Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-01
Rain b, order Of Congress.

We have all heard the fable of the man who,
dissatisfied with the management of the wealth
er, humbly petitioned Jupiter for leave 10 UNI
dertake that office for his own neighborhood.
The indulgent deity, being in specially propi-
tious humor at that moment, smiled at the NOR
tabs presumption and granted his prayer. The
poor man, however, soon found that his task
was no light one. To distribute rain and sun
shine, cloud and winds in suitable proportions
for his own business and pleasure caused him
much perplexity, and be sometimes had reason
TO believe that his judgment had been at fault
But added to this care were the constant petit
tons, remonstrances and eXecrations of his
neghbors, with whose plans his own arrange
ments conficted sadly, and who were never
agreed among themselves whether sunshine or
shower was most needed. He bore his burden
for year, SO we believe the fable runs, and by
the end of that time had convinced his friends
and himself that he was a pres umptous and
stupid meddler with things too high for him.
His crops had proved failure, his life had
been made wretched; he had lost his sel-re-
speet and gained the curses of his neighbors.
The sense of power over the elements was the
only advantage to set of against all these
sources of misery and loss, and that gave less
satisfaction than he expected More humbly |
and much more urgently than in making his |
first petition, he besought Jupiter to resume his
dangerous gift. The god consented, and has
since allowed no rash mortal TO share his
power
The obvious moral of this fable, that the con-
troll Of the elements is task as much too deli
cate for human wisdom as it is too great for
human power, has been accepted without Sc
rious dispute for many centuries. But its
truth is now beginning to be questioned, and
men are almost ready TO accept the belief, not
only that it is no very difficult matter to de-
eide when rain should be granted or withheld,
but that it may, perhaps, be possible to pro-
duce it to order, in quantities 10 suit, at any
given place. The signal service bureau has
already undertaken 10 tell us, in advance, what
weather we may expect for the next twenty
four hours, and, as its observations are extend
ed, and the methods of interpreting them are
better understood, it is not unreasonable to an
ticipate holder predictions. But the functions
of this new ''clerk of the weather." established
in Washington, are clerical and prophetic only,
not executive; he only records and predicts,
but does not venture Or pretend TO influence the
meteorological changes. The next step, if a
further step is possible, must be to direct, from
day to day, what kind of weather is desirable |
for each locality, and to put in operation the |
causes which will produce it, An ambitious
gentleman in Chicago, Edward Powers by |
name, and civil engineer by profession, as
presumptuous as the man in the fable, aspires
10 take Charge OF the weather. He addresses
his petition TO congress instead of Jupiter
whose functions in this respect seem to have
devolyed upon that body, and having set forth
his reasons for believing its power extends so
far, asks for the means and authority to cause
rain when he pleases.
Mr.. Powers argument is based upon the fact
that heavy and frequent discharges of artillery
have often been closely followed by rain. 1t is
not necessary to enumerate, as he does, the
many great land and naval battles in the old
world and the new at which this sequence has
been observed. The observation is familiar, and
his inference is not new, that it may be possible
by the use of artillery to bring down water from
the clouds, to end prolonged drought to avert
famine OF check a conhagratou To mention
twenty or thirty great battles, which have been
followed by rains more or less copious, makes
this theory seem plausible, but the argument is
seriously defective, unless we are Informed what
proportion of all the battles, of the weather be-
fore. during and after which we have knowledge
were succeeded by rain. There may have been
enough in which this phenomenon was absent
greatly to impair the value of his Inference.
But, assuming that its truth IS at least probable,
Mr.. Powers asks of congress the use of three
hundred pieces of ordnance, not less than twelve
FOUNDERS, twenty thousand blank cartridges Of
various weight, suitable to the calibre of the
guns, ten miles OF insulated WIRE and an electri
cal battery, with the usual appliances. He pro-
poses to experiment by firing all the pieces sim.
ultaneouslv, at suitable place, and at a time
when the signal service bureau announces that
fair weather is probable. If he can show by re-
peated experiments that the production of rain.
by this method is practicable, the knowledge of
this truth will be worth all ii costs.
The experiment he admits will be costly and,
II rain could not be produced with less expcndi-
ture of ammunition than is indicated by the
magnitude Of his request, the fact that its pro-
dueion is possible might prove of little practi-
cai value. But be believes that "the number Of
guns and amount Of powder for which he asks
arc many times larger than would be necessary,
Il nghty used, to produce rain in large quaint.
ues' aud with far less be would fear to fail. not
because OF insufhciency Of means, but because
the proper manner Of using those mean, 80 u
70 produce the greatest result is as We, mn.
Known" We have not observed any signs Of a
disposition in congress to act favorably on M
Powers petition, and yet chimerieal as his pro.
jeci may appear, it might be wise to do SO If a
careful Investigation Of all the facts already &C.
ceSsible should disclose a substantial foundation
for the theory. The expense Of rain by this
means, though considerable, need be no insuper.