The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-09-24
The Danger ami the Safrt! Of :.isht.
nin- Eoi>.

Tie following article by Mr.. c. ~.
J Welch in the NrJcl5Y UlWb{ {o1H .i'~'
cori.2ins invaluable Suggestions To tl1se
Of cur citizens who may he tempted 10y
an ignorant lightning rod agent To Zach
10 their houses q ,leyisc which may he
destructive TO their ho:nr- and the lives
o. their families. The putting up a
lightning rod is q job whicE. should only
be done Oh scientific principles.
II is proposed herein TO give s9me
hints to persons desiring 20 protect their
property and lives against this natural
phenomenon thereby enabling them 10
be able to decide intelli gently rs to the
merits and the defects of the protection
The agent in general offers in his light
ming rods
Without having taken statistics, the
writer feels perfectly safe in affirming
;hat there are not six lightning rods in
Ncwberry County that are scientifically
attached to the buildings they are de-
signed to protect. He challenges an
investigation by those disposed TO qucs.
ton the correctness Of this statement.
Now. il is theoretically and practically
true that rod not properly attached is
far more dangerous than no rcd at all.
This is true theoretically, because cleo
tricity will invariably leave a poor con-
ductor to traverse coed conductor 1t
is true practically, as can be shown in
five minutes by apparatus in the labora:
tory Of Newberry College. An iron rod
is a hundred.fold better conductor than
wood or brick. Glass absolutely refuses
to conduct electricity.
Suppose, then. that current of e!ec.
tricity, in its course to meet a current of
the opposite kind, finds rod of metal
in its path. 1t simply flows along the
rod regardless Of the wooden or brick
building TO which the rcd is attached.
But suppose the current to strike. the
house first. 1t can not get on the rod,
because glass insulators are used. 1t
must, of course, traverse the building
with more or less damage.
Again, the ground connection omit is
of the greatest importance. Dry earth
is non.couductor. Moist earth is i
good conductor. The rod should there.
fore be sunk to permanent moisture.
Nor is this even sufficient. \ current Of
electricity that is so intense as to be
practically irresistible Gin hardly be con-
irolled by the surface presented at the
end of rod that is in the ground.
Reason will convince any one that some
thing more than q square inch Of sur
face is needed to attract and dispose OF
force that, in It's spor;ivcness, rends into
splntcrs Tic giant oak of the forest.
Reason. however, seems to fail in teach
ing our people that "Iightning>rcd
agents are very superficial scientists;
and often very careless workmcn never
resident business men. If the above
principles have been c!earl V stated, then
the following directions should always
he observed:
I. Never use glass insulatcrs, but join
the rod securely TO the building.
,. Take great care to have the joints
connected.
3. The upper terminal should extend
at least three feet above The highest point
on the building.
i. The lower end of the conductor
should be placed in permanent moisture
and, as iron is commonly used, galvan-
lied iron plate three feet square and one
sixteenth Of an inch thick should be
securely fastened to the lower teYEinal >.
There are other rcgulatioC which
should be and generally aye observed.
For this reason they are omitted in this
paper. But the abo2e regulations, cs
pcc:ally the Glst and fourth, are invari-
abv dsrcgarded. Now, without desiring
tn n
TIE position is here taken that a ''light.>,-
ming rod agent" vino diSregards the ;,
principles embodied in these regulations,
is perpctraling fraud upon his patrons,
whether he intends it or not.
Science has long ago demonstrated the
practical and certain utility OF the light
ming rod rs protection against the most
awe.inspiring aud subtle of natures
forces but she does not sanction The \.
popular mode Of its application.
1t really appears that men are more
careless in this regard than in any otner
practical matter. They trust to !b 4
travelling salesman to insure their ho' ID
and their lives against the dangers d, ~
thunder storm; never caring to J a.
anything scientifically about the facES:5
volyed or the mode Of operation. Sue M
negligence is b!amc.worthy, aud encou
ages fraud.
The question, in fine, ends in thi
lightning rods either protect or they
not protect the building to which II
are attached. If the former is true,
rods should be properly put up; il -
latter is true, they should be discardE g
because, in this case they are an cxpet
siye luxury. That they are eminentb s
useful is established by the testimony OF
all leading scientists without exception.