The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-08-03

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conductor But such an arrangement
being obviously inadmissible, we must
so arrange matters that the most exposed
points shall be the conductor aud it's
connections. The French Academy
recommended the use of rods elevated
niue to twelve feet above the building,
and, after a good deal of experiment
and observation, came to the conclusion
that rod was capable Of protecting
efficiently space covered by radius
equal to twice the hight Of the rod
above the most elevated part Of the
building. For ourselves, very care
full examination, Of the conditions which
arise during thunderstorm, leads us
10 place no confidence whatever 10 ele
waited rods, and to depend wholly upon
SO arranging the conductor that every
part OF the building shall be protected
1t is obvious that the rod should be
carried from the roof to the ground by
the shortest possible way. Some have
even recommended that it be carried
down the chimney plan in which
there is nothing Objectionable, provided
it happen to be the most convenient
AttaehiHg Lightning Rods 10 Build
ings.-It is prevalent opinion that
lightning rods should be carefully iu-
sulated from the buildings to which
they are attach, d. aud hence most rods
are made to pass through glass tubes
or insulators, the avowed object being
to prevent the electricity from passing
into the building. The extreme WORTH
lessness of such arrangements ought to
be obvious to any person who ever OBJ
served fash Of lightning. The dis
charge from a powerful Rhumkorf coil
will pierce through Eve inches OF solid
glass, SO that, il a lightning rod we're
entirely cased in glass tube, an artili
cial flash Of lightning can be produced
which will pass through it as easily as
a spark from Que Of the old machines
would pierce a card And if such a
result can with safety be produced by
artificial means, in u room filed with
people, what would be the limit TO the
effects produced by natural means
where thousands Of acres Of cloud sur
face are engaged Insulators do very
well to talk about, but as a security
against Heavens artillery they are pow
erless.
Lightning rods should be connected
with all large masses Of metal which
may exist in or upon the house, such
as metallic roofs, tin or iron cutters
or pipes, iron ratings, etc. In the sec
ond place, the rod should be attached
to the house in the ueatest and least
obtrusiye method possible. If the rod
be fat, it may be pierced with holes
and tackled directly to the building
but better way, both for round, square
and fiat rods, is to employ properly
shaped staples of stout wire. Thes,
staples may be driven into the studdin.
Of wooden houses or into the joint Of
brick walls, aud, when properly painted
will not present an unsightly appearance
Termination IN tic Gromd.-Upor
the perfection of the ground termina
ton mainly depends the value Of thu
lightning rod. Ii this be defective, u,
other good features eau possibly max,
up for it. Aud yet, SO little is it un
derstood, that a careful examination o
a large number Of rods leads us to be
lieye that fully one half the lightnn,
rods in existence are defective in thi
respect, and, consequently, furnish but
an insufficient protection.
Iron conducts better than water, bu
water conducts better than dry earth
And just as we are able, by iucreain,
its size, to make an iron rod conduct a.
freely as a copper one, SO, by inereas
ing the volumesof water or soil employ
ed to carry of electricity, We can max,
il almost as eiiisient as the metallic con
ductor. These facts lead us to the fol
lowing conclusions l. The end Of the
rod ought 70 be made to terminate 10 d
layer Of soil that is permanently wet
aud 2. TIE end of the rod ought toexpost
to this soil as large surface as possible.
Permanently moist earth is to be at.
tanned only at considerable depths
say at the level Of the water 10 the wells
in the vicinity. Unless we reach this
point, We can never be sure that our
rod does not terminate in dry or but
slightly moist soil; consequently nc
effort should be spared in sinking the
rod asuficient depth. This is most easily
accomplished at the time when the fouu
dations are laid; and we would advise
all builders to sink the lightnining rod
termination wheu they sink the foun
datiOn. A short portion Of the stem
may be allowed to rise above the ground
and the conductor may be arranged anC
attached at subsequent period.
1t is a common practice among light
ming rod men to form the earth termi.
nation by simply driving a crowbai
into the earth, aud inserting the enc
Of the rod in the hole thus formed Nt
reliance can be placed on an earth con.
nection made ia this manner. TIT
crowbar may have been driven int,
per fectly dry sand and, in any eysnt
the amount of surface exposed by thu
rod, aud the consequent section Of eartt
brought into action, is altogether too
small.
1t is injurious for child to associat,
too much with persons Of mature age