Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-11-18
LIGHTNING.


~AAAS3s f0C-'~Ct4SN-. 41cLC00 VI
Perpendicular fash, as has beer
generally supposed. the Profess
or contended that it came dogr
in a shower, driving along in
nultitudinous currents, like a
torrent of rain. Hence it is that
trees are so liable to be injured
land persons who thoughtlessly
lshelter beneath them. The light
ming, falling in detached streams
runs along the branches of the
tree until it is gathered in the
trunk, which it bursts or tears
open in its efforts to reach the
ground.
Various correspondents have
recently sent to the public jour
mails instances illustrative of this
theory. The1imes' Geneva cor
respondent describes a remark
able electric phenomenon which
occurred at Clarens in June last.
On that occasion heavy masses
of rain-cloud hid from view the
mountains which separate Fri
bourg from Montreux; but their
SUBMITS were from time to time
lit up by the vivid flashes OF
lightning, and a heavy thunder
storm seemed to be raging in the
valleys of the Avants and the
Alliaz. No rain was falling
near the lake, and the storm still
appeared far off, when a tremen-
dous peal of. thunder shook the
houses of Clarens and Tavel to
their foundations. At the same
instant magnificent cherry tree
near the cemetery, measuring a.
bout forty inches in circumfer-
ence, was struck By lightning.
The lightning was seen to play
about a little girl who was gath
ering cherries within thirty PAGES
of the tree, and literally fold her
in a sheet of fire. Those behold
ing it, fled in terror from the
spot. In the cemetery six per-
SONS separated into three groups,
none of them within two hundred
and fifty PAGES of the tree, were
enveloped in a luminous cloud.
They felt as if they were being
struck in the face with hail
stones or fine gravel, and when
they touched each other, sparks
of electricity passed from their
finger-ends; at the same time the
lightning could be distinctly
heard as it ran from point to
point Of the iron-railing of a
vault. Strangely
enough, neither the little girl nor
any one of the other persons
concerned was hurt; the only
inconvenience complained of be-
ing an unpleasant sensation in
the joints, as if. they had been
twisted. The trunk
Of the cherTy-tree was, however,
rs completely shivered as if it
iad been exploded by a charge
If dynamite.
A gentleman in Rugby, writ
ng to Nature shortly after the
Ebove, mentions the case Of o
rec struck by lightning inStone-
eigh Park. 1t was a fine oak,
lbout forty feet high; and the
lightning seemed to have struck,
lot at the top, but about two
birds of the way up the main
just where several Of the
arger branches, came off from
he stem. From this point to
lie ground the bark had been
ent off along a strip about three
nches wide, and through the
Whole length the wood beneath
he bark had been gouged out
IS if by a carpenters tool, the
groove made being about an
nch wide and deep. The curl
us fact Of the tree being struck I.
pparently among the branches
t once suggested theory of NJ.
that the electric fluid
lust have travelled without Wis
bic effect through the upper
and only produced dis
upton of the wood when the
was strengthened by the
of u great number
f separate streams.
If this theory of the de-
cent Of lightning should event
ally be proved beyond reason
bic doubt,it would be of impor-
ance that, in affixing lightning
DDS to buildings, their tops
hould be branched, each branch
eing smooth and pointed at its
Extremity, the better to conduct
he subtle current into the main
tenn of the rod, and thss avert
anger. 1t has lately beenpoint-
4 out that it is not uncommon
Or the tops of lightning-rods to
e ornamented with metal balls,
nd even to be tipped with a cap
f glass. This, as ProfessorTait
ecently explained, is as absurd
5 it is futile, and goes far who'll
7 to neutralize the advantages
ought by the adoption of light
ing-rods. These, as above stat
d, should be smooth and point
d at top, and present as many