The Washington times., 1904-05-22
Scientists on Lookout
For Year of TOrnadOeS
Period of Activity i'm Storms Seems to Be at
Hand--UnuSuaI Destruction for the
Summer Months

buildings. limbs Of trees, heavy timbers.
cattle and human beings,
Characteristic Funnel Shape.
The central funnel Of the storm, ow-
ing TO the condensation of moisture go
ing on within IL as the hot air rushes
swiftly up into colder regions, and ow-
Ing also to the quantity OF dust and
debris OF every kind that IS sucked up
from the ground. becomes quickly OF an
intense and even inlky blackness.
Not only does the tornado wind whirl
with tremendous velocity. but. at the
same time the funnel Of the tornado
Itself. sweeping and dragging along the
ground. and sometimes resembling the
trunk Of a gigantic elephant with IT'S
head IN the cloud, also moves swiftly,
east. Sometimes the motion IS almost
directly eastward. but Il seldom hap
pens that the path OF a tornado is to-
ward the southeast, and it is never to-
ward the west
Cellar the Only Refuge.
The speed with which a tornado ad-
vances varies from twenty to fifty miles
an hour. The path Of destruction. that
is to say. the width Of the tornado fun
mel at the point where 1t touches the
ground. commonly varies from 100 70
300 yards
Thus such a storm may sweep through
a town Of considerable size. making
narrow pathway within which every
building has been destroyed and the
trees and shrubbery leveled. while at
short distance aside from the path lit
tie destruction may have been wrought
The length Of a tornado's path varies
from q mile to fifty miles or more.
Oppressive Temperature.
Persons who live in the tornado belt
are we'll acquainted with the character
istic state and appearance Of the atmos-
phere when a tornado Is imminent The
sudden quiet. the oppressive tempera-
ture, the hush. the apparent waiting Of
nature. all these things are phenomena
that have often been observed.
lEasmuch as the course of a tornado
Is almost always toward the east or the
north EAST, IL is possible for the inhabit-
ants of a threatened point who have
seen the gathering of the cloud on the
horizon to the west of them to know in
advance whether they are IN danger.
The only safe refuge In case the fun
mel cloud Is sweeping down on the point
occupied by the spectator is furnished by
the tornado or cyclone cellar
Show Up Threatening.
There is a record OF 5000 people killed
IN the United States by these storms
since observation began The last great
period was In the late los and the early
SOS. Some Of the storms old millions
Of dollars damage. For several years
past they have been comparatively in
frequent. but this year they have started
IN a threatening manner, and more may
be heard about them not only during
the next few months. but for several
years TO come.
Since several populous cities now lie
within the tornado belt, the Interesting
question arises whether a tornado is ike
~ to lay its path across a great city,
ana IL so, whether its power of destruc-
ton would be as great as N the open
country.
Perhaps no definite reply can be given
to these questions. but 1t does seem like
~ that the influence Of the dust and
smoke rising over q great town and the
atmospheric currents created in such
place might be sufficient, II not to dis
sipats. to diminish. at least, the power
of tornado.