PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 243 



than it now is, and thus save millions of dollars to our country 

 annually." 



The hour of one having arrived, the regular subject of the 

 meeting — " Barns struck hy lightning, and the prevention " — 

 was taken up. 



Judge Meigs said, as far as his experience extended, an im- 

 mense number of dwellings escaped the shock of being struck, 

 while a great number of barns suffer. 



Dr. Trimble said he had noticed, in the agricultural portion of 

 the Patent Office reports for 1859, a paper from Prof. Henry on 

 this subject, which seemed to cover the whole matter. He men- 

 tioned it to the club for their consideration. 



Mr. Lyon related an instance of striking by lightning, where 

 it was proved, in the most conclusive manner possible, that the 

 lightning rod directed the electricity and prevented damage. 

 He knew numbers of other instances in which the evidence was 

 clear as in this of the utility of lightning rods. He believed 

 that the laws which govern electricity were as simple, definite, 

 reliable, and intelligible as the laws which govern a car on a 

 railroad track, and he would feel no more uncertainty about the 

 direction that it would take on a building properly supplied with 

 rods than he would of the direction that a car would take on a 

 railroad track. 



Mr. Solon Robinson, who scouts the idea of lightning rods 

 being of any use in the prevention of damage by electricity, said 

 he was lately traveling by a lightning rod manufactory, and he 

 looked in vain, on any part of the building, for a lightning con- 

 ductor. They made rods for a living, and trusted to providence 

 for safety. 



Mr. Robinson read some interesting extracts from a book on 

 the subject. 



Prof. Renwick doubted whether there was an instance of a 

 barn being destroyed by lightning when protected by lightning 

 rods properly constructed. 



Prof. Mapes mentioned the various theories in rejprence to 'this 

 matter, and said that he could hardly decide which was the true 

 one. Seeing Mr. Quimby present, he would like to hear from him 

 upon the subject. 



Mr. Quimby said : The idea on the part of those who have 

 not thoroughly examined all the facts in the case, that lightning 

 rods are of little or no utility, was, it must be conceded, a very 



