The Red Cloud chief., 1883-07-13

s~so-Theorses Coaeernlng The Ovsgis sad
Pathway - wind stosms-sasefy Pre-.
cautioms.s
The disastrous tornadocs Of last Fri.
day aftevncoD and evening have invested
the consideration of the phenomena OF
tornadOes. or cyclone storms, with un-
usual interest, not only from the stand
point of news touching the frightful
details, but likewise concerning their
origin, characteristics and movements.
II examination be made of the dis
patches In the Times Of Sunday last re-
lafing to the storm, il will be found that
in every instance where the direction is
given the tornado proceeded from the
northwest 10 the southeast, and Is de-
scribed as being fnnnel-shapcd. balloon
shaped, or ri SOME
Uiihation, composed apparently Of
clouds. in some cases illuminated by
. lightning, and in all cases the smaller
end touching the earth where the dam
age was done. That Is all that common
observation covering many years has
developed as TO the nature Of tornadoes.
Popular ignorance concerning tor
nadoes finds an ample apology in the
lack of information in the textbooks
ON meteorology. LOOMS disposes Of
the matter briefly and in a manner that
is altogether inconclusive. There is,
however, a theory advanced. founded
on observation OF their characteristics,
that in the absence Of any other ex-
PLANTATION or contradiction may be fair
1y accepted as true. In the United
States all storms originate on the plains
|. east Of the Rocky Mountains and move
eastward nj the rate of about twenty
, miles an hour. DETECTING more or less
TO the northwest. These storms vary
in size, but commonly have a diameter
If three hundred TO six hundred miles.
They also have their established routes.
Thus those storms which most visit
= Chicago and vicinity originate in the
western part of Nebraska and move
: eastward, touching with their lower
limits the northern portion OF Illinois.
Another well-defincd storm path lies
almost parallel. passing through South
crn Missouri and Southern Illinois up
the Ohio River. Along these two
routes there is a constant procession of
storms, some SO small as to he easily
identified and isolated, while others are
SO large rs TO occasion a combination
forming one continuous storm.
II the reader will take q map and out
line one circle of about five hundred
miles i'm diameter, having Cairo, ILL.,,
for its center. and another circle having
st. Paul for its center, he will find that
: the edges touch each other. There
would be in this nothing remarkable
except for the fact that in a storm the
winds all revolve, curving inward to
ward the storm center in opposite d.
rcction 10 the movement of the hands of
a watch. Thus the wind at Rock Island
would be blowing west or northwest,
and at Peoria east or southeast. 1t is
prcsumable that between these two
points there Is an area Of no wind or
shifting winds. Suppose that the two
storms having these winds, going in OPP
posite direction. he brought into sudden
contact; that is Ia say. two bodies Of
air in motion in opposite directions at a
rate as high as twenty-five to thirty
miles an hour, il is evident that at the
4 contact there must be consider
ymmotion or, rs il were, fraction.
ne of contact Of opposing winds
posed to set in motion whirlwinds
rnadoes, which vary in intensity
)ding to the force of the winds.
Ais theory is the only one that en-
tors to account for the phenomena
existence Of tornadoes. Another
lifcation Of the same idea is that the
FJcvereg tornsdoes are caused by the i'm
pact Of directly colliding winds. sending
OF eddies and producing the same gen.
eral movements that are produced by
the collision of two bodies of water.
The very nature and fhghfulness of
tornadoes has prevented any accurate
observation of them. 1t has been
shown. however, by the destruction
they cause that their motion Is gyratory
and forward; that. in fact, they have in
a narrow compass all the concomitants
Of q regular storm. In some cases the
presence of electrical phenomena and
ball lightning has led some to account
for them on = theory based on electrics
altogether. Prof. Maury. for example.
argues that by the commotion of the
elements an electrical is in
duccd. and the electricity rushing from
the earth TO fill il occasions the destruc-
ton. To sustain this theory the facts
that chickens are, defeathered. leaves
singed, houses burst, as il from an ex-
BolloRR gunpowder. metal sometimes
Melted, with many other similar phe-
nomcna, are advanced. 1t does not
1npear. hrFever. that Maury's theory
- been sustained by recent invcstiga-
tions. That electrical disturbances
should arise where there is SO great q
commotiou q the elements is not sur
Kissing, aud nile electricity is admit
u &obe accouneable for some of the
fscts by the less judges, II is yet held
osSse itself resultant and not productive
storm.
.sst winteriN Signal.Service issued
showing the result u in
SE.Sonsi nto the phenomena of six
H&I in the United Statea
80 investigations were conductpd
I'm gIoek care by Al officer Of the ser.
wee VINO. visited the several loc,lit;e.
.lfnce o were reported. Theee inyes.
legations show that the month Of Inn
OF the 600 the largest number. us
with April. 81; July. 90: r On; Sen.
iemoer. 80. and Angus a. The shov,
ing Is that most tornsdoes oceur r.
summer and the next largest number n
me spring. Illinois ranks next % th1
s3enest State in regard to the number
= eornsdots. the following being ben
. %.ses in which the highest number d
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