SES tig ey. “8 
. Vee 
oe Sank ia a 
292 Tornado in N. E. part of Ohio, Feb. 4, 1842. 
was about northeast from the hives, and probably offered them 
considerable protection. Their weight, which was about one 
hundred and forty pounds each, was probably their greatest secu- 
rity. Dean’s wagon stood ten or twelve feet from the corn 
house towards his dwelling, and was not moved at all, although 
it might have been pushed along with one hand. The shelter 
was entirely blown away. So also the house D was but slightly 
injured, while the barn E, distant sixty six paces, was entirely 
demolished. 
It has been remarked of other tornadoes, that objects did not 
seem to fall with the ordinary velocity of falling bodies. Some 
similar instances were observed at Mayfield, as for example the 
y who was snatched out the house L and deposited uninjured 
at a distance of fourteen rods. There were other cases, how- 
ever, in which bodies plunged into the earth as if shot froma 
cannon, as for example the clapboards into the side hill. 
Another fact well worthy of remark is, that when the ridge re 
of a building was turned towards the wind, both slopes of the roof 
were usually taken; but when the ridge was at right angles to 
the wind, if the body of the building was spared, the leeward 
slope was taken, usually entire, while the windward slope remain- 
ed uninjured or escaped with the loss of a few shingles. The 
principle here stated is not peculiar to tornadoes. Many cases 
have been observed in which a rectilinear current produces the 
same effect. That the windward slope should stand in prefer- 
ence to the leeward is not strange, for the pressure of the 
holdsit in its place. The elevation of the leeward slope has been 
ascribed to currents of air, which, forcing their way through the 
crevices of the building, impinge upon the opposite side and 100 
with sufficient force to burst an opening. That some such effect 
may take place I will not absolutely deny ; yet the cause seems 
inadequate to explain the phenomena. Currents such as are here 
supposed should act with greater force against the vertical lee- 
ward side than against the roof, which is very oblique to ihe 
wind’s progress. We ought then to find the leeward side force 
off in preference to the roof, particularly as the weight of the 
roof codperates with the nails to hold it in its place ; and esp 
cially should this be true of barns, where the vertical boards are 
not in general very firmly secured. Not asingle instance of this 
kind has however been observed. Moreover, the ing-A 
