Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-07-30
THE COMET.

Now that the comet has gone not to
return for some generations, the ques-
ton recurs in reference to its probable
influence upon our earth while IN the
relative vicinity. Judging from the ter
rible rain and thunder storms which
recently occurred in Nevada the other
day, and more recently near Pittsburg,
Pennsylyania, it would seem that there
have been serious atmospheric and cleo
trical disturbances, and only day or two
since six persons were killed by light
ming at q little place in Kentucky. We
read of heavy rainsin various directions,
such as have seldom been known. AT
Burlington, Vermont, there was rain
fall of four inches from last Sunday
until Tuesday at midnight. The Pitts
burg storm came without warning, and
destroyed many lives and $4,OOO,OOO OF
property. An unusual fall OF me-
teors has been observed all over
the country. There seems yet
TO be disturbances of the electrical con-
ditions of the earth and surrounding
atmosphere. Hail stones fell in great
quantities in various parts Of Iowa on
the 9th inst. Some Of them crushed in
the roofs of houses, and were said to be
six inches in circumference. Seven
boys were struck by lightning, and one
killed the same day at Indianapolis. A
ball Of fire as large as a man head fell
and exploded with terrific report in
the city of Dubuque, Iowa, during
rain storm on the 18th inst. The Sc
Verest hail storm ever known occurred
at Wingham, Canada, on the 7th inst.
A meteor Of immense size fell near
Greensboro, Kentucky, on the 18th inst.
and was seen at distance Of fifty
miles, Heavy storms passed over other
parts of the country the same day. In
Europe even more remarkable phenom-
ena have been observed. Numerous
hurricanes have prevailed with great
loss of property and in some instances
loss of life. The temperature for
the week ending June 10th, as re-
corded at the Royal Observatory, fell
five degrees below the mean temperature
of the last fifty years. The river Tweed
has not been so low since 1896 Droughts
have prevailed to a great extent, and
the north lof Italy has suffered from
severe hail storms. After summing up
these and other remarkable meteorolog-
ieal phenomena, the New York Herald
says it would be difficult to pass over
them without being disposed to attribute
their existence to the comet.
One Of the best maintained theories
concerning the nature Of comets IS that
they consist more OF less Of electric
ether According TO a recent writer on
the subject, the evidence of this is in
the observed factthat the material of the
tails first move toward the sun and is
then repealed from it. Assume the truth
of this theory, and we have a body Of
electricity several millions of miles long
and with an enormous volume in breadth
and thickness rushing towards the earth
at the terrific speed Of 1000, 900 miles a
day. Is it not possible, asks this writer,
that our own little stock Of electricity
NAV be somewhat disturbed by this Wis
itor9 So disturbed, in fact, that the
natural result would be the meteorolog.
ieal pbenomena that have recently taken
plaee3 And this again suggests that
comets may be natures supply trains Of
electricity rushing around among the
planets aud leaving with each a renewed
stock Of this element that plays so i'm
portant a part in our terrestrial economy.
Now that our brilliant visitor IS passing
rapidly away into unknown spheres, and