West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-08-14
THUNDER STORMS.
Something About Their Actions ~ Learned
from uauoon Investigations.

but as described 10y Wise, tho wronaut,
from his balloon voyage made thirty or
forty years ago, il has somewhat tho
shape Of great hour. glass. the dark
shadowod clouds entering IL as they
form at the base, and presumably rising
through the Coutral construction TO sup
ply the white. Sun-lt mass that is roll
iuC out at tho top with the appearance
OF vast sea- of snow. boiling and up-
hcaving from informal conVulsion Iig-
zag~ of lightning dart from ono cloud
mass Co another, or blaze out Ian tho
gloom between the clouds aud earth.
or even flash from the clouds into the
opcn, empty sky; but y origin of
these violent electrical manifestations is
almost aS much mystery rs ever II
was. Tho conditions mdcr which cleo
tr,c sparks, large or small, are dis
charged Is fairly well determined. but
the ultimate origin of atmospheric
electricity is "a question ON which ply
slCians arc not yet agreed When n
hghtuing-iaSh is viewed at night
through narrow radial slit i'm "A rap.
idly-rovolving disk IL is found 20 consist
of several discharges separated by in
t"vuls too short to he noticed by tho
unaidcd eye. but diScovcrablo i'm this
experiment by the fact that the slit
Is commonly seen in several diilcr-
ont attitudes whom illuminated by
an apparently single, instantanc-
Gus flash. The apparatus may bo
easily constructed and used by any high
school boy or girl. and the fact that it
discovers is a remarkable ono i'm the
physics of thundcr-storms that needs
more explanation than il has yet rc-
ccivcd. PhotOgraphing lightning
ilaShcS at night is another interesting
experiment that may be tried to ndvnn-
tago i'm these modern days OF amateur
photography and instantaneous plates.
some very successful views have boon
taken, showing "a composite flash TO
consist OF several separate lines Of light,
every one very irregular, but all closely
parallel to one another; fine, thread
like branches are given on at different
points and disappear n they divide into
fainter and fainter iibcrs i'm the dark
sky. Returning TO the high cloud mass,
II any vcniuTcsome balloonist over as-
Ccnds through the raging vortex TO its
massive summit hc would have oppor-
tunily t) prove or dlsprovc the supposi-
tons that havo bcon made as To the
mechanism of the storm. SuppOsing
him bold enough TO begin his ascent nm
der the center of the storm, il is prOba-
bio that nc would rise slowly at first,
Tor ~ is thought that the falling rain
drops cause "A downward current of air
here which would retard his upward
flight; this current, chilled 10y tho rain,
is most likoly the origin OF the cool gust
of wind that prcccdcs and accompanies
this heavy rainfall at the storm
ccnter Mounting we'll into tho
clouds, further ascent would there
bo aided by the upward current, 10
which the formation of the cloud and
storm IS thought to be due Only the
larger drops of rain can fall through
such an ascending current; the finer
water particles may bo carried higher
until they arc frozen into minute hail
stones, most OF which melt before reach
ing the ground rs they fall TO one side
Of the up-draft; but if 10 happens that
they grow TO "A considerable size by ac-
erection they may fall fast enough TO
reach IL unmcltcd. Going higher still.
the vapOr that is condensed at these
greater attitudes, where the tempera-
turc even i'm midsummer is below frccH-
ing, forms snOw-ilakes, and Of these the
boiling summit masses of the storm are
supposed 20 consist. The height TO
which these superb clouds ascend is
not we'll determined, but IL is very
probably over five miles, and may be
over ten; "A little observation will settle
the matter, for 10 take a practical case,
II thunderstorm passes centrally over
Arlington, Medford and Maiden, as
would be- known by The drcnchiug rain
recorded by observers there, the angular
altitude Of its white clOud-tOps could be
estimated by observers In other towns
10 tho north and south at certain hours
rs rs provided for in the plan pro.
posed by the Meteorological Society
and then il would be easy enough
10 calculate the height But IL must be-
borne in mind that the explanation
Oi the storm action here 0ivcn might
not bc generally accepted and e is with
the object Of learning more precisely
what the facts Of the case are that the
observations above referred to are 10 bo
undertaken The essential point Of tho
method at first are thc selection Of
number Of simple phenomena, such as
Tine time when tbc rain begins. the dircc-
ton Of the wind and so on which can
bc observed by any Intelligent person.
even without meteorological instru-
mcut the undertaking is thus brought
. '''i.H 'N' i'A'H ~ AIIAl kt fiNtn Nl
Our busy population who are Interested
and willing enough TO give some assist
ancc such work. provided 10 does not
require much time and needs no speciaI
lcalinstructiOus or outfit Scholar
100 our high schools arc a1uudauty pre-
pared to dD elective work n such 90
school a- ths Second when % thun
dcr-stOrm appears boo sight or bursting
no is important 90 know the conditions
oi wind. rain. cfc. and tHc same mo-
mont in number Of different places:
and to gain This knowledge observations
arc tO Doe made 40 cCria.n even hour.
while thc storm LASTS OF course obser-
talOns at other times fnd n greater
detail Than hero mentioned win be of
Fa.uo. hut these simple ones arc the
mos. essential To accomplish tine de-
sired result voIuDfcer observers grc To-
ba appointed Zoo thc Ncw England
towns IHo earlcr wcl-re.omm,ndcd
applicant. being given the preference
whom number apply from one place.
Lo tone JOUrU0t
Tho Imes plainly wrote that dogs
ON The park would "dr.ve or thc Park
tomwi iOncrs. OBJ tbe Comm. toners
would drive on the dog. An e-toomcd
cOmposit0r set up dine for drive. "
Annoying IS mild word for To- -Uqrt
foya Times