The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-01-30
FROM TELEPHONES,
CHIMNEYS, SCREENDOORS AND
STOVES DURING THUNDERSTORMS

Swindling person ne was tnlEty w
forty years ago, too commonly, when
his notoriousl ycrooked methods did
much to discredit this mode OF protec-
ton for property; but he still has his
little tricks.
The price he charges Is excessive.
relatively. 10 the cost OF material and
labori and. (says the lightning book,
the skill with which he sells worth
less glass and tinware. to be hung on
the aeriat terminals and other parts
OF tho rods, largely increases In many
instances tho cost OF the equipment
ito the purchaser.
The total quantity Of electricity in
"a lightning bolt strange to say is
small. But the voltage Of the hash
Ia term Of Intensity is great. A small
amount Of electricity, discharged TO
the earth in perhaps 1-35,000 OF q sec
ond. makes q momentary current OF
large magnitude-just as a small
quantity Of gunpowder exploded in q
closed space makes q very great pres
sure in q short time. 1t is, in a word,
the intensity and not the quantity that
does the damage.
n ! Franklln's. Discovery.
Benjamin Franklin, in 1850, having
surmised that electricity and lightning
were one and the same thing, sug-
gested that damage to buildings by fro
from the skies might be prevented by
the erection on their submits OF
sharp pointed iron rods, with the low
er ends Of the latter buried in the
ground. II was not until two years
later, however, that the correctness
of the above mentioned guess was
proved. by his celebrated kite expert
ments. He then put iron rods on his
own house in Philadelphia.
Acceptance Of the idea was slow. In
Europe it was bitterly opposed by the
religious orders. which regarded the
Quaker City philosopher as an infidel
proposing to interfere with a divine
instrument for the punishment Of sin
ners. The fact that lightning seemed
specially disposed to assail churches
did not appear to disturb this concep-
ton of theirs.
Recognition from Venice.
Lightning rods, when erected in
those early days, were in frequent in
stances torn down by angry mobs.
which suspected them to be account
able for failures of crops, earthquakes
and other manifestations Of divine dis
pleasure. The first recognition ac-
corded them by any government was
by the senate of Venice, which, May
8, 1878, ordered their adoption for the
protection Of all public buildings
throughout the republic.
Even at the present time, in many
parts OF our own country. lightning
rods are regarded not only as Of doubt
full utility, but as a menace to prop
erty, the theory being entertained that
they attract lightning. And, where
this idea is not held, it is quite COM
monty imagined that a rod in imper-
feet order is likely to be a danger.
Poor Rods Better Than None.
But the lightning book says that
even the most imperfect rod is likely
to be better than NO rod at all. Brok-
en lengths OF one have saved many a
house. And, of course, II one chooses
to take reasonable precautions-such
as seeing to it that the rod extends
deep enough in the earth to reach per-
manent moisture at all seasons-there
is no reason why .he protection af-
forded should not be absolutely eff
fcient.
Some of the farmers mutual fire
insurance companies still show their
faith in lightning rods by reducing
very materially their charges for in
surance in all cases where houses and
farms are rodded. Others even go so
far as to refuse TO insure unrodded
buildings at any price, But the big
fire insurance companies. which are
practically combined into a trust,
mostly ignore the value of lightning
rods and refuse TO reduce premiums
to those who protect their buildings.
Legislation is being proposed to make
them give a proper reduction in rates
to persons whose buildings. are rodded.