Litchfield Enquirer

Curious Effects of Lightning.—We learn from Waltham, that during a severe thunder storm, on the afternoon of the 6th inst. the Waltham Factory was struck with lightning. The fluid passed down the rod on the small Factory until it reached the part of the roof to which the forcing pump is attached. It then separated, a large portion of it passing through the roof, making quite a hole, upon the pump pipe. Another portion passed along the rod until it reached the dressing-room window, where the copper pipe was resting almost upon the glass; it passed thro the window; breaking ten panes of glass, and melting the end of the pipe; the remainder of the charge passed into the ground near the picker. There is a pipe which leads from the forcing pump at the bottom into the size-room to convey water; and another that leads from the boiler in wooden boxes under ground to the large Mill, to convey steam. The pipe ends near the furnace. As the fluid passed down the pump pipe, it struck the boiler, and knocked off some of the bricks—passed thro the steam-pipe to the large mill—went up the furnace and smoking-pipe—passed along the hot air pipe on the floor—ignited a number of pieces of cotton waste—blew off and split the cap on the top of the upright shaft and passed down to the water-wheel. Both mills were in operation at the time, but no person was in the least injured. We think the circumstances above narrated, clearly prove the power and efficacy of lightning rods, provided they are judiciously treated. Had not the forcing pump been placed almost in contact with the conductor, all the electric fluid would undoubtedly have been conveyed to the ground without doing any injury. But the pump being of iron, also acted as a conductor, and performed its duty so faithfully, that it actually conveyed a portion of this fluid from the top to the bottom of the building then under ground a distance of 20 or 30 yards to another building, and the consequence from this circumstance had nearly proved serious.—Lowell Jour.