Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-08-15


due 10 beings whom we believe 10 be the repos'
tories of the better principles Of our nature.
The condition of women III this coun'
try is solely owing to the elevation offs moral
feeling"
LIGHTNING. During heavy thunder shower
Of Thursday last, the house oil MIS-. AlWaler,
in York 81. was struck with lightning. The
attendant shower was very heavy, and several
other indications denoted very 'ioien' dis
caar ge Of the raging element. The lightning
f s, struck he conductor, (Which was attached
10 the end of The House and the djacent chin
new bu, il left THIS by two different routes
one portion en- ering the cellar, and making a
breach in the stone wall, dislocaling the stones
for two or three feet, and another portion lrar-
ing The rod o. the height of Twelve fee from the
ground, ich dividing into several branches
and cnursng along the larger timbers Of the
second floor, marked It's way by rending the
plaste,ing in various places, and by separating
large portions Of the WALL until IL seems 10
have spent its flry in minute ramiho a'ions, TO
wards the opposite side Of the building. One
Of the ex'reme branches running along the
osFd o. Which h sr i5o rssitd made
rent in her shoe, aud hole in The carpet, with>
OUT doing her any essential injury
The Inc fficacy Of the rod was owing 10 three
causes.
/. II entered the ground but iwo JeeL Dry
sand, such as composcs the soil OF this cl'y, is
nom conductor, or al least al imperfect cons
ductor OF electricity. 1t is necessary, therefore,
that the rod should descend to d depth a, whic h
the ground is permanently moist. tit can
terminate IN a well Of water, SO much the BET
ter: but the depth should be al least six feet,
T.. al. De-,
dered charcoal, surrounding the pari OF The
rod below tn ground, selves the double pur>
pose Of supplying better conducting medium,
and ct preserving the rod from rust
2. Ii aoos painted ,Vhiie Since electricity
d sses on the surface of conductors, whatever
mnhifee the surface materially aft cts the con,
Quoting power Common pant CONSUMING OF
oil and metallic oxides, botA Of which are bad
conductors, impairs The power Ct the rod YER.
much Black paint, being made T charcoal
which is good conductor, benefits the rod
more BY preserving il from rust han il injures
it by The mixture OF oil, Ca bad conducloD and
is therefore, on the whole, an advantage. No
rnish should b. applied.
THE rod being OLD, The parts Were badly
connected Ak The point where the electrici Y
lrfu i aud entered The house, the joint, which
form, q by screw, was nearly separated
and was covered with russ. In The structure
of lightning rods, special pains should oe Ia
ken 10 have the whole surface continuous and
fee from projecting points, or links, or edges,
or broken joints
The foregoing facts being sscertained, the
explanation Of tie phenomenon is easy.
heavy di>c"arsc oflighrning filled ,he rod with
more of the fluid than it could hold or convey
awA ~, and The excess passed off by the channels
b. f re specified.
The rod was thrown down; but this was not
owing, as some have supposed, to any mechan
ical impulse from the lightning, 5ut the wood
en- stays, by which it was fastened &c the build
ing, being split of, i, fell by it, own weight
Connecticut Journal