The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-05-13
CATCHING THUNDERBOLTS.

average loss on the building fired by
lightning $2,729, while the average
from other causes is $1,301, or less
than half as much.
When a Darn is struck the prOba-
bility is two to- one that it will be
entirely destroyed, contents and all.
II a dwelling the chance is but one in
seven that it will be fired at all.
The fire marshal gets no report of
the large number of houses struck by
lightning in which chimneys are de-
molished, siding torn off, foundations
damaged and occupants killed.
Lightning comes third as a cause of
loss, and statistics show that mills,
elevators and large farm barns are the
source Of the heaviest loss. Stats
ties also prove that buildings prop
erly provided with lightning rods burn
only in exceptional cases, and | am
of the opinion where the precaution
is taken to properly rod buildings of
this class the loss could be reduced
one-half.
The persons giving most attention
to the prevention of loss by light
ming are the officers of the farm
mutual insurance companies. In
several states these companies carry
more than three hundred million in
surance and in Il large number half
as much. Their experience shows
that the loss by lightning each sum-
mer in states in the Mississippi valley
is from two-thirds to three-fourths as
great as that from all other causes
added together. In Iowa in 1902 the
fire loss on farm property from light
ming was three times as great as from
all other causes combined.
In the meeting of the American
Association of Mutual Insurance
companies at Denver, the matter of
reducing the assessment where the
building was rodded was discussed
favorably. This has been done by
penalize the. absence of a lightning
rod by paying but eighty per cen of
the loss, if it is by lightning. Others
put rodded and unrodded buildings in
separate classes. Aside from this
many companies have been formed to
insure rOdded buildings only.
During the discussion at the last an
nual convention of the mutual insur-
ance association of Iowa it developed
that about half of all farm buildings
in that state are rodded. One dele
gate said: In our company, where
more than half the buildings are rod
ded, IL is a fact that in Is years there
isn't a case on record of a single
building with rods on it that has been
struck by lightning, and a great many
Of them hat were not rodded have
been" To quote from the report Of
an annual meeting of the Illinois AS
ISOLATION of Mutual Insurance Com
panies, "Mr. Hanlan asked if any
n could tell of an instance whare
a barn burned by being struck by
lightning when it was protected by
lightning rods in perfect order. No
one could"
"Old Line companies have been
discussing the necessity of making a
charge for the lightning clause in the
policy if the building is not rodded.
The president of a company rank
ing in the first three in amount of
farm property carried writes: L
want to say that if we coud secure
the proper "odding of all detached or
s~emi-detached buildings, like dwell
ings, barns and schools, We would
save sums of money for the people. 1t
may interest you to- know that dur
ing the past twelve years our records
show that % per cent. of our protect
ed school-house losses were due to
lightning. BY protected" | mean un-
der the protection of a fire depart.
ment."
The manager of the company doing
tht largest farm business wrote a
year ago: 1--WE think it will not be
long until insurance companies will
charge a higher rate for property un-
protected by rods than for protected
that is, a difference in rate will ne
made"
The fact is that owing to the large
number of lightning fires, farm barns
have been a losing proposition to in
scrance companies for sevral years.
The State Fire Marshal of Mime
sin says in his annual report:
From personal Investigation as to
the methods used by all the
in the lightning rod business today.
I am convinced that the business Is
carried on in a legitimate way and
lightning rods al be purchased for
reasonable prices"
The State EIrt Marshal OF Ninne.