The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-07
They May Strike Car in q
Lightning Storm and Cause
Damage.
FOLSOM PLANT BURNED OUT.
Pacific Coast Systems Not Provided
With Proper Guards-Insurance
Men Anxious.

When Alexander McAdie, who is re-
puted to be the best posted map in the
Weather Bureau on lightning and its
associated phenomena, came to San Fran
cisco he felt that his speciality in meteor
oJogy would have little or no opportunity
for DEVELOPMENT The Pacific Coast was
so popularity believed to be free from light
ming the only prospect for the enthusiastic
young scientist was one of making fore
casts for an unappreciative public and ex-
perimenting with Pacific Ocean togs.
The day of his arrival in San Francisco,
however he was greeted by vivid thun-
derstorm. 1t was merely toy lightning
and thunder when compared with what
he had reveled in back East, and did not
rise in his mind to the dignity of storm.
With the passing of time Mr.. McAdie
realized that there was much for him to
do in his particular line.
Investigations have proved that his
work can be OF inestimable value TO cleo
tricians of the Pacific Slope, and indeed
accidents through lightning within year
or two have impressed upon him the i'm
portance of re aching a better understand
ing with regard to thunderstorms west of
the Rocky Mountains.
the necessity for this knowledge, it is
said, has grown of late with the introduce
ton of electric street-car systems ana cleo
trio power-generating plants with their
high potentials, complicated machinery
and network of wires. Ignorance of the
methods of graphing with lightning
has been betrayed in more than
one instance, and now electricians
and even insurance companies are
=
They have gone so tar as to apply to the
Weather Bureau expert for his advice.
Recently" said he, 1.-The electric-power
plant at Folsom which supplies Sacra-
mento with power and light was burned
out by lightning. The lightning struck
the wires connecting Sacramento with the
works and was carried in upon the lines.
The result was the plant at Folsom was
burned out. Such a thing had not been
looked for, of course, but it came when
least expected. This indicates that cleo
tricians must not neglect all possible pre-
cautions for the safety of their works.
Now, [ believe 1T is fact that no cleo
tric-car system on the Pacific Coast is pro-
vided with the proper precautions against
danger by lightning as those beyond the
Rockies are fixed. Insurance companies
have taken up this matter and are inyestI-
eating its possibilities. East of the Rock
les all electric cars are provided with
choke coils and lightning arresters.
1.-The coils are properly named, as they
serve to choke lightning on the wires from
doing damage to the car and its passen-
gers, and the arresters stop the stroke.
But here we have none of these apph
ances, suppose because no danger is APP
pretended
sis there any cause for fear from this
source2" he was asked.
ct depends entirely upon the intensity
of the Storm was Mr.. McAdie's reply.
"As q rule the lightning is not intense
enough here to do damage. And yet an
electric storm may come along here some
day and the lightning strike where least
expected. OF course it is not advisable to
create uneasiness in the public mind. l
am speaking now of possibilities, though
we have more than one instance of dam
age to electric systems on this coast.