Sauk Rapids frontierman. [volume] (Sauk Rapids, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1860, 1857-08-06
THE WONDERS OF LIGHTNING.

Two clouds are not necessary for
the production Of Lightning, which is
frequently discharged from solitary
c.ump Of vapor, when connection can
be established with the earth A French
academician, named Marcol!e, describes
a case where mere cloudlei, about a
foot and half in diameterS killed poor
woman by dropping thH1aeibolt upon
her head. /, has t,ee6 4sefawr by Izar-
adv that the electric fluid contained in a
singh: flash might perhaps be supplied
by the decomposition Of one grain Of
water alone. NJ. Argos has divided the
lightning into three sorts. The first in
ciudes these where the discharge ap-
pears like long luminous lines, bent into
angles and zigzags, and varying in com
plexlon from white to blue, purple or
red, This kind IS known as forked
lightning, because ii occasionally di-
yides into two branches. Charpethier
relates case where flash severed in.
to three forks, each Of Of which struck
on points several hundred feet apart -
Still more numerous furcations have
been reported, for it is said that during
a tempest at Landermaau and St Pol
de Leon, twenty-four churches were
struck, though only three distinct claps
were heard, This was eight churches
apiece for thee explosions.
The second class of lightning differs
from the first in the range of surface
over which the flash is ditfused, and is
designated as sheet lightning
Sometimes it simply giIds the edges OF
the cloud. whence it leaps; but at 9th
ers, it floods with d lurid radiance, or
else sufuses its surface over which the
fash is diffused, and is designated as
sheet lightning Sometimes it simply
gilds the edges Of the cloud, whence ii
leaps: but at others, it floods with a
lurid radiance, or else suffuses its sur
face with bushes Of rosy or violet hue.
Lightnings of the third class are re-
markabie for their eccentrici,ies, and
have been made the subject of consider
able contention among meteoroiogists,
many Of whom have denied their right to
be treated as legitimate lightnings, they
differ 50 widely from the ordinary sort
offlashes They exhibit themselves as
balls, or globular Jumps Of fire--not mo-
nentary apparations, but meteors, which
take their own time, and travel at re-
markable slow rate. 1t is this inclerity
which gives them their doubtful charac-
ter, as an electrical bolt is supposed 10
be one Of the leading emblems Of veios-
ity.
Lightning, when it meets with an OBJ
s,ruction in its course, frequently shat
ters the non-conducting object, dispers-
ing and bursting substances assunder in
every direction, as if they had been
charged with gpnpowder. The stone
pinnacle Of church in Cornwall was
struck by lightning, and one fragment
weighing three hundred pounds was
hurled sixty yards to the southwark, an-
other four hundred yards to the north,
and third to the southwest In 1888,
the top-gallant mast Of Fl. M. ship Rod
ney was literally cul up into chips by 9
fash oflightning, the sea being strewn
with the fragments as il the carpenters
had been sweeping their shavings over
board. Sometimes, in striking tree
br mast, the electric fluid will slice it in.
to long shreds or filaments, SO that j!