The Red Cloud chief., 1901-08-23
RECORDS LIGHTNING
A Priests Device Gets Every Flash
Within q Hundred Niles.i
uaiSss I~avestion OF Father 0Asn-
bseh Of Cleveland aad sons ee
Its Remarkable Fee

n VCEy iulPuT tuut hCnlCNCu1SuS mos
been added to the recent develop.
ments Of electrical and meteorolog-
ical science by Father Odenbach, OF
st. Ignatius college. This Cleveland
priest has long been recognized as
occupying a foremost place among
American scientists, and his latest in
vention will be noted with great in.
terest both in this country and in the
scientific circles OF Europe, says the
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
In the meteorological observatory on
the over of the college building in
Jersey street, Father Odenhach has
set up an instrument which e csrds
every fash Of lightning within II IA
dius of nearly 100 miles. The ap
paratus Is extremely complicated and
not easy Of comprehension 10 one
who has not q scientific education.
The theory, however, Is the same as
that OF the Marconi wireless teleg-
raphy. The electric waves, coming
from q great distance or from near at
hand. are collected and brought
through a series Of delicate appli-
ances 10 a recorder. which notes each
impression with a distinct click, sim
liar to the click Of q telegraph instru-
ment.
The tower Of st. Ignatius college Is
rooted with plate copper. This forms
an excellent collector for the cleo
trio rays. Connected with this cop-
per rooted tower is the lightning rod.
which Is a copper cable. When Fa-
ther Odenbach first conceived the
idea Of working out his theory he
noted that the tower was just suit
able for his purpose. He accordingly
had the lightning rod cut of and di-
rected through the observatory in
stead of leading to the ground. On
this rod he fixes his delicate record.
ing instruments, and was highly
pleased to note that they worked ex'
actly IS he had expected.
Father Odenbach was not entirely
satisfied, however, as in case OF a
bolt striking the ~ligfvning rod I,
would be conducted directly through
the observatory, destroy all the ap
paratus and probably kill whoever
was present. He accordingly reese,
the lightning rod, and conducted on,
a small thread cable through the re
ceiving and recording apparatus. II,
found that this worked exactly a.
well, and also obviated all danger o.
accident.
One day lately Cleveland was visit
ed by its first electric storm Of the
season. Hours before the storm
broke, when the sky was absolutely
clear and no sign of lightning any
where to be seen. the instrument wa.
busy clicking of its record of fashe.
from distant clouds. During the ap
proach, duration and recession Of tn,
storm the record continued accurat,
and unbroken. every flash being in
simultaneously recorded. and the rec
ords continuing after the flashes hat
become too distant to he visible. All daN
the instrument was busy with it's re
cording, although scarcely a fash wal
visible.
Father Odenbach's invention is alb
solutely unique in America, and TIL
first lightning recorder ever devised
or set up on this side of the Atlantic
An Italian named Eoggio has worke,
out u scheme for the same purpose, blu
In practical working the instrument o
Father Odenbach's is far superior il
every respect.
Father Odenbach believes that
lightning recorder will become an i'm
portant instrument for meteorological
offices. II will enable observers to not,
with certainty the approach OF thun
: derstorms and squalls. local disturb
ances which IL Is impossible for an,
~forecaster to predict with accuracy.
The instrument n at present ar
ranged records by sound only. Fathet
Odenbach Is at work upon a mechan
ical appliance by which the record will
be automatically placed OF paper, thu
rendering il unnecessary to watch tn
! instrument In order to get continuou
observations.