, 1884-11-26
RAISING a STORM.
The Way to Make Thunder, Light
ming, and Rain.
Disclosing the Secrets of a Theatre
simple Contrivances Behind
Ia Scenes That Produce
Weird Effects.

interest Whom the curtain ven up and the
play began this young man watched the
progress Of the performance will
great intentnesR There was a
thunderstorm in the scene. Tho
thunder Numbered, and the lightning light
sned, and the wind winded, and the rain
ralned, and the crashing tree branches
crashed. The young man regarded IL all
with the awe Of one who could not compre-
bend how it was done. but his older COM
panion smiled n weary smile and intimated
In language more popular than elegant, that
1t wns n dizzy fake"
Any one who knew the two young men
would have recognized them at once as the
famous Thespian snge ~Josephus and his
supplemented pupil Ptarximander. After
the curtain had descended upon the last scene
Of the drama they wended their way TO a
nelghboring resort, and sat down 10 partake
Of the "succulent blvnlven and the foaming
vintage OF Harlem.
"Joscphus,n said Ptarximander, swallow
ing one end Of his cigarette in his absence Of
mind, that was n remarkable stimulation Of
a storm, was Il notf'
my dearly beloved, unfiedgod gosling, you
speak as one who talks In his sleep. Poor lit
tie boyl Let me tell o that these things
are initiated easily and effectively b. simple
mechanical c~ontrivancos worked by the arm
Of man. They are n regular sot OF Olympian
gods, those fellows behind the scenes. They
launch their thundeIs at will-or rather at cue
and can bestow rain and wind when and
where the author will permit them. The
property man and the stage carpenter are tho
presiding doities, and the prompter is the
great love who tells them when to let loose
their thunders.r
Ptarximander looked crushed, and for n
fow moments WINS wrapped In n mantle Of
dismal silence. Soon, however, he recovered
his accustomed imbecllity OF spirit and asked
Josephus another question.
How do they initiate the thundorr1
listen, my non coppos mentis babe, and
l will unfold to you the secrets OF my prison
house, 80 that thoy shall no moro make each
particular hair upon your hollow head stand
IN end like quilts upon the frotful inkstand.
Thunder IA in those days OF French flats and
modern improvements produced by what
Is known as the thunder drums. In the
good old times, when Eddy Toasted
upon n pair Of flats every night at
the Bowery theatre, it was produced by
means of n large piece OF shect-iron, sus-
pended over the prompter's desk, and sup
piled with a handle at one end. A vigorous
shake Of this instrument produced that hol-
low, metallic crash, which Is often heard
IN tnunuer-stOruH. lnl5 KIND OF thunder,
however, doesn't havo that booming, rever-
b~ornting roar which is so effective and nat
ural- While tho old sheet-iron thunder is
still useful In Its way, IL has boon supple
mentod and improved by the thunder drum.
II consists of a heavy box frame with "A calf
skin drawn tightly over t. Upon this tho
prompter operates with n stick, which has a
padded end covered with chamois, and re-
sembles the fnvoritS instrument Of the bass
drum punishcr.
"The theatrical business is great" ex-
claimed Ptarximander. "Now, how do they
manage the rainf
"Oh, that's done with the rain machine"
you don't moan to say that they have a
machine for making RANT Why on earth
don't they get it patented and sell them To
farmers in dry weather and make their ever
lasting fortundsf
Rest. perturbod spirit. rest" answered
Josephus. 1.-THE machine doesn't make min:
It simply initiates IL. A cylinder Is made Of
half-inch wood. It Ia 1--WE feet In circumfer.
ence and four In length. Inside are rows Of
small wooden teeth. A qunrt Of dried peas
Is also placed inside. Then tho machine is
put in place In the rigging loft over the
stage, and a rope belt passes around one
end OF 1t and down TO the prompter's
desk All the prompter has to do
when he wants a shower is to pull the rope
and turn the cylinder. The dried peas rattle
nround among tho teeth, and there you are.
Then there is a way Of taking a wind ma
chine in a country theatre that does not
possess the genuine article. common child'a
hoop Is procured and a piece of heavy brown
paper is pasted over it, after tho manner Of
tho balloons through which tho young lady
jumps in tho circus. A handful OF bird-shot
A p1arnH an tho ettrfara ~ The .wow w..
by causing It to roll around you get a fairly
good imitation or the sound OF rain Z
How do they initiate the windf'
Young man, remarked Josephus sternly,
"you aro altogether too antedluvian. The
wind machine u a simple and effective con-
~trivnnce. There Is a heavy frame. In which
Is set n cylinder provided with paddles, ar
ranged like those on the storm wheel OF AN
Ohio river tow-boat Across this cylinder.
attached 10 two stationary stanchions, is
tightly stretched n piece Of heavy gros grain
silk. The cylinder Is turned by a crank and
the rapid passage Of the paddles across the
surface OF tho six produces n sound like that
Of wind
Is there any way Of taking n wind ma
chinef'
We'll, l should wager. The way OF a
man who fakes a wind machine Il
hard Al you have to do is 70 pro
cure a piece OF rubber gas ho~se-known
IN tho p~arlance OF tho stage as .iexi-
lie -ttkc II 70 convenient portion OF tho
stage, and swing It around your head az
rapidly as you can IL will produce a noise
like the moaning OF a dissipated gale. After
you have faxed a wind machine through
about half an act you will wish you had
never been born. Is thero anything more
you'd like 70 known
Yes; how do you initiate the crash
"Did you ever see n small boy run along a
paling fcnco and draw a stick over the sur
face Of the palingsi
The boys action illustrates the principle OF
the crash machine. There Is a stout frame
work in which Is set L wheel This wheel has
paddles set ut an angle Of 40 degrees
10 its radu. One end Of a piece OF strong
wood Is fastened 10 the framework g
tla the other end Is pressed tightly down
on the paddles. When the crank is manipu.
In-fi and the wheel turns, the piece OF wood
r K quickly over the paddles produces q
crash.
N1U you have all the constituents, Of q
llssraie storm. except the lightning. That
may he produced by the flash torch, which
remember | once explained to you, or by q
small pinch OF magnesium placed ON The
blade Of a knife and ignited. This is the best
kind Of lightning, as It produces a binding
glare. 1t is not extensively used, however
because it costs SIS per pound
AInI rauka tnrr It~Af..t,- ..teE a..ls--.A