August i, 1890.] 



SCIENCE. 



59 



preceding the tornadoes. It is a little difficult to obtain the 

 exact velocity of the tornadoes, as the times are in most 

 cases very indefinite; but the best authenticated times in the 

 Louisville outburst would mak3 it a little more than 80 miles 

 per hour, the path being directed nearly north-east. There 

 was a most remarkable series of tornadoes in this region, in- 

 cluding southern Illinois and Indiana, western Kentucky, 

 and Just the northern border of Tennessee. The paths were 

 all in a north-east direction, the earlier being 200 miles 

 nearer the centre of the general storm, and much shorter 

 than the later. 



The first definite notice of a violent rush of air was at 

 Mill Creek, 111., at 4.30 P.M. This track (I) was very short, 

 and is not traced outside of the town. Track II runs a short 

 distance near Olney, 111., and the time was 5.30 p.m. Track 

 III was much the longest, and most destructive of all. It 

 was first noted at 5.30 P.M., at Metropolis, 111., and passed 

 through or near the following towns (all in Kentucky), 

 clipping now and then as it rushed onward at 80 miles per 

 hour, — Hampton at 5.40; Marion at 6; Clay at 6; Dixon, 

 Sebree, West Louisville, Delaware, Owensboro, at 6.17; En- 

 terprise, Knottsville, Hawesville, Louisville, at 7.57, — and is 

 last heard of in Jefferson ville, Ind., just across the river 

 from Louisville. Track IV first appears at Farmington, Ky., 

 and passes near Kuttawa, Eddyville at 6.30, Bremen, and 

 Hartford, all in Kentucky. Track V is traced near Belle- 

 view, Caledonia, and Sinking Fork, in Kentucky. Track 

 VI may possibly be connected with III, and is traceable near 

 Eminence, Pleasureville at 8.30, La Grange at 8.50, Camp- 

 bellburg, and Carrollton, all in Kentucky. Track VII passes 

 near Eogana,Tenn., at 8.30; Eulia, Tenn. ; Coatstown, Tenn., 

 at 8.50; Dixon's Springs, Tenn. (probably); Butlersville, Ky. ; 

 and Glasgow, Ky., at 9 Track VIII is traced near Fayette- 

 ville, Fosterville at 9.15, MOlersburg at 9.15, all in Tennessee. 

 Track IX is near Rockcastle Springs, Ky., at 11. The last 

 violent wind, or track X, is found at Marshall, Ky., at 8.30. 



It will be understood, that, though all this region felt 

 these violent wind-rushes, yet these paths are by no means 

 continuous from town to town, and in most cases there was 

 no serious damage. Louisville suffered the worst, as just 

 noted. Outside of Louisville there were 59 killed and a 

 property loss of $1,000,000. At Metropolis, 111., 1 person was 

 killed, 50 injured, and the property loss was $150,000. The 

 most exaggerated reports of losses were circulated by the 

 newspapers. One prominent Western paper, whose state- 

 ment was widely copied by others, a whole month afterward 

 placed the loss in Webster County, Ky., alone at 111, while 

 the true loss was 8. In Barren County the loss was placed 

 at 30, though no one was killed there. In Lyons County 

 23 killed were given, though but 2 died there. This same 

 paper made no mention of loss of life in Livingston County, 

 where 9 were killed, and in 6 other counties where an aggre- 

 gate of 40 were killed. Of course, there was no intention of 

 distorting facts in this case : it is given as a simple illustra- 

 tion of the great difficulty which inheres in studies of this 

 kind, and the great danger there is in taking descriptions by 

 two or more observers of the same destruction, and applying 

 them to several places, and not to a single spot. The ut- 

 most care should be exercised in giving the exact place of 

 the catastrophe, either as in a town or village, or so many 

 miles in any direction, as the case may be. 



While the names of a large number of towns have been 

 given above as visited on this date, yet there were many 

 others that could not be enumerated for lack of space: m 

 fact, a thorough research would seek to establish exactly the 

 spots where destruction was least, as well as where it was 

 greatest. It is quite remarkable that though this whole 

 region was in a disturbed condition, meteorologically speak- 

 ing, yet there were enormous areas not seriously touched. 

 A careful research would have developed some valuable 

 facts; but, so far as known, the only outburst given a care- 

 ful study was at Louisville. It is to be deplored that such a 

 fine opportunity to add to our knowledge of these storms was 

 lost. We may hope that in the near future such occasions 

 will be seized upon as of the greatest importance. It is 

 probable that the weather service of each State would be 

 best suited to take up this study, and it is noted that the 

 Ohio Weather Service has exhibited commendable zeal in this 

 regard. 



There has been published in the Weather Review a good 

 description by Sergeant Frank Burke of the tornado at Louis- 

 ville, Ky., and this will be freely quoted from.' The times 

 given are all reduced to Central. "At 7.30 p.m., although 

 intense darkness precluded careful observation, the clouds in 

 the south west exhibited evidence of a most violent commo- 

 tion. It appeared as though north-west and south-west clouds, 

 in coming into contact, had been shattered to pieces, and 

 their fragments, intermingling, had been thrown upward 

 and laterally by the force of the shock. These movements 

 occurred at a considerable elevation, the space between the 

 clouds and the earth having a misty or fog-like condition. 

 Heavy rain began almost at the moment of this commotion. 

 At the same time the lightning-flashes, which had occurred 

 hitherto only at long intervals, increased tenfold in fre- 

 quency and intensity, the south-west quarter of the heavens 

 being the centre from which the almost incessant flashes 

 radiated. A peculiar feature of this display was the almost 

 entire absence of thunder. The wind had been blowing a 

 moderate breeze from the south-east during the afternoon. 

 At 7.34 it shifted suddenly to the south-west, and increased 

 in force. At 7.50 the rain had almost ceased. A few mo- 

 ments later, scattering hail fell, average diameter half an 

 inch; then came a momentary lull in the wind, and a pecul- 

 iar, indescribable oppressiveness of the atmosphere. The 

 darkness was intensified at this moment by the sudden dim- 

 inution of the gas-jets, which in many cases were extin- 

 guished. It may be important to state in this connection that 

 the lights were not blown out, but failed through lack of 

 pressure in the reservoir. The approach of the tornado was 

 heralded by a tremendous roaring sound, mingled with the 

 crash of falling buildings. The noise has been likened to 

 that produced by the passage of a heavy train of cars over a 

 bridge, a thousand times intensified. The storm struck the 

 city at 18th Street and Broadway, crossed it in an almost 

 due north-east direction, and at 7.57 left it at 7th and Water 

 Streets. This time is verified by the telegi-aph officials, who 

 noted it as the moment when their wires, which cross the 

 tornado's track, ceased fo work. Persons who saw the cloud 

 coincide in stating that it was of a balloon or turnip shape, 

 though the darkness and confusion precluded accurate ob- 

 servations of its movements. It was accompanied by a most 

 terrific electric display, and several reliable persons assert 



