Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1882-08-03
ARTIFICIAL RAIN.
A Scientific View of Inducing showers by
Atmospheric Disturbances.

A Scientific View of Inducing showers Dy
Atmospheric Disturbances.
New York Herald.
The question of producing rain by
artificial means, as argued by Prof.
Philbrook in The Herald, of the 9TH
inst, has brought out the views of Mr..
Thomas Silver, well-known scientist,
who favors the theories of the profess
sor, and believes the question to be one
of little time only before it is practi-
cally illustrated. Long experience and
much observation have impressed him
with the belief that the laws of nature
rarely impose any difficulty or want
without the association of means for
correction or relief. In his opinion
there is more water generally above
the habitablc surface of the earth than
below it, and it simply requires ade-
quate means TO secure it,
THE supply of water through the
workings of common natural law-that
of evaporation and condensation, said
Mr.. Silver, ''is generally understood,
and n fall of rain is anticipated by q
reduced pressure of the atmosphere.
Water absorbs II prcponderance OF
electricity and the clouds are charged
with il in proportion to their density
of moisture, u disturbance follows the
want of magnetic equilibrium and the
vibrations caused thereby aid in con-
densation. Hence the sometimes eX-
cessive falls of rain common to periods
of most thunder and lightning. But
though such pourings of rain are also
preceded by fall in the barometer ii
nevertheless shows that disturbances in
the atmosphere increase the quality of
water fallen and serve greatly to con-
firm the practical availability in the
use of artificial means for producing
rain. The copious falls of water that
have been known to follow battles
should also satisfy us and serve as an
argument to show that artiiice may be
reduced TO useful practice if sufficient
economy should prove within reach, "
"What means would you propose to
employ to secure this rcsult?' asked
the reporter.
"Well, explosions or conclusions are
perhaps the true if not the only effect
i've means for producing the desired re-
suit. 1t certainly would not pay to
burn down our towns or deplete our
forests for this purpose, even if fires
would produce the rain, which would
be very uncertain. 1t seems to me,
then. that u resort to an equivalent af-
forded by electricity, and that although
more economical means than the use of
well-known explosives may be desired,
they may still, if judicously employed,
be found available for an experiment.
The various degrees of moisture sus-
pended in the atmosphere can always
be detected by the hydromcter, and
the best period for operation can be
taken advantage of. The summer eli
mate of California invites such an eXpc-
rimcnt, and the state can afford to try
it. Then let il be undertaken. If sue
ccssful, depend upon it there is latent
genius and material TO warrant the
practical economy of it in due time.
Passing all chemical discoveries that
may be awaiting us ii is not certain
that common air compressed to an eX-
plosivc degree would not serve as a
substitute for common explosives, and
there are many engineers quite compc-
tent to design and execute mechanical
devices that will work at n mere nomi-
nal cost.