The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1888-08-08
THE VALUE OF LIGHTNING RODS.
An Interview with Mr.. Wood, together
with Some Other Interesting Facts.

An article is going the rounds of the |
press, purporting to come from some |
learned gentleman, on the subject of
lightning rods. Deeming the subject to |
be one of great importance. we inter-
viewed Mr.. Wood, Of this city, who is
engaged in the work Of erecting light |
ming rods in this vicinity, and obtained
the following interesting facts from him:
Many works on the subject Of elec-
tricity, lightning, and lightning rods
taken from scientific publications are
vague and unsatisfactory to most readers.
After long experience in selling and
erecting lightning rods for the protection
Of life and property, feel that may
be able to give to the public, in con
densed form. some interesting facts on
the subject, for the information of those
who are unable TO investigate the mat.
ter scientifically. 1t is not my intention
to discuss at length here the subject of
electricity, or to speak of the many diff
ferent kinds Of lightning rods which
have been presented to the public with
in the past few years. For my purpose,
it is sufficient to say that the experience
of more than a century in the use Of
lightning conductors, together with the
investigations and experiments of the
most scientific men of the age, proves
beyond controversy the utility of prop.
erly constructed lightning rods in pre-
venting damage from lightning, The
science of electricity is perhaps less
studied. and hence less understood, than
any other subject which is SO intimately
connected with mans being. 1t is the
life.giving, the active agent or principal
of all life growth, and the animation of
the animal, as well as the vegetable
kingdom; tits the handspring on which
the earth is made to revolve on its axis /;
it gives us sunlight by day and darkness
by night. 1t is the law of electricity
that gives direction unerringly to the
magnetic needle that ever points us to
the centre or or axletree upon which
the globe swings. Itgives motion to ali
animate nature. A blade Of grass connot
grow without it, and man would be but
a hfeless lump of clay if God had not
blown the breath of life into his nos
trils through the electric flow that fills
all space. purifying the air which passes
through the organs of the body. Keep.
ing in molten the very functions of life,
it must be conceded by all that electrici.
ty in the form of lightning is the most
subtle of all substances, and yet the
most powerful engine of destruction
known. The question naturally arises
Can we control or modify its fury 30 al
to make it our servant instead of oul
master ?" And so the question of pro.
lection from the dire effects Of lightning
is very grave and important one, ant
has engaged the attention of some o
the most enlightened governments il
the world. The French Government
on numerous occasions, has appointed (
committee OF the French Academy t,
examine and report the best mode of Sc
curing life and property from the power
full and destructive element. The Britisl
Government has also considered tn
, subject, as many of their works on til
topic will testify, and our own Govern
ment have been nxiously examinin.
through the committees appointed b
Congress, to find what can be done I
) guard against the terrible. and some
times fatal, effects of lightning so ofte
, witnessed in our own country. Tn
/ identity of lightning was first discover
! ed by DR.. Franklin. He first Dire,
i lightning from the clouds in such wa
a as to be able to examine it, and prove
i that lightning is nothing but electricit,
This discovery of the nature of ligh
/ ming was one Of the most importal
- ever made In science, and yet DR.. Franl
lin made 1t simply by flying kite in
. thunder shower. Lightning rods we
first proposed by DR.. Franklin, to who
ls also ascribed the honor of the disco
If cry that thunder and lightning are IL
10 effects of electricity. In the light
true science, a lightning rod is simply
road by which the negative currer
!" which arises from the earth from deca
Y ing minerals and vegetation, may esca
4 and obtain its altitude and burn in {
n mospheric storms and currents, whi
H. are 800 feet above the earth in the Ea,
II ern states. Along the eastern base
9. the Rocky Mountains. atmosphel
:" storms average 100 feet above the ear,
q and are often down on the earth. I
N perience teaches US that as long as
" discharge of electricity passes of throu
. rod that is large enough to convey