The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-06-08
SAFETY AGAINST LIGHTNING.
A Few Precautions-Som Common Theories
That Are Fnllacious.

lUut hHc asAetso1ss
The lightning, in striking any building,
tree, or other high object, Is simply seek
ing a passage to the moist earth, says a
writer in the Portland Transcript, and
will find and take the best conductor near
its course, following poor conductor
only when better one Is wanting, and
only till better one can be reached. All
metals are good conductors, living animals
are tolerabiy good, much better than dry
wood or air; moist wood, the SCOT in chin
neys, or any moist substance, are better
| than air.
Buildings that are piped throughout for
water or gas are already we'll protected
against danger to people within, for II the
pipes extend above the rooms, no light
ming that may strike the house will serious
| " affect the persons within. 1t will find
the pipes, II any are in the locality OF the
| discharge, and pass through them silently
to the earth. For this reason but few
people in city houses are killed by light
ming, though the top OF the building may
be shattered.
a lightning-rod, as ordinarily construct
ed may be partial protection, but owing
to the fact that they generally are stuck
only few feet, or sometimes inches, in
the comparatively dry earth, they are not
to be depended upon.
The most simple and reliable method Of
protecting building that is pipcd for wa
ter or gas is to connect all metal about the
roof, such as tin-roof water-conductors,
fancy iron work, &C., by means OF one
quarter-iuch copper wire soldered to the
roof metals and to the nearest water or
s.pipe. II is well, also, to have a piece
OF copper wire extend up any chimney or
high point on the roof, the lower end con-
Meeting with the tin roof or the main wire
leading TO the pipe. These wires can
safely pass down through the building, for,
as before stated, lightning will not leave
such conductor for a poorer one. Glass
insulators on hghtning-rods are OF no use ;
n the rods are in proper condition the dis
charge OF electricity will not leave them
for the house. and il the rods are not all
right it Will leave them at point nearest n
better conductor, no matter how much
glass may intervene.
| IL the gas instead OF water-pipe Is to be
used as the lower terminal OF the protect
| ing wire or rod, the connection should be
made at point between the meter and the
street, as the meter may at some time be
removed and thus sever the metallic con-
nection.
In q building not supplied with pipes
the large copper wire should extend to all
high points, and connect with all large
quantities OF metal about the roof, as in
| the former case, with its lower end at
tached to quantity OF old metal OF any
kind equal to % or 80 square feet OF sur
face. we'll buried In the moist earth. This
wire can also safely pass down through
the building, or be stapledo to any con-
venient part of the house. A large build
ing should have more than one wire pass
ing to the earth.
Iron rods can be used, but they must be
about four times the size OF copper to be
equally as good, and are harder to bend
and solder.
DO not suppose that because water-pipes
are named your connection may be made
with pipe passing only to cistern in the
house. A considerable extent OF metal
suriacein permanently moist earth is the
only piAper connection sOr the rod or con-
ductor.
A metallic connection between the tin
roof OF railroad-car and the aXle-bOX
would prevent injury to passengers by
lightning.
Telephone and telegraph-wires are a
protection rather than otherwise, for their
ends connect with the earth. A building
over which a sufficient number OF such
wires pass to conduct q large quantity OF
electricity would be protected.
We should not seek TO insulate ourselves
by putting glass knobs on our chairs or
sleeping on feather beds, but take the op-
posite course, and give the electric current
n substantial. ample, and easy passage to
the deep. moist earth.