Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-08-23

rot. but generally the flashes are not
So intense bat that good lightning
rod makes the most natural path As
lightning often falls indiscriminately
upon tree, rock or building, it will
make but little difference sometimes
whether trees are higher than adjoin-
inG buildings
THEFT are some prevalent misap-
l. Extensions with regard to lightning
70. example: That it never strikes
twice in the same place; that the most
exposed place is always struck; that a
few inches Of glass or a few feet Of air
will serve as an insulatOr to bar the
progress Of fash that has forced its
way through a thousand feet of air.
The order Of frequency of lightning
stroke on the various soils in percen-
tages deduced from $50 reports is as
follows: Loan, 26 per cent; sand, "a
per cent; clay, 10 per cent; prairie,
10 per cent; scattering, u per cent.
lightning often strikes the elm,
chestnut, oak and pine tree, Blu. rarely
the beech. Trees deficient in fatty
materials during the thunderstorm
season and those rich in starch are
preferred by lightning. Certain trees,
therefore, found to be good conductors,
should be planted around the home and
outbuildinga as a form Of lightning
rod and these should be avoided as
refuge in time of thunderstorms.
A lightning rod agent, speaking upon
the subject, said: lightning rods
should be placed upon country houses
and tall buildings in the city. An
Nnpainted metal roof with down
spouting and good connection through
out is sufficient, provided the highest
points, as the chimneys, for instance,
are also coppered. I do not think
painted roofs will do as WE'LL
When asked as to the danger OF
trees about building he said he COLI
sidered them an element of danger
He denied that the lightning rod is
LOSING favor.
". o. Stephenson of the firm of
Stephenson & Studeman expressed
little faith in the efficacy of lightning
rods. They are going out of use. he
said. aud it is well they should. He
believed good metal roof with proper
gutter connection was by far the
safest and surest protection known
against lightning.
J. H. Billed of the firm Of Billed
Bros. said he didn't believe in light
ming rods, that all their value was in
the old iron they contained. He
believed, however, that a rod might
possibly be constructed that would
afford some protection to a building,
but to be Of any use he said it must
have magnet, an enormously large
and tremendously powerful one. The
ordinary lightning rod is of no use.
NJ. Billed believed a metal roof some
protection against lightning if the
roof is sufficiently inclined. If it is
fla: the tin or other material on the
roof carries no assurance of safety.
A constructor of lightning rods thus
expressed himself. Il am a believer
in the general efficiency of the metal
roof and down spouting well connect
ed, and l do not consider that painting
a fo0I makes any difference. | con-
slider the lightning rod to be growing
in favor
A leading builder expressed his be-
lief in the value of metal roofs and
spouts in either country or city, es-
pecially on tall buildings. y know
absolutely that lightning will follow n
metal path" he said. ito the very end.
and l am therefore positive that a.
moderate stroke Of lightning will
select the rod in preference to other
things and thus give protection. l
think trees are an element of danger
when near house, unless they are
also rodded, and 1 consider house in
an open field the safest Of all. The
Importance Of keeping rods in order
cannot be emphasized Failure of the
rod to do its work has sometimes re-
suited through disregard Of this rule,