164 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



excitement or positive ignorance) by persons, which have resulted in death or 

 dreadful injuries, because they tried to run in front of the tornado cloud, thinking 

 they could outstrip it in such a race. Others have attempted to cross the path 

 just ahead of the advancing cloud feeling that they could reach a safe distance on 

 the opposite side before the funnel shaped monster passed. In one of our late 

 storms a person essayed this trip with two horses and a lumber wagon, confident 

 that he could at least rush his horses across the apparently narrow path of a storm 

 which seemed to progress within such circumscribed limits. Not so. He was 

 instantly killed, one of his horses dreadfully mjngled, the other seriously injured 

 and the wagon a total wreck. The work of an instant. An ignorant, reckless 

 rush into eternity. 



Had I the space I could enumerate many similar instances to show the folly 

 and ignorance of people, and the importance of lookmg at this matter (the pro- 

 gress and power of the tornado cloud) as one of hfe and death. The second and 

 last question arising under this heading (Means of Protection) pertains to the 

 protection of property. What can be done to in any way lessen the actual 

 damage (present or prospective) to property, especially buildings? In the first 

 place it is utterly impossible to move your building or buildings from the path of 

 the advancing tornado cloud. Secondly, it is positively impossible to stop the 

 tornado cloud after it has started on its course of death and destruction or in any 

 way prevent its formation. Thirdly, it is impossible to construct any building 

 strong enough to completely resist the extraordinary violence of the tornado 

 cloud. To sum up, this is all equivalent to saying that you can never expect to 

 save your buildings. This is the truth as I comprehend it and it is that to which 

 all thought upon the subject will sooner or later conform. It is advisible that, 

 under all circumstances, you should avoid any labor especially directed to the con- 

 struction of any building whatsoever, for the express purpose of resisting the 

 violence of the tornado cloud. Build your houses, barns and stores as you 

 would without the knowledge of a tornado. Other things being equal, a frame 

 building is better than a brick or stone one. The former will hold together long- 

 er, is more elastic (if you will permit the term) and persons seeking refuge within 

 its walls are much less liable to injury. There has at times been evidence to 

 show, that of all frame buildings, those constructed with a hip-roof and a story 

 and a half in height were the best able to resist the violence of the tornado. 

 But where there are cases reported of this class outbuildings being saved there are 

 as many, if not more, where they were destroyed precisely as any other frame 

 building would have been under similar circumstances. 



It matters not how you construct or of what material, if your building rises 

 above the surface of the earth (which it must necessarily do) it thereby offers ob- 

 struction to the advance of the tornado cloud and it will go, either from the 

 foundation, or into kindling-wood and a distracted mass of bricks and mortar, in 

 spite of the propagation of any theory or the possibilities of architectural skill. 

 In conclusion I would finally say, that you must take every precaution to avoid 

 or remove from, rather than' attempt to fight against or in any way resist the power 



