperish hue. Again, they
appear jet black, from center to cir
conference, and they sometime pre-
sent purplish or blush tinge, or at
times are strangely lurid, but always
with what appears to be black smoke
around them.
The clouds form in the southwest
and northwest, and finally come to-
gether with a terrible crash; and the
funnel-shaped tornado cloudappears
upon the western sky, moving bodi-
" to the front from within this con-
fused mass. A heavy, roaring noise,
like that Of heavily laden freight
train passing over bridge or through
a tunnel, is heard, and then the cy-
clone is upon you.
Now, as some Of these signs APP
pear hours in advance Of any danger;
as these storms occur only in certain
seasons Of the year, from April to
September, and as they are restrict
ed to certain sections of the country,
it would seem that there ought to be
means of forcseeing them and pre-
venting any very great loss of life.
The far Western and Northwestern
states suffer lar more severely than
the Southern states. Kansas has as
many as dozen every year, and
Iowa is annually visited by them;
but although these storms are just as
bad on the western prairies as in the
south, the loss of life in the west is
very light, because the farmers and
villagers know what precautions to
take when a tornado visits them. The
Signal Service gives this warning:
If caught in tornado always move
with all possible dispatch to the
north, unless in so doing you are
obliged to cross the entire path of
the storm. A glance at the west will
tell you whether YOU are on the
southern edge of the probable path
of the tornado, or more to the north.
If in the centre, Or half way between
the centre and the southern edge,
your chances are best in a direct
course to the north. If you are fur
ther to the south, move directly and
very rapidly to the south, bearing
slightly to the east. In no event
should you ever run directly east or
northeast. There is always sufficient
time to escape the tornado, even if it
be but few rods from you, for its
breath is only a few hundred feet.
As a general thing the tornado cloud
is seen at from one to three miles
distant, giving you from one to three
minutes notice sufficient time to
enable you to get from a quarter to
half mile out of its course.
AS for houses, they are no protec-
ton, and are to be summed in storms
of this kind. No building has been
seen, or is likely to be devised, that
can withstand the force of tornado.
a frame house is safer than one of
brick and stone, because it is more
elastic, and one-story building saf-
er than one of two stories; but what
ever the style or the character of the
house may be, always leave it if it is
in the path of the tornado. The sig
nal service recommends as the best
place of safety cellar or dug-out,
and many farmers in Kansas have
constructed these dug-outs-simple
holes in the ground, covered to pro-
tcct the inmates from flying timbers,
where they can run in the event Of
tornadocs. Under no circumstances,
whether in a building or cellar, ever
take a position in northeast room
or in northeast corner, in an east
room or against an cast wall. Re-
member that the tornado invariably
moves in northeasterly direction.
This simple rule will save nineteen
twentieths of the lives now sacrificed
to the storm fend. If forced to re-
main in your house, and where you
have no cellar, always take posi-
ton against the west or south wall
the former is the bctter-either face
downward upon the floor or standing
with your back to the wall; and al
ways taking your final position on
the first or ground floor. Never
stand or lie in front of a door or
window, near stove or heavy piece
of furniture, aud always close your
doors and windows.