The Irish standard., 1894-07-07

FREAKS OF LIGHTNING.

\ n q
"a Force OF Nature Not Yet On
derstood by Science.
Its Action as an Explosive Receiving At
tention from the Weather Bureau Of
Late Some Extraordinary Franks
Played by Thunderbolts.
So mysterious and little understood
is electricity even now that it is so
; widely utilized for mechanical pur-
poses, that it's vagaries in nature ex-
cite the utmost interest. The ques-
ton recently discussed by Italian sci
entists, as to whether a bird can be
struck by lightning, seems to be an
swered in the affirmative by the de-
struction of a whole flock of wild
geese on April 80 last. Twenty-Five 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
ominous portend century or two ago.
The action of lightning as an explo-
sive 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 salts
factorily. On April 80, 1894, a brick
house at Keokuk, Ia, was struck and
completely wrecked as if a bombshell
had done the work. One day earlier a
farmhouse near Kiowa, Kan, the prop
~ - Lotto 1y
ruined by bolt, the roof, doors and
windows looking as if they had been
shot full of holes. At Barberton o.,
on June 10, 1898, the dwelling Of Will
liam Martin was literally torn to frag-
ments by similar agency.
lnasmuch as two hundred people are
killed every year by lightning in the
United States special protection for the
person is surely called Tor. One in
genious scientist mentioned by the
Philadelphia Times has devised an UNI
brella with small copper chains at
tached to the end of the ribs These
are long enough to reach the ground.
A thunderstorm coming up, they are
loosened and permitted to dangle,
while the owner Of the continuance
walks along in perfect security. Under
such circumstances metal about ones
body is dangerous--for example, the
wires in lady's bonnet. But this peril
may be overcome by fastening similar
chains or copper threads to the frame
work of the headgear. Though bolt
should destroy the bonnet, the cleo
tricity 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 window as rain began to
fall on a summers day. There was a
sudden blaze of light and, though she
was unframed, her gold bracelet dis
appeared so that no vestige of it could
be found. A sulphurous smell was OBJ
served in the air. This, scientific men
say, is quite usual when lightning
strikes, being due to an excess Of ozone
generated by the electricity. The at
,nosphere in it's usual condition con-
tains one -thousandth part of ozone.
When this proportion is increased in
convenience is felt by men and ami
mails. 1t has been suggested that some
times persons found dead after a stroke
of lightning, though showing no marks
Of injury, may have been sufocated by
ozone.
Lightning does occasionally strike
twice in the same place. A few years
ago st. Aloysius' church in Washington
suffered. A flash ran down the light
ming rod to within twenty feet of the
ground. Then it left the rod, passed
through twenty feet of air space to a
water pipe and broke washstand.
Six years later the same thing was re-
peated in every detail, the electricity
leaving the rod at the same point,
jumping to the water pipe and smash
ing to pieces the washstand, which had
not been mended. The Church OF the
Incarnation, in Washington, was also
badly hit. To prevent repetition Of
the accident the edifce 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 ap-
propriate that it should be surmounted
by cross, on top of which was placed
d. oAAS
defensive CONTINUANCE has been almost
wholly destroyed, for SO it stands at
present.
The introduction of lightning rods in
Roman Catholic countries was strongly
opposed on religious grounds. Pious
persons declared that the devices were
of the devil, and called them ''heretic
rods" It was long time before the
churches would adopt them, though
buildings of that description have al
ways been the greatest sufferers from
celestial fire, on account of their tall
steeples. During the last century a
certain church in Carinthia~ was struck
SO often that services were discontinued
during the summer months. 1t was hit
four or five times a year on an average.
In Its a-rod was put on, and there was
no further trouble. At Stratsund, in
Pomerania, church was the scene of
very appalling occurrence. On Sum
day, the building being full of people,
ball Of fire entered and fell upon the
oltar thererron exnlOdinr and doing