Nevada County picayune., 1891-08-13
Lightning Rods.

Editor PICAYU NE.-l was lJJle amused at an article that appeared in the Prescott Democrat last week, which suppose was aimed at your local lightning rod dealer. Writer said at one time he travelled with lightning rod agent in Arkansas, and the agent told hIm that rods were a humbug, and only cost 1 to Gc per foot and he sold them at 40 to 5Oc per foot that globes cost 40c each and he sold them for $500 each. Now, l am fully persuaded the writer of that article referred to is shallow brained, and ready to believe any thing that we'll dressed stranger would tell him, especially If his clothes were scented with cologne and his mustache well wa2ed and boots blacked. l guess the poor fellow actually belongs to the crowd that thinks the world flat, instead of round, and if he went to mill would have corn in one end of the sack and a stone in the other. He says how many persons did we know to be killed by lightning while in a house! Of course he was never killed, but I'll warrant he was badly scared while sitting on that lightning rod wagon, during that thunder storm. He say. he thought it would be nice travelling through Arkansas in the rod trade, but alas the rolling thunder and flashing lightning was too much for his poor nerves-and hear his prayer, God pity the poor ignorant people and save the lightning rod agents. This man must be like the scribe who wrote the third chapter of Lamentations of Jeremiah, which begins something like this; am the man that have seen atllic- ton by the rod, and have been brought into darkness but not into light; my flesh and my skin hath he made old-he hath broken my bones (wtth lightning) and thou hast re- moved my soul far from peace. l would say to my benighted friend, in the language of one of old, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but the foolish despise wis dom and instruction; wisdom shall preserve thee and understanding shall keep thee. 1 will refer the writer of said article to where per sons were injured in their homes by lightning; residences of Daniel Sickle and John Wagoner, of Mon- ticello, Ill. were struck by lightning on the 10th of June last, and three persons killed; on 22nd of same month James Hughes was killed i'll hIs barn near Columbus, Ind, with two of his horses, by lightning about same date Henry Wilson was killed in his house, at Pama, Ill.,, by lightning. Could name many other instances-papers give accounts ot such accidents almost every day. l wish to say to my philanthropic friend that about 26 years ago there was cheap John manufactures of lightning rods, at Boston, Mass, who sold them at 6 to Sc per foot, or anything he could get, who swim died the public-I see some of them in Nevada county-they were made of carbon, washed in metal, and are not conductors of electricity, any more than a corn cob. The rod l use is made of the best electric an healed steel, and are tested by uso of magneto, before use, and are quoted to me at S270 per 1000 feet; get small discount off for cash, so cost to me is little less. If my friend wishes to rod the trees and posts about his place, he might pos sibly get some of the cheap John rod by referring to the Boston directory; doubtless he has some he would like to sell him cheap, as the state stop ped him from manufacturing them.
 ISAAC MOORE.
 r. S.-Prof. Irl Hicks the great scientific weather prophet, says the effect of lightning rods is to provide a pathway for an overflow of mega tive or positive forces of electricity, which are continually gathering that building properly provided with lightning rods will never be struck by lightning, IS an established fact. Prof. Joseph Henry in his re- port to Congress, says the SmithSo- nian Institute rods have been struck times during last two years, and each time electric fluid passed harm lcssly into the ground. l. NJ.