The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1886-04-29
INVESTIGATION OF TIE Tonx4oo.
More Particularly the One Recently Oc-
curing IN Minnesota.

lLOIe tUfItcfftUfIH "e one hSCeafV OC-
curing IN Minnesota.
Washington dispatch: Lieutenant Find
lay, of the signal service, who has made
special study for several years past oil tor
nadoes and cyclones, is busily engaged in
gathering all the information he can with
reference to the recent tornado in Mime
sofa. He finds its general character about
the same as those which have marked a
large number which he has investigated in
the past few years. There "a been COM
paratively few so far north as this in the
| early part Of the season. but in other re-
| spects this is no exception to the general
rule which seems to govern storms OF this
kind.
There is one popular error" he said,
talking to a correspondent on the subject,
(which ought to be corrected. A good many
OF them, for that matter; but the one of
which / specially intend to speak is that
which denominates storms OF the kind as
cyclones. They are not cyclones, but tor
nadoes. Cyclones always originate at sea,
and cover q much greater extent OF the
earth's surface than do the t~ornadoes.
Cyclones never occur on the land, unless it
be close along the shore"
Have your Investigations led youto any
conclusions us to the means OF averting or
escaping from these destructive storms?"
"There seems to be NJ means by which
they can be averted. There was Il theory
that ii the sections where they are now SO
common were planted with timber, thai
they would not occur SO often, and would
not cause great damage. That is a msi-
taken idea. There seems to be nothing that
the art of man can produce which Will pre-
vent the occurrence OF these storms. The
only thing that can be done is to learn how
to escape from their violence"
And how is that?"
s'There are two possibilities in that line.
When people are sufficiently educated in
the way OF observing the coming storms,
and the movement of the clouds accom-
panying them, they may learn to get out OF
the tornado's track before it reaches them.
These storms seldom cover a wide path.
They travel in a given direction from south
east to northwest, sweeping everything
upon the strip over which they pass.
but that strip is generally very narrow,
from II few yards to a quarter OF a mile.
Persons who see the approach OF a storm
OF this kind may be able to get out OF the
path if they are thoroughly educated us to
the signs of tornadoes. The most practi-
cal method of avoiding the loss OF life and
~valuables, is the construction OF under
ground apartments or ~"dugouts.' Every
house in the section where these tornadoes
are liable to occur should be provided with
underground places of this kind. There is
nothing on the face of the earth that will
stand these storms. Stone houses, brick
houses and frame houses are all subject to
destruction. Indeed, stone and brick
houses are more dangerous to their inhab-
itants thar those OF wood, for when they
do come down, as every one must before
the terrible storms why they add a greater
danger to life and property than do wooden
ones. The force OF these storms is some
thing wonderful. There is absolutely moth
ing made by the hand or man above ground
that could withstand it. The Brooklyn
bridge, for instance, would fall as quick IL
victim to a storm, such as that which
visited a part OF Minnesota the other day."