The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-08-14

n would be an interesting item OF la
formation TO know Just how many cases
of lightning stroke happened 10 build i
ings in this State during the thunder
storms OF the last two weeks OF july.
The idea of recording all those reported
by the press did not even occur till too
late. Suffice 10 say that the reported
instances reach a large number, so large
as Ia Invest the subject with general,
interest. IL is believed that in the storms
of Friday. the cath. which visited nearly
every part of the State, the lightning
must have struck score of barns and
other buildings On Sunday followingl
the record is remarkable for the num-
Der of bolts which did positive damage.
One barn was set on fire and was struck
twice afterward within few minutes.
The damage done will amount 10 many
thousands of dollars, besides the loss of
several lives. A large number of per-
sons were shocked, stunned and knock
ed endways who survived the operation
Now, there is no manner of doubt that
the hosts of lightning rod men VIII
make haste to take advantage of these
facts TO urge their wares upon such as
have hitherto been proof against theI
craft. IL is an easy matter for the smooth
tongued agents to turn the whcle argu-
ment on their side of the question, not
withstanding the cases of lightning
stroke when from one To ten rods have
5ecn standing on the premises. y pref
t. thorough discussion has been stirred
up la New York over the question, DO
lightning rods protect!' 1t may be
answered in general terms, that IL de-
pends on circumstances. a further re-
ply may be safely given that as general
thing put up as they are by the itinerant
pedders, they do not afford much pro-
lection. TO DE of any service whatever,
good metallic rod should run directly
from the point above the building with
out turns, except such as are unavoida-
BILE, into the ground. 1t is claimed by
some that they should be insulated
throughout their entire length by coat
ing with non-conducting substance, or
wrapping like an ocean cable. But in
sulation is of less consequence than a
direct, smoothand uninterrupted course
of the rod. If this be secured, the cleo
trio current will not be likely to leave
it for another course. The glass insula-
tors used at the points of fastening, are
of very trifling importance, because be-
ing wet in the rain they become conduc-
tors, but still more because they are mad
equate to insulate in the presence of
such discharge as is delivered by q
cloud. But the fatal infirmity of the
ordinary lightning rod is that il is mad
equate TO conduct the quantity of cleo
tricity discharged from storm cloud
1t is due to this fact that the bolts often
leave the rod and crash through the
house at random. Ii would be as rea.
sonable to attempt TO discharge a river
of water through roof cutters without
running over as the tremendous charge
of electricity often contained in the
cloud over a small rod or strip of cop
per. AT some times il might suffice, but
not when such awful charges are sen
down as characterized the late storms
This is the common but vital error il
talking about lightning rods, which tn,
uniformed fail TO take into account
Turn heavy current upon small wire
and il will either melt the wire or leave
at. In the rod running along the side O
the house the current will be diverted
at some.point and dash about promiscu
ously. 1t must be remembered that {
charge of electricity from common
machine for experiments and thunder
cloud are somewhat different. The on,
is gentle rill and the other is an over
whelming cataract. And the ordinar,
rod is no better, practically than No.
wire, or hair spring of IA watch, wer,
it long enough would be. The hes
possible protection of house agains
lightning is tin roof amply supplied
with metallic connections with til,
ground by the water conductors. or 9th
erwise. Insulation is of secondary i'm
portance, abundant conducton is every
thing. The rod business is chiefly
humbug and swindle, as carried on b,
the dealers. All their noise about cost
ly points, peculiar kind Of rod as (,
form and metal, are stuff and nonsense
and in majority of cases the rods ar
so applied as to increase the danger {,
the building. A hundred other state
ments and theories of the voluble agen
are as absurd as their authors are igno
rant, such as a rods attracting electrici
ty at a distance four times its length
from the ground, the efficacy of platinum
or gilt points, the particular mode o
fastening and the like. The subtle actor
of the invisible element called electricity
the imperfect knowledge of its laws b.
the mass of the people, and the fearful
mischief it works, makes the protection
business rich field for certain elias
of men whose effrontery and avarice ar
out of all proportion with their knowl
edge and honesty. Is il advisable L
put sp lightning rods? Ii the proprie
tor himself understands the subiecf AN