( O^AY 9 1890 ) 



SCIENCE 



lEntered ai ihe fosL-UUiCB of New York, N.Y., as Second-Class Matter.J 



Ninth Tear. 

 Vol. XVII. No. 431. 



NEW YOEK, Mat 8, 1891. 



Single Copies, Ten Cents. 

 $3.50 Pee Yeae, in Advance. 



PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNINas 



'-"^dssfflrft^LftW. fni 



massnyii iBnoi}^(j XiBiqi-j 



THE NEW METHOD STANDS UNCRITICISED. 



' ' The main point which I would urge upon your consideration is that by giving the 

 electrical energy something which experience shows it will readily dissipate, that is, a 

 conductor of varying resistance and small size, we can but mitigate the effects of lightning- 

 discharges, so long as the conservation of energy holds true. I will only repeat that I 

 have so far found no case on record where the dissipation of such a conductor has failed to 

 protect the building uader the conditions already explained." — From paper read before the 

 American Institute of Electrical Engineers, April 21. 



PRESS COmmENTS: 



" If the theory advanced by Mr. N. D. C. 

 Hodges, as to the cause of the damage and 

 destruction of buildings when struck by light- 

 ning, and the method proposed to avert such 

 damage is correct, that gentleman's discov- 

 ery will properly rank as one of the most 

 scientific and useful in the history of elec- 

 tricity. His reasoning seems to be correct, 

 and it will be interesting to note the result 

 of a practical test of his system of protecting 

 buildings from damage by lightning. If he 

 is right, then there will be no excuse for al- 

 lowing property to go unprotected from light- 

 ning's destructive power. It is well to be 

 prepared at all times for the unexpected, 

 and lightning certainly possesses, more than 

 anything else that we know of, a good deal 

 of the element of uncertainty. It may, or 

 may not strike one's property, and very fre- 

 quently the lightuiug rods in vogue at the 

 present time are no better than none at all. 

 A reliable method of protection against dam- 

 age to property by lightning is something 

 very much desired, and if Mr. Hodges has 

 discovered a means of accomplishing this 

 result, his name will become intimately 

 linked with that of the immortal Ben Frank- 

 lin." — Electrical Age, May 3. 



"The paper by Mr. N. D. C. Hodges, 

 printed in this issue, on his new system of 



protection against lightning, adds some de- 

 tails to the description we gave of his ideas 

 and methods two or three months ago. Mr. 

 Hodges, having noticed that certain condi- 

 tions and results attend a lightning stroke, 

 has come to the conclusion that what is 

 wanted is a protector that will dissipate the 

 charge by means of its own dissipation. 

 Such apparatus as he proposes would evi- 

 dently be cheap, and there should be no diffi- 

 culty in finding out whether the Hodges de- 

 vice is a protector that protects." — Electrical 

 Engineer, May 6. 



" As we understand it,7the rod will con- 

 sist of appropriately sized wire-pieces — 

 which are to be fused or volatilized by the 

 passage of the lightning; the energy being 

 thus harmlessly converted. Undoubtedly 

 there is room for improvement in the form 

 of protector, conductor or discharger (or by 

 whatever name we may call it) to be used in 

 dealing with discharges of such high poten- 

 tials as exist in lightning flashes. The really 

 important part of this new invention is, that 

 in its theory, it emphasizes the fact that the 

 seat of the electrical energy is, and must be 

 — not in the cloud or in the earth, just pre- 

 ceding a flash of lightning, but in the air 

 column between cloud and earth." — Ameri- 

 can Meteorological Journal, April. 



PROSPECTUS. 



47 Lafayette Place, New Yoek, March 9, 1891. 

 It is proposed by the owners of letters patent dated Dec. 16, 1890, on an improved 

 method for protecting buildings from lightning, etc., to organize a company for the hand- 

 ling of said patent and all improvements; and subscriptions are requested on the following 

 terms and conditions: — 



1. A company is to be organized with a capitalization of $10,000, in 1,000 shares of .$10 

 each, fully paid in at par, the company to be organized in such State as the subscribers may 

 determine by vote when all shares have been subscribed for, and with a charter to contain 

 a provision that the amount of capitalization shall never be increased. 



2. This $10,000 is to be used as working capital; and the object of the company will 

 simply be to place licenses with responsible persons, corporations, or sub-companies, al 

 such rates of royalty as may be agreed upon by a majority vote. 



3. In lieu of any stock or cash payment to the inventor for his patent, the inventor 

 ■will give said company the exclusive control of his said inventions in consideration of the 

 payment to him by said company of one-third of the gross royalty receipts. 



The officers of the company shall be elected by a majority vote of the stockholders 

 ■without reserve. No stock shall be given to anybody for services or any thing else except 

 actual cash payment at par into the treasury. 



No subscriptions will be binding until the full number of 1,000 shares has been sub- 

 scribed for. 



Subscriptions are solicited in amounts from five shares upwards. The list opens with 

 subscriptions for one hundred and live shares. 



The names of those who have subscribed will be sent to any intending subscriber upon 

 application. 



N. D. C. HODGES. 



m Lightning 



To dissipate the energy of a lightning dis- 

 charge, — to prevent its doing harm, — it is 

 necessary that something should be placed in 

 its path upon which its energy (capacity for 

 causing damage) may be expended. The 

 Patent Lightning Dissipater is specially de- 

 signed to serve this purpose, and will be 

 sent prepaid, with full directions for its ap- 

 plication, to any part of the United States, not 

 previously taken by agents, on receipt of $5. 00. 



Correspondence solicited. 



AGENTS WANTED. 



N. D. C. HODGES, 



47 Lafayette Place, N. Y. 



MIMEQAI C C^iBiNET Specimens. Collections. 

 llllllCnHLO- For Blo-wpipb Analysis. 



Largest and finest stock in U. S. 100pp. Illustrated 

 CatalOKue. paper bound, 15c : cloth bound, 25c. 



SBO. L. EKGLISH & CO, Mineralogists, 

 Removed to 733 & 735 Broadway, Ne-w 'j'ork. 



Conrse of Mineralogy for Yonng People. 



Third Grade ready, containing directions how to 

 study minerals by means of blowpipe analysis. 



Book, Collection. Correspondence one dollar 

 postage, 25 cents. Address 



GUSTAVE GUTTENBERG, 

 Central High School, Pittsburgh, Pa. 



PATENTS. 



During April and May my fees due only on al- 

 lowance if desired. Write for particulars 

 WM. H. BABCOCK, 

 709 G St. N. W., Washington. D. C, P. O. Box 220 

 Formerly Examiner in Patent Office 

 FIFTEEN YEARS' PRACTICE 



DATCMTO J. B. CRALLE & CO., 

 r A I til I Washington, D. C. 



ILLUSTRATED HAND-BOOK FREE upou applica- 

 tion. Mention this paper. 



BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY. 



There is a good chance for the right man 

 as Manager of the 



LIGHTNING PROTECTION COMPANY, 



which is being formed to operate under broad 

 patents. The new method will certainly 

 revolutionize the whole system of protecting 

 property from lightning. 



Those interested should send for report of 

 the meeting of the American Institute of 

 Electrical Engineers, held April 21. 



Local companies are already forming to 

 operate under licenses from the parent com- 

 pany, and we should be glad to hear from 

 any who would care to consider entering this 

 new field. 



Correspondence is solicited with those de 

 siring further information. 



N. D. C. HODGES, 47 Lafayette PL, N.Y 



