d were overthrown, many of which were broken off about half-way
down the trunk, and others were uprooted; others again were twisted
and interwoven in every conceivable shape. This mighty mass of
material lies there to-day untouched, and thousands of people have
visited the spot, amazed at the immense power which wind exerts when
under the influence of rotary and progressive motion. Such a sight was
never before seen in this latitude. In the valley that divides these
tracts of timber, was a humble frame dwelling two stories high,
occupied by a family of colored people named Hopkins. They heard the
roaring of the storm as it approached from the west; the mother of the
family, Mary Hopkins, rushed up stairs to close the windows, and as
her hand was upon the sash, the house was overturned and the joists of
the upper floor fell upon her, and she was found dead, having been
crushed to death between the joists of the upper story and the
rafters. The children below, or rather above her, as was the case at
this time, were uninjured. This was the only person whose life was
taken by the tornado, though a great number of narrow escapes was
made. The loss sustained by Messrs. Phipps and Shields would amount to
about twelve hundred dollars each. The entire amount of timber
destroyed on these two properties, and also on the property of Joseph
Brinton, south east of them, is about thirty acres.

From some cause not fully explainable, the cloud of wind, after
striking this forest tract, changed its course about eight deg. to the
north, proceeding in a line south 83 deg. east, or nearly due east.
This change brought the storm directly into the southern half of the
village of Ercildoun, one mile distant. Before reaching that point,
however, the property of Joseph Brinton had to be traveled over. His
loss was heavy. His barn, carriage-house, and the north porch of his
dwelling were destroyed; the house, from some cause, was not much
injured. This was rather a strange circumstance, as the large trees on
both sides of it were overthrown, and also the fences. There appeared
to be two storm tracks at this point, but it was probably the same
cloud that had divided for a few moments from some local cause. The
hurricane also went through the orchard and wheat field on this
property, destroying the trees, the whole of the wheat crop, and the
fences in every direction. Mr. Brinton estimated his loss at
twenty-five hundred dollars, and his estimate