Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-09-01
Concluded Next Weekly
DEATHS BY LIGHTNING.
They Were More Numerous Last
Year Than Ever Before.

They Were More Numerous Last
Year Than Ever Before.
Chicago Evening Post: In view of
the presence of the cyclonic period Of
the year when thunderstorms are Of
almost daily occurrence, a report pre-
pared by Professor Henry of the Unit
ed States weather bureau on the sub.
ject will be read with peculiar inter.
est. 1t is unpleasant at the outset to
note that the number of deaths from
lightning stroke Is increasing. For
the year 1899 it was the largest on
record. During the twelve months
500 persons were killed instantly, or
received such injuries as speedily re-
suited in their death. In addition $50
ceived shock more or less severe, from
which they ultimately recovered.
Some of these recovery cases present
ed peculiar features. In several in
stances the clothing of the person
struck was set on fire and their
bodies badly burned, yet they ulti-
mately experienced complete recov-
cry. In some of the fatal cases there
was no outward injury visible, while
in others discoloration of the skin
was observable all over the body.
Some valuable hints are given in the
report regarding the precautions that
should be taken to avoid danger while
a thunderstorm Is In progress. Many
housewives are partial to wire clothes
lines, and insist in having them
strung across their back yards. BY
so doing they not only subject the
laundress to danger, but imperil any
building to which the wires may be
attached. One dozen persons were
killed last year either in the act Of
stripping such clotheslines or by COM
ing in close proximity to the wires
during the storm. Several fires were
started through wire clotheslines be-
ing stretched between trees In the
yard and the house. II Is never wise
to take shelter under a tree during a
thunderstorm. About II per cen of
all deaths that occurred last year
were caused in that way. People in
the house during n storm should keep
away from the chimney and should
not sit between open doors or by open
windows. Riders should dismount
from their horses and stand as fan
from them as possible during the
storm.
line greatest numDer OF ueaJns
from lightning in 1899 in any state OF
the union was Sc. These occurred In
Pennsylvania. Illinois was second in
the list of fatalities, Al having beer
stricken there. Pennsylvania also was
first in the number of injuries, 124
having happened in that state. New
York was a close second in that re
spect, with a total of 1913. Illinois
had more people killed than injured
1t also had the greatest increase In
the number of fatal cases as com
pared with the previous year, though
there was material increase in Penn
~sylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Min
nesota and Michigan. The states il
which the greatest decreases occurred
were Texas, New York and Alabama
No certain theory can be advanced t.
account for the increase or decreas,
of such cases. The lightning flietl
where it listeth, and no man can tel
where, when or why it is going tt
strike. 1t is questionable IL the law.
that govern its motion will ever b,
discovered. Investigation In this di
rection is considerably Handicapped
by the general reluctance to fool tot
much with the lightning buzz-saw.