Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 90, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 July 1902 — CYCLONE CELLARS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CYCLONE CELLARS.

Means of Protection Against Storms by People in the West. The cyclone is by far the worst form of disaster that visits this country, coming at unexpected times and dealing death and destruction in such widespread manner. When the summer days bring waves of heat across the stretches of hot sod, then the residents of the prairie west begin to cast their eyes to the windward. They are watching the formation of the clouds, and he who Could not distinguish a cyclone bank from any other is indeed a tenderfoot. Then the cry of warning is carried across the plains, and the members of every family make for their cyclone cellars. These cellars differ in various communities.

The popular cyclone cellar on the plains of western Kansas, where eyejones a few years ago were almost a daily occurrence, are ordinary sod houses, built low and strong. In the Russian communities of Kansas these cyclone houses serve as the family residence the year around. They are about seven feet high and built exceptionally strong. The roots are slanting, and the houses are set to the wind —that is, the ends are faced toward the east and west. In Oklahoma every farmhouse is backed up by a cave, a hole dug .nto the ground and covered by an earthen roof. Some farmers have gone so .’ar in protecting themselves against cyclones that they have a small cannon loaded with salt and buckshot, which is fired into the whirling clouds as they approach. This has been known to turn the course of a storm. It Is ? common event to dismiss school on the plains of Oklahoma when a bank of clouds begins to arise In the southwest. These wind and rainstorms are becoming more uncommon every day, and it is believed that the planting of trees and settlement of barren sod has had much to do with it.

OKLAHOMA CYCLONE CELLAR.