Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-28
y-ouders of the Wcnthcri Electricity

To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
A short time ago you had an editorlal
entitled. For the Scientists 10 Explain
After giving a list Of some OF the unusuai
occurrences which had taken place III It.
gard to the weather, you remark' some
uersons attribute all these things 10 cree
tricity. and would not be surprised II the
scientists were TO say that they are uue
to electric plants, electric railroads the
,o,epbons. the telegraph, and other such
things. We turn the matter over to those
who are able TO throw light upon the
subject" .
/ do not make the least pretension TO
being a scientist, and do not know tha'
can throw what will be regarded as
light upon the subj ct, ana YET am ~,
cited 10 send you the following opsei 80"
tons: ,.,- NTH
| have for long time been struck with
the apparent dislOcatiOn or our seds1hs
aud the tremendous changes ana ihhIiita-
tations in that vast ocean OF ar MHlCn
encircles our globe and at whose BOTTOM
1--WE live and move and have our Delns'
At length / Vsnturod 10 reduce 10 wIltlhs
some thoughts which had occurred 20 ms,
and they were published in BtHVId
Monthly Review" OF New YORK, Tor Ds.
cembcr 1891. page 400. under the caption
OF Artificial Disturbances OF Our Atmos-
-here." 40
Electricity Is mentioned ds OiiC VI ~
causes Of those remarkable disturbances
and j ask that you VIII allow 10 De pr
scented to your readers what was lIeh
offered upon that topic. ..a
l waS> perhaps, most deeply lnteres'e1t
i'm what was VentuTed upon the eitects oi
the enormous and steadily increasing Hhes
OF railways and all the various uses ol
steam on land and water throughout 'he
world. At another time these causes ol
disturbances with their supposed eiilcl-
| ency, may with your kind permission, De
discussed. Attention Is now invited Only
| 10 what was said IN regard 10 that won
| dcrful and still mysterious agency, eiec-
| tricity as destructive as il ~ becoming
useful when harnessed and controlled.
In the article in BelfOrd the question Is
asked: Would IL not be singular II the
vast energies and appliances or modern
| civilization should prevent meteorolosy
from becoming a science, or at ltast I'M
| pede its progress towards that position!
| Then comes the following
Nv. Electricity, as II is now developed
and employed. is also emphatically one
Of the energies Of modern civilization
| DO mctcOrolOgists understand IT'S effects
| upon our atmosphere, even as they are
| exhibited by nature? What nave bafoihe-
tcrs thermometers. elcctrOmcterS. and all
their other appliances taught them deli
nitcly as 10 It's laws ana moduS opefdhui
I in affecting our universal scar Even IN
studying electric ana magheuc-sloIins'
after they have occurred and been OBJ
d
! their conclusions. But what VIII they 90
! with their veXed and VcXing problems
when they take into account the eNcita-
tons OF all the electric and magnetic
agencies which art and science are now
Harvesting to the car Of modern progress
mis- and many other lands are. now De-
ing filled with man-caused manifestations
Of them. Let the mct-orologist take mo
consideration all their generators COR qe-
Vclopers) and their Opposites; their nm
dcrcrs and promoters; the dynam9s, bat-
terieg conductors. and non-condectofs d,
metallic rails and wires trom BARRED
fences To the trolioys OF electric str LIARS at
ana 10 telephones and telegraph. an me
metals used I'm manufacturing. raliFoal-
ing. and architecture on land ana SCI
and everything that may, In any aesIee;
Sfart modify. or impede masheuc anu
eiectric performances, and tell us wna'
,s me sum total result Of all their inIl1-
cnces. aud to what law he has reduced
ar exnects 10 reduce. them. .
In the same article some predictions are
r ii which seem to have been party
x@rided by the greater NUMBER anu .n-
,Nn,ssi,v ~ striking atmospheric phenome-
~ WV" ''''' y. B. MINOR.
Richmond. July q 1895.