393 Tornado in N. E. part of Ohio, Feb. 4, 1843. 



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 

 boy 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 from a 

 cannon, as for example the clapboards into the side hill. 



Another fact well worthy of remark is, that when the ridge 

 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 blast 

 holds it 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 roof 

 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 agains,t the vertical lee- 

 ward side than against the roof, which is very oblique to the 

 wind's progress. We ought then to find the leeward side forced 

 off in preference to the roof, particularly as the weight of the 

 roof cooperates with the nails to hold it in its place ; and espe- 

 cially should this be true of barns, where the vertical boards are 

 not in general very firmly secured. Not a single instance of this 

 kind has however been observed. Moreover, the meeting-house 



