Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-06-17


Than many that are put up. Another very grea
defect in most rods i., that they are not place,
sufficiently deep in the ground to reach the
moisture in time of drought. This is mat
ter which should oe regulated according 10 ia,
character of the soil from six to ten feet is usu
ally the proper depth. Inaiten,ion 10 this matte
has often been productive Of serious consequen
ces.
The manner Of driving stay-naiI or staple
when used to attach rod TO building require,
judgment. II should always 10 driven up
wards. so as TO allow the water to drop from
the outer end, instead of following the course Of
the staple into the material into which it is drv.
en-. The stay mail should always be in metallic
connection with the rod at the time of the stroke
as the fluid descends the rod, the staple is as
much charged, in proportion 10 the size, as the
rod ; but the fluid will not leave stronger for q
weaker conductor. more especially when the sta
pie is driven into hard dry wall. which pos
sesses no attraction, and the rod is in connection
with damp earth which acts, in this respect, like
!
with proper point and cluster, will and must
protect building from lightning.
! And now the question occurs, ~hat is q prop>
er point Many rods .ha, have seen, which
have been put up during the past summer have
points Of copper, zinc, lead. cast iron polished,
&C., which, it is needless for me to say, are Ut
terly worthless.
But there are some persons. who, in imitation
Of my patent, profess to put up magnetic point
or points; these are nothing ku, the ordinary
magnets, which can be made out Of tenpcnny
nail. They possess no power, or attraction for,
electricity whatever neither can they bear the
slightest stroke Of lightning.
A proper electric point for lightning-rod can
he formed only in one way. aud that is BY chem
ieaIiy combining certain kinds Of metals in such
manner as to make point not liable 10 fusion
ming without receiving the slightest injury.
rod with poin. of this kind at proper height
in the atmosphere, and in metallic communiea.
don with the moist Garth, acts precisely on the
same principle as the wires Of q telegraph in
carrying the electricity from point to point On
the near approach Of q storm, the Atmosphere
becomes filled with electricity; when il is over
charged. stroke takes place the lightning, Iea-
ping from the. cloud and dsrtng to the earth.
passing over or through whatever lies In its
path, carries death and destruction with it
In this condition Of affairs, imagine . body
placed in contact with cloud, which has the
power to attract ard draw of the suPerabundance
Of electric fluid, and carry it TO the ground.
This influence is exerted within . circle of about
sixty feet in diameter. The ss~e.Phsse Included
within this space is less surcharged with electri-
city than that which surrounds il. Hence the
fluid from q neighboring cloud must first Gil
up this vacancy, and create an equilibrium with
the surrounding atmosphere, before it can pro-
eced further. Thus the severity Of the stroke is
consumed and exhausted. and the balance. if
any. is carried TO the earth. without the slightest
danger Of leaving the conductor. A barn filed
with hay or grain is very liable TO be struck.
because the quantity Of electricity that will nat
roof, will form conductor frequently one hun
dred feet in height. Now if the electric stroke
comes in contact with the electricity thus gene
rated, it will be conducted At once to the place
1t which the latter has been formed. II
he contents Of the barn were on tho
ground. the danger would not be 30 great,
because the earth would absorb the greater por-
ion of the electricity, which it can not do when
insulated by the aoor. The advantage Of hav.
ing one Of my rods attached to q barn under
such circ umsisnces is, that il receives the elec.
ricity as it is generated. and carries it to the
,arth thus preventing it from forming itself into
conductor, and putting 10 hazard the building
md the crops Of whole season, by inviting
troke from every passing cloud.
have repeatedly cautioned the public against
set Of swinGlers who are travelling about the
country, selling and putting up worthless rods,
using my name, and representing the
DDS they sell to bc Of my manufacture. re-
,ea, that have no travelling agents. There are
,ut four persons in this State who are authorized
o act as my agents in selling and putting up
ods; their range Of operations is limited to
district not exceeding one hundred miles from
heir place Of residence, and they have certificates
If agency from me. The right 10 use the eIec-
70 magne, in the construction Of lightning rods
belongs solely 10 myself; and any person detect
ID in infringing on it will be punished to the
ull extent Of the law.
The subscriber having (as before stated) put
,p near six thousand rods, and never having
leard Of loss by lightning in any building
o which one OF his rods has been attached, feels
,rest confidence in urging their superiority to
ny o,hsrs in use. He pledges himself to restore
o any one the amount paid for the rod il loss is
ulTerej through its insfriciency. house
hould not be considered finished without il has
i least one lightning-rod; yet very many build
ugs arc suffered to remain without this important
afeeuard and their owners, when il is too lsie.
effect on themselves for their wilful neglect {
rhe means of protection are within the reach Of
n and the cost is but uiAing.
Printed directions. by which any mechanic
an put up . rod. are given in every instance
shese they are sent 10 distance. /
The subscriber feels confident that, 10 those