New-York tribune., 1896-05-10
LIGHTNING IN BIG CITIES.
LESS DESTRUCTIVE Z THERE THAN IN THE CouE-
TRY-LIGHTNING- RODS IN DEMAND CHIEFLY

LESS DESTRUCTIVE THERE THAN IN THE CouH-
TRY-ILGHTNING- RODS IN DEMAND CHIEFLY
IN THE RURAL DISTRICTS.
Few natural phenomena show many eccentrici-
ties of behavior as Jove's thunderbots. Machine
made electricity. especially when playing the truant
Is tricky enough. but the fiery product OF the
clouds is still original. inconsistent and law
less. In small towns, or in the outskirts OF largo
ones where the houses detached from one an
other and are fifty or a hundred feet apart one
frequently hears Of damage by lightning: II is sell
dom a row Of brownstone-fronted dwellings,. a
block Of stores a fifteen twenty-story apartment
house. or a sky-scraping office building. in those
portions OF a city which are DnlIt up soHdIy' IL
hurt in that way.
SO long has this state OF affairs existed and been
recognized that 1t has affected the business OF max
ing and erecting lightning rods. II a man should
institute special search for such apparatus IN the
older part OF the metropolis with opcra-glass In
his hand and high window or roof for his post OF
observation. he might well ask whether the light
ming rod has not become like the dodo extinct
species Eventually. a few tail. slender church
spires and certain classes Of buildings under the
control Of Federal municipal bureaus would be
found displaying metallic bristes. connected by a
copper cable with the ground But these and the
few other discoverable exceptions would only serve
to emphasize the rule Inquiry reveals however
that extensive business in lightning rods is still
carried They frequently ever
In small towns and farms Occasionally you
will hear Of a man who has a house and big ware
houses in the city which not provided with
these safeguards. but who employs them abundant
" his country house and stock barns II is said
that Mr.. Edison and Mr.. Westinghouse. who
supposed to know thing or two about electricity.
protect their houses and shops. which isolated
structures. In this way; and the Weather Bureau
experts and other scientists who have investigated
the subject declare that properly constructed
lightning rod has distinct value IL Is clear
therefore, that this time honored institution Is not
going out Of favor except In big cities.
The singular indifference which the lightning
seems to manifest toward great centres OF popula
ton Is probably not due to the non-cOnducting
qualities Of the brick and stone largely used
there in the construction Of buildings. On the other
hand most of the theories advanced to account for
in some way other. better facilities exist In and
great cities than elsewhere for relieving a
thunderclOud OF It's superabundant electricity and
leading the same quietly TO the earth. The vast
upward projections from the roofs. especially when
well wetted facilitate silent discharge In IN
Vulnerable small streams The complicated net
work of telegraph and telephone wires reaching
through the streets. high In air, has also been
credited with disseminating good deal of electricity
ton may possibly be found in the steel frames OF
some of the modern high buildings. Certainly, II
the metallic portions of the roof Of one OF these
structures properly connected with the frame,
moist soil the combination would afford lightning
rod or exceptional efficiency and proportions DIS
tribute the credit among these various agents as
one may there is evidently set OF conditions ex-
lence Of lightning there. and which appreciably af-
.ncts the demand for lightning rods.