Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1883-05-12
A QUEER CASE.

The Boston Adrertiser says that IL has
been well known for many years that
when body of troops crosses bridge
the step must be broken. otherwise the
regular tread of such heavy weight Of
men will throw the structure into vibra-
tion SO violent rs TO endanger lis standing.
/: is also well known, though il has not
been fully established until recent years,
that large buildings have their key-note.
and that factories standing near dams
have been put into such vibration oy the
quivering of the falling water that they
have seemed in actual danger OF destruc-
ton, SO violent has been the oscllistory
motion. When tie water hss subsided
the motion has ceased. The explanation
il that the particular volume and velocity
OF the water strLck the Aey-note oi the
building, and set IL In sympathetic yibra-
tion. Ii has been held 10y some that there
Is a particular KEY 10 the sounds of ma
ture, and the hum of city streets has even
been liked by some upon the Key vi +. 81
10 4 ready understanding Of the remarA-
able story narrated below. During ono
of the numerous foods which occurred
iust after the resent protracted drou,h la
Northern New Hampshire aud Vermont,
one OF the watchmen of n large factory
near 4 high head of water went up Id
cupola 10 get II good view OF the rising
freshet. lie WAS All unusually hrinly
built man, young, elastic and vigorous.
In stature he was five feet aud ten inches
In his stockings, and his weight MAS $50
pounds-just the length and weight to
yibrste To the key OF u. 1t was late In
the afternoon, but not time for him To 20
on duty for the night. His sleep In tho
forenoon had been disturbed, and SO, after
watching the water for time and becolh-
Inc satisfied that there was no Immediate
danger, he dropped into plain pine
| chair, aud IN few minutes was last
asleep. But while he slept the water rose.
! 1t was about eighteen Inches deep Oh the
dam, aud the broad sheet that poured
down was In visible quiver from end TO
end from its own vibration and thai OF
the volume OF air behind IL. Ii was just
the vibration to strike the keynote OF tho
factory. 4 tremor began 20 be felt even
10 the foundation. In the fourth story Is
was dlsagrecably strong, aud IN ths Gu
pola was even violent. 1t swoke Tie
Waterman, and ho found himself under
It's influence. In every part OF bis body
lac felt the peculiar motion. A numbhess
and iack OF power To control his muscles
| oyercamc him. lie knew not tue fatal
| influence which seemed to hold bini re-
slstlessly; but the truth WAS that hts Key
note was exactly tho same AS that OF the
factory, and his closely-knlt body was
vibrating many times second In unison
with the building. No sound was yet
audible FROM the vibration, but rs tho
tremor became stronger il seized upon bis
vocal cords aud set them Ia motion.
Frightened aud desperate, he made =
determined effort 10 free himself. lie
struggled to rise from his chair, but could
not command his muscles. lie opened
| his mouth to scream, but emitted, Instead,
a prolonged sonorous uoue OF his fulida-
mental pitch. This sealed his doom. IL
was a fatal error, caused by his lack OF
scientific knowledge and fore-tbought.
Up 20 this time the vibration had ssilcd
upon his vocal organs only, but this strong
note. added to the suiverins OF the mill,
which was Of itself on the point Of taking
entire possession Of him, threw hls whole
body into vibration, violent aud uneon-
trollable. His vocal cords would no longer
emit any sound whatever. His whole
body began TO hum; like the hot bars OF
singing silver explained IN a recent Low
ell Institute lecture, the entire man vibra-
ted so intensely aud rapidly rs 70 make
singing sound, aud his voice Was incapa-
BILE OF separate action. His hnxors ten-
bled so that they had an uncertain bound
airy, like the edge ola buzz saw. HE head
quivered violently his feet were not ~ be
clearly seen. The inevitable consequences
followed. Human flesh could not endure
the strain. II broke at the ends Of the
fngers; blood oozed out. The nose and
eartips became blood-shot. The eDcasing
boots were not strong enough 70 project
the feet. Gradually all the sxircrnlties
became frayed out. like fsg napping In
4 gale. The large blood vessels were In
turn exposed and ruptured. With the In
creasing loss OF blood, and utterly helpless
to move or to cry, the poor watcbman
succumbed TO his fate. lie fell upon the
floor, and, weltsring ia pool Of blood,
gradually lost CONSCIOUSNESS. Life could
not long remain, and, though the Hood
subsidized within two hours 80 that vi5ra-
ton ceased, yet the relief came too late.
The unfortu 1ats man was found dead the
next morning, and no one NJ :he time
could explain the cause. The coToner's
Jury returned verdict that he came TO
bis death by causes TO them unknown. IL
any moral 10 to be drawn from this hIth-
erto unknown calamity, it Is the danger
Of singing too much In one key, aud II
anything can teach the moral with vivid
force "experientia does IT,"
When old Mrs. Bunsby had got through
reading In the paper an account of the