The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-10-24
Our 0lio.
pRorEcTIoN PROM L1aHrrINa.


three persons, husband, wife and child,
who had taken refuge on feather bed,
were instantly killed by lightning the
house had no rods. In the same village,
during the same storm, dwelling house,
which had two lightning rods upon it, was
seriously damaged. Several Of our readers
who have seen the accounts of these disas-
ters, and others who cite analogous exam
pies, have had their faith in feather beds,
as place of safety during thunderstorms,
severely shaken while some Of them would
fain believe that lightning rods serve to
destroy rather than to preserve life and
property. We are asked to print some
thing on the subject; and we cheerfully
comply, promising, however, that there is
little that is new to be said, and that the
subjoined information has for the most
part been heretofore reiterated in our col.
umns.
Feather beds are not protection from
lightning, and the popular belief that they
are, doubtless results from misapprehen-
sion Of tho laws that govern the passage
Of electricity. The human body is bet.
ter conductor Of electricity than feather
beds or other objects ordinarily contained
iu the apartments of dwellings, and there
fore, priori, when the lightning enters
an apartment, the human body is likely to
form one in chain of inductions, deter
mining the path of an electrical discharge,
unless better conductors are in It's vicinity
to divert this action.
The only place Of absolute security in
thunderstorm is an iron building or next
in safety is building properly protected
by lightning rods.
Houses constructed entirely of iron man.
ifestly stand in no need of lightning rods
at all, because the electric fluid, on strik-
ing SO good n conductor, would rapdidly
diffuse itself in all directions and flow in
to the ground, provided, of course, that
the construction of the building is such as
to allow it's free escape.
Are lightning rods of any real value ?
Unquestionably they are. Examples are
numberless where the lightning has been
seen to fall upon the rods Of buildings and
descend harmlessly to the earth while the
fact is undisputed that the principal damages
suffered from lightning are in connection
with buildings that are not provided with
conductors. Notwithstanding these facts,
some people are apt to be Indifferent
whether their houses and stores are proyi-
ded with lightning rods or not, and are
always ready to give an example where
some building SO provided was struck in
spite of its protection. Such cases are
quoted by the old-iashion practical men"
with much satisfaction, because they hail
in them what they are pleased to call the
victory Of their sound common sense and
the discontinue of the scientific man.
This class is, however, rapidly diminishing
in numbers under the influence of the ex-
tcnsiyc diffusion of scientific education
among the people.
1t may be well to assure unbelievers
that the efficacy of the lightning rod is no
longer an open question, and that any fail
ures are attributable 10 Jangliag or igno-
rant construction, 1t would be an easy
matter to multiply statistics in proof of the
assertion but mono would carry with them
more force than the following statement
obtained from the records Of the British
navy, by Sir Snow Harris, L. II. s.:
Between 1910 and 1925, before rods
were introduced, no less than thirty-ive
sail Of the line and thirty-fve frigatcs and
smaller vessels were completely disabled;
and in 200 cases recorded. 300 seaman
were either killed or injured When the
lightning rod was introduced, every mast
was furnished with a capacious conductor
permanently fixed and connected with
bands of copper passing through the sides
of the ship under the deck beams, aud with
large bolts leading through the keel and
keelson, and including, by other connec-
tions, all the principal metallic masses em-
ployed in the construction Of the hull"
(Harris). Since the adoption of this ar
rangement, cit appears that damage by
lightning has positively vanished from the
records of the navy"
In England, the various telegraph COM
panies suffered serious damages by every
thunderstorm, by the destruction by light, \
ming of their poles. The poles are now
provided with small lightning rods, and all
damage has ceased
In this country, the Western Union
Telegraph Company has suffered in the
same manner especially, says recent
number of the Journal Of the Telegraph,
dupop the plains and prairies, where every
storm formerly shattered and de-
stroyed more or less Of our poles, but
which are now fully protected by conduc-
tor No. s wire) placed on every ifth pole.
Wherever telegraph poles are provided with
such lightning rods, all damage is preyeu-
ted. Where the poles are not provided
with rods, damage ensues"
According to the best authorities, a
copper rod of one inch 10 diameter, or an
equal quantity of copper under any other
form, win rosist the effect Of any discharge
Of lightning hitherto experienced. The
copper rod Is therefore the safest and best
material that can be used, but it is expeu-
sive. Iron rods Of one inch in diameter
are very commonly used, and, if pointed