The Osceola times., 1883-01-13
LAW AND electricity.
Interesting Scientific Question Raised
in an Insurance Suit.
IL Destruction by a Cyclone Included In
Policy which Insures against Destruc-
ton by Lightning?
81. louis Glohe. .Democrri

lS, 1850, which laid waste the town OF
Marshtield, Mo-, also passed through the
western part of Cole county, destroying
considerable amount of property and
injuring several persons. Among those
who suffered heaviest was farmer nam.
ed Baker. One or two members of his
family were injured and his house and
barn wrecked. On the property he held
an insurance policy in a company which
takes risks against loss by lightning, as
well as by fire, As cyclones are consd-
cred electrical storms, he brought suit
against the company to recover the am
cunt Of his policy under the "lightning''
clause. The company set up as defense
that the destruction was an act of Provi-
dence, against which they had assumed
no liability.
The question thus raised as to whether
cyclone and lightning are in effect the
same, called for testimony of experts in
meteorology. The nearest and best known
one of these weather-wise seers CHANGED
to be Professor Tice, and it is his depesi-
ton, which is hidden among the papers
of the case, that lifts this suit, otherwise
without interest, except to the parties
themselves, above the commonplace, and
gives it an interest TO scientists and the
general public as well as to those who
have property insured against lightning.
The depositions were taken in st. Louis,
and the following is that of
PROF. JOHN II. TICE,
as copied from the papers in the case on
file in the United States Circuit Court at
Jefferson City:
@. Give us your name, residence and
profession.
A. Ny name is John II. Tice, my resi-
dence is near Cheltenham, st. Louis, and
my profession is that of a meteorologist
that has been my study for the last 80
years.
q. What is a tornado2 Give some ex-
planation of what tornado is, and the
phenomena attending it.
A. 4 tornado is a species of cyclone
o
dense, black cloud. in which a rotary mo-
ton sets in and spout desccnds toward
the earth. ANY storm with rotary mo-
ton around its axis is cyclone. The
species are hurricanes, tornadoes, water
spouts at sea, and sand-spouts in the
desert
@. Can and will you give instances
within your knowledge showing the pow
er and effect Of tornado?
A. In 1851 the steep,e of the Baptist
church on Sixth street, st. Louis, was
lifted out of the tower without disturbing
the coping of the tower, so as to clear the
top of the tower, which was fifteen feet
above the base of the steeplc. That's one
instance. The next instance was the To-
comotive which was lifted and carried
seventy feet, over in East st. Louis, with
out being overturned. | could give
number of such instances showing the
destructive power of tornadoes. The tor
nado in Fast st. Louis. before mentioned,
occurred sth March, 1871.
q. What peculiar smell, if any, is us
ually in the track of tornado?
4. Well. the smell or odor of ozone,
which to me smells more like phosphor
MS, while to others it il said TO smell
like sulphur. The same odor prevails at
the point where lightning has struck.
q. What does the smell of ozone in
dicate?
A. Ii indicates an electric discharge
@. What peculiar noise attends tor
nado?
A. Well, it is difficult to describe the
noise of a tornado. II is generally a roar
ing. like that of heavy trains passing.
Q. Can the phenomena of a tornado be
accounted for on the theory that it is
wind?
A. 1t cannot.
Q. Is wind capable of a velocity which
would develop the power exhibited by a
tornado2
A. II is impossible. The greatest velo-
city wind has ever exhibited is 1856 miles
an hour.
Q. What is lightning?
A. II is disruptive discharge of cleo
tricity between the clouds and the earth.
Q. What is the d difference If any, be-
tween the electrical discharge causing
lightning and the tornado?
(Objected TO by defendant for the rea-
son that it assumes as fact that which
has not been established, and what in
fact is not true.)
A. There are different conditions. In
case the electric charge in the cloud is
not of too great intensity the disruptivc
discharge by lightning ensues, but if the
electric charge is too intense the cloud by
spout dips down TO the surface of the
earth. The spout generally seems to be
luminous at the lower end, and is con-
fronted by light upon the object upon
the earth about to be struck by the spout.
q. What is il in the tornado that gives
it the destructive power it has2
A. Electricity.
q. The same that gives to lightning its
destructive powerP
A. Yes.
q. Have you studied and investigated
various works and Authorities upon tor
nadoes and electricity
A. have, merely to see what they
have to say.
Q. And from the long study and exam
inatiCn you have given the subject it is
your opinion that the destructive power
of tornado is electricity, or lightning?
A. Electricity and lightning are the
same, only in different forms a dis
charge. Electric discharges are of vari-
ous forms-eonductiv and convexive
There are three distinct forms of convex
i've discharge. |. The silent 2. The dis
ruptive. g. The mixed-as in the tornado
There is only one form of conductive dis
charge, and that is conducted by wire, az
in the telegraph.
CRoss-ExAMINATIoN.
q. Is it not fact that wind, rain, snow
and hail storms cyclones auroras earth