On the Harrison ( Ohio) Tornado. 161 
Arr. XIV.—The Harrison Tornado, Ohio, February 14, 1854. 
Ir is of interest in illustration of the subject of storms, to notice 
briefly the Harrison tornado, as its — differs in some respects 
.from the Brandon storm. an its operations were chroni- 
cled as being of such a wonderful aid unheard of character, that the 
writer was induced to visit the scenes of its ravages, to examine 
and record the facts, of whatever nature they might be. 
During no season since, perhaps, the stclomade of the state, 
ave so many visitations of the kind occurred; and the opportu- 
nity afforded has been uncommonly favorable for investigating 
the phenomena of these storms 
e tornado under consideration, commenced, as far as can be 
learned, in Dearborn Co., Ia., 10 or 12 miles west of Harrison, in 
North Latitude 39° 10’ and West Longitude 70°. Its course was 
N. 72° 32’ E., ravaging the country, at intervals for 50 miles. 
Its most marked characteristic was a diffuse and feeble action 
at the circumference, and intense energy at the axis. Occasion- 
ally it struck objects along its axis with the spite of a fury ; closely 
Pasig pO oe in its sudden and destructive effects, to the blast 
a huge cannon. The most striking examples of its violence 
mee found at the Graham place. 
est of Harrison the country was very much broken; and 
generally wherever the tornado ascended a hill or crossed its top, 
it left the forest untouched; but the moment it began its descent, 
everything fell before it. It frequently rose from the earth, or 
‘was so broken up by the eer encountered, that extensive 
tracts were passed without injur 
Its destructive effects were pining confined to a path varying 
from 200 to 600 feet in breadth. 
At the Graham place it was three-fourths of a mile broad; at 
Mr. Wakefield’s woods 66 rods; and at’ Dr. Bowles, from the ex- 
treme point on the right, where fences in the open fields were 
prostrated, to the left where nae were thrown down, must have 
been a little more than half a 
Careful observations were nate at the Graham place, by the 
writer assisted by the Rev. M. Golliday of Harrison; also at the 
latter place; and at eon Wakefields; and a somewhat hasty €X- 
amination at Dr. Bow 
The Graham aah () stood in the edge of a forest which ex- 
tended to the west, with open ground on the east. West of the 
house (see plot) about 4th of a mile, a narrow and deep valley runs 
North and south. Lateral _— intersect this nearly at right 
angles from the east. ‘These are also deep and narrow gorges, 
extending about one-fourth of a ‘alte back from the main valley, 
forming sharp and well defined ridges between them. At the 
Sgconp Serres, Vol. XX, No. 59,—Sept,, 1855. 
