The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-08-25
EORETELLING Al TORNADO.
HOW TEE wEArHn. =-.=EaU
; WARNS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.
The Methods Used to Announce tho
Recent Terrible storm I'm Iowa
Taken as an Example.


Government Weather Bureau
= ~ = ~ ss.... .iug Une recent dis
G 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
Tho 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. It isn't
every day that tornado starts on a
wild stampede, but the weather sharpe
are expected to keep tho 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
pleasure or of business, and could no
more be dispensed with than tho tele-
graph or any of the other agencies
which have revolutionized affairs. Az
81 much depends upon these predic-
tions it is not surprising that the
bureau has reached high grade of
efficiency
If an English or n French weather
sharp were assigned to our bureau he
would probably he as confused rs the
average man on seeing n three-ring
circus for the first time. 1t is not an
uncommon circumstances for tho
Weather Bureau 10 chase hnlf II dozen
different varieties of storms over the
country in day 1t may be hailing
in North Dakota, n tornado may be
making sad havoc in the Western
farming belt, windstorm may be
bowling along the Atlantic coast, inn
perilling shipping, and four or five
thundcr-storms may be creating alarm
i'll as many different sections.
With all these complications, II
short, thick-sot man, with gray eye
brows and gray mustnchc, calmly looks
over the maps which are nude on tho
reports OF one of the Government OBJ
servers Throughout tho country, md
figures out just the kind of weather
that may be expected in every state
and section. This short. thick-Sct
man, with Hrny eyebrows and gray
mustnchc, il the oilicim who, on rx-
aminiug the maps on tho night OF July
b, paused for II mOurnt, and then, to
the surprise o. hia assistants, mur-
INJURED: "ILis looks like tornado"
Major Dunwoody was the officer
who read the signs Alright. The Gov.
crnmont observers ut Sioux City, Dos
Moincs, Ia, Kookuk AM Omnhn, hud
all reported threatening atmospheric
conditions, and their reports, when re-
duccd to trncinES on the maps, showed
that the centre of the atmospheric dis.
IL, 4 I Al Al
winds racing from alt four points Of
tho compass toward the Wyoming
capital. Major Dunwuoly has had
nn intimmc nCIuantNnco with storms
for years, and this tornado didn't fool
him by pretending to rendezvous ut
Cheyenne. The Major is m old army
officer, who understands "ll about
flank movements, and he .rgnn to
figure out where the main attack might
be expected.
He was sitting ON II high stool in the
forccastiuG room at the Weather Bu-
renu, calculating unthr toruuhn's : prob.
able evolution. Ih" Nnior real the
report of tho storm scntinclS at Sioux
City and DCS MuinCS over again, and
then drew II circle, with the centre at
Cheyenne and tn" circumference to-
wards the East, touching Davenport
The Ma or y sCXpcricnc" taught him { hat
the most trOuhl" might be expected in
the southeast segment Of the circle,
and before . o'clork that uighi all the
observers who furnished ih" affirming
reports were instructed by wire f. send
out warnings to cities and towns on
tho respective sections, AMI orders
nlS Ia
to inform the country districts of tho
impending peril.
Hours before the Stor,n broke with
its terrible fury express trains running
through the isolntcl communities had
carried the burcnuI; int ,lliS1ncc, and
those who lived far from the railroad
station were warned by whistles, which
were blown according 10 m established
and well-unluratool code.
How quickly all this WAS accom-.
plishcd illustrates the efficiency OF tn
Government system, nS directed bI
Chief Harrington. At 5 o'clock OH the
night of the 9TH tho observations were
made, and an hour later Major Dun
woody: with quick Judgment, based Oh
long experience, had located the storm
and had sent out forecast to tn,
threatened community, telling of tn,
dangers to be feared. How mucl
greater might have been the damage tc
property, and how much greater The
loss of life, but for the warnings!
The Weather Burcuu did not an
nounce that II tornado might be eX
pected, rs tornado predictions went on
of favor with the young army licuten
ants. The warming, rs sent ont, wa
to the effect that severe local thunder
storms were threatened, and the far
mers knew full we'll what was meant
AS interpreted 10y them, it signitie,
that ground cellar wouli bc n goo,
place in which to spend July 6.-Ney
York World.
The Boa Banana Man Was Wearing
A curiosity in the line of Il snake il
to be seen Mt the New England new
stand. 1t is n boa constructor, IN,
camc from South America withn carg,