Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-06-11
THE PEOPLES F0RUM.
Explosives as nm ArtiiiciaI w~yo of produc.
ing Rain Planetary L. {, aences.

ihb ASthi- AihuHIttfy H " 1enCDS.
Fort WORTH, TEX. June 7, 1885,
Editor GAZETTE: NV attention was
called to an article which appeared in
your columns few days before the late
rain on the I'd inst, which not only pre-
dlcted rain at that time, or about that
period, but made what deem, from nv
experience and observation, valuable
suggestion as to an artificial way of pro-
ducing rain by the explosion of gun
powder, and cited instances of the late
civil war; when it rained after battles,
caused by such disturbances in the at
mosphere as the firing Of cannon and
other like explosives. The writer also
suggested plan by which Fort Worth.
ever in the van OF enterprises OF prac,i-
cal character, might demons rate to the
world that these accidental experiences
OF the war might be utilized, under the
guidance OF science, to great good for the
farming and stock-raising interests of this
state, which Is classed as an arid climate
l write TO add my experience and sur-
gestions to this hint and think before
long, under the scrutiny of scientific in
vestlgatlon, we VIII find a way TO control
IN degree the elements so far as
RAIN iall when needed is concerned
ana 10 guard against the threatened
storm oy proper forecasts of the plane
tary conditions. Now the writer remem-
pers tue following battles in which he'was
participant, wherein rain succeeded i'm
meulately thereafter; /. Battle of Ma
nassas, Zlst July, 1861. II began raining
on the I'D; Leesburg, 2lst, Oc-
tooeE, 1861. 1t began raining
tne next day. Sharpsburg (Antietam1
l'th september, 1862; long series OF
ram iaii succeeded Fredericksburg 18th and
lath December, 1869. Chancellorsyille.
I'd May, 1868. The battles around Rich,
mond IN 1862, beginning at Cold Harbor
on 9Th June, 1862, il raiued alter the
battle of Savage Station on Goth Junesnd
at the close Of this seven davs' lrhting
at the battle OF Malvern llill ON Cd INV
1862, 1t rained copiously. Then at Gel,
Nsourg on the LIST, 2d and Sd Of ,July.
1868 the cannonading wa incessant from
about two hundred cam IN on n side ana
u Drought rain on the Ii of July as inc
Confederate forces weia retreati1r from
lhat ill-fated field, the turning po,nt In
the fortunes Of the Confederacy. Then
history tells Of Shiloh. In April, 1890.
belmont, 1851; PeTyWle, 1862; Wilson'S
creek, IN Missouri, wien Gen. LYONS was
Killed, and hundreds of other enrage-
ments OF lesser note; in fact a friend
was telling me that be dined with Gem
Grant during his presidential term. who
mentioned this inyariable tendency of
rainfall after a battle, aud the general went
so Jar as to say that Ia his experience.
winch the world knows was as varied rs
any oIher one person on this continent.
ne never saw 1T fail to ram after any
amount Of capnonadlne
Ihen what do we learn from this exneTi,
ehces That Il we will apply il TO orr
present wants this dear.bought experience
we may avert droughts-such as we have
iaVely and areyet experiencing. But how
- we question Let me make a sugges. |
Ilon You win remember thar Prof
ice OF ST, Louis, who Is now dead |
mace many valuable and telling predic' /
lions as TO rain-storms and cyelones
out when he attempted TO he absolnteiv /
accurate as 70 dates in one or two instsn.
yes, ne JAILED, and after having the peonle !
round about st. Louis and as far down
Is Is Texas in dread authorization
d storms, cyclones, etc, he /