The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-04-28
LIGHTNING MYSTERY.
This Phenomenon Of Nature Is a
Puzzle to Science.

Puzzle to Science.
THE THEORY OF THUNDER.
In General Way 1t Is Understood;
but, as Matter Of Fact, the Bolt
from the Storm In Its Erratic Tend
encies Defies the Investigator.
In general way we understand the
theory of thunderstorms. AS a mat
ter of fact, there is no phenomenon
OF nature, but excepting even earth
quakes, Of which we know so little.
Man-made lightning that is, cleo
triclty of the highest power, which
we can artifcially produce-will act
according to certain known laws. It
will, for instance, travel along a con-
ductor of metal.
But a fash of lightning will fire.
quent leap from well defined metal
path and launch itself through the air
or some adjacent object which is an
infinitely poorer conductor.
This may be due to the almost in
conceivable force of a flash Of light
ming, says writer in Pearson's Week
~. 1t is estimated that fash of
lightning a mile long represents
pressure of discharge equal to 3,OOO,.
100000 volts.
AS such fash lasts only about the
thousandth part of a second the en-
ergy dissipated by the discharge is
equal to 100000 horsepower. Put in
other words, if we could find some
means of saving and using lightning
we should be the richer by a good
round sum for every flash.
Lightning is, as we know, usually
accompanied by a peal of thunder,
which is louder the nearer the nearer
is to the point of the discharge, but
this is not an invariable rule There
are cases on record of most destruc-
tive lightning flashes which were I'M
accompanied by sound.
Such phenomenon occurred at Brad
ford some years ago. What is de-
scribed as "a silent thunderbolt'' fell
in a graveyard, destroying one monu-
ment and smashing to atoms nearly
seventy glass cases containing wreaths
and flowers.
In the same summer SWanscombe.
in Kent. was terrified by a freak of
lightning. Ali Of a sudden "a great
mass of blue fire" swept along the
street, and next moment it was seen
that the fine old parish church, built
nearly 700 years ago, had been struck.
The building, with all it's fine old
carved oak, was soon a roaring fur
mace, and only a part of the chancel
was saved.
Scientists are still hopelessly at sea
as to the cause Of that peculiar phe-
nomenon known as globe lightning. At
Coventry some years ago during a vio-
lent thunderstorm it passed along a
street like soap bubble built of blue
fire and drifted into a shed, where it
exploded. blowing the roof off the
place.
At Rheims, in France, a similar fire
ball came into a cobbler's shop
L
tary occupant Of the place sat perfect
ly still, paralyZed with terror, while
his fearful visitant lowered for sever
al seconds overhead. Then it moved
toward the fireplace and presently
passed up the chimney.
Next moment there was an explo-
sion like a shell bursting, and the up
per part Of the chimney came crashing
down.
Not long ago Count G. Hamilton
made record of a similar freak of
electricity. He was sitting at dinner
at house on Lake Wiener, in Sweden,
when just after vivid flash of light
ming a brilliant white ball appeared
over the table aud after hanging poised
there for some seconds went off with
with loud bang.
Fortunately it did no harm to any
one, although it was quite close to
several people. Those who saw it sug-
gested it was like a ball of cold light
ming.
In November, 1902, Sydney, Austria
liza, was visited by a terrific dust
storm in the midst of which a perfect
rain of electric fl e balls began to fall.
These set fire to a number of houses,
and a most appalling panic set in. A
cry was raised that the end of the
world was at hand, and people rushed
out of their houses into the ink black,
dust deep streets.
The most amazing and terrifying
displays of the power of lightning are
seen on mountains. In 1890 a party
was on the top of a mountain in the
Caucasus when a huge violet ball, sur
rounded by vivid rays, struck rock
near by and, exploding like a bomb,
burst into atoms. One of the party
was badly hurt