The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-05-14
LIGHTNING CONDUCTORS.
By E. merriam.


The laws which govern electricity are
10 b. found by observation, as far as these
are capable Of investigation.
The construction Of the Lightning rod
is a mater of much importance. texans
ined these on board OF American ships Of
War. These are made fast to the high.
est point OF the mast and extended about a
foo, above it. and then diverge, and when
reaching a surface nearly even with the
railing Of the ship, are braced out with q
wooden outrigger and drop into The wa
ter. This mode of constr uction has been
practised and i: is sanctioned by expert.
ence.
In the putting up Of Lightning conductors
to buildings, | would make fss! to the
highest poin, of The root, letting the rod
extend upward Ias high as its size would
afford it a support. II the rod is small. l
would sustain i; BY a wooden support ten
feet the support may be a round pole
f1attened at its lower end so as to nail it 10
the building. From this fastening |
would lie. the rod diverge from the build.
,ng, and make il fast by a staple 10 a fence
pos. letting 1t extend into the we'll or into
a cess pool and connect with the water.
The point Of the rod should be polished
metal or a point OF bright tin. Timed
wire for the entire rod would cost bul one
cen. more per pound than common wire.
The timed wire is sold BY Messrs. Phelps.
Dodge g. Co. corner Of Cliff and Fulton
st., New York, at seven cents per pound.
Size called No. !, about five feet weigh a
pound. Whers hi wire cannot be had,
use nail rods. The lightning conductors
10 ships OF war are in pieces Of about
four feet, with n turned eye at each end
which connect the pieces together like a
chain. When the rod hangs pendant, the
weight Of the rcd keeps these paris in
close contact. The rolls Of iron wire are
in long pieces, and only one join. need be
made in a rod for q high building and
this BY means Of loose hooks.
Il is said by some learned men tina! the
rod will not conduct when corroded by rust.
The rods Of ships OF wal &c. rusty out no
has yet been found to resol..
Ny object is to call public attention to
the risk Of buildings being without pro.
and TO suggest the chesp rod-the
effectual metallic policy which is within
the means Of every one who has life or
property 10 project.
would use a wire no larger than a
common knitting needle il I could &c. no
o .her.
Professor OLMsrED, in a letter 10 me,
dated Yale College Ok. lIlh 1912. re.
that:
~"Lightning possesses great powers of
ton, selecting in its course the
Best conductors with great precision. |
think i! will very seldom happen that it
will strike a vessel below the water line.
Still If carried by some good conductor in
10 the hold it may evidently reach the
bottom OF the vessel"
81 think it moi unlikely that The large
wire you speak o! would in most cases an.
swer well enough for a lightning rod; bu,
sill, as ii is not accurately ascertained how
a wire the more violent discharges
Df the fluid are capable Of melting or dis
should prefer a rod ( Of an inch
in diameter for a dwelling house, but
No"la !iSA u largo wire IVT d odEU OF out
house. The community will be benefited
by making known the cheapest rod that
will answer the purpose; for such only can
be generally adopted. 1t is a great oh,
TO some of The new forms of light
ming rod, that they are too expensive for
common use. None but the wealthy will
udopt them"
II have heard that in a mixed forest,
pine &ess are more likely 10 be struck by
lightning than others. II the fact is so,
j, is probably owing 10 the noa>conduc.-
ing properties Of the resinous matter OF the
tree. O:her trees may be struck as often
or o%fener, but would show less marks Of
violence. for lightning does not exhibit its
peculiar violence, except where its pass
age is opposed by imperfect conductors"
Somebody says, that there is not 10 the
world a surer sign Of u little sou, than the
to gain respect BY such despicable
means as dress and rich clothes none will
on these ornaments, but those who
have no other.
In Persia. thai terrible disease. the chol-
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