The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-28
es OF Lightning and Rules to Protect Public From DANGER
by JOHN ELrpEru WATKINS.

Washington. ID. c.
Terror OF lightning is mostly morbid. |
II you arc Diseased with such a fear.
Uncle Sans statisticans can comfort
you with tho assurance that the aver
Bge citizen of the United States is ten
times more likely TO be murdered than
10 be killed by thunderbolt; eleven
times moro likely to he shot dead
through malice or accident; twelve /
times more likely TO die OF heat or !
sunstroke. twenty-eight moro timesf
likely TO die OF burns or scaids: thirty !
four times moro likely to DO drowned. |
only about 276 people In our land are
annually put to death BY Poves nery |
darts. or course. the death rate from
this cause varies from year to year. !
1t was above tho average in 1909. and
even heavier in 1906 Some astronom- |
ers believe that tho severity OF tnun-
derstorms is Increased by sun spots. |
others that IT varies with the phases
OF tho moon. but metoorologists gen 7
orally deny these theories.
They agree that your danger from
the celestial artillery depends pria.
cipally upon the locality in which you'll
live. and your shelter at the time Of I
tho storm. The Weather Bureau, byl
careful observation and tabulation dis !
covers our zone OF greatest dangerl
from lightning TO include an irregular
rrea OF tho East. covering all the At !
lantic coast States from Massaohusetts
TO Virginia. inclusive. and biting in |
land until X takes In Southern Yer
mont. Pennsylvania, West Virginia. |
Ohio. Kentucky. Indiana and Eastern
Illinois ThundcrHtorns therein % |
moro fatal though less frequent than
II the Gulf states II you wish to es-
cape thunderstorms nlnlost entirely. /
pitch your tent upon the Pacific slope /
where such cataclysms arc practically |
hnkrown or II required 10 dwell
within tho danger zone. select for your
castle a house IN tho midst OF city J
block with continuous tin roofs con- |
n"cted TO we'll anchored wAterspouts. !
Wisdom of Keeping Indoors.
The fact that lightning annually |
strikes four times a. many people OF /
outdoor occupations as people IN gen
esal. emphasizes ,he wisdom az keep
iug indoors during such disturbances. T,
Elt IL caught In the open hear Ia mind |
that you are far cafer In the dense
heart OF a wood than at its outskirts.
and that the shelter Of . s'ngie tree IL /
particularly treacherous. especially iii
rear the edge OF body Of water. even
ditch But II you must be near Il
tree. seek tho compauiouship or al
beech. which IS struck least often OF
all. ard avoid particularly the OAK. /
which attracts lightning more than
any other.
Tho oak Is hi, nf,y-sevcn. tho fur
thirty-H!ne and tho pine FIVE times as /
often as tho peach Avoid OF nil else
tree or other shelter whefeunder !
group OF men or beasts arc huddled
together While IN the shadow OF the
;hunderheod. monarch ~ all clouds. be |
Exclusive The Weather Bureau also
warns YOU against doorways partl-
oularly ot barns and stables, also =
house connected with metallic clothes /
line.
While successful In tsbuiat,ng tho
destructive ana fatal effects OF light
ming and. 81 deduction, formulating |
Such commonsense rules as the above.
our Weather Bureau 81 common with
other great meteorological institutions.
finds tho force behind tho fiery can
non balls and proiec;i.es Of Jupiter
Pluv!us TOO Elusive and vagarious to
he reduced 10 Law. For years tho
bureau has been pleasing from all parts
of the world reports describing tho &C.
centricities u this awe-!rspirlng pho /
nomenon OF which Termination has
said:
u, is Ike m elementary spirit. &c
centric or rational. clever or snly. FAR
Seeing or blind. headstrong OF indy
fcren;. passing from one extreme 70
the other. II wrEeies through space
IT moves among men with surprising
eighty appearing and disappearing
l!ko lightning
frcnis. of Bnli Lightning.
Most puzzlins TO science OF all these
freaks Of the subtle heavenly fluid are
those Of ball lightning During a
thunderstorm In Peoria. Ill some time
ago. one OF these mysterious. luminous
globes entered the open doorway of R
Robert Conkey's house. encirclei the
dining room and passed out the door
through which it had entered without,
damaging the house. although st rend- /
cred Mrs Coakey unconscious for two
hours and paralyzed her step-daush- 4
tcr's left arfn.
About the same time Miss Sadie VIII 1
liams Of New Fairfield Conn, wa
sitting upon Tho vorandt Of her home.
when her dog alarmed by an APP /
preaching thunder-erst ran TO her for
protection. She took her pet upon hcri
lap and was trying to calm him when
-re came flash Of lightning and a 4
Tall Of fire which travcrsed the veran-
da from end 10 end. and disappeared /
across the lawn. When she recovered !
from her surprise she FOUND the dog