lxxx 



no chimneys projecting from these walls, so as to expose a large surface 

 to the action of the wind. Pursuing the same general course, its northern 

 edge crossed Chouteau avenue just west of Mississippi avenue, and its 

 southern edge crossed it at Grattan street. At Tayon avenue its width 

 extended from Singleton street to Chouteau avenue. This was its wides'- 

 part. It crossed Fourteenth street at the Pacific Railroad. On Randolph 

 street, house No. 1309 had its west end partially thrown down, although 

 the next house west of it is not more than four or five feet distant, and 

 rises ten or twelve feet above it, thus completely sheltering it from the 

 progressive motion of the wind. When it reached the market on Seventh 

 street, it took off the northern half of its roof on the western side, and car- 

 ried a large part of it across the street, demolishing some of the houses on 

 the eastern side. Here it was where the principal injury to human life oc- 

 curred, as the market was thronged with people at the time. Here, too, 

 it seemed to have spent its violence, though its track was distinctly marked 

 till it reached the river near the foot of Market street. 



In East St. Louis, it took off a small part of the roof of the Elevator, 

 also destroying the circular engine-hou^e of the Vandalia Railroad, the 

 walls of which were thrown outward, except a small portion of the west- 

 ern side. Further on, it lifted a small two-story frame house from its 

 foundation, carrying it about three feet to the northeast. After this, but 

 few signs of its violence were visible. 



Throughout the entire length of its course, the northern edge was 

 sharply defined and perfectly straight, having a bearing of N. 735 E. The 

 southern edge was not so well defined, and was somewhat irregular. The 

 width of its path was from 500 to 800 feet. Its violence seemed to be 

 most intense in low grounds, where its path also became narrower than 

 on the higher lands. Its circular motion, as indicated by the position of 

 the debris, was opposite to that of the hands of a watch placed upon its 

 back. It crossed four railroad tracks, each at an angle of 22 , without 

 being in the least deflected by them. It also passed numerous telegraph 

 wires at various angles, without any apparent change of its course. 



Prof. C. M. Woodward. N. DeVere Howard, M.D., and Mr. 

 Henry K. Foster, were elected associate members. 



April 15, 1872. 



Vice-President Albert Todd in the chair. 



Nine members present. 



Dr. Englemann noticed the statement of Mr. Hayes at the last 

 meeting, that the course of the tornado was not changed or in 

 any way affected in crossing the railroad tracks. It had been 

 supposed by some that railroads had some influence on storms 



