Wisconsin- State Agricultural Society. 109 
ning all the way up, I should attach the point above, and connect 
the iron with the ground. 
Mr. Robbins. I have a building with a telegraph office in it. Can 
I protect that building so that it will be as safe with the telegraph 
office in it as without it ? 
Professor Sterling. Yes sir. They have means now for pro¬ 
tecting buildings. A copper plate is hung from the wire outside of 
the building, and another copper plate connected with it to the 
ground below. 
Mr. Robbins. Then if I wish to have a telegraph office con¬ 
nected with my house, I can make it as safe as without it? 
Professor Sterling. Yes sir. 
Mr. Benton. A great many people think the electricity strikes 
a building horizontally, and in the angles of the roof, showing 
that the passage of the fluid is as frequently horizontal as perpen¬ 
dicular. 
And also another condition in relation to the placing of the rod 
to the ground. I recollect digging a well where the soil was 8 or 
10 feet above a rock, and when it was thrown out on to the ground, 
the dust would fly from it, it w r as so dry, and it seems to be almost 
impossible that the rod should connect with some body of water 
in such a place. 
Professor Sterling. The electricity, when the charge passes 
down the rod, may, by induction, act upon the metal that is in 
a horizontal position and may pass into the building in that way. 
Mr. Benton. Then the connection between the rod and the 
roof must be of equal conducting surface as the rod itself, or the 
connection between the rod and the house w T ould be broken. 
Professor Sterling. That is, the roof would form merely a 
part of the rod, and it does not need any more conducting surface 
by its being connected with the roof. 
Mr. Benton. Then the connection between the rod and the 
roof must be of the same capacity of the rod. 
Professor Sterling. If the building is entirely enclosed in 
metal and you connect the lower part of it with the ground it 
would need no other connection at all. 
Mr. Houston, of Kenosha. I notice that it is always white oak 
trees that are struck, and I think it is a safe thing if there are 
trees higher than the building to attach the rod there, and keep the 
