1874.] The Iowa and Illinois Tornado. 361 
of small pieces of wood, but had been removed. A plank 
16 feet long, 2 inches thick, and 1 foot wide, was driven 
4 feet into the soil, at an angle of 45. A corn-sheller, 
weighing 640 lbs., was carried 400 yards, and destroyed. 
Trees were barked, but without any symptoms of electric 
action or of explosion. The general position of trees and 
ruins was entirely corroborative of what has been already 
proved by an overwhelming mass of evidence, viz., the 
rotation and dire¢tion of rotation of the storm. 
J. K. Marbourg, Jackson Township, Section 17, whose 
house was 80 yards from storm-centre, with an excellent 
view of Gibson’s house, watched the storm a long time 
before it came. The west was first filled with clouds, which 
extended until they covered all the western and northern 
heavens, reaching a little beyond the zenith. The tornado 
first appeared as two clouds, one from the south-west and 
the other from the west rushing to one point. ‘Together 
they presented somewhat the appearance of an arrow, thus :— 
Fic. 24. 
oo Dd 
— 
roa 
The whirl was seen forming when they met. Above them 
were dark, heavy clouds. When the tornado came nearer it 
presented ‘the appearance of one funnel, revolving contrary 
to the hands of a watch, and drawing everything up. 
This witness related what he saw as follows :—‘‘ When at 
Gibson’s house, where I had the best view of it, and where 
it was 120 rods distant, it presented the appearance of two 
funnels uniting in one, at the height of 40 or 50 feet. The 
bases of the two funnels were about 200 feet apart : 
