Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-11

charged with electricity first, but if there
| is no wind the height will make bat little
! difference. The atmosphere is q non-con-
ductor of electricity and when 1t is over
charged ii gives up 8 portion Of it to any
conductor with which 1t comes in contact
If 8 conductor can discharge the electri-
city as fast as 1t receives it there will be
] no explosion, but If a conductor receives
electricity faster than it can discharge 1t
the electricity will fly of and decompose
the atmosphere; the nitrogen will move
aWsy from the conductor, the oxygen will
move toward it aud crush the electricity
into hest, causing an explosion. Objects
are often b!ackened with nitrogen depos-
| tied By electricity. The area protected by
lightning rod is very limited even when
properly constructed, but as usually
erected they are almost worthless. All
electrical conductors must have 8 good
ground connection. The man who al
lows q lightning rod placed upon his
house without ground connection is a
fool, and the man who puts it up is g
fraud. Even manufacturers of light
ming rods admit that rods do not attract
electricity, but simply conduct it when
charged. In book published by man
ufictory Of lightning rods in Pniladelphia
for the guidance of their agents, they
use these words: "Lightning rods no
more attract electricity than water pipes
attract water"
In Connecticut a few years since was
building 100 feet long, with lightning
rod sll around the top of the wall con-
nected with which were six rods running
into the ground, one at each of the four
corners, and one in the center of the
building on each side, with six points
above the wall. The end of one of these
rods was in pool Of water. This build
ing was struck by lightning and burned
down. The editor of the Scientific Amer
lean, in his comments. held that the
five rods which were stuck in the
ground afforded but little II any
protection, and the one with its end In
the pool OF water had not the capacity TO
carry OF the charge. There is no ques-
ton but what lightning rods afford some
protection when properly erected, but not
to the extent claimed by many persons.
4 rod stuck IN the ground where the
ground becomes dry is worthless. Per-
sons in the country who have lightning
rods put up should always have them run
TO the bottom of their well or cistern, or
to some permanent supply Of water, or
| soldered to large metallic plates buried in
the earth. In cities that have gas or Wa
ter mains the lightning rods should al
ways be carried from the building to the
main and connected with 1t by soldering.
II the building has metal roof, the rods
should also be connected with the roof or
down spout by soldering. Down
spouts are often knocked of by lightning
for want of ground connection. OIL
tanks and stand pipes for waterworks
should have good ground connection,
for they rest on stone or brick and ce-
ment, which are poor conductors of cleo
tricity. The danger OF lightning strokes
IS increased where heat and hydro
gen gas are rising. The
evaporation Of the carburetted
hydrogen of oil converts heat into cleo
tricity and also where there is combus-
ton going on which liberates heat and
hydrogen gas, or where there is deccmpo-
sition Of vegetable matter, in all such
cases electricity will be generated. Then
very little addition of electricity from
the surrounding atmosphere will cause q
stroke of lightning. Hence Oil tanks and
fues where fire is burning, barns and
stables are sll in greater danger than
other buildings.
Inc copper point OF ngnGnlDg Foo
should not hSve greater conducting ca
pacity than the rod; lit it has the first
| heavy charge of electricity it receives, It
will be melted OF. Everything becomes
charged by electricity falling from the
atmosphere on it, or By the wind bringing
electricity in contact with the object, or
by one object being brought in contact
with another already charged, and by the
conversion of heat into electricity by n.y.
drogen gas. The use of conductors is to
carry the electricity to the ground to pre-
vent an accumulation sufficient to decom-
pose the atmosphere.
Currents Of electricity never pass from
the earth to the clouds, but always from
the clouds to the earth. The cold cur
rents Of electricity are invisible, and form
before they sxploue. The explosion be
gins in that part of the current which de-
csmposes the atmosphere first; he cur
rent may form at any angle, but the gen.
eral direction Of all electric currents is
towards the earth. Lightning flashes go
in every direction because the explosion
may begin in shy part Of the current.
a. G. PAUL.