Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-12-28
From the Edinburg Review.
franklin and the lightning.

It is a singular fact that even when electr-
city had assumed a scientific aspect and had 10
certain degree been identified with lightning,
the art of protection by conductors was utterly
unknown. 1t was not till Franklin had demon
stratcd the identity OF these two powerful a.
gents aud had actually brought down lightning
from the clouds by the conducting string Of II s
electrical kite, that he conceived the idea Of
applying a thunier.rod to the protection of build
, ngs 1t was in the month of June, 1892, tlat
| he performed that celebrated experiment, by
which he became the Promcthcus Of modern
times, aud earned a branch of the double lau-
! rel with which the democratic poet has crown
/ ed him
Arripuit ulmcn culo-sceptrumquc tyrannis.'
A kite formed with silk handkerchief, 10 cna-
bic it to bear the wet and violence ora thunder
storm, was raised in the usual manner with Il
line of twine, which terminated below in a silk
rband, at the junction OF which with the twinc,
key was suspended. With the non.conduc-
ting riband in his hand, Franklin with impa-
tencc watched the approach OF his kite to tie
thunder cloud. At last he saw with delight the
loose filamcnts of the twne rising from it in all
directions His knuckle attracted them, and
received spark when applied to the key.
When the conducting power Of the string was
increased by being wettcd with rain, the elcc-
trici,y descended in a cop ous stream Leyden
jar was charged at the key and electrical OK
periments OF various kinds performed with the
celestial fire.
While the achievement Of Prometheus was
thus repeated in the New World, the fate of
Tulus llostilus was about 10 be sutfj rcd in the
Old. The fame Of Franklin's sublime expert
ment passed rapidly through Europe and vari-
ous philosophers had the courage to repeat it,
some with kites. and some with thunder
, rods In I7lj3, NJ. Romas received severe
> shock from the string Of his kne; and two
French philosophers were struck down BY the
lightning when they were drawn" sparks from
! their apparatus In the same year Professor
. Richman of St. Pctcrsburgh ted a a metallic
Y rod for the purpose of measuring the strength
ofthe electricity which it might bring down in
a thunder storm. When he was stopping to Oh
serve the effect of the electricity thus obtained
VI. Sukolof. his companion Observes globe Of
blue fire leap, with report like that ola pistol,
from the iron rod, ard strike the Professor, who
y was about foot distance from it The Procs-
7 sor was instantly killed ard NJ Soko'of tell up-
y on the ground stncd and benumb with a sort
: of vapor which accompanied the fiery globe.
: There was red spot on the forehead Of Protos-
It sor Richman, where the lightning seems Il
have entered, and n blue mark on the foot, from
'e which ii seemed TO have made lis escape.
"A No sooner had franklin performed his cNpcr
'e ment than he applied conductors to the protcc
tion Of public and private buildings. An appa
ry ratus constructed according to his direction was
placed in the house OF Mr. West merchant il
,c Philadelphia and it is a remarkable circum
in stance tha, this conductor was actually strucl
with Lightning as if to display the value Of tho
to invention. An iron rod, more than halt an incl
H. in diameter. and rapcrlug to its upper end, wat
il raised about nine aud 4 hal! feet above the chin
Of neys of the house lis upper end terminated il
of sharp pointed brass W.Te about ten inche
r. long, AID quarter Of an inch thick and it
lower end was connected with an iron stake
Id which was driven into the ground To tic dep,l
lis Of four or FIVE feet After being struck will
lightning, Mr.. West found tie top Of lhe point
H. cd rod was melted, and the brass wire reduced
from ten to seven inches in length ana wha
re was interesting and instructive, the iron STAKE
e. did not carry oil the electricity with suttic
is qulckncss for IN this and in other thunder
h, storms, the lightning was seen dtiused near the
stake, covering two or three yards of the pave
he mcnt even when il was wet with raia.
"I MAG>rrTC LAuGHrER.-'fhe wonders Of the
ne Magnetic Telegraph Will never cease The
a last Is mentioned by the Baltimore Argus -
ne "Fhat Nr1t'-'rhe other day, being in the
III Telegraph office at the Depot, Pratt street. Mr.
d. Rogers, the attentive and goutlomanly supcriu-
'e lcndcnt of tins station, transmitted an amuslr g
Ills Incident to Mr.. Vail, at The Washington terml-
n nus To which Mr. Vail replied, ha ha ha
e that is--.oughcd at it.. Now If that dom beat
ANYTHING oi modern date, We'll give it up 4
I'd gcurlcman in Pratt IT.. Baltimore, tells another
ne stationed ON Capitol lliil, Washington. jusr forty
T. miles distant, an amnsiug story and the other
e laughs at It There Is nothing improbable III
TO tins world OF ours, that Yankee ingenuity Wi
not overcome. Congress should make az gn,
Du preparation Immediately tl extend the Iee