372 The Iowa and Illinois Tornado. [July, 
We do not, therefore, overrate the relative ‘humidity when 
we estimate it at 65 per cent at 2 P.M. The average tem- 
perature at the earth’s surface in the line of the tornado at 
2 P.M. was, from the above, probably 76°, but in the wooded 
hollows much greater. 
Mr. Jay, however, of Harper, Keokuk County, states that 
the temperature was 92° half an hour after the storm. The 
day was generally described as being very warm. 
Having arrived at Prairie City, Illinois, I endeavoured to 
find out the exact locality where the tornado first began to 
overthrow fences, damage buildings, &c. On the farm of 
James Williams, Point Pleasant Township, Warren County, 
there was a strong wind, but not sufficiently strong to pro- 
strate fences. About 1 mileto the east is the farm of Israel 
Jared, Point Pleasant Township, Section 24. Mr. Jared © 
testified as follows :—Saw streaks of cloud moving from the 
north and south toward each other before anything touched 
the earth. Saw a cloud in the form and about the size of a 
haystack strike the ground on my farm. A few minutes 
before hail of moderate size and in small quantity fell, fol- 
lowed, as the whirlwind was passing, by a smart shower of 
rain. The wind, which had been south-east, changed to 
the west after the tornado passed. It was pretty warm 
before, and cool after it. Heard roaring some five minutes 
previous to the arrival of the storm. Fences were blown 
down for 200 yards wide. They were blown toward the 
east. Saw some lightning. There was a heavy cloud to 
the north as the storm approached. 
Mr. Jared’s house stands about 200 yards north of the 
storm-path. The tornado was here travelling a little to the 
north of east. 
John F. Tatman, Israel Jared’s farm, testifies that he saw 
the funnel strike the farm, and that he heard the roaring for 
a long time previous. 
Before leaving this farm the storm had developed all the — 
characteristics of a tornado, except that the east wind was 
not yet powerful enough to destroy. The whirlwind then 
passed along a ravine full of tall timber. Nearly all the 
trees were uprooted or broken, but generally the latter. 
‘They appear to have had a firmer hold of the soil than those 
in Iowa. The breaking usually occurred about 6 feet from 
the ground, and the barking was almost entirely confined to” 
the broken trees. The bark was torn off both up and down 
from the place where the timber was broken. The trees, 
when sound, were seldom broken clean across. Half or 
more of the wood was severed and the remainder was bent 
