A Full Description of the Great Tornado in Chester County, Pa.Darlington, Richard
History
A Full Description of the Great Tornado in Chester County, Pa.
Darlington, Richard
Chester County (Pa.) -- History; Tornadoes -- Pennsylvania -- Chester County
With a view of having correct data of the tornado, and placing the
same upon record, in company with my friend and schoolmate Edwin
Walton, of Highland township, I passed along the route of the
storm-cloud. The first point of observation was near the residence of
Jos. D. Pownell, Lancaster Co., Pa. He gave us a short account of the
cloud, and of the movement of the currents of air which formed it. As
he sat upon the front porch of his residence, he saw a strong current
of air blowing from the south-west. To the north a storm had just
passed, and a powerful current set in from that direction and blew
directly across, coming in conflict with the current from the
south-west. The whirl commenced on their coming together, and was set
in motion about half-a-mile from his house and one mile south-east of
the Gap station. This rotary motion or "whirl" probably resulted from
the resistance encountered by these opposing currents of air, in their
attempt to ascend vertically, there being less resistance in a lateral
than in a vertical direction. The first movements of the cloud thus
formed were of a decided character. Some children that were playing in
a field near by, saw the danger ahead and fled to a lime-kiln, thus
saving their lives. The cloud now reached a stream of water, and Mr.
Pownell says the water was taken up and carried into the funnel of the
cloud, leaving the bed of the stream dry.
It now approached his house with a continuous roaring sound, and he
fled within. It passed along the north side of his house, overthrew
his orchard, destroyed part of his corn crop, carried an apple tree
fifty yards, and cut a track 150 yards wide and proceeded in the
direction of Sadsbury Meeting House. His loss was about $300. The
first building struck was a tenement house on the property of Elwood
Pownell. It was located on the top of a hill that overlooked the
surrounding country; an old colored man named Robert Johnston occupied
it. The building was leveled to the ground. He stated that he was
coming up the hill as the cloud approached, and sought safety by
leaning against the bank and holding firmly to the fence; he was not
injured. He is now living in the _cellar_ of the house and crawls out
into daylight when it is necessary; no movement is being made towards
rebuilding his dwelling. Loss, $200. The storm-cloud next passed over
Elwood Pownell's property. His wagon shed and carriage house are gone,
and a large number of his apple trees was overthrown. His farming
utensils were swept away, and the barn itself was moved fourteen
inches from its foundation. The fences on the property were more or
less demolished, but his whole loss was not very great. He states that
his father-in-law was paying him a visit on that afternoon, but was
unable to get home in the evening as his carriage was seized by the
storm and carried away. Mr. Pownell further states that he saw the
wind coming, and with the greatest difficulty reached the house, being
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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