Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-09-02
Lightning.

The last two months have been remark
able for the number Of persons who have
been killed or injured during them by
lightning Statistics in regard 10 this
point are not complete, and those that
have been gathered show about one per
son each day struck by this subtle and
powerful agent In various parts Of the
Union, about half as many having been
killed es have been merely Injured. Death
by lightning IL not at any time 80 rare an
occurrence as il Ii commonly thought 10
be, but electrical disturbances during the
present summer have been greater and
more frequent than usual. The heavens
have been nj war with the earth with
water and fire, and have succeeded In do
ing much injury 10 their old antagonist
Floods, hurricanes and cyclones, hail and
lightning have wrought uncommon dis
aster, and, in not predicting the immediate
destruction OF the world, persons Of
prophetic, seventh seal and Millerlte ten.
dcncy have not shown themselves fully
awake % the opportunities Of the time
The freaks of lightning" has become
a common phrase, no other force than
electricity ever being guilty OF such
enormous and wonderful yet com.
mon departures from their ordinary
working with such terrific effect,
II IL were possible for graviisiion 10
indulge In such freaks; II there were cos,
miaal storms in which the worlds we're
sent whirling through space ON the In.
slant, knocking their heads together, and
then the cosmical sky should clear of, the
ncbug roll away and all be lovely again
Iii this were possible We should have 10
seek homes In Mr.. proctor's "Other
Worlds Than Ours" for peace and quiet.
ness. Lightning can never be depended
upon to act In any given way; sometimes
II appears as ball OF fire rolling along
the ground and exploding with terrific
noise, or going quietly into the earth;
sometimes II hovers and flashes close 10 the
earth or water, again, In zig gag line II
leaps from cloud Ia cloud, or directly 10
the earth; sometimes man ~ struck and
no lightning is seen; sometimes II touches
man and gently melts his watch, doing
no other harm; anon II strikes "a house,
runs down the chimney and, finding moth
ing Of more importance 10 do, kindly
sends poker flying through the window,
melts copper Kettle and then runs down
a rat.holc. It's tavoritc maneuycr Is to
tear of the sole of n mans boots on Its
passage to the earth. II has a pecul-
lar effect In fastening the decay OF
animal tissue, and not infrequent.
ly the person who IL killed by II Is
almost instantly 70 far pntrefed that he
has to be buried ut once. IL IL said though
with what truth we know not, that in the
eye Of person struck and killed by the
discharge there Is always a peculiar spot
ON the eyeball, produced by the exiravasa-
tion OF blood caused by the sudden cxpan.
sion and rupture Of minute blood.vessels.
II was once supposed that nelghboring
trees were sometimes photographed on the
body Of the person struck, but recently II
has been shown that the appearance of the
tree Is bui the common authorization Of
electricity which everyone who has no.
ticed highly.charged Leyden Jar has
seen, IA the electricity escapes into the air
or ticks arc u,d to the tin foil on the out.
side The same effect may be obtained
by discharging lightning over sheet
glass on which steam has been condensed
The safest place during thunderstorm In
In the center Of Il room, and IL one il very
nervous he may put tumblers under the
lex of the chair on which he sits, for cleo.
tricity always seeks the path OF the least
resistance. ~. y, Graphic
They tell good story In France, LAT.
terly, about the young Deputy who, being
drawn into duel and called upon 10 fight
with the pistol, was extremely nervous,
and repeatedly said % his second 1" NV
adversary will hit me, know he will /
feel il In my bones. Nonsense said
the second " Your adversary never hit
anything in his life He couldn't hit the
side Of house nor flock OF grave.