The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1909-07-23
THE VALUE OF LIGHTNING RODS
A Subject in Which Our Readers are
Becoming Greatly Interested.

DccOtnms
The State Fire Marshal of Ohio last
! wear issued two extensive bulletins on
the value % lightning rods on farm
bulldogs portions OF which we are quot
log, az this subject IL one in which
large number OF our readers ere inter
ested
/ "Au enormous fire waste that can
with certainty and comparatively little
| cost be reduced tn almost nothing Is that
! from lightning Incidental To this saw
/ ing OF property would be a saving OF
lives
For wears the violence of thunder
bolts has been increasing, not because
! of there being greater number OF
storms, but, because OF our decorating
natures face with high barns and at the
sane time removing her lightning rods,
the forest trees. La ten years the light
ming loss 10 Maine increased from s26 ,03O
to Sl23,09
In many southern states there has
been a. great an increase
However the number OF buildings so
fred in Ohio is less than three fourths
/
ton might be credited TO the number OF
rods up, having been increased by the
efforts Of the farm mutual companies;
or the fact that "Old Line" companies
are likely to make a charge for the light
uing clause IN policies on unroued build
iugs, because they have been paying out
more than the premiums on barns; or
ha hal bay
through the kindness of the newspapers
that a quarter of million dollars would
be saved each summer il buildings we're
so roded In Michigan the farmers
mutual companies lost in 1906 more
| than three million dollars from this
cause.
The Indiana State Association year
ago discussed a plan for assessing pro-
perly roded buildings at less rate. In
the forty odd companies represented IN
this meeting, none had loss on a roded
building
The lightning Rod Mutual Fire Pro-
tective Association OF Seville, Ohio,
which began with half a million al risk
in July last, now has one million two
hundred thousand and has DOT paid one
cent for lightning losses.
The increased demand for rods in this
state SO increased the number Of local
agents asst summer that competltIor
has made the price on rods fair.
The rejudice against lightning rods
which grew out Of the practice of the
travelling agents who thirty odd years
ago covered the country with ineffective
rods, aud written contracts which were
often altogether too effective, is being
removed Now the agent is a resident
OF the same neighborbood as his Gus
toner, or at fartherest, an adjoining
county, and must play fair or quit the
| business
] In Great Britain lightning research
committee, with government sanction
spent three years ia experimenting with
} artificial strokes OF high power and 10
investigating all damages by lightning
In France lightning protection Is super
vised by government boards. In Ger
many government inspector tests the
efficiency of all rods every spring.
The United States. the home o.
Franklin, is the only country in " hict
the desirability of lightning rods ha:
ever been questioned. This may be be
cause in 20 other country did fakir'
take advantage Of tue mystery surround
ing the control OF the phenomenon o
lightning to svindie the unsuspecting
II an agent should offer tricky con
tract in Ohio, or rod that would no
protect, the newspaper would print
. bulletin Of this department that woulC
stop Its sale within a week.