The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-07-05
LOSSES FROM LIGHTNING.
Facts Gathered by the Official Weather
sharps Of this Country,

Few questions are Of greater interest
whether considered from a practical
or theoretical standpoint than the mani
festations of energy in lightning dis
charges. The practical side Of the
problem appeals directly to a great por-
tion or the population, but more c5pe-
cially to the people who live in the
country and the smaller towns and vii
lagos. By the practical side is meant
a working knowledge Of the character
of the lightning flash, the kind Of OBJ
ject most frequently struck, methods
of protection and the distribution Of
destructive flashes both in time and
over space.
1t would be of manifest advantage to
know the precise character Of the ordin-
ary lightning whether, for ez-
ample, it approximates a condition Of
steady fow or partakes Of an oscillatory
character, i. e., a current which rapidly
reverses it's direction. A better knowl-
edge than we now possess Of the kind OF
object most frequently struck, whether
tree, dwelling house or barn, might be
the means Of saving human life. If,
for example, certain trees are more apt
to be struck by lightning than others,
they should be avoided as place Of
shelter in time of thunderstorm. There
are other lines of INQUIRY in which
greater precision of methods and de-
vices would yield valuable returns.
A little over year ago the illinois
department of agriculture, through It's
weather Bureau, undertook the collec-
ton of statistics of loss Of life and prop
erty, especially in farming communi-
ties, by lightning. The results Of the
first years work and considerable in!or.
nation of general character are given
ia bulletin No. 26 of the weather bu
reau just issued. The bulletin con-
sists of two parts. The first is largely
devoted to discussion Of the electrit-
cation of the atmosphere and the meth
DDS of investigation that have been pur-
sued By different experimenters. The
application of the knowledge thus
gained to the construction Of apparatus
for protection from lightning is re-
viewed, and, finally, methods Of protec-
ton are discussed and rules for the
erection of lightning rods are given.
The latter are intended not only for
the guidance Of persons desiring to
erect rods themselves, but more particu-
larly for those who ma. contract with
others to dc the work for them. It is
quite essential that every person who
feels the need of lightning rod should
know himself whether or not it has
been properly constructed and placed
upon his premises.
Part H., by Alfred J. Henry, con-
tains summary of loss of life and
property in the United States by light
ming during 1898, and, so far a. known,
during previous years. The statistics
are not by any means complete, espe-
cially as regards the loss Of live stock
by lightning. The fact of greatest IN
portance developed thus far in the in
quiry is that about one-third Of all
cases Of fatal lightning stroke on live
stock in the fields occurred in the i'm
mediate vicinity Of wire fences; indeed
there is evidence that in some cases
lightning struck the fence at some dis
tance from the place where the stock
was killed. The statistics, incomplete
as they doubtless are, show that the
farmers of the country lost by lightning
alone during 1898 live stock valued at
about $50, 900.
During the same time there we're
over 1900 cases Of destructive light
ming strokes on buildings, causing a
money loss Of about 81, 800, 900. Three
hundred and sixty-seven lives were lost
and 494 persons were more or less Sc
verely injured by lightning stroke.
The killed were in various conditions
of en7ironment-in dwellings, barns,
under trees aud in the open. More peo.
pie were killed under trees than in the
open. is not safe to seek shelter from
thunderstorm under tree.
The regions of greatest danger from
lightning stroke appear to be in Wyo-
ming, Montana, Colorado and North
Dakota, although more extended records
are required before definite expression
on this question can be given. The
statistics confirm the general belief that
danger from lightning stroke is least i'll
closely built cities and greatest in the
country.