Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-01-03
LIGHTNING PLAYS
MANY ODD FRANKS
Scientists Still Unable to Explain
Fully These Startling Electric
Disturbances

The mystery Of lightning. which 50
appalled, primitive people. and which,
frr that matter, still does each yea,
IS The season for lightning storms
rolls around. and OF which The an.
v,ents stood in greatest ave, cOItlIle..
Itself not entirely 10 Il otscienliiir
tte. While this question has bcel
studied extensively and uudisputcJ
progress has been made. thelc are
phases OF il that are almost a. iltile
'nown today as in the remote pdsr.
Suyants very caudidly CONFESS that
he subject Of ball lightning. for in
a,ance. is still tceply puz,linn n.
tire. Even the men who have Sp"> iai
led on he phenomenon Of li9htr'rg
are balfled.
In text books a Classticatic. Nss
long ago adopted discussing lich:llia,
Under three heading --zie2aG, bali
lightning and sheet lightning. 1A'a
classification il also followed IN ,s.a
elementary textbooks Of today in spit,
Of the fact that ziSzag lightning was
eeognized long ago as msnone
I;gzag lightning is the artists. light
hing, which is 70 say That il is copjul.
cd from the depths OF fanciful ina
inines. and is Of an ancularllY wkoi-
~ dissimiar to any thing produced hl
nature,
nr " i Humphreys OF the United
States Weather Bureau calls attention,
. many kinds OF lightning, 3mouG
hem streak lightning. rocket 'iEbtniu%
hail lightning sheet lightning. beaded
lightning and return lightning. Other
authorities add TO these ribbon and
stellar lglnins
Streak lightning according to n;.
humphreys, IL an electrical dscu RE
which to The eye appears as oICe o.
ulore sinuous lines or strelhs or >,vid
white Or pink
The camera registers complete
and detailed record OF stroke. The
Duration OF flash ia frequently al OF
lalf second or longer II is now
maintained that discharge OF iie1l.
11hs docs not Immediately flaah from
loud TO earth. but a feeble. initial die
charge takes the lead and breaks the
trail for much more Nloc1 1t Hash
,la' closely follows.
The Pickering of lightning Is due ~
HE number Of successive dischsrge
Which follow one another rapidly. Ro
iatins cameras show the constituent
t0rts OF flash with convincing clea'r
pess In one photograph for. distincj
discharges in a single fash can be
counted One authority on the question
as stated that flash Of lightning 4
lille in length requires potential Of
o,t00000, 900 volts.
/ Rocket lightning is a SOW hua
steady growth in the length Of q iuv
! ~ lightning. The comparatively tow
speed OF the progressive limo OF liebl
- strikinsly resembles The ,rajl OF
/ light made by rocket that the name
rocket lightning was adopted.
Sheet lightning. observed at NIGH
tiashea in the sky like spectacular
sheets Of flame. strangely nroUgt tie
'eau'tul lightning, which without eN.
reptinu displays itself in great sheet
Is only reflection of s,roat lightnin.
which discharges in s)me Invisible
loud portion. Beaded lightning IS
known also as chapleied or pearl lia1
ring. Or. Humphreys has serious
doubts as 10 the reality Of bend tight
mug, Feeling practically certain lhp'
Il Is an optical Illusion.
Countless stories from All uia,s"s O
poople in every scctiop OF tht counl,'
Hear witness to lightning prauks
While no doubt ina einatiye and cH
cnable people hig1l, color many lIGt
ling stories, stu there is q germ OF
truth il them all. Ball lighrun" has
lGiven rise to innuperabie uuriou:
tories. aud upon investigation ther
seems 10 be little to prove or dispro,C
them bey0no tie word VI tie ug"galor