Middletown transcript., 1874-08-08
Lightning.


The great destruction to life and prop
erty from the effects Of lightning for the
last two or three weeks has served to give
an unusual interest to the study of the
phenomena of electricity. Never has
there appeared to be greater disturbance
of the electrical equilibrium. and certainly
the freaks of the subtle fluid were never so
inexplicable. If the reports we have re-
ceiv, d are correct, many of the buildings
which were struck by the " thunderbolts"
were provided with rods, and several Of
the persons who have been killed or
MANNED by the lightning were knocked
out of feather beds where, in accordance
with the tradition, they had taken them
selves for safety. In the light of these
facts we have been criticized because we
held to the belief that no building had
ever been destroyed when properly protec-
ted by conducting rods. That scores of
buildings provided with rods have been
struck by lightning everybody knows, but
that thousands Of buildings are at present
provided with rods that are worse than
useless everybody perhaps does not know
Iron and copper are always better con-
ductors of electricity than wood, and the
fact that the current sometimes leaves the
metallic rod and takes to the wood only
proves that something has been put in the
way to obstruct its course. A metallic
rod, to be sure protection, must be per-
fectly unbroken one, its lower end termin-
ating in the earth in such manner as to
allow the charge to be given off freely and
instantaneously. Probably if all the
lightning rods in the country we're inspec-
ted, not more than one in ten would be
found in perfect order. Most Of them are
put up in pieces, the connections being
very defective. 1t takes but a short time
for the iron to rust and form a coating
around the joints or links, and as soon as
that is done the rod becomes worthless,
and not only is it rendered worthless-it
becomes positively dangerous. The point
and all the upper part of the rod, down to
where the detect occurs, is an attraction
for the lightning. If thunder cloud
passes near by, and current of electricity
descends the rod, it is suddenly checked
when it reaches the break, and it is then
obliged to tear its way through the side oil
the building. A defective rod is apt to
bring current into building which but
for the rod would have gone in another
direction, and that building which is pro-
vded with rods suffers more if struck
than one unprovided with rods.
In view of the havoc done by the
lightning in many sections Of the country
recently, and which seems to he still 60
ing on, it would doubtless pay to begin a
general and systematic investigation ol
Lightning strokes. If every time build
ing were struck an examination could be
made, on the same plan that coroner's in
quests are held, and all the facts and sur.
rounding circumstances reported to com
missioner, who should be scientific man,
enough facts would be collected in time tc
fully demonstrate the efficacy Of conduct.
ing rods in general and the best method
for applying them. Meanwhile we would
advise every owner of house or barn tc
examine his lightning-rods, and if moi
found in order to pull them down.-N
| Y. World