Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-07-28
New YoRK, July II.
VIOLENT TORNADO.

The Township of Pennsbury, Ches-
Ter County, was on the eth inst. visited
by the most violent tornado ever wit
messed in that part of Pennsylvania.
Between four and five O'Clock in the
afternoon, (agreeahle TO statement Of
the Village Record there arose small
cloud in the North West. 1t had alight
and thin appearance, indicating neither
much rain nor much wind; but from it
issued flashes of lightning in rapid sue
cession, attended with very loud peals
Of thunder. A short time before sunset
the cloud separated, one part went to-
wards the South, and the other towards
the North. leaving the sky between
them almost bare; they soon, however,
re-united,and produced great agitation
in the atmosphere. Those who witness
ed this phenomena, describe it as hav-
ing the shape of a tunnel with the small
end down, and of the appearance of a
column of fire. s'The very clouds
themselves seemed TO be broken up and
hurled TO the EARTH" The work Of
destruction commenced north of the
Street Road, on the farm of Jacob Bal
ley. ALI the apple trees in his orchard,
except three. we're torn down, and some
of them were carried at least three hun
dred yards from the place where they
had stood. 1t then passed over the
farms and woodlands of John Parker,
jr. James Bennett, Edward Temple,
Noses Way, Jos. Temple, and Joshua
Harvey and crossed the Brandywine at
Chadstord. After crossing the Brandy
wine, lis power was gradually diminish
ed, and no material damage was done
on that side of the stream; but on this
side, the whole course of the tornado is
strongly marked by the devastation it
committed. 1t made lis way through
the thickest woods, leaving an opening,
like aclearing, of from 5 to 90 perches
in width, nothing being left standing but
a few OF the most plant sapplings that
yielded before it. So astonishingly
great was the power of the wind that it
Glove into splinters sound and tough
hlckories that were nearly two feet in
diamater. In some places in the open
fields, its whole force was apparently
collected into small focus. When this
was the case the ground was torn up for
about the size of a hogshead, and TO the
debth OF foot or fifteen inches.
The s;outest trees in the woodlands
ofMoses Way and Jos. Temple, could
not resist its passage, Here it tumbled
white oak upon white oak, making lit
orally a clearing OF several acres. The
trees are so large and lay so thick upon
the ground, that tits with difficulty a
person on foot can make his way
through them.
Wherever it passed over corn field,
the corn for about two or three perch
es in width, was killed, and was as dry
the next morning as if it had been ex-
posed to intense heat. The oat fields,
too, suffered considerably. The oats,
for rods, are leyeled with the ground,
and every grain switched of, as if it had
been under the operation of the fail.
In passing over the distance of three
miles, it is estimated by many that it
broke down a thousand cord of timber
Much of ii is so split and broken as to
be unfit for any purpose but fuel. Two
barns and kitchen were partially un-
rooted; but, fortunately for the inhabi-
tants, the ceAtre of it did not come in a
.iue Of any oftheir dwellings. It's their
opinion, that the strongest houses could
not have withstood its force.
The lightning was unusually vivid.
1t struck tree near Jos. Temples, and
he and his wife were both stunned, and
fell to the floor. 1t also struck tree
near Edward Temples spring house,
and killed steer that was standing
hard by. yMer. y4dv.