The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-06-10
by Garrett y. Serviss.)

10y tillttl j. StTNlSS.l
Tho season Of Misunderstanding has
opened. and in no country are the
electric marvels of the atmosphere
more lmppsinciy displayed than in
the United States. They are anon.
natures most magnificent spectacles.
We should learn 10 look upon these
without fear. They are full of danger.
but their perils can be almos, COM
pletelI eliminated by proper precau-
tions. All fatal accidents from light
ming are du. TO neglect of such pre-
cautions. lightning rods properly
placed and cared FOR, furnish an all
but absolute protection for buildings.
Grea, cities are SO full Of ready made
tracks for electric DISCHARGES that
violent thunderstorms passing over
them seldom cause any serious dam
age Ivy lightning. The sudden gusts
of wind do more harm than the cleo
trio discharges.
Statistics show that tn" danger is
greatest IN the open country, and par
ticularly III hilly and mountainous
districts. In the year 1900 liz per-
sons were killed by lightning in the
lnl'"d States, and the greater num-
her We're in the Rocky Mountain dis
trlct and the upper Missouri valley.
IN the same year l.S+2 domestic ami
mails We're killed in the United States
10y lightning. and 1897 buildings
Were. struck.
Cattle and sheep are apt to gath
tr ABOUT isolated trees. or along wire
FENCES during a thunderstorm and
theN are sometimes killed in groups
y person caught in a thunderstorm
while in the open country should
Keep a hundred yards way from anv
trtt that may happen IL stand in the
held. In d dense wood he is safer
II ne does not place himself under
some tall tree. Eight or nine per
sons nave been killed hy n single
stroke of lightning while sitting un-
der an Isolated tree. Such "A tree in
Vltes l~Nfning. and offers il, \ rea, Az
avoid the neiehborhood of a body of
water.
Electrical Charges i'm tho CIouds
Cause Lightning.
n cause "f lightning is the ac-
cuhiulatl"n of electric charges in the
clouds. These charges grow strong
ef as the particles of water i'm the
CLOUD coalesce To form larger drops.
Ele"trlclty resides on the surface of
me charged particles. and as they
coalesce IN" surface increases pro-
p'l''"haiiN less than the volume. The
consequence Is that the electricity
contributed by each particle ia ,hs
united mass has less space to spread
lts"if over than il had when the par
tlcles We're separate. 1t follows that
me combined charge on the surface
OF the larger drop is more intense
than were the charges on the separ-
ave hiftlcles. In other words. the
"~p"tnntial' of the charge is increas-
ed. The whole cloud becomes heavily
charged as its countless multitudes of
drops grow larger and larger.
AL tn" same time. through the ef-
f"cts "f what is called "induction." a
charge of the opposite kind is pro-
dhchd on a neiGhhoring cloud. or ON
me earth beneath. AS these charges
increase in Intensity they strive Ia
nurst across the Intervening air. and
II the potential becomes sufficient.
they do so. The result is a lightning
Lightning: stroke May Be From One
to Ten Miles Long.
The spark from an electric ma
chine is a baby lightning stroke. AS
the disk of the machine is turned.
more and mor electricitv accumu-
iat"s on the polished knob. called the
conductor. until the surrounding air
Fan no longer resist the strain. and
then a spark passes between tho
knob n some object placed near. on
which a contrary charge has been
produced by the curious property of
induction.
But the spark from the most pow
erful electric machine is but a few
inches in length. While a lightning
stroke may he from a mile To ten
miles long. No sudden phenomenon