Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-26

NEFSsasssy'. past.
..2..Jss' z zsfas So mysterious and
Ss. little understood is
the fluid electricity
even now that II Is SO widely utilized for
mechanical purposes that its vagaries in
nature excite the utmost interest The
question recently discussed by Italian scien-
lists as to whether bird could be struck
by lightning seems to be answered in the
affirmative by the destruction of whole
flock of wild geese on April 30 last. Twenty
two of them. flying north over Casnovia
Mich. were slain by a bolt from the sky
Such an extraordinary event would have
been regarded as an omlnous portent a CEN
fury or two ago.
The action OF lightning as an explosive is
subject that has ELECTED special attention
from the weather bureau Of late. Up to
date no theory has been found to account
for it satisfactorily. On April 3d. 1894, q
brick house at Keokuk. Ia. was struck, and
as completely wrecked as If bombshell
had done the work. One day earlier a farm
house near Kiowa, Kan, the property of D.
K Streeter, was completely ruined by a
bolt the roof, doors and windows looking
as II they had been shot full of holes. at
Barberton. Ohio, on June 49, 1893, the
dwelling of William Martin was literally
torn TO fragments by a similar agency.
Special Protection Needed.
lnasInuch as 200 people are killed every
year by lightning in the United States,
special protection for the person is surely
called for. One ingenious scientist has de-
vised an umbrella, with small copper chains
attached to the ends of the ribs. These are
long enough to reach the ground. A thun-
der storm coming up. they are loosened and
permitted to dangle, while the owner of the
continuance walks along in perfect security
Under such circums tances metal about
ones body is dangerous-for example the
wires in lady's bonnet. But this peril
may be overcome By fastening similar
chains of copper threads to the framework
OF The heddgear. Though a bolt should de-
stroy the bonnet. the electricity would
spare the wearer and pass off into the
ground.
An instance on record is that of a lady
who raised her arm to shut a window as
RAIN began to fall on summers day There
was sudden blaze of light and though
she was unharmed. her gold bracelet disap-
peareu so that no veStige of it could be
found sulphurous smell was observed in
the air This, scientific men say is quite
usual when lightning strikes, being due to
an excess OF ozone generated by the cleo
trlcity. Inc atmosphere in its usual condi-
ton contains one ten-thousandth part of
ozone. When this proportion is increased
inconvenience is felt by men and animals
IL mas peen suggested that some times per-
sons found dead after a stroke of lightning
though showing no marks OF injury, may
have been suffocated by ozone
Lightning does occasionally strike twice
IN the same place. A few years ago ST
Aloysius Church, in Washington, suffered
A nash ran down the lightning rod to with
in twenty feet of the ground Then II left
the roo, passed through twenty feet of air
space to a water pipe and broke a wash
stand Six years later the same thing was
repeated In every DETAIL the electricity
leaving the rod at the same point iumpinp
10 the water pipe and smashing to pieces
the Washstand, which had not been mend
ed The Church of the Incarnation here
was badly nit some time back. To prevent
repetition Of the accident the edifice was
protected by very elaborate and costly
system of rods The most Important rod
OF course. protects the steeple. 1t ought to
terminate in a sharp point; but the church
authorities thought it more appropriate that
IL should be surmounted by a cross on ton
OF which was placed a rooster Thus the
usefulness of the defensive contrivance has
been almost wholly DESTROYED, for so n
stards at present.
Opposed to the lightning Rod.
The introduction of lightning rods in Ro-
man Catholic countries was strongly op-
posed on religious grounds. Pious persons
declared that the devices were of the devil
and called them hereto rods" 1t was a.
them, though buildings of that description
have always been the greatest sufferers
from celestial fire, on account of their tall
steeples. During the last century certain
church in Carinthia was struck so often
that services were discontinue during the
summer months 1t was hit four or five
times year on an average. In 171S a rod
was put and there was no further trou-
BILE.
At Stratsund, in Pomerania a church was
the scene of very appalling occurrence
On a Sunday, the building being full of peo-
pie, ball Of fire entered and fell upon the
altar, thereupon exploding and doing great
damage. AS to the nature of phenomena of
this sort science knows almost nothing
Such globular lightning is seen quite often
but nobody can guess how it is formed All
that can be said Is that 1t is electricity
very highly concentrated. Balls of light
ming are sometimes seen rolling along the
surface of the sea. Occasionally they strike
vessels. AS rule, they burst VIOLENTLY
with loud noise and disastrous effects
The Washington monument would have
been destroyed by lightning long ago but
for the protection afforded by the most
complete and admirable Arrangement of
conductors ever devised Standing 555 feet
high in the middle of a wide space of fiat
ground. the gigantic obelisk Is dangerously
exposed. The apex is surmounted by an
aluminium cap, which is connected with rods
that pass down into a well 600 feet below
and beneath the water level. On April 3
1885, during the passage of a heavy thunder
cloud, five immense bolts of electricity were
seen to flash between the monument and
the cloud within twenty minutes No dam
age was done. Two months later, on June
o, the obelisk received tremendous stroke
which slightly cracked one of the stones at
the top, but the injury was Of no import
ance.
Big ships nowadays are usually equipped
with system of conductors running down
the masts and so arranged as to carry off
lightning into the In old times fire from
the skies was one of the most serious periIs
that threatened mariners During fifty
years, from 1880 to 1910, no fewer than $50
vessels of the British navy were struck.
causing loss of $4,000, killing 100 men
and badly injuring $50 more When the
protected ship is hit the electricity passes
down the mast into the ocean, as water
runs down pipe. She may reel under the
blow, but no damage results. One of the
most severe encounters was that of H. NJ.
s. Fisgard, which received such a tremen-
dous discharge that the vessel appeared to
be covered with fire. At the same moment
there was an explosion as If a broadside
had been fired from each side of the shin.
She suffered no injury. Lightning has been
known to produce a secret burning In the
heart of masses of timber. In 1874 the Die