The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-15
TALK ABOUT LIGHTNING RODS.
Can They Help Whom We Need ItI
From the Manufacturer Gazette

FrOW inc manufacturer gazette
Those who most fully understand the power
OF the electric current are least fnyorabiy i'm
| pressed with the Attempted methods OF draw
an eS 4 o 9hn thg SEs nni
satisfactory for carrying oif SO heavy a dis
"A A copper rod. to be efficient, should be at
iron rod to be Of equal efficiency should be
eight times the size Of the copper rod as COP:
ron II PARTIES ' to e@poy ro r6ds Ge S
galvanized iron is, better than the common
ir9n. by reason OF tho coating which protects
AS, to the matter of insulation. Any known
incubator be 1t glass or wood, or any Of the
from the clouds. To Indicate the enormous
might BE- veil to oO oS the s,0G ar
The Ordinary Induction, coil with voltage BE-
Fond measurement at the present stage OF tho
0eS f5sh'1n hro snfaS IN 8 eeEEa
eSss 70 the hicknoss 81 ne neeeEth ! o 81 a9
inch, and wood or paper two or three times Us
spark, with a discharge Of lightning which has
s Seep to reach one mile in length If the
wood as above, what must be the insulation
required 70 control o spark half mile to one
and with an electro olive force millions Of
times beyond the computation Of mani
on buildings must be entirely Inadequate for
EhsS n1 a assbsso 9 dvS 6
lowing tho WIRE and part OF the discharge. re-
CARELESS of any insaator commonly used.
entering the house at one or more points and.
TOR all practical purposes. the building stands
In worse posidon than though It's owner had
not attempted to protect 1t with the ordinary
nd In 1he foTdiPary electric storm house would
the timing g rods BECAUSE the iV electric clouds
IN their discharge would naturally strike u
tree. high rock. or some other elevated OBJ
be attracted TO the house by the IRON or COPPER
ROD; In other words. II the lightning roc, will
cause Il 1t does attract the electricity It affords
Woa e r Seer q e et Fl
90 some other point than the house. rather
than TO take the risk Of its discharge down the
ing up and entering The house, irrespective of
any sulation known to the arts.
duetor to the earth. and Undoubtedly iail trees
In the VICINITY OF house are an efficient safe
II t has been by sHeT
. tree, and then ii the. lightning was ntTaqei
be done 70 nearby bufIdlnG5. ,".,
change e Of gRt sY Be fG9' sa aa4 n @i
directly toward a house, there Is NJ human
means OF diverting It from IL course or pre-
has taken. and all the feather bets and light;
ming conductors that might BIO provided would
scarcely re. protect person who stood IN me wmy
Observers that the presence Of lightning rods
upon houses hasotten failed Of providing tho
Ok pected protection, and there arc miihons OF
houses o. unprotected bX Lightning rods that Lave
II one tops 10 e eyonsdo4 bo
rent TO DO dealt with and tho tremendous oec-
re motive force Of such a current II i, plain
iiscd Tor safely taking such II current out or
ARMS way and the man who Its In his hoGse
igEFnf r1 tagR i att storm r2eftG by t9aa
insulated with little pieces Of glass, which Hrc
70 mor5 protection than tissue Ipncr has not
ne, safety which the iGhtnirg rod nan FROM
ono other prrposos about his buildings.
As n!atter OF g9mpari.on in, in-ulaion II IS
generally known that telegraph wros are in
on conducting surface, with glass sides iul!y
ne,Guarter of an inch In thickness. And yet
u this precaution IN insu latlun f. taken wltha
ven then. What shall we say when tho light
inR-rod man places similar Eass i4sulatoEs
ON discharging into your buildings the light
ing OF the heavens, whose gieet motive
'rco cannot DO measured eysn - 'N1nns q
OTIS 1t IL ike COMPARING rln pep gun win
10 Thousand pound Coluri lad. ,.
In this progress OF an electro storm mere ID
o special attraction IN IN nrdI."ty I aWeiilnf
edium for reaching the ground frees, rocks,
oist Garth. soil with minerals arg elual II NOT
ator. conductor5 than ordinhir nonses and
arms n tho electricity In storm cloud has
,ac Oh sutllciout tsusIOn 10 overcome the ro-
staLCo oG5Tod 20 It's plssnSo 70 tho earth, II
III dischGigr NJ that point Gni NJ that time. 4
ld no human effort or contHY"nce can change
course,