TOO MUCH ELECTRICITY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1057, 20 January 1883, Page 3

TOO MUCH ELECTRICITY.

A curious scene was witnessed the other day at Newark, United States, where a certain storekeeper had an electric light hung over the door of his shop. The wires conveying the electricity to the lamp hung outside the building, and were connected in a roundabout fashion to some iron posts, to which was attached a fence. Unfortunately, the covering of the wires was worn away, and the electric fluid passed into the fence, A well known citizen happening to pass by leaned against the fence, unaware that it had become a battery, and in a moment ho * uttered a wild whoop and danced round the pavement, ’ while his hat rolled info the gutter. These unusual vagaries attracted the attention of passers by One, in spite of explanations, declared it was ‘ disgraceful to see an old man drunk in the streets,’ and another ran off for a policman. Meanwhile, some of the crowd seized the fence to test the truth of the story, which was found only too true, The policeman ai rived amidst a scene of confusion, an?! thought the affair was a fight. At this point a number of men whose character could not be doubted interfered, and vouched for the truth of the citizen’s statement. The policeman gingergly touched the fence with his club, and ‘ that self-same moment the club went whirling round at the end of his electrified arm,’ while the crowd scattered on all sides to avoid contact with it. Fortunately, an electriciarny who happened to be about explained the mystery, and the current was tu rued off.