Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1911-12-14
LIGHTNING RODS PROTECT?
George Allen Mullen. Electrical En-
gineer, Farmers Institute, at
Swedesboro, Nov. 18th.

gOne hundred and fifty million dol
lars ($150 ,000,000) is lost annually by
the farmers of the United States by
fire through lightning-to say moth
ing of the terrible loss of life which
far exceeds the number killed on the
railroads.
This stupendous loss has been year
ly increasing as the number of farm
buildings erected increase, and as the
forests, which are the earth's natural
lightning conductors, more rapidly
decrease. Hence the necessity for
lightning protection is far greater to-
day than during the days of our
fathers.
Indeed, the matter has become of
such serious moment that the United
States Government has felt compelled
to take it up, and has caused to be
issued by the Weather Bureau (Light-
ming and Lightning Conductors Farm
ers' Bulletin No. 367) an appeal call
ing upon the farmers of the country
to lay aside their prejudices and pro-
tect their lives and property with.
lightning conductors.
This appeal reads as follows: If
the phenomenon of lightning were
better understood (by farmers) per-
haps the enormous toll it exacts
life and property would be less. Care
fully gathered statistics show in the
United States between 700 and 800 are
killed annually and twice that num-
Der injured by lightning.
$50, too, the greater part OF the an
nual loss of property is chargeable to
farm buildings and their contents and
live stock in open field"
This latter statement that the great
est annual loss is suffered by farm
ers by lightning, has disillusioned
many who hitherto have believed that
the great fires in large cities totaled
up the largest loss.
Our own State has closely followed
other States in calling upon farmers
not to longer stand in their own light,
and urge upon the use of the only
means which has been provided to
protect them against the onslaught of
heavens artillery.
In the report of the New Jersey
State Board of Agriculture for 1905
we find detailed instructions on pro-
lection from lightning. On page 255
it states that if these instructions are
followed, "The building is proof
against lightning" But mark you,
this same article warns farmers
against buying lightning rods sold by
lightning rod men. On page 254 it
characterizes this class of takers in
the following words: "Since 1848 the
lightning rod business fell rapidly in
to disgrace a cut-throat and gener-
ally ignorant class of men sprung up
and has been fostered by two large
manufacturing concerns who supply
the literature and contracts, and in
period of one generation the great
discovery of Franklin had become a
stencil in the public n0strils."
Hence, we say beware of the light
ming rod man. The man who offers
to sell you a lightning rod offers an
insult to your intelligence. Lightning
Conductors are not to be confounded
with lightning rods. Lightning rods
are sold by lightning rod men who are
tricity and the phenomenon of light
ming.
Il want to talk with this philoso-
pher and ask him the cause of thund-
er," says Shakespeare in King Lear.
But this philosopher did not answer,
neither did any other until BENJAMIN
Franklin came He believed light
ming to be, not the voice of any angry
god, but simply atmospheric electri-
city. To prove this theory, he re-
qnired a higher building than was at
that time in Philadelphia Old Christ
Church was completed at this time,
but it had no steeple and Franklin
started lottery to hurry it's erection
that he might have this vantage point
for his experiments. Impatient of the
delays he wrote some scientific men
of Europe to try out his idea from
some of their highest structures. But
before they could report Franklin hit
upon the idea of using a kite.
This proved his theory correct
Lightning and electricity were iden-
tical, and as such could be readily
controlled by metal conductors.
From that day to this there has never
been any question of mans ability to
control lightning.
have here little pamphlet on
Lightning Protection. 1t gives the
testimony of such scientists as Lord
Kelvin, Sir Oliver Lodge Jno Tyn-
udll, JUS. T1euI y, iDdslu "A. WS1trs duu
score of others, who all proclaim
that Lightning Conductors will pro-
tect life and property. But mark yon,
not single one of them use the word
rod"
Lightning rods are condemned by
all authorities, but all authorities en-
dorse Lightning Conductors. To
make the distinction c1ear-a Light
ming rod, as its name implies, is quite
rigid: it must therefore be made in
joints. In practice these joints come
every five to ten feet and the rod is
generally twisted.
Now these points are bad for two
reasons: First, because of their IL
ability to part; second, because the
current in seeking the earth is liable
to be diverted at these joints into the
building, in what is known as side
flashes
This particular rod was condemned
hv tho Smithsonian Institute ag far