384 The Iowa and Illinois Tornado. (July, 
however, that the curving of its path commenced after it 
came within the influence of the moister warmer air of the 
Iowa river, and that the general deviation of its course from 
the north-east direction, which it had on the whole hitherto 
followed, led it down the valley of the Iowa river. 
In order to determine the velocity with which the meteor 
travelled, it was necessary to obtain the precise time of its 
arrival at different points. The difficulty of obtaining pre- 
cise time in an agricultural district is always considerable. 
In addition, no one thought of looking at his clock or watch. 
Hence, although every witness was questioned on this point, 
there were but few who could even approximate to the time. 
The majority thought that they had a remarkably definite 
idea when they could tell between what hours it occurred. 
Reliable time it is believed was obtained at least at two 
places in lowa—at Wolfden school-house, Lancaster Town- 
ship, Keokuk County, and at A. McKee’s house, Section 23, 
Cedar Township, Washington County. The times obtained 
at these places were corroborated by the testimony of those 
likely to be best informed. ‘The tornado struck the school 
at 2.15 P.M. It arrived in SeCtion 23, Cedar Township, at 
3.10 P.M. ‘The distance between these places in a straight 
line is 27 miles. This gives a velocity of 29°4 miles per 
hour. The crookedness of its course, though not great, 
would bring its velocity along its path to 30 miles per hour 
at least. 
The Direction of the Centripetal Winds.—The wind blew in 
spirals toward the centre of the vortex, the direction of re- 
volution being contrary to the hands of a watch throughout 
the whole course of the storm. ‘The evidence in support of 
this, as given in the statement of facts, is overwhelming, 
and recapitulation unnecessary. The mere fact that all who 
had an opportunity of seeing the funnel saw that it was cir- 
cular is sufficient to prove that it was a whirlwind, for on no 
other hypothesis could the circular form be accounted for. 
Then the witnesses, almost without exception, saw this 
funnel whirling contrary to the hands of a watch. Then 
the illustrations of the position of the ruins of the houses, 
and of the fallen trees, &c., prove beyond a doubt that a 
merely centripetal wind could not have done these things. 
Again: that the wind was not blowing in circles round the 
centre is sufficiently demonstrated by the fact that every- 
thing, except within the most violent vortex, was thrown 
toward the centre; the ruins invariably lay most thickly 
there. The only form of motion capable of producing these 
effects is a mean between the circular and the direct centri- 
