Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-07-14
Iitl6 ans GarStrt.
Construction Of Lightning eds.

extreme care 10 have the rod fHSHttf- I
ted from tba LDuse. That this pro r
cecds from az entire mis-conceptioi
of the action of the ro.k and of tic !
nature OF electricity was plainly Illus I
trated by the electric 2ction. daring .
a thunter storm TINT occurred in Ath- /
s on tie 3lst of May. n
The house Of Mr.. Ialmadeg stun /
ted on the Southwest side of the /
street. along which passes the Street |
Rail road, was stuck by lightning
The occupants Suffered no injnry, End
no damage was doae 20 the honse
save the obstruction Of the front steps
on the Eqst side towsrds the ri
al. The path Of the electricity
could be traced by the blackcnirg o.
the white paint on the cutters ant
wood, Iroduc d By the heat develop
ed at the ! oints of dissipation. CIE-
The house is furnished with two .
lightning rods of round iro3 about
hi men in diameter. on the NORTH
west and Northeast sides: and the
caves are surrounded on the fon
sides with tin cutters, connected wits
four tin pipes Al the corner
The c'oI3 approached in a north
wcstcrrIy direction. The electricity
fen OF the Northwest rod. fusing the
point Of the rod, and Iett Il H he
cares Of he hy"Ss and passed. ~ tie tir
q,,t,er. where the distance between
the rod and gutter was least. being
about three inches, and thence passed
by the pipes to the earth, as waS
shown by the spill: teT5 tern from the
water barrels under each pipe.
Another peculiar action of the cleo
tricity in this ease. was the passage
of a portion Of the electric fluid be
tween the street rail road and the
house. caused By the intense electric
ity developed at the instant along the
good conducting material Of the rail
road. The greatest development of
electricity was along this path, as was
evidenced by the splitting Of wooden
stringer along which the iron bar OF
the road was laid, the scattering of
sand at the front gate, the destruction
of the front steps and the chaIring Of
the paint and The partial destruction
Of the boxing at the top OF fan iron col
umn Immediately under the tin gutter
Of the porch, which connected with
the pipes of the house. This portion
of the electric fluid passed between
the railroad and the non coluam Of
the porch along the surface Of the
ground a distance Of about sixty feet.
The point of interest developed by
this examination. is the fact that the
electric fluid passed from the light
ning-rod to the tin gutter. and thence
to the ground, chiefly by the tin pipes
at the tour corners. The principle is
that the electricity will always pass
alon: the best conductors. And, for
electricity Of high tension, the con
Quoting power of cylindrical rods is
proportioned to their surfaces, and net
to their sectional ends. Hence if We
compare half inch rod and tin
pipe three inches in diameter equally
well connected with the earth, VIC
Will find the pipe viii be six times
better conductor than the half inch
rod. As water was passing at the
time rapidly from the pipes, they we're
in good communication with the
Garth. and hence the electric fluid
left the rod and reached the ground
BY the best conductor.
1t is a mistake thcn to attempt to
insuIate a rod from the house. Il
should be well so!dercd by copper
straps to the cutters, pipes and roo
of the house. If Of tin or zinc; and
the pipes should ali be we'll connected
with the earth by iron rods. A rod
is never insulated whatever care may
have been tallea; at the ground there
is perfect earth connected between
the house and the rod. BY induct.oI
the whole house is electrified in q
state opposite to that of the cloud.
and one object OF the rod is o AIRY
this excess of electricity silently to
the cloud and thus prevent a disrup
tive discharge. BY connecting the
rod with the pipes, which should be
connected with the earth. cutters aud
roof. we greatly Increase the conduct
ing material. and thus have the ad-
vantage OF having. IS it were, several
rods, without additional cost. Ifwa
ter pipes. or gas pipes pass into
house, the rod should always be con-
nected VITA the pipes. outside of the
house; otherwise there IS very great
probability of the electric Aid Ieay-
inc the rod and passing, even through
brick wall (as has often happened
to communicate with Tie piping in the
interior of the house. Tnis happen,
even when the gas pipe is 10 larger
than the rod. caused BY the better
communication Of the gas pipe with
large extent of the ea"th's surface.
y rod should terminate in one
point made of metal. not liable to
corode and. got in seg raj points.
Iof iron, it should be no less than
three i0H:ths Of an inch thick a half
inch rod OF copper, Gr probably less.
would answer as welt II made of
several parts they shoald all be well
so2dered together. What is trae
dynamic electricity is not trTic OF the ]
intense electric fluid that passes be-
tween the cloud and the earth. -
Hence a twisted ribbon of copper
wire is not good form of rod. 4
wire cable rod. three foUf.hs Of aniucE
thick in diameter. is an excellent
form; as thereby all joints are avoid
s'ed and the continuity throughout
= ike rod is perfect. If there are sew
oral rods. it is advisable that they
should all be connec with the
, same poGit--And it is oithe first I'M
portance that every rod should have
good earth communication. made By
sinking IT so deeD as to have copner.