The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-12-09
HUKlrrNe OF TELEPHONE WIRES.


ticle by 7SlebAOmy. The telephone
pole, it reminds US, merely transmits
to the the humming of the wires over
head, its own vibrations being so slow
that they make no audible sound.
The writer goes on: "The wires
strung from pole to pole are set into
oscillation by the wind, somewhat as
the strings of a violin are set into
vibration by the bow. In skillful
hands the violin bow can be made to
bring forth from the string one pow
erful fundamental note and several
overtone of higher pitch, but in per-
feet harmony with the fundamental.
But the wind is very skillful per-
former and brings forth at the same
time not only the deepest fundamental
bass note of the wire, but a great
variety Of overstones, both harmoni-
Gus and discordant. In fact the
many wires strung overhead, from
pole to pole, constitute splendid
Eolian harps. The slowest oscilla
tions of the wires may be seen or
felt, but are not audible. The bass
Eotes and higher tenor we hear but
family when we stand midway be-
tween two poles. If the ear is press
ed against pole, we hear more es-
pecially those notes to which the
wooden pole can most easily respond |;
some times special note. started
by the wire at the upper end of the
pole. is reinforced by resonance, and
that which is only feeble on the wire
becomes most prominent on the pole.
Of course, the stronger the wind and
the more gusty it is, so much the
more active will be the humming of
the wire and the pole. If the wind
blows lengthwise of the wire it will
bring out a different combination of
notes from those produced by a trans
verse wind. Therefore, the direction
of the wind has some influence upon
the humming of the telephone poles,
but the direction of the wind depends
upon the location of the storm centre,
and is a good basis for local prediction
as to rain. Hence, those who have
studied the humming very closely
have frequently declared that they
can tell the weather by the character
of the humming."
According to "a prominent mete-
orologist" whose words would carry
more weight were his name given,
the humming may be used in weather
forecasting. He is thus quoted !:
"The humming of wires running east
and west invariably presages fall of
temperature, often ten or more hours
in advance of the thermometer.
The humming of wires running
north and south advise rise in tenn
perature almost always several hours
in advance of the thermometer.
Wires running east and west never
hummed together with wires running
north and south, not even when the
same wires running along an east and
west street turned down the north
and south side. Only that portion Of
them hummed that indicated a rise or
fall in temperature, as explained
above. If one part hummed the other
part was silent"
Apparently this fact is due only to
the greater response of the east and
west wires to the north wind, striking
them at right angles. The writer in
ZSlebhony concludes:
cit seems evident that the hum
ming is due entirely to the action Of
the wind. There is apparently no
necessity for assuming that electric
currents, either in the air or in the
wire, or any other mystery need to
be considered. Those who invoke
electricity must give some plausible
reason why the current should oscil-
late with such frequency as to cause
the rapid vibrations that must exist
in order to cause audible sound"