this point the storm-cloud proceeded for
about two miles in a direction south 70 degrees east, or about 20
degrees south of a line running due east. About three-fourths of a
mile east of Sadsbury Meeting House a slight change of direction
occurred in the movement of the cloud, and it took a direction a
little to the north, running south 75 degrees east. It proceeded, with
slight local variations, for about eight miles in a direct line, and
cutting a track about 200 yards wide, until it reached the property of
William Hamill, in East Fallowfield township, near Newlin's Mill, and
here it widened to about 300 yards, destroying the fences, crops,
etc., on his property. At this point a slight change of direction
occurred towards the south, bringing it into contact with the timber
tracts of E. Phipps and Thos. Shields, in which a terrible destruction
of forest trees occurred. It now veered to the north about ten
degrees, and passed through the southern half of the village of
Ercildoun in a line south 83 degrees east, or in a direction nearly
due east, and continued thence until it arose in the air about
half-a-mile east of Ercildoun, and proceeded, at a higher elevation,
for about seven miles, relieving the farms and property of the
intervening country from destruction. As it approached Broad Run,
about a mile west of Marshallton, it descended sufficiently long to
unroof and almost destroy the barns and out-buildings of two
properties, owned respectively by Richard Baily and Joseph Marshall,
of West Bradford township. Here it came to an end in its mad and
reckless career. The two opposing currents of air had no doubt now
become thoroughly blended and partook of the character of a high wind,
fully relieved of its devastating properties. The storm-cloud was
dissolved, or had permanently taken a higher elevation over a still
greater amount of territory. The whole route of the tornado, as
measured by its effects, was about 22 miles. The width of its track
was from 100 to 300 yards, averaging generally about 200 yards. The
following points also have been pretty clearly established by the use
of the compass, and also by careful observation along the route of the
storm:

_First._ That the general direction of the storm-cloud during the
first half of its journey, to a point near Newlin's Mill, one mile
west of Ercildoun, was south 75 deg. east, but at that point it
changed and its course afterwards was south 83 deg. east, or nearly