The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-23
KINDS OF
Something Of the Bed Levin Of
the Skies

Washington, D. C.-While govern
ment scientists have investigated and
told Of their wonderful discoveries
in many ways, of the things above
the heavens and under the earth, Of
the various forms of animal and veg
etable matter, Of biped and parasite
it has remained for experts on
lightning, those who have actually
played with it as it dazzled the
eye from heights above and shot
its bolts to the ground below, to tell
of things new along this line.
In the department Of agriculture
there is a lightning sharp and his
name is Fred G. Plummer. Although he
has no other title than "geographer,"
he knows more about lightning and
it's FRANKS than any other man in
the country today.
MANY people have a holy fear
Of lightning" Mr.. Plummer said,
when asked to tell something of his
work along this line. Not a few peo-
pie will quake with fear at the very
approach of a thunder storm, though
comparatively few are injured in this
way compared to those receiving hurts
from day to day in automobile, rail-
way and other mishaps.
How many kinds of lightning are
there? Well, the two principal kinds
are distinguished, linear and ball.
The effects of the first may be Pc
culiarly destructive. Its flashes are
followed by thunder and are usually
accompanied by a downpour of rain.
When its light is seen from a great
distance, often through cloud thru
the horizon, it is called diffused,
heat or sheat lightning.
"A long flash of linear lightning
is visibly composed Of a number OF
short segments, in the same gener-
al direction, is called pearl or beard
ed lightning. If a streak splits into
two or more parts it Is known then
as forked lightning.
"The exact nature Of a flash 1s
unknown. Although kite expert
ments have shown the varying po-
tentials between air strata. and Ell
though it is generally held that
electricity flows from a positive to-
ward a negative body, there is still
evidence that a lightning discharge
is, in most cases pulsating. Photo
graphs have shown not only a num-
Der of parallel flashes. which ap-
peared as one fash to the naked
eye, but they have also shown the
flash to have a width, like a ribbon.
1t seems that a fash, If lasting on
ly a thousandth part of a second may
be composed Of q large number Of
separate flashes having much smaller
duration.
1t has been held that a lightning
stroke differs according to the fash;
as to whether the earth is negative or
positive, and that although flashes are
more common between Inherently
electrified clouds or from a cloud 20
the earth, still they also ascend from
the earth in to the air. The violence
Of the discharge and It's effects are
matters Of pressure or tension be-
tween the earth and a cloud or a per-
son, or, indeed, between one person
and another at the same time. After a.
discharge there is sometimes an adj
justment of potentials known as 'choc
de jour-
Has ball lightning other names
Yes. it is also called fire ball and
gobular lightning and sometimes
loosely thunderbolts. Balls may dit
fer from half an inch to several feet
in diameter. They differ in form
and motion from linear lightning
but as both kinds are erratic their
effects are sometimes peculiar. Balls
may come from any direction, may
move slowly or rapidly, and may be
harmless or deadly. They float thru
open doorways or windows or up
chimneys. They may play around a
lightning rod without being attract
ed, or may strike the ground and
rebound without being d~issipated.
1t would be difficult to believe, as
some maintain, hat such an outlaw
could not set fire TO trees In the
forests.
Then there Is still another kind.
Ball should not be confused with
St. Elmo lightning or st. Elmo's fire
the varpo santo, a blue or red cleo
trio discharge sometimes seen on
the mast and yards Of ships at sea-,
and more rarely on church spires
and trees, and points Of rock Oh
land, or about the heads of persons.
Nor should 1t be confused with the
ignis fautus, elf fire, will-o'-the-w isp,
or jack-o'-lantern, a self luminous
glow sometimes seen in swamps or
marshes"
Mr.. Plummer, who has made the
study of lightning his life work, and
who means to watch its pranks for
many years to come, understands
thoroughly why many timid persons
should show fear at the approach
of a storm, but after being reasona-
bly, safe he is unable to see the ne
cessity Of hiding in closets or be-