Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-03-30
lightning.


A lengthy article in E2a0i,,ee,;u
gives an exhaustive treatment Of tlg
above subject. Among other stat us
ments it say that friction of water nas
ticles has been known to generate eIsa '
tricity since the days of Armstrong.
electrical machine, in which let -
steam escaping from narrow pipe waa "
found to be electrified. There is reos sas
to believe that the particles strilinau
against each other, or against the ATOM
of the air, may also give rise to eloa
tricity.
A charge of electricity may induca
another charge of electricity of an ON
posite kind from itself on any conductJ
ing matter near it. Now as the earth
is composed of what may be called
conducting matter, it is evident that
charged cloud sailing over the surface
of the earth induces an opposite charcs
on the ground below.
By a well-known law of electricity
two bodies containing opposite charges
have tendency to rush towards each
other, combine and neutralize. This
action is illustrated in an ordinarv
thunder shower, as when they are able
to overcome the resistance of the air
between them, the opposing charges Of
electricity leap together with a fash
and report.
In the case of two clouds floating
near together, one of them may take
the place of the earth, and the ex.
change of electricity take place be-
tween them. Lightning Of this kind
does not pass to the earth, but this
phenomenon gives rise to what is known
as the "back stroke
This back stroke is not due to the
direct flash and discharge. It lis caused
by the reaction from discharge which
has taken place elsewhere. If large
area of country were covered by thun-
der-storm which induces charge Of
electricity in cloud, the electricity
will naturally gather upon the most
prominent objects of the Landscape.
namely, the trees, building and hills Of
the district
In this case the whole atmosphere Of
it may be called suspense. The charge
of electricity is almost strong enough to
leap across the space between the cloud
and the nearest object of the Landscape.
Presently there is fash and the ten
sion relieved. The discharge has taken
place at the point which offers the path
of the least resistance through the air,
and the place at which the electric ten
sion was the most critical. When this
discharge takes place and suddenly
neutralizes the opposing tensions Of
electricity, the change so suddenly
made is sometimes almost as fatal as
direct discharge, owing to the sudden
foil OF electrical potential, or collapse
to it's old condition, being what is called
return stroke"
The article further states that there
is no real safety during thunder
storm except within the area properly
protected by lightning conductor, or
in building which, being built of iron,
for instance, is itself conductor.
lightning rod may be small affair, for
example. two or three twisted lengths
Of telegraph wire, but should only be
applied to the building by person
who perfectly understands his business
Otherwise it may prove a source of
danger instead of safety.
Chimneys are often struck, owing to
their creating currents of warm smoke,
and by their lining of conducting SCOT,
thus rendering them very dangerous
parts Of houses.
Many times fire balls seem to be dis
charged during the lightning display,
and they seem often to play queer an
tics. The true nature of fire balls is not
we'll known. It may be possible that
I0 711,,o IS In
discharge OF current electricity passing
between charged cloud and the
earth.
Engineering states also that light
ming rods should be periodically in
spected and tested by competent per
sons. In order to do this, a circuit is
completed by means of wire from the
top or point Of the rod to the earth,
and the whole circuit is then tested by
a current Of electricity.