ELECTRICAL ECCENTRICITIES; OR, ADVENTURES OF A MASTERTON TELEGRAPHIST.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 961, 20 November 1882, Page 4

ELECTRICAL ECCENTRICITIES; OR , ADVENTURES OF A MASTERTON TELEGRAPHIST.

(Wairarapa Star.) In our last issue we mentioned that the thunderstorm that occurred about noon on Saturday had created quite a sensation in the Masterton telegraph office, hunting the operator all round the room, and finally driving him over the counter into the street. Mr G. M. Park, the telegraph officer in charge, has kindly furnished us with fuller details of Ihc phenomena, and an inspection of the premises corroborates the main facts. ‘ It appears that about half-past 12, whin the storm was at its height, Mr Parle was airing’himself in the verandah, when his attention was arrested by a loud sound of scampering over the floor. Throwing the door aside he was astonished at seeing his assistant, Mr Sykes, rushing precipitately from the operating room, and with the agility of a juvenile antelope cleaving the counter in a single bound. The appearance of the young lad is graphically described a-* smgulaily wild. His hair seemed on end, his eyes fully a yard in advance of their sockets, and horror was depicted on his features, and no wonder. When lie had recovered from his.fright and exhaustion, he breathlessly related his adventures. While the thunder was pealing overhead he was in the act of “calling on Wellington,” and had his finger on the wooden nob of the instrument, when he received a sharp jerk up his arm, that sent him reeling towards the middle of the room, and almost threw him on his back. - At the same moment the test board, where the wires meet, seemed to be a mass of blinding flame, the wires emitted a crackling sound, and sparks and sheets of livid, lurid hue spread themselves all over the office. In vain the operator sought shelter. With hands over his ears, he rushed under the table, and then from corner to corner upsetting chairs and three-legged officestools, but still the lightning bolts appeared to pursue him, and the room becoming filled with strong sulphurous fumes, he finally made his way to the street, in the.precipitate manner desciibed. An investigation of the damage shews that the effects of the. lightning were remarkable. The electric fluid seems to have slid along the wires with more expertness than any burglar, for there are no signs of damage at the point of entrance. The test board is a piece of varnished timber, fastened to the plastered wall, about four feet wide by eighteen inches in depth. On this the various wires- terminate, and by means of small connecting pieces, can be brought together at pleasure. In the centre is what is termed the earth wire* intended to conduct the current to the ground beneath, and attached to the earth wire are five of Sieraen’s patent lightning guards. The force of the lightning appears to have been spent on the central part of the board, for the connecting wires are scorched, partly melted, and in the centre opposite the earth wire the point of departure is indicated by a bite taken as neatly nut of the connecting wires, as if it had been d ne with a file. The lightning guards beneath, are broad pieces.of iron almost resembling flat-irons, ribbed across, and these have been fused in places. Mr Park had to replace the damaged wire with new pieces. Some of the burned fragments are on view at the office, while one or two samples have been sent to Dr Lemon, the head of the department. The most remarkable part of the phenomena has to be described. Young Mr Sykes, we regret to say, is now laid up with measles, and the disease is attributed to the effect of the fright and shock to his system, at a time when the epidemic is wandering round the borough.