The Dawson journal., 1885-06-04
w
LIGHTNING RODS.

1
ascertained that no one was seriously hurt.
The electric fluid in this case completely
upset the theories of the lightning rod men.
This is new house protected by rods in
the latest style of the art. About three
feet below the point of the rod three iron
| rods are attached, and branch out in differ.
ent directions on to the roof. These act as
supports to the main rod The current
evidently divided, part following each of
| these supporting rods. From the rod IN
| front the current followed a rafter, spln-
| tering it to the end, thence down column
in the front verandah, and knocking hole
in the brick undeTpinning, entered the
ground. Two of the currents passed to the
rear of the house, one of them following a
tin gutter to the corner post, which it shiv.
cred, and thence passed into the ground.
The teaching from this freak of the current
is very plain. There are thousands of
houses in tais country protected with cop
per wires not insulated. Let all such be
insulated at once or pulled down. The
! lightning rod men prove that insulation is
not necessary by showing that current
from small magnetic battery will follow
a copper wire net insulated. Now cur
rent from such battery will follow this
rod on Mr.. Cheney's house, but flash of
lightning won't do it.-Ward Correspond.
ence Cathbert Enterprise.
The above is calculated to mis-.
lead a great many in regard to the
value of lightning rods as a means
of protection, and should not be
passed unnoticed. It is very evi-
dent that the person who penned
the above article is not too we'll
versed in the theory he tleats.
The correspondent asserts that
this instance completely upsets
the theories of the lightning rod
men," This is not true. BY re-
ferring to any standard work on
electricity it will be seen that in
stances similar to the one cited
and the cause of the electricity
not being conducted to the ground
without damage to the building is
fully explained.
| The reason of the electricity not
being conducted to the ground
without damage to the building
| in the case referred to was lot be-
cause the rod was not insulated
Il
as is asserted by the correspond.
ent, but because there was not
sufficient rods attached to the
house to conduct this heavy cur
rent into the earth, and because
the rod that was there did not
penetrate the earth to permanent
moisture, which the laws govern
ing this teaches. The rod
should, in every, case penetrate
the earth to permanent moisture,
and in cases where it is difficult
to obtain such termination, il
should be imbedded in charcoal
The rod must be, in all cases, at.
tached directly to the object to be
protected, and not pass through
rings of glass or other insulators.
Ii the rod be insulated, the build
ing will remain in q charged con-
dition so long as the cloud is near
enough to produce induction. II
a discharge takes place from any
cause, as between two clouds, the
phenomenon of return shock
may occur, and the insulated rod
will be powerless TO prevent inju-
ry of'llfe or property. II the rod
be insulated and thunder-bolt
fall directly on the rod and be
transmitted to the earth by it in
safety, still the conditions of re-
turn shock are present, and the
lrod is again powerless to prevent
1t. Instances are frequent where
such phenomena have transpired,
actually embarrassing" the build
ing, snd leaving the rod in an ad-
joining field. When the rod is in
sulated from the building it is
powerless to prevent charge by
induction, hence, by insulating
the rod we lose it's most valuable
influence. Rods erected without
insulators are less liable to get
out of order than those put up
with insulation. Vessels are nev-
er rodded in any other manner.
Before tho application of rods to
vessels ninety-seven per cent, Of
the whole number were injured or
destroyed by lightning and the
loss of life was fearful. Since the
application of conductors to ships,
without insulators, over one hun.
dred years ago, no persons have
been killed or injured by light
ming on board vessel having q
rod. Powder magazines are and
have been similarly rodded for
nearly century without a single
instance of damage.