The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-02-16
EFFECTS OF TREORE rICAL SPEC1y-
n ONS.

/ Sacramento Railroad Oricle had thor
oughly shown the feasibility ofthe Espy
theory for the artificial production of
rain, and orr people, in the face of ad-
. verse Providence, naturally felt a dee p
and abiding interest in the matter The
grange element was first to come for.
ward and offer cooperation in the ex-
perimental work and our people gen
orally were eager to grapple with any
undertaking that would tend to solve
tie weather problem and place our ag-
ricultural interests on safer basis. Ac-
cordingly q meeting was called, and on
the day appointed all the farmers, mer-
chants, and mechanics, aud even lahorers
for at least fifteen miles distant met to
agree upon satisfactory terms of testing
the great theory then wrapt in mystery.
1t was decided that on the following
Saturday everybody should come and
bring with him one cord Of fourfoot wood
and all the shot-guns, rifles sand am
munition Obtainable. The place of &C
ton was to be along Cache creek for a
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 a pile
of wood twenty feet high. At quarter
past ten the leader mounted the huge
breast work and gave orders to set the
mass on fire. The flames rolled up fifty /
feet in the air, and in half an hour /
the heat became so intense that every 1
person had to retrea- and take stand .
one mile away. Orders were then given
for the MISUNDERSTANDING of fire.
arms The demand was followed by
fash and roar as of thunder Again
the p,,cces were loaded, and the explosion
fairlv made the v~crth tremble. Up to
this time twelve H. the ~ raVens nad
shown no indications of yielding 70
artifce. As they were about to despair
and give up the attempt as q miserable
failure, voice was heard to cry aloud,
Behold, yonder cometh cloud, loom :
ing up in the south" All eyes were
turned IN the direction indicated and a
cry of exultation broke forth from the
sxpactant crowd. The cloud continued
to increase, and by four o'clock P NJ the Q
heavens were black and threatened rain .
1t any moment. The heat had gradually
iriven us back, till we found ourselves L
climbing the foothills, four miles from
he FIRE. At sunset it commenced rain
ng, and the rejoicings of the assemblage d
we're carried almost to extremes. A
.entle southeast breeze now sprang up, Z
nd the rain descended in torrents At 81
ark the heat Of the fire seemed as in
ense as ever; consequently the multi u
ude could not return to their homes,
ossibly before morning. The situation
Tas not an altogether comfortable one, o.
ut the women and children found Ii
heller, and the masculine element decided Ve
hat they could stand anything for rain. ID
It midnight the storm had increased to "a
lch fearful point that IL seemed as if al
le food gates of heaven had been turned al
'ose. Morning came, but the storm q
ad not abated. The fire had been ex- III
nguished, but the outcasts were unable CT
return to their homes, as the valley 81
as covered with over two feet OF water. SO
1enld it ever stop raining? If SO, when? lls