Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-07-11

thunder, which indicates that the elec-
tricity is being taken up by the earth,
but instead sharp cracking noise is
heard. l have been in five cyclones
and have had abundant opportunity for
observing the phenomena. | predicted
the approach OF the one that passed by
this city two years ago, all hour before
it appeared and hid myself in a hole OH
the river bank. The cloud came up
from the southwest. An immense pink
colored bag depended from the
apex Of the funnel. When the cyclone
struck the river it threw the water 200
feet in the air, the electricity changing
it to a cream color. 1t had a different
effect on the trees and shrubbery and
seemed to change everything about TO
pink color as it cut its way through
the woods, leaving not spear of grass
standing in its wake. But then this
has nothing to do with how to tell
when cyclone is approaching. When
ii comes it will make its presence known
distinctly enough. Always look for a
small cloud in the southwest, temper
ature below 20 and barometer about
20 inches"
Having submitted the above extract
from the Kansas City Times, without
mentioning its source, DR.. Alexander
commented upon it as follows:
The statements contained in the ar
ticle are in the main correct. Cyclones
or tornadoes, as they should be called,
are from The southwest; they occur
when the earth is rapidly warming up
or cooling off, consequently in this To-
cality, they take place i'll May and the
first half of June, and in October and
the first half of November. The one
at Page City in which Mr.. j. s. Shan
non lost his life in 1879 was November
8. The low barometer is always OBJ
served, but the statement that the
temperature is not above 20 degrees is
not strictly correct, since the Richmond
tornado occurred with temperature
of 80 degrees not more than an hour
and quarter before the storm came
1t is, however, somewhat comfortable
to be able to determine whether, upor
the approach of a cloud, it will prove
tornado or "straight blow" since
the first involves complete destruction
of property in its pathway ATTENDED
with loss of lite, whilst the latter simp
ly unroofs few buildings, prostrate
fencing, orchards and crops, and il
rarely attended with loss of lite.
i A tornado is not accompanied will
brilliant lightning or loud thunder. 4
: widely spread, black and angry-look
ing cloud, advancing to the point o
the heavens overhead with great swift
ness excludes the tornado and indicate
a 'straight blow" of some severity.
such a cloud have front border o
light color and there is evident com
motion along that border as it ap
proaches, severe blow may certain
be expected. If thunder cloud move
toward us slowly, if it has been lon
time "coming up" no wind wort
speaking of will be experienced. !
t wind of greater OF less force blows ou
from beneath thunder cloud in ever
, direction hence we get wind blow
ing in the line of its march when
approaches US; we get wind BLOWN
, backward from it when it has passe
or nearly passed us, and if the thunde
cloud misses us altogether in its course
l we get wind from it no matter whic
: side, that is, north of us or south of III
| 1t goes. The period of the day whe
| we may expect a hard blow from
8 thunder cloud is from2 p. IN, unit
midnight. The later IN the night whe
l the cloud reaches us, the less severe tn
, the wind. We rarely witness any dan
f age done after or o'clock at nigh
+ The favorite time for tornadoes is frol
: $3.50, p. m, to 6: 80, p. III. Very lit
: rain, very little lightning, scarcely an
thunder, and no remarkable wind out
: side Of its pathway are the peculiariti'
q of the tornado.