The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-07-16
Protection from lightning.

The season of thunder storms is at hand
and innumerable lightning rod venders are
perambulating the country with their safe
guard against the electric fluid. Like all
peddlers the lightning rod man. is extremely
voluble and the praise he lavishes on his
wares is to be taken with many grains of al
lowance. There is no doubt that light
ming rod properly constructed and properly
put up is great protection, but rod badly
constructed and improperly got UP only in
creases the danger which it is intended TO
diminish. During the hot months the loss of
property by lightning is considerable, espec-
tally in the country. In cities the large mum
ber of points tend to scatter the electric fluid
and prevent its concentrating on any one
building, while in the country the isolation of
buildings make them peculiarly liable to attack
The farmer needs protection and he can get
it in the lightning rod. But as we said be-
fore the rod must be constructed On scientific
principles. 1t must be large enough to con
duct away the fluid, else some of it will inev.
itably enter the building; and at its extremi-
ty must communicate with moist earth, or
better, water. The farmer in this matter
must not trust to the vender. The latter is
often ignorant, often reckless. He knows
frequently, nothing of the scientific princi-
pies on which protection depends or pays
little attention to them il he does, so long as
he sells a rod and gets his money. In years
past he has done thriving business in this
state and it is not uncommon to see a house
or barn in the country bristling so thickly
with metallic points that a bird could hardly
descend to the roof without being impaled
upon them. But when the rods are exam
ined, il is abundanty evident that the house
or barn still stands not on account of them
but Gin spite of them. For the benefit of
those who have lightning rods upon theirs
buildings or who may contemplate having
them put up, we publish the following sug
gestions by Prof. Henry of the Smithsonian
Institute, the most eminent authority on this
subject which the country offers, with the
added suggestion that the rods should be ex-
amined frequently to see that the conditions
on which protection depends are preserved
l. Iuo rOu suOuiu COub'SG OI EOuDQ iron OF
about one iDch in diameter; its parts through
out the whole length should be ia parfect me-
tallic continuity, by bsing secured together by
coupling fcrrules.
q To secure it from rust the rod should be
coated with black paint, itself good conduc-
tor.
g. 1t should termioate 10 single platinum
point.
4. The shorter and more direct the course of
the rod to the earth the better; bendipgs should
be rounded and not formed in acute angles.
s. 1t should be fastened to the building By
iron eyes. and may be insulated from these BY
cylinders of glass, Q don't however, consider
the LATTER of much importance)
The rod should be connected with the
earth in the most perfect manner possible, and
nothing is better lor this purpose than to place
it in metallic contact with the gas pipes, or
better, the water pipes of the CITY. Tals con-
necton may be made by ribbon of copper or
iron soldered to the end of the rod at one of its
extremties, and wrapped around the pipe at
the other If connection of this kind is in-
practicable the rod should be continued hori-
zontaly to the nearest WELL and then turned
vertically downward until the end enters the
water as deep as its lowest level. The horizon
tai part of the rod may be buried in stratum
of pounded charcoal aud ashes The rod should
be placed, in preference oa the wet side of the
building. A rod of this kind may be put up by
an ordinary blacksmith. The rod in Question
is in accordance with our latest knowledge of
all the facts of electricity. Attempted improv
ments on it are worthless, AMI as a general
thing. are proposed by those who ale but
slightly acquainted with the sufject.