WADSWORTH & NIPHER TORNADO OF APRIL I4, '79. Ill 



long distance oft'. A green-looking cloud — that I said to the boys 

 with me meant hail — moved very fast over the valley from over 

 the southern part of the city (St. Louis) to the northeast ; more 

 clouds, not looking so green, seemed to be forming, and, closing 

 up, covered the sky, following more slowly. The southern edge 

 of it was distinct and seemed to rest over the southern part of the 

 city, and came out a little north of east over the south part of 

 Collinsville. Under this cloud a large number of little thunder- 

 heads, some very dark, others as white as steam, came pouring 

 in from the northwest; they seemed to be separated and running 

 low, very low. I never saw clouds so low before. Pretty soon they 

 began to go in all directions, some up, some down, right and left, 

 backwards and forwards. I went to the house, for I knew there 

 was going to be trouble. I next saw a cloud that looked even all 

 over in color and very white, the edges pretty even. I noticed it 

 because it moved so steadily : it seemed to be right under the edge 

 of the cloud from the southwest that I spoke of, and right between 

 me and St. Louis. It seemed to be coming right along and di- 

 rectly towards me. I at once went in and closed three windows 

 and two doors ; then I heard the roaring, and stepped out again. 

 It had reached the bluft'and was coming over it. I wanted to see 

 which way it was going before I did anything." (Mr. J. was in 

 the East St. Louis tornado and had just escaped being caught in 

 that.) " It looked now like a great, huge balloon-shaped cloud, 

 and very dark. I saw it was going north of me (about 40 rods). 

 It went by at great speed, not more than one minute from the bluft' 

 to Collinsville (one mile). At the bluft'it seemed to bound up and 

 down ; at Collinsville it hugged the ground closely. It was full 

 of small stuft', taking here and there a tree, but throwing.it out at 

 once. There was no lightning or thunder until sometime after ; 

 a few large drops of rain came just before it. While this whirl- 

 wind was over Collinsville, I also noticed another and smaller 

 whirlwind to the south of the main one, but did not see it pass. 

 My house was shaken by wind, which seemed to play around 

 the roof, but at the surface of the ground the wind was very fee- 

 ble. The impression made on me was that the house was being 

 lifted." 



It is interesting to observe, that, in this part of its path, more 

 damage was done in the bottoms of the deep ravines (shown 



