New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-09-11
DISCUSSING LIGHTNING AyD GODS.

MEETING or THE BEDFORD FARMERS CLUB
LOCUST TREES AND INSURANCE.
ID on top of the highest hill of Westchester County,
in KatOnah, gateway opens into large grove where
occasionally conspicuous signs iuruders to " BE
ware of the dog" Here a beautiful private roadway
runs through clean, pretty grove to largo square
stone house. surrounded on all sides By broad COW
cred ycranda-the residence OF Henry +.
Pellcw. Tho view from there extends fifty miles
IN several directions. Just down through ravine is
large garden laid out with and skill and contain
ing all manner of cpicurean vegetation. At different
points near by are buildings devoted 10 various kinds
OF fancy stock which is kept 80 clean that visitors
naturally inquire how many times day The kline and
the swine take a bath But here > elsewhere, the
same mysterious sirn Beware ct the dog , il seen
a, the visitor climbs back 90 the square stone house
again. where he j. met by brnno, bg NJ. Bernard
vho has no difficulty in explaining the lettering.
Bruno stood IN front OF the house Wednesday and
vaggcd his long, ilky tail ne sxty-nVc iocmpers OF
the Bcdiord tarmers Club came up TO tue door and
stroked his head In SO. Horace Greeley William
H. Robertson aud John Jay organized this club Both
Mr. Jay aud Mr.. Robertson we're present Ncdnest ay;
President Pellew opened the proceedings 81 the
day with an interesting paper on " Protection irom
Fire and Lightning He spoke of tho construction OF
frame houses and The causes OF IRE In them. The his
Tori, annie of the Chicago cow he said, should warn
i. a., &c onlv 6xcd light. in barns The match
was a dangerous article that cats aud mice ground
into flame. which found free entrance into hollow
wills and ceilings. lhe most Aunhe hh uutut NHue'
OF fire was spontaneous combustion. In 1873 woman
full Of brandy took fire eighteen inches from the stove
Her husband was acquitted Of the charge OF murder
on the ground that she spontaneously ignited. Ihe
sneaker gave startling statistics OF country properly
d,.trovcd by tire aud concluded that common sense,
ocirnt supcriutcudsnce and mechanical conirvanees
were preveutivc- 81 such losses, aud insurance an
elective safeguard against them
Mr. pellcw next considered the subject OF lightning
In detail About 50 pee cent Of losses by lightning. he
sif occurred east II the Mississippi and north OF the
Ohio Rivera tie gave q general sketch Of the pgin.
cipe. OF electricity and Of lightning rods lie believed
IN lightning rods and plenty OF them These should
he perfect aud frequently examined to sen tht they
Tie di.cn,.ion which followed brought out some new
,.b,.cs ~ fine subject James Wood said that the
majority of trees struck By lightning were locnsts.
lie cited instances extending over the county snow.
ING that ocust- would invariably receive tn charge %
olectriclty while al surrounding trees aud objects
would escape tie recommended that such tleo- shoulu
be plnut,d near dwellings a. protect tbem Ahotnor
gentleman xu'sinrd th. phenomenon ~ the locust ny
saving that the tree full of sap equally disnueh
which acted a. "A conductor of electricity. Mr. hainos
was of the opinion that lightning was IKE the heathen
CLinee with ways that dark and Tricks tuht
arc vain lie said that lightning always struck the
root Of a tree rather than the tot he TOOK CLOCK III
neither rods nor locnss nor anything else Whioh III.
yi,ed lightning venerable farmer believed IN locust
trees but adj ocaed pnttmg lightning rods on them 20
make matters certain There appeared 10 Do no way 70
protect stock. in the opinion OF the CLUB save Oy n
surance although one man who sofa conductors iolt
sad that farmers did not supply each animal WIN
rod. , .,
After the discussion a luncheon was served ana carry
the lening the guests departed