g22 ELECTRICITY. 



lino of greatest attraction and least resistance, conditions wliicli cannot, in all 

 cases, be ascertained, even with a minute examination of all the objects, since 

 active attracting materials frequently exist beneath the surface of the earth. — 

 J. IL] 



From W. S. Gilman. 



One of the most beautiful electrical phenomena imaginable was witnessed on 

 the evening of the 9th January, 1868, in the office of the Atlantic and Pacific 

 tek'graph line, Rochester, New York. Wire No. 1 of tliis line was down between 

 this city and Syracuse. Suddenly it was discovered that neither wire would 

 work. A continuous cuiTcut of electricity was then ol>seiwed to be passing over 

 the wires and through the several instruments, and this while the batteries were 

 detached. The current seemed to be of the volume of a medium-sized pipe-stem, 

 and exhibited the several colors of the rainbow. With the key open the current 

 flowed in waves or undulations, and from the surcharged wire it leaped over the 

 insulated portions of the key and passed along the wires bejamd. The same 

 phenomenon was ol)Scrved at Buffalo and at Cleveland. The gas in the office 

 was lighted without difficulty l)y holding the end of a wire within an inch or two 

 of the gas-burner. The current was intense enough to shock one holding the 

 wires or instruments; indeed, one of the employes of the office had his fingers 

 scorched by the current. With closed keys the current was continuous, as before 

 stated. 



This phenomenon has never been witnessed except when cold weather prevails 

 extensively. The broken wire spoken of, which rested on the ground, was the 

 point of communication with the earth. 



Here we may notice one thing not generally known. A portion of a speech 

 of Hon. AVilliam H. Seward in llochester, a few 3'ears since, was telegraphed to 

 New York and from Boston to Porthxnd by the electrical influences of the aurora 

 borealis, all the l)atteries on the liup being detached. Tliis ieai, it is said, has 

 never been repeated. 



The following additional information was furnished in answer to inquires by 

 the Institution : 



Tlie questions you put with reference to the llochester electrical phenomena 

 ;are thus answered : 



1. Wiicther any appearance of the aui'ora was visible at the time? I learn 

 of mone ; sky clouded at llochester, Toronto, and Montreal, and storming. 



2. Whether the discharges were continuous or fitful? From B. F. Blackall, 

 manager of the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Company, Rochester, I learn as 

 follows : At 4.30 p. m. trouble commenced while he was " transmitting a telegram 

 to New York over the No. 1 wire, which was afterwards located between Fulton 

 and Syracuse, one wire being broken, and the western end hanging across No. 2, 

 rested on the ground. At the same instant I noticed my relay surcharged with an 

 unusual. amount of magnetism. Upon opening my key, which avc usually give 

 the sixteenth of an inch play, discharges of electricity, averaging as higli as 300 

 pulsations a minute from one platina point to the other, and the nearer I placed 

 these points the more rapid they occurred. * * * * The fluid was passing 

 from west to east through the key. In addition there was a current al>out the 

 size of a pin flowing from the core of the helices to the soft piece of iron on the 

 armature, which sounded very much like electricity produced by friction on a 

 glass cylinder when passing to a Leyden jar." The phenomenon continued until 

 about 7 J), m. The writer inftirms me that he has witnessed a half dozen similar 

 but weaker displays during the past 14 j'ears, and always between 4 p. m. and 

 7 p. m. 



From C. W. Dean, manager of the same line, Cleveland, Ohio, I learn as 

 follows: An extraneous current made it impossible to work the wire on January 

 9th last. It was first noticed at 9 a. m.^ when the current grew so strong that 



