Smyrna times., 1858-07-29
Lightning,
Our records Of lightning phenomena are con-
tinued in all their fulness and mnutla.
No case Ofdeuth hY linLlninH In a stnaInhnaL

| llHueu III all tnelr 1ullOeSS ana mlnutlU.
! No case Ofdeuth by lightning in steamboat
or railroad car, or to q tclcgru ph operator or
in an iron vessel, or iron building, or vessel fur
nished with metallic lightning conductor. haa
! yet come under our observation during tae
many years covered by our record in cur cXtcn-
! slve field Of research.
! But two deaths by liGhtngh have occurred
III buildings furnished with meta lie lightning
conductors; one OF these was at North Prairie,
Wisconsin, July l., lS55--the other at Wal
den, Vermont, July Is, 1857. have no doubt,
could have seen those two buildings immcdi-
ately after they had been struck by lightning,
that | should have found such traces of the
lightning as would have explained the appar-
| ent failure of the rods.
These facts will allay the fears Of many per-
sons who are in steamboats,, railroad cars iron
vessels or iron buildings, or in vessels or build
lngs furnished with lightning conductors, during
thunder storms.
a case OF suffering came under my own O0-
servation. A person in house not furnished
with rods was, during thunder storms, so agi'a-
ted and distressed that all the members Of the
family in the house were in attendance 10
soothe aud quiet her mind; but on the house be-
ing thoroughly furnished with metallic light
ming conductors, her su!lerngs during thunder
storms while in the house wholly ceased. We
recorded few years since the death Of lady
at or near Poughkeepsie, from alarm during
thunder storm.
We have made extensive inquiry of ship
masters as to th9 effect of the wind upon ships
spars that had lightning conductors upon them,
and have not heard Of a single instance in
which the wind bad carried away the spars of
vessel with lightning chain upon it.
The impression is very general that steam.
boats are never struck by lightning. This is
an error; steamboats, have sometimes been
strrci bo lightning, but the damage was very
trlt1ing. The masts of ocean steamers are LA
BILE to be struck by lightning.
We have a record of the lightning striking
piece of rc' i.on, that blacksmith held on ar
anvil with nls %. gs The red hot iron gave
out abundant sciDlati2rs.
The melted iron in MIR. Coopcr's furnace,
Trenton, New Jersey, was 50 highly charged
with electricity during thunder storm, that il
gave shocks to the firemen who WIS probing
the hot iron with an iron bar.
1t is known to observing managers Of dairies
that mix is sometimes changed by distant thun-
der; the brewer finds distant thunder OCCASION
ally to stop fermentation; and the butcher
when there is much lightning, of a peculiar
kind, secs the fresh meat in his market stall be-
come putrld, and exhibit green coloring mat
ter upon its surface; and if nurses and ply
sIcians will notice, they will see that the sick
are affected By thunder storms.
The Mammoth Cave ofkentucky is free from
ightning-thunder has never been heard or
lightning seen within this Cave. In ancient
times, before lightning rods were in use, grot-
toes under the water were made as place OF
resort for safety during thunder storms:
At the great Sadness Of Kanahawha, where
lniammabte gas rises in vast columns to the
height OF 80 feet in the air, fears were expressed
that the gas might become ignited by lightning,
and the whole surface destroyed bv volcanic
action. No fears Of any such action need be
apprehonded, for the gas is so covered with wa
ter that The lightning, with all lis mighty pow
ers, cannot pass through, unless furnished with
4 covered conductor.
have letter OF recent date from California,
in winch my correspondent mentions the oc.
currence of Il thunder storul--a rare visitor to
that part of the world.
On tue coast of Peru thunder and lightning
is very rare, but earthquakes are Of frequent
occurrence; while on the opposite side Of the
| Andes lightning is very frequent, and earth
quakcs are almost unknown.
In the Artc zone we meet with no records
| of earthquakes, or thunder or lightning.
During thunder storms, we have occas onOlly
| recorded observations on the changes Of tenn
perature every 90 minutes. Only small num-
| her Of thunder storms cool the air.
| Lightning rods can be erected al very small
cost iron wirr of one. fourth to five siXteenths
oi an inch in diameter, is sufficient for light
| Mug conductor; it requires no other pointing
than can be made on grindstone, or with a
| tile. Such rods cost less than one cent per
foot Each rod should be in one entire piece.
Cold water should be freely thrown on per-
sous struck down by lightning. We have the
record of resusctation on Staten Island, many
years ago, after hours Of drenching with cold
! water.
Metal roofs add TO the protection of house
against lightning, but such roofs, for greater
safety, should be connected with the earth BY
metallic rods.
Since gas has been used in buildings for illu-
mination, no serious results from lightning have
been experienced in which the gas pipes have
been used.
We have met with no cases of loss of life by
lightning of persons reposng on beds with iron
bedsteads. L. merriam.
Brooklyn Heights, N. Y, June 10, 1853.