The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-04-12
Electrical rurrcr,fs~- Railway 'rae">
q. Earthquake Conductors.

Prom the sin fr,nci-c" Chronicle.
" + Stewart, of san jose. on Monday
,,,.ui,.e in the Assembly Chamber, delivered
scientific lecture involving theories OF cartl!-
npskrs. geological formation. light, motion.
and electricity. For many years stewart mas
closely observed and studioil>ly reflected
upon earthquakes and their cause The re-
suit of his reading, study. ANA observation. i
IN opinion that they are caused by the meet
inw of electrical currents which move, one
upon the earth, surface, the other IN the re-
zion of clouds, and that they arc brought TO-
-ether bv those natural conductors Nap"r
and rnin-rloud- meeting oi the TWO
currents up,u the surface of the earth
causing An earthquake. Stewart also
maintains that these terrible phenomena
ore comfortable by the same means that
we control the lightning and prevent 1t,
through iron conductors. from destroying
cur houses. He SAYS the iron rails OF rail-
ways are aS logically conductors of the cleo
tri,.ity that causes earthquakes n lightning"
rods a,,, of that electricity Which comes from
the clouds durin. thunderstorm. Tie
n,aiu:aiurd in his lecture that 10y MEANS oil
these and other conductors II Is III the power
Of man TO so distribute the force OF the cleo
trio currents which cause earthquakes that
they will he az harmless a> the lightning con-
dnctcd down a lightnin@-rod into tue earth.
lie saws the tralls-contincntal iron track ana
wires are already don" this valuable service
for California. i'm sending part of orr cartli-
quake forces far aud wide into the heart of
the continent. hy which distribution tn"
danger and intensity # the -il"cks are les
sened here.
commenting upon this the C"'on remarks {;
"The earthquake tbat happened here about
twenty minutes vast :, Yesterday molnlh"
furnished the most oppoltunr ana a>>llln%
prcnf Of the soilnGnrS. of Stewart : theory.
Exactly the atmospheric condition "blcll hl>
theory requires 10 bring the two electric cNl-
l.nt> together then existed and what trans
rircd upon their meeting WIS precisely that
which his theory called for. The shock was
felt all along the lines of the railways from
Oakland to Winncnlucra. being most severe
II points nearest to that point where IN"
opposinr electrical currents may be as
elmcd to have been first brought to-
"rthcr. on the line of the railway any
considerable distance there WAS no per-
ccptiblc shock. or at least only Il slight one.
At San Francisco, hitherto supposed to
he standing on the most quaky ground. there
was not shock enough to cause alarm. though
1T Oakland it lasted over a minute and was
startling. In this city ii lasted not less than il
mnutr and half. part OF the time severe
enough to shake the plaster from walls. and
everywhere to drive people i'll alarm from
their bctlSand number out Of their houses.
4, Gait. directly on the line of tho railway.
twenty-five miles west Of here, the shock
was strong enough tn throw one person OH
uf he'd, ana it was also heavy OH th" lin" Of
the road eastward from here Is lar As heard
from. In addition TO the rr2rf-
furnished by this last trcmhler. w"
nlav add TINT, since the railway track
l!as been laid down. there have been to
cur knowledge four other earthquakes. all
following the very same course this one TEL
lowed, none Of them reaching San Frnci>ro
at all, aud all of them Icing most severe III
the towns directly upcn the line OF the rail-
way; and when it is reflected that prior t"
the LAYING down of these iron conductors
Sacramento never felt IN earthquake that was
not more severely felt at san Francisco. il
must be admitted that Stewards theory re-
cciycs such confirmation in experience a> en-
titles il to the most respectful attention from
,uru oi science and all Others