The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-07-23

WHO nave Witnessed tDef formation usually report
great eommotion In threatening cloud, or, more
commonly two clouds come together. From this
whirling mass the characteristic cloud descends
UNTIL in the case of damaging storms, it touches
the earth. Sometimes the cloud is really funnel
shaped; more commonly II is described ms resem-
bling an elephants trunk or gigantic snake as II
writhes and sways back and forth In Its progress.
Other observers have stated that 1t reminded them
of rope swinging back and forth from the clouds
Usually in the case of slender cloud the color is
milky white except near the ground where It is
dark from flying dust and debris Clouds of large
diameter are usually much darker"
A stiI better smile, 1t would seem is that of a
gigantic balloon scuddng low across country De
fore the wind and dragging an enormous cable
which trails along ON the ground, twisting and
turning and creating fantastic destruction.
1t seems to be established that west of the
Rockies and east of the Alleghenies there isn't
much danger from cyclones. But anywhere In the
Mississippi Valley It's keep your eye open. Chi
cago has thought itself immune, owing to some
peculiar influence exerted by the Great Lakes, but
this spring real twister visited its suburbs to the
northwest
II is estimated by the weather experts that "for
any specific area or farm Of one square mile the
probability of being visited by tornado is less
than lie of per cent per century"
There is popular feeling that cyclones like
lightning, do not strike the same spot twice. New
ertheless it Is of record that Codel Rocks county
Kan. was hit three years In succession on May
% at the same hour of the day.
The crop of Cyclone stories is very large every
year. The plain truth Is that almost anything that
is told may as well be believed. There seems to be
no limit to the fantastic vagares Of these twist
ers. For example, here's what an official weather
bureau record says, In part:
1.-THE freakish occurrences that result from
these storms will tax the credulity of person who
has never seen them The often reclted instances
of straws being blown with such violence that they
are left sticking In the bark and the wood of a
tree post, have to be in order TO be nppre-
ciated. Chickens are sometimes stripped Of their
feathers and left alive though more often they are
killed.
San instance has been related on credible au-
taorty of dresser being smashed TO kindling and
its mirror being carried some distance and set
down against fence without being cracked; also.
of window sash being blown from railway de-
pot, which was demolished and laid down ON an
adjoining lawn with heavy iron scale weight on
1t without the glass being broken.
"0ne of the remarkable features noted is the
number of almost miraculous escapes"
It is easy enough to understand that house
may be exploded" the passing twister creates
partial vacuum and the house, II tightly closed. Is
blown TO pieces by the pressure Of the air inside
It, This vacuum also explains why feathers are
pulled OF chickens since the quilts contain air.
But when wheat straws are driven Into green
tree-then it's time to wonder