The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-05-22
BEST MEANS TO
ESCAPE A TORNADO
NEXT TO CAVE, CELLAR OF A
FRAME HOUSE IS SAFEST
SPOT, SAYS EXPERT.

The cellar of a frame house is the
safest place to be when tornado
strikes, according to Prof. Willis L:
Moore, former chief OF the United
States weather bureau, says the
Washington Star.
THE safest place is the cellar OF
frame house, with the exception OF a
cyclone cellar, not usually found in a
CITY," the former head OF the weather
bureau declared. "When frame house
collapses the wreckage IS compare
tiyelv light. and does not fall through
on those in the cellar. On the other
hand. those who seek refuge IN the
cellars of brick houses are likely to
be killed by the falling OF the. heavy
brick, or smothered to death by the
debris.
"There is no record of a single per-
son ever being killed in the cellar OF
a frame house when it was struck by
tornado" Prof. Moore continued.
How to Recognize Tornado.
How to recognize a tornado when
one comes your way and hoW to get
away from it safely was explained for
the benefit of Star readers by Prof.
(.
bureau from 1895 to 1918.
In the first place, Prof. Moore ex-
planned, keep on the watch in the
spring and summer when the weather
bureau announces that conditions are
favorable for severe local storms"
Then if storm comes up in the late
afternoon, from out of the southwest,
with black edges, look out some more,
Il.
railroad trains" look sharp!
While Prof. Moore believes there is
little danger from tornadoes in the
district, he feels that people might
lust as we'll know the simple ear
marks of the creature, and know the
best means of evading it.
Whatever you do don't try to run
away from a cyclone straightway,'
warns Prof Moore. III you can get
into a basement or cellar OF frame
house, do so. That is the safest place.
III you hear the noise and see a
funnel shaped cloud, as you can. If
you look sharply enough, il not able
to get into cellar run III a north
west direction to cut away from the
path of the tornado.
1T is better to run northwest than
southeast, because there is a stronger
indraft from the southeast side of the
tornado. Above all, never run to the
northeast"
Fall Flat in a Ditch.
III you can do none of these
things" Prof Moore continued, fall
fiat in a ditch. A ditch foot deep
will do. If lacking ditch, fall fiat on
the ground. Above all things make no
attempt to cling to tree or to post,
because when you and the tree are
uprooted it will just make you all the
heavier when you land"
A cyclone area is perhaps 1000
miles broad, while the tornado, which
arises from the area is but 200 or 800
yards wide, as was the one that
struck Silver Springs, or at least not
more than 1000 feet wide.
A tornado is the result of the run
ming together of air masses of widely
varying temperature, Prof. Moore ex-
planned. They invariably come from
the southwestern direction, he said
"a real good western tornado could
tear down the capitol building easily"
Prof. Moore declared. Stone, brick
and steel will not insure stability.
believe a real tornado would reduce
the capitol to a mass of ruins"
The weather bureau here, under
Prof. Moore, forecast the destructive
twister Of May u, 1896, which struck
St. Louis, destroying a huge amount
of property and killing many. lorna
do forecasts were made from this city
for all Missouri, and particularly for
St. Louis, where the school children
were dismissed at noon