The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1877-03-08
EFFECTS OF THEORETICAL sp.
A OES.

Sacramento Railroad Oricle had A..
oughly shown the feasibility of the r.,
theory for the artificial production /,
rain, and our people, in the face of "a
verse Providence, naturally felt a A.,
and abiding interest in the matter. m,
grange element was first to comasx.
ward and offer cooperation in the =,
perimental work and our people .p
orally were eager to grapple with an,
undertaking that would tend to so,,.
tie weather problem and place our a.
ricultural interests on safer bpsis A.
cordingly meeting was called, and .,
the day appointed all the farmers ma,
chants, and mechanics, and even labo,p,
for at least fifteen miles distant met !,
agree upon satisfactory terms of TESTING
the great theory then wrapt in mysterr
1t was decided that ON the follovin,
Saturday everybody should come and
bring with him one cord of fourfoot wood
and all the shot-guns, rifles .and am
munition obtainable. The place Of
ton was to be along Cacheereek for,
distance of about five miles SATURDAY.
came, and so did thousands of people
seated on huge loads of cordwood, and
bearing firearms of all kinds. AT ten
o'clock the banks was lined with q nile
of wood twenty feet high. At quartz,
past ten the leader mounted the huoe
breast work and gave orders to set the
mass on fire. The flames rolled I'D fifty
feet in the air, and in half an hour
the heat became so Intense that every
person had to retreat and take a stand
one mile away. Orders were then given
for the simultaneous discharge of fire.
arms. The demand was followed by
fash and roar as of thunder. Again
the pieces were loaded, and the explosion \
fairly made the earth tremble. Up to
this time twelve NJ the heavens bad y
shown no indications of yielding to N
arti6ce. AS they were about to despair
and give up the attempt as miserable
failure, voice was heard to cry aloud,
Behold, yonder cometh cloud, loom
ing up in the SOUTH" ALI eyes were
turned in the direction indicated, and a I.
cry Of exultation broke forth from the b
expactant crowd. The cloud continued
to increase, and by four o'clock P. NJ. the
heavens were black and Threatened rain
at any moment. The heat had gradually
driven lis back, till we found ourselves
the foothills, four miles from
the fire. AT sunset it commenced rain
ing, and the rejoicings of the assenlblage
we're carried almost to extremes. a L
gentle southeast breeze now sprang up, \
and the rain descended in torrents. At \
dark the heat of the fire seemed in.
tense as ever; consequently the multi
tude could not return to their homes,
possibly before morning. The situation
was not an altogether comfortable one, II
but the women and children found
shelter, and the acknowledgements decided
hat they could stand anything for rain.
At midnight the storm had increased to +
uch fearful point that it seemed asst
he flood-gates of heaven had been turned
Dose. Morning came, but the storm
lad not abated. The fire had been ex-
but the outcasts were unable
o return to their homes, as the valley
vas covered with over two feet of water.
Would it ever step raining? If 90, whens
'rayers were offered, praying the divine
'owers to..stop the deluge. But it stopped
lot, and atnight the water in the valley
vas eight feet deep. The next morning
he flood had Inundated a number Of
ills. AS 1 was about to leap into the
'aves awoke, holding in one banda
opy of the railroad organ, which ] had
cen reading when fell asleep. 1t con-
aimed an article on the Espy theory