Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-26
DRENCHING TEXAS COUNTIES.
The Government Rain Experimepts-Much
Powder Exploded.

The Government Rain Experiments Much
Powder Exploded.
A Midland, Texas, dispatch to the New York
Times today says: The public has already been
informed OF the preliminary experiments which
have been made by Gen. Dyrenforths ''rain-
fall expedition ON the Chicago ranch, near
this station. Gen. Dyrenforth expresses him.
self well satisfied with the experiments here,
but no one else can be found who has implicit
faith in the rain-making process.
The work Of the expedition at this point will
soon be completed, when a change of base will
be made to obtain different conditions under
which to make further tests. Gen. Dyrenforth
has received cordial invitations to many points.
An invitation from San Antonio and one from
Ell Paso, brought to Midland by committees Of
prominent citizens, have received serious con-
alteration. Gen. Dyrenforth does not as vet
undertake to state what locality he will visit
next, saying that he is too busy now with the
work in hand to decide that question, but it is
believed that the expedition will next proceed
to Ell faso. and after operating there visit
western Kansas, where rain is sorely needed.
The indications at the time OF this writing are
that the final operations, which are now in
progress, will meet with success. Three heavy
| rains and almost daily showers have fallen on
the Chicago ranch in the past two weeks since
| the government expedition began its expert
ments in the Investigation of the problem Of
artificial rainfall, and it now looks as if fourth
storm would soon be added to the list. For
two weeks the experimenters have maintained
a continuous ''skirmish" at the field of opera
ton, while the bigger gums" in the shape Of
xygenapparatus andhydrogen generators, were
being set up and fitted for action. Every day
during this period heavy discharges of racka-
rock mixture, dynamite and other explosives
have been fired. and at intervals more power
full explosions have been effected with hydrogen
gas, produced with temporary apparatus, and
fired in balloons at height of one to two miles
above the earth.
The operations have been on a scale suf-
ficiently large to have an important effect
upon the meteorological conditions. if the theo-
ries upon which the experiments are based are
correct, and the remarkable series of showers
and storms which have lately occurred in this
locality, after decidedly dry season, together
with the unusually unsettled state of the
meteorological condition, seem to indicate
clearly that these operations have exerted a
powerful influence and had a practical effect
upon the weather in this part of the state. Now
that still more effective apparatus has been
brought into operation, the rain makers look
for still more marked results.
After the balloons are filed with gas they are
held captive by sand bags until electrical dis
charging caps have been inserted in their necks.
when they are attached to electrical cables and
allowed to rise to height of 1000 to 5000 feet,
and then exploded by sparks from currents sent
through the air from dynamos on the ground be-
low. The explosion Of one of these balloons is
SO powerful that even at such distance the con-
cussion shakes the ground, and would prove de-
structive to window glass if any existed in the
vicinity Of the apparatus. Besides the bal
loon explosions, a large number of kites are
employed to raise dynamite cartridges, which
are also exploded high in the air by means of
electric wires and a dynamo on the ground.
Heavy blasts are also fred ON the ground over
surface of several square miles, rackarock
and giant powder being fred in large quanti-
ties by electricity. On Friday last the amount
Of rackarock alone exploded amounted to $50
pounds.
The explosions Of balloons during the moon
light evenings Of the past week have formed
spectacles OF great beauty. At the touch Of
the electric discharge, the balloon suddenly is
transformed into brilliant globe of fire, which
instantly swells to monstrOus size, casting
| flash OF light over every object within several
miles, and then, after few moments of dark
ness, intensified by contrast with the sudden
light, the tremendous crash Of tie explosion
comes rolling on and shakes the very ground
by its conclusion.