The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-10-05
WASHINGTON NOTES
rorssdoes Dlsenssed.

w as
Torasdoes Discussed.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4.-rhs phenom-
ens of tornadoes, snd the scientific
study of which Lieutenant John i.
Finley, OF tho signal corps, has de-
voted about eight years, arc now so
well understood rs TO warrant tho bc.
lief that trustworthy warnings may
soon 90 seat out u Inhabitants OF lo-
calities witch any DO threatened with
disastrous visisstions. Daiiy predis-
tions ars IN tsct being ma 10 at present,
having begun last year aud continuan
curing the tornado SEASON, aud re-
sumec recently upon the return Of
Lieutenant Finley from au inspecting
tour In the west. The percentage OF
veriticSti0n Is already gratifying,
t,ough the presictions are as yet
largely experimental, aud are en-
bouloa In tue daily published bullo.
tits of Tho signal Office, only v hen tne
conditions sro favor sole tp the creation
OF tornadoes sre very prominent. In
snca cases severe locel 3 ocn5 9ro not
as prohahle. 20 y reporter of the AZ.
socls,ot Press Lieutenant Finley re-
centls described ths known pns nom.
sna of Lorradoas aud tho evils to-
ward which the pres mt researches are
directed. Tho slorins are distinctly
m srkcd characteristics aud ire hv no
mesnz 10 be couf1unfed with hurri-
canps, bli2zaros, cyclones or north
8Nsthrs. Their TRACKS are never
mors than low hundred
yards wid0 aud THAR force
are generally exhausted by the ii ma
'hey have travelled II cnursa Of 40 or
80 miles, though ia Tho lAtt +
| respocj they are quite variable, som @
having bsen traced by Jbeir lines Of
devastation more than 1870 nsilrs,
| Their rotary motion, winch - grsatest
toward tho Csnsr0, sometimes rsncses
the enormous rata OF 1000 miles per
hour, while their .OrwSrd motiu.
atwsys rom sOuJh vest to northeast.
ordinarily doesnot exceed 40 or 81 m les
They are uNually untccoupa..ild py
ELBcTRIC DISTURBANCES.
ana are bsllevtd TO he un nfluencsd
by electrical conditions, though vo
lnnt thMuucr atnrusS sometimes go,ioy;
them "a fsw miles sway. There il, 3
distinct and curious Ielatiupship be.
tween ,ornadoss and tho gousrSl
storm centsrr, which is always appA
reht in thar uniform rala.iys ooti.
lions, tho tornado always ocourripx
southalstBafdly from TIE center al
low bgromotric pressure and st a dis
tanco Of from 10 600 mica, the
| shape OF tho general rcorn,
confer, tho direction in which its
longest diameter Tics aud tho appear
ance OF toe upper aus lower cl fuds o.,
Ter as minor clements into the prob
lam, out OF which The S7eather eypsrts
hope 20 work y complete system az
tornado warnings. Tho viaits OF the
| tornado are commonly between tho
hours off, md 9 O'Clock Ia ths after
noos. It's noma IL an area which in
cluols the whole OF love, ali of Mis-
| soui', except tho sos th-asteru
corner, TIRE northwestern corner OF Ar
sanshs, tha northwestern part OF tho
ludlen T9rftlry, Eastern Kaeaas,
Nastern Neorasla, Southern Mime
'tn, Slrtnern Wisconsin and West
ORR Illinois. Here its es9Son extends
| from April 90 Auzust, Inclusive. n ia
| = lrequ0nt Wis tor totwu o her regions.
One ~ "a strip along the gulf and
SIuth Atlauslc coasts, which inlkes In
the oentralp rtlonoi Alabama, GaorHia
and youth tfr0linB, with Ieruuni IL
Mississirpi ana North c rolina, oue,
| which ita GOV Stationa a,o confined
to The months OF January, February
aud March. Tba ottog inc,uoe.
portion of Central and
Southern Ohio, a large usyi
OF ponnsylvsuia sud y small area 81
maryland, a strip scross New York,
and corner each of Massachusetts
| and Come ctcut, where its season js
oniy during the months of August
aut september.
Lieutenant Finley further said:
Wh'ie host OF interesting scienti no
questions respecting tho origin of tor.
nadoes and the laws which govern
Them AMI their Relationship
to her meteorological phenomeua,
rtmsin tn no answered, the more
practical questions AZ to when
aud where they are likely 10
appear saeN to be- adyanc-
ing rapidly toward solution. Tn
interests which are subject To dii.
sister from tornadoss arc alive TO The
importance OF tho work iE progress.
Interesting purchasers Of farms
lrply to the signal Office
Tor information re,psr,ips
tho liability OF their selected locality
TO disaster. 10 such are sent the
records OF tho past, "a far as they are
known.
Whenever Lieutenant Fine trav.
e's In Unnit II his studies, farmers
and VIII aaers
PRESS FOR INFORMATION.
10 these lie s~ys that uo-hiny raised
By tia hand of mau above the surf.ce
OF tho earth can withstand TO
| shoct nf tho tornado. He sdyjs !.
hem tn seek their dugouia upon tbe
appearance NJ tbs portoutious aisns
~ disaster and tNere await
tne passage OF the Storm,
For their property, he advised
insuthnco, 50 that tho losses OF Tho
Individual may bo shared by his more
for unS'a neighhor. The iusurp,cr
cnmpsnies, which last year wrote $40.
oUo,UV IN tornado policies, are eagerly
twai ling tho completion of g man
now N the process of making, which
VIII ~ expoc, %, greatly nssrow tho
to-called tornado regions, amt, per.
hsps, hhow that n large puriion OF
th0m have never experienced n
risAs'rous storu,. Upon this man
Lieutenant Finley proposes to show
frnm the complo'e records OF several
wears, ana tho data NJ far "a ob,sjna.
blc Tor many previous years, tho aver
age numbar OF Tomatoes for each 10.
cslity per annlm.
Postal Changes.
WAgnrSurnN n.,s fn..,,,