The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-03-20
RODS BETTER
Ere Marshall Craft Sets Forth Some.
thing on the Saving Qualities
Of lightning Rods.

thing on the Saving Qualities
of Lightning Rods.
An enormous fire waste that can
with certainty and comparatively
little cost be reduced almost to
nothing. Is that from lightning.
Incidental to this saving Ct property
would he a saving of lives.
For years the violence OF thunder
bolts has been increasing. not
because of there being a greater
number OF storms, but because of our
decorating natures face with high
harIls anu at the same time removing
her lightning rods, tie forest trees.
In ten Years the lightning loss in
Maine. With III, 900 Inhabitants,
increased from S26, O30 tn 1923, 094.
In many other states there has been
is great an increase.
The farmers mutual insurance
ompanies of Ohio which have over
10000, 900 at risk. find that their
NYM.F+eH' 5N4G KLEG.I.Nf HrH-fL aH
Isses from lightning In the summer
re more than two,thirds as great as
from all other causes in the whole
year. In Michigan the farmers
mutual companies lost In 1906 more
than three million from this cause.
The last annual reports of the Ill
Iowa mutual companies show that
IS per cent of their losses are from
lightning. The Indiana State AS
ISOLATION q year ago discussed a plan
for asse sing property rodded build
lngs at a less rate. LII the forty odd
companies represented In this meet
ing lore had a loss on a rodded
building. A committee from Ne
braska State Association reported
that properly rodded buildings we're
never struck. Two thirds Of Nebras-
ka's farm losses are from lightning.
In q paper before the Federation
OF Mutual Associations Of Ohio, MIR.
Culver, Secretary Of the Union.
Mutual, go per cent, of whose losses
have been by lightning, said "Two
dollars and q half was The only money
this company aver paid for q damage
TO Z building that was rodded since
Reorganization In 1873, but 1t vas
conceded that the rod was not prop
leslysa put up.' Mr.. Culver told of
the Lightning Rod Mutual Fire
Protective Association OF Seville,
Ohio. yhich began with half a
lps4liionsAtssrisk Ia July last :now has
9 t,,2OO, 0O0 andxhas not paid one cent
loss. He insisted that mutual
to5mpanies must make q less assess-
nrlent whore buildings are rcdded or
lose the creain Of their husiness to
companies which Insure rodded
Buildings only.
Increased knowledge Of electricity,
which has made 1t possible now to
transmit powerful cbargessof it by
cable for commercial use, has pro-
duced scientific lightning rods. Sir
Oliver Lodge, In q recent lecture
before the Birmingham, England,
Architectural Association, reported
his experiments With lightning con-
}dMctors whilo Chairman Of tile
Brilish lightning Rod Committee.
He said that ssthe rods In use prior
to 1883 we're inadequate, because
ele,tIic Inertia, or momentum, had
not at that tiue been discoyeed.
LtgltEinq rods today are made
witii knowledge of the character OF
tie work they have To do, and all
s~ciatiists and insurance AMEN agree
that Ley are i protection II properly
put IN.
The eiaceased demand for rods so
incrsas q The niliiliser OF locsll AGENTS
last SINNER shat competition has
protNitlA made the price on rods tair.
There ~ no rod no. ofered in this
state that ia not eHecllyr.
be pr JUDGE against lishtning
rods WHICH grew out Of tie practice
of Z travs ling agents who thirty
odd yeats ago GOV, red The country
With i~neffsraiye rod. and written
contracts which We e often alto
Retfe, TOO etfact,ve. IS heinp r :
ssoved..s NSEowEt he agent ~ q ,esideut
the same neighborlood as his
astonier Or al farthest, an adjoining