Insurance. 341 



company what they were in the habit of paying for as household 

 furniture. They said, " Anything commonly used in the furnish- 

 ing of a house, except musical instruments, silverware, books, 

 etc., as noted in policy." I asked if it included, then, carpets, 

 beds and bedding, stoves, crockery, sewing machines, clocks, and 

 a writing desk. They said, "Yes; excepting, perhaps, your large 

 desk, costing $55, might be rather classed as office furniture than 

 household." So, to be sure and cover everything, I have my 

 policy on house contents read, " household furniture, clothing, 

 provisions, musical instruments, books, pictures, fuel, writing 

 desk and potatoes." I buy my provisions in quantity. Have 

 nearly two barrels sugar and several barrels flour, etc., now. 

 I inquired whether such an unusual quantity would be all right 

 in case of loss. They said certainly. Potatoes would be classed 

 as provisions, but, as we sometimes store so many, it seemed 

 best to have them specially mentioned. 



Here I might speak of the matter of lightning rods. We 

 have none on house or barn. As commonly put up, they are of 

 no use, and often are positively worse than nothing, serving to 

 some extent to draw the lightning, and not being fixed so as to 

 care for it so it shall not injure the house. A rod can be put up 

 so as to protect the building if it received the flash ; but I doubt 

 whether there are three in this town that are so put up. A com- 

 mon five-eighth or three- fourth continuous iron rod, with a bright 

 sharp point and a large sheet of metal soldered to the lower end 

 copper, I think, is best and the lower end in a well under water, or 

 down in soil that is always wet, might do some good. All fancy 

 rods, glass insulators, etc. , are mere moonshine. If I wanted a rod, 

 I would put it up myself, with the aid of our home blacksmith and 

 tinsmith, at a small fraction of price charged for rods that are of 

 little or no value. Such a rod would take care of lightning that 

 hit it; but that it would always protect the house, I cannot say. 

 A great insurance company of long experience does not make any 

 difference in charges for insurance against fire and lightning, 

 whether the building has rods on it or not. In fact, they told me 

 they would prefer there were none on it, as they were almost 

 invariably put up. In case of a bad thunderstorm, sit down 

 quietly in the centre of a large room, with doors and windows 

 shut, and trust in Providence. Avoid corners of building, or 

 nearness to stoves with fire in, or a position between stoves, or 

 stove and any metal, such as sewing machine or piano. 



If your policy is burned up with the house, can you get your 

 insurance ? Yes, I think so. Companies always keep a record of 

 policies, and could be made to produce their books, if not so dis- 

 posed. But I should not expect trouble with any large, reliable 

 company, and I certainly would not deal with any other. One 

 company told me they always took the application along to settle 

 by when a fire occurred, and it made no difference whether owner 



