The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-08-06
Prof. BrOcklcsby,s Paper.

Many able papers have been read before the National
Scientific Convention at Cincinnati, but most of them
have been OF that purely scientific theoretical chaac
ter which makes them interesting only limited class of
readers But the paper OF Professor John Brockesby
Trinity College, read the second day OF the session.
has been perased with much general interest. The title
reads thus: On the Rising OF Water in Springs mme-
diately before RAIN By Professor John Brockcsby. OF
Trinity College, Hartford" 1t is follows:
My attention particularly called to this phenome-
non during the close of the Of 1852. while re-
siding lew weeks in Rutland, amid the highlands of
Vermont In the western portion OF The town lofty
hill, rising 10 the height OF about four hundred feet above
the Otter Creek valley Near the summit of the hill
small spring bursts FORTH whose waters are convened in
wooden pipes 10 the barn yards OF two fam-houses
ua,ed the slope OF the bill, the first being about one.
fourth OF mile distant from the spng, and the second
nearly one-,brd of mile AT the latter house resided
waters OF the spring not abundant and during the
summer months frequently failed to supply the nqueduci
Such the state OF the spring when arrived at Rut-
land for the summer had been extremely dry the brooks
were unusually low, and the drought bad prevailed so
long, that even the famed green mountains bad in many
places, begun to wear russell livery The drought
tinued not drop OF rain falling when one morning
servant coming IN from the barn. yard. affirmed that
should soon have rain, the water flowing in
The aqueduct, The spring having risen several incbes
The prediction verified, for within two or three days
rain fell 10 a considerable depth
In saoT time the spring again sunk low, and ceased
TO supply the aqueduct; but coudess morning, when
there were visible indications of rain, its waters
rose flowing through the entire length of the aque
Duct and twentyfou hours had elapsed another
pouring down. On inquiry, il asce rianed from
The residents in the vicinity that the phenomenon was
OF ordinary and that for the last twenty
years the approach oil rain expected by the rising Of
the spring.
Interested by these facts sought for others OF The like
nature, and requested through the public prints info-
nation this subject from all who happened TO possess
IT, and also upon collateral points which were conceived
TO have important relations 10 this phenomenon.
stance, existing in Concord Massachusetts, where
spring that supplies certain brook is said 10 rise per-
ceptiby before storm. Mr.. William Nunroe, who
lives the stream, kindly offered the following inior-
nation, which ~ gwen below IN nearly his own words
although have frequently been informed that the
Dodge's brook, $50 caledD alter dry time, and when
no water bad run Tor some days, would begin again
run when the clouds threatened rain, bu, before drop
had fallen yet cannot say that have ever taken much
oilect being al one time the brook when there
bad been long drought The clouds threatened rain
very soon, not drop of water bad run in the brook
for days--not drop had fallen from the clouds
and no rain had occurred in the vicinity The OF
the brook Is the road standing in the read
watching the brook, and then small stream in its
bed flowing towards the river which about fifteen rods
distant from the road. The spring that supplies The brock
is situated about hall ne from the river, and is
times powerful that have known the brook TO over.
flow The road for the SPACE of several rods cannot say
that an established fact that the brook always rises
before rain, but have good 10 suppose that II
does The preceding statements IN respect TO Dodges
brook are corroboraied by The OF Mr. Munroe who
writes thus: The subject has no., so Tar are
AWAKE fallen under the notice of any close observer OF
the facts you inquire about the thai il known be-
bsthat the bed OF the brook during long drought,
having become dry the stream il known to start again
before rain, and the belief ia that rain is be look ed
for Immediately upon the eappeaance OF Dodge. brook
he cause OF the phenomenon has been attributed by
10 the fall of rain at the distant OF the
spring short time previous to their descent in the vlcin-
Ivy OF the spring ITSELF but this view u doubtless
ons, since is altogether improbable that rain should fall
in two distant localities year after year, with the
period OF time between them and thar This inter-
val should be such as TO insure that water falling the
6rst locality should always arrive through subtesDean
channels at the second before The there commenced
have not been able 10 ascertain the state OF The ba-
romeie either al Rutland al Concord. AT the times when
The phenomenon IN question occurs nevertheless, be-
ieve that the true solution will be found in the dnn
lshed atmospheric pressure which exists before rain
The waters OF spring remain at gwen level, because
the atmospheric and hydrostac combined exactly
counte balance the upward force OF the The spring
will therefore, rise either when the force oil the jet
increased while the atmospheric pressure continues the
same, when the latter is dimsbed while the former
remains constant and the elevation 10 eresiest OF all
ours simultaneously with increase in the strength Of
the jet The rising OF The water IN the instances relaied
cannot think, view OF the fsQe detailed. be fairly
ansu'ed 10 any sudden augmentation OF force in the
ent OF the spring but il 10 he regarded a. the result OF
uhehed atmospheric pressure, occurring at the parsic
n'sI umee, ~ perfect accordance with known meeoro-
.Tes Jaws am not aware that il has yet been ascer
tsined whether This phenomenon il local or general II
me auer should be found true the given
correct we arrive attbe curious that the springs
and fountains OF the earth natural whose
'nds1hons may perbsps be worthy Of notice in future
physical Investigations. fRWIN II ~ 800
the sr.n.,cr az Hated s,,,..
Cae, shsst nhy hriehsyevs To good wovtmen steady
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