ELECTRICAL PHENOMENA IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 39» 
layed several hours, the line being open but commencing to work again without 
either summit or base station having made any repairs. 
February 28. — About 8 A. M. I heard some one calling me very indistinctly, 
it sounded as if the wire had been cut and some one was trying to send by work- 
ing the two ends of the wire. I asked him to repeat and he sent back '* answer 
again " which were the only words I could understand. 
The afternoon report was not taken at Springs — probably Une worked too 
poorly — neither did I hear Springs call me up when it was time. 
March i. — Line worked miserably through the afternoon, so that I could not 
break the Springs. At night line worked better. 
March 11. — Line went down at 7 P. M., but got all right again on, 
March 12. — at 8 A. M, 
March 29. — Line opened at 7 A. M. Found no break. Line worked again 
at noon and operator from below on trial, said that he found no break, but that 
he had no current on the " Lake cabin," although he had put on a ground at that 
place. 
(It may be mentioned here that the line is patroled from above and below, 
the rendezvous being at an elevation of 9,000 feet, where, on the shores of a lake 
— '' Mystic Lake " — a cabin has been erected to afford shelter to the repairer.) 
Special remark by the observer : The difficulty in communicating with base 
station increases as the weather grows milder. For a great distance below timber 
line the wire is imbedded in snow. 
April 6. — The line worked miserably all day, and I could not communicate 
with base station unless the Denver battery was in circuit. 
April 15. — Line worked too poorly to send the afternoon reports, and opened 
entirely in the evening. 
April 16. — Line open all day. I walked quite a distance down, but found 
no break. The task is almost a hopeless one, as the snow hides poles and wires 
in many places. 
April 30. — The base has much difficulty in reading my signals, even in dry 
weather. 
May 21. — Thunder-storm, hail, and sleet. A flash of fire, about two feet 
long leaped from the lightning arrestor into the office, illuminating the rooms, 
but doing no damage. 
May 24. — Heavy thunder-storm passed slowly and directly over the Peak 
from 10 A. M. to 3 P. M. The temperature declined during the passage, and 
large sparks passed constantly through the lightning arrestor, while a strange 
crackling of the snow could be heard at times. 
While making the 2 P. M. out-doors observation I heard the snow crackle as 
before and at the same time I felt on both temples — directly below the brass but- 
tons of my cap — a pain as if from a slight burn. Putting up my hands, there was 
a sharp crack and all pain had disappeared. 
May 29. — A violent thunder-storm accompanied by heavy sleet passed over 
the Peak from S. SE. to W. NW, It came upon us so suddenly that I had barely 
