Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-09-01
FORETELLING A TORNADO.
HOW THE WEATHER BUREAU
WARNS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
The Methods Used to Announce the
Recent Terrible Storm in Iowa
Taken as an Example.

Recent Ierr1ble storm IN Iowa
Taken as an Example.
'HE signal achievement of the
Government Weather Bureau
in predicting the recent dis
astrous tornadoes in Iowa
twenty four hours in advance of their
awful visitations has brought into new
prominence the remarkable accuracy
with which in these days of advanced
science a weather forecast can be made.
The prediction of the Iowa tornado
offers noteworthy example of the
value of the Government Bureau, and
illustrates the perfection of the system
it employs, but the forecast in point of
accuracy is duplicated daily. 1t isn't
every day that a tornado starts on a
wild stampede, but the weather sharps
are expected to keep the cities and
towns of the country posted in advance
in regard to the weather. The daily
forecast has become an all-important
element in all calculations, whether of
pleasu or of business, and could no
more be dispensed with than the tele-
graph or any of the other agencies
which have revolutionized affairs. AS
SO much depends upon these predic-
tions it is not surprising that the
bureau has reached a high grade of
efficiency.
If an English or French weather
sharp were assigned to our bureau he
would probably be as confused as the
average man on seeing a three-ring
g, ~
uncommon circumstance for the
Weather Bureau to chase half dozen
different varieties of storms over the
country in day. 1t may be hailing
in North Dakota, tornado may be
making sad havoc in the Western
farming belt, a windstorm may be
bowling along the Atlantic coast, i'm
perilling shipping, and four or five
thunder storms may be creating alarm
in as many different sections.
With all these complications, n
short, thick-set man, with gray eye
brows and gray mustache, calmly looks
over the maps which are made on the
reports of one of the Government OBJ
servers throughout the country, and
figures out just the kind of weather
that may be expected i'll every State
and section. This short, thick-set
man, with gray eyebrows and gray
mustache, is the official who, on ex
amining the maps on the night of July
5, paused for moment, and then, to
the surprise of his assistants, mur
INJURED: "'TLis looks like tornado.
Major Dunwoodgs was the officer
who read the signs Alright. The Gov
ernment observers at Sioux City, Des
Moines, Ia., Keokuk and Omaha, had
all reported threatening atmospheric
conditions, and their reports, when re-
duced to tracings on the maps, showed
that the centre of the atmospheric dis
turbances was at Cheyenne, with the
winds racing from all four points of
the compass toward the Wyoming
capital. Major Dunwoody has had
an intimate acquaintance with storms
for years, and this tornado didn't fool
him by pretending to rendezvous at
Cheyenne. The Major is an old army
officer, who understands all about
flank movements, and he began to
figure out where the main attack might
be expected.
He was sitting on q high stool in the
forecasting room at the Weather Bu
reau, calculating on the tornado's prob
able evolution. The Major read the
report of the storm sentinels at Sioux
City and Des Moines over again, and
then drew a circle, with the centre at
Cheyenne and the circumference to-
wards the East, touching Davenport.
The Majo IS experience taught him that
the most trouble might be expected in
the southeast segment of the circle,
and before o'clock that night all the
observers who furnished the alarming
reports were instructed by wire to send
out warnings to cities and towns on
the respective sections, and orders
were also given to employ every means
to inform the country districts of the
impending peril.
Hours before the storm broke with
it's terrible fury express trains running
through the isolated communities had
carried the bureaus intelligence, and
those who lived far from the railroad
station were warned by whistles, which
were blown according to an established
and we'll Understood code
How quickly all this was accom-
plished illustrates the efficiency of the
Government system, as directed by
Chief Harrington. AT o'clock on the
night of the 9th the observations We're
made, and an hour later Major Dun
woody, with quick judgment, based on
long experience, had located the storm,
and had sent out forecast to the
threatened community, telling of the
dangers to be feared. How much
greater might have been the damage to
property, and how much greater the
loss of life, but for the warnings
The Weather Bureau did not an
nounce that tornado might be ex-
pected, as tornado predictions went out
of favor with the young army lieuten-
ants. The warning, as sent out, was
to the effect that severe local thunder
storms were threatened, and the far
mers knew full well what was meant.
AS interpreted by them, it signified
that ground cellar would be good
place in which to spend July 6.-New
York World.
A T..