Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-08-18
TO TURN A TORNADO.
j. n. Basket Tells How to MANAGE
a Sure Enough Cyclone.
From the Scientific American

j
this region on May 20 of that year
1t was characterized by direct
eastward route along a township
line for distance of thirty miles
and reflections right and left within
small limits to nearly every tall OBJ
Ject near its path. After each
struggle with detached object Of
fering much resistance, it was nearl,
always DETECTED.
On July 2, 1892, the TOWNSHIP
line, 6 miles south, was swept agar
almost due east for distance O.
about ten miles by storm in many
respects similar. 1t manifested less
force, but was only less fatal, per.
haps, because fewer homes lay in
its path. After its first descent its
direction was to the northeast for
perhaps a mile, but after destroying
house it proceeded the remainder
OF its route, at no time a dozen rods
away from the midsection line, one
halE mile north of the townshipl line,
swinging little transversely toward
punches of trees, houses, etc. II
seemed guided away from its first
house by line of wire fence (tear-
ing up the posts). In fact, ii
seemed to get its first impetus due
east by this. l recall that the former
storm also followed directly up a
long line of this fence till DETECTED
by an obstruction. Much further
on, some tall locust trees and an
orchard seemed to defect it from a
low house which it missed only a
few feet, but tall house half a mile
further on received the full force.
Alter wrecking this it was again de.
tiected northeast to some timber in
a small "draw" half mile further
on. Down this it ran to denser
wood in a southeast direction
whence again it travelled eastward
with the trees along the stream
Coming into this a little further or
was another timbered "draw," and
a portion of the whirl split off and
ran up this about sixty rods, al
though its direction was backward
Ia little west of north. Here thil
portion of the storm found itself il
the center of meadow. 1t wen
directly eastward again to a detach
ed clump of trees, and was thenc'
DETECTED southeasterly. The othe
portion of the storm had gone O,
directly east, but much less forcibly
emerging onto a lake. Now the por
tions began to approach each other
and passing one on either side of al
ice house, they joined their fury OF
a tall wooden derrick. The roof o
the water works engine room be
meath was lifted and hurled north
east, but low chimney was left un
| hurt. A frame house near by wa
moved only on its foundation
| Again the storm split, the nortl
portion spreading over a wide sweeI
and doing small damage; but tn
south branch was now still so fun
ious as to utterly demolish a hous
one-fourth mile further on. From
thence it, too, was scattered and 70
| the next half mile only vide pat
| of broken trees marks the march o
both, after which they lifted.
i The signs of twisting were nc
marked, all debris being blown on
ward, but on all standing trees ex
amined by the writer, the limbs o.
| the south side are brought bacI
| west, carried around north and lei
streaming out eastward. This,
believe, is the reverse of the usua
order north of the equator.
| Now, since a string of fence post
and a narrow strip of timber seer
capable, within certain limits, O
guiding and DETECTING these terribl
clouds, may it not be just possibl
that, ON our prairies, wind-break
might be SO planted, of some ia
;. trees on either side of the building:
as to guide these great forces aroun
| the homes or at least break ther
up into less destructive portions
Or, might not a series of tall post
be similarly placed, or other tall oil
iects erected for the same purpose
These two storms have certainl
shown strong attraction for tall oil
jects. May it not possibly prov
something more than a theory this
tall towers, like wooden derrickt
might be SO arranged as to guild
tornadoes around towns and cite
or other densely settled districts?
/ / should be glad if you eeul
spare the space to invite bri,
statements of facts concerning til
reflections of other storms, wheth.
any such phenomena as ha,
J noted have been observed to preva
generally. In heavily timbered n
gions there is small hope Of an
: thing practical being done, but thel
is just a hint that in level, open n
gions (and here the tornado
'. usually at its worst) We may y
|, contrive, when we know the laws
their progress better, to condu,
these great forces as We do other