The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-29
--.z.-.-s.ssss..,--.-,5577==.s71s.AIN CAME Down.
It was an Elaborate Attempt, and, After
Bombardmeut of Many Hours,a
Rainfall of Half an inch Fell in
Less than an Hour
New York San.1

sAN DIEGO, Texas, Oct. 1S.-The
rain makers are the heroes
Of the hour here. The experiment
which was begun yesterday evening
and continued during the night was
entirely successful.
At 4 o'clock this morning rain fell in
torrents in the camp and soaked the
men to the skin. Never before were
men so glad to get wetting. They
yelled and hurrahed and danced fam
dangoes in the mud.
s. The people of San Diego and the sur
sounding country are astonished at the
result When they went to bed at
midnight the moon was shining in
coudless sky and there was no sign
of raii2 anywhere.
Four hours later they We're awakened
by the pattering and pouring Of the
rain on the roofs, md in few minutes
it came down "a torrents. The rain
continued for nearly an hour. When
it ceased the rain guage showed that
half an inch had fallen at this place.
kilograms received this morning
from stations along the line Of the
Mexican National Railroad say ra+sas
extended about foSf lsothe north
east, lGssse0the west, and thirty
% the southwest. 1t did not rain
either to the east or to the south at
greater distance than ten or fifteen
miles. The water this morning is
standing in pools all over the ranches,
and the cattlemen are delighted. They
estimate that the rain is worth to them,
in round figures, at least half million
dollars. It is also worth much to the
cotton growers. The entire cost Of the
experiment was about $500, and they
regard it as one Of the best investments
they could possibly have made.
The scientific value Of the success
cannot be estimated, of course, but 1t
will undoubtedly lead to many more
tests of the conclusion theory. Already
offers are bei@g made to the rain
makers togo to Mexico and experiment
there.
The bombardment began in earnest
early on Saturday evening, and until
nearly midnight there was continu-
Gus roar from the dynamite and rocka-
rock batteries. The full moon was
sailing across cloudless sky, and the
hundreds of people who had come to
the camp were satisfied thatthe expert
ment would be a flat failure. They said
that it was a beautiful imitation OF a
battle, but that rain would follow
from, such q SKY was absurd and impos-
sible.
Man, offered to bet heavily that no
rain would come, and some of the rain
makers took up the bets as quickly as
they were offered.
The heavy smoke from the batteries
drifted off to the northwest, and the
balloon also sailed off in that direction
before they exploded. The instruments
showed 63 per cent. of humidity just
before the firing began, and at II o'clock
in the morning it showed s. per cent.
The barometer was high and rising
during the early part of the evening,
but fell rapidly near midnight, when
the continuous firing ceased and five
minute guns took its place. /
Mr.. Ellis, who was in charge, and
was rorse CASTER, the areonaut, sent
e sS4i9pb sps BALLOONS at tserysls OF forty
minutes apart. o,o,,t bo7f
The rose to the height OF aoous ,o.ionl nan.
: .oi1sbefore rH exploding. The explosions
:. we're heard at points fifty ml5eS ns anu
ars weI awav. Lieuts. Allen and Dyer
l!oa no.0 IN command of the batteries and
thev H we're worked by the soldiers from
tbs Twenty-tbird Infantry. /
'nT The y men did splendid work and
.65e6 to the hlSn eslee'u "ni0A1 1H01
l.,.e won here by their conoucS
throughout. Just before the ram came
down a balloon was sent up. The air
~ the time was very still. The balloon
went straight up and then drlfted to
the northwest, then came directly
sonth. then went off east, and at the
time it exploded was travelling west at
q rapid rate. Mr.. CASTER, who has been
making ascensions for many years.
said that he had never seen balloon
act in that way, and that the disturb
ance in the upper currents must have
been tremendous.
It was o'clock when the storm nrs1
showed above the horizon to the north
west. The clouds came up rapidly,
and one could see them gather in size
AID density as they approached the
zenith and drifted over the moon. A
small cloud would appear suddenly IN
a clear part of the sky, and IN fVe
minutes it would spread out enormous
ly.
\ few minutes to / O'Clock the sky
above was full Of heavy clouds, but
not drop of rain had fallen. Then a
balloon was sent up and exploded right
in the clouds, and the mortar battery
began shooting butts in rapid success
sion.
In two minutes after the balloon ex-
nloded the rain came down, and IN
three minutes more it was falling IN
sheets, and little rivulets were running
through the camp. At sunrise a dry
porther came, and in short time the
storm clouds had been blownto snreds.
Mr.. Ellis is highly pleased at theresults
Of the experiments, and every one mere
,,.-oos +bot the storm was wholly due