Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-09-03
RAIN FROM UNWILLING SKIES.
Not Only Water But Thunder and Light.
ming Made in Texas.

|
Not Only Water But Thunder and Light
ming Made in Texas.
The party of scientists who, under
the direction of General r. G.. Dyren-
forth, came TO Midland, Texas, about
three weeks ago to try to produce rain
by series Of powerful explosions, O
correspondent of the New York Times
writes, have virtually completed their
experiments in this part of the country,
having had every facility afforded them
through the public spirit of Mr.. Nelson
| Morris.
On tue whole, the experiments have
been successful, but owing to the many
unfayorable conditions the work has
been greatly delayed and hampered.
General Dyrenforth chose this particu-
lar place because he was assured that il
seldom rained here at all and that there
had been no real good rain for over
three years.
AT rare intervals there had been show
ers, but they were few and far between,
and too small when they came to do
the country much good. Owing 10
the dryness of the weather there are
few or no farms in this section, the
praries being given up entirely 10
cattle. The grass needs rain badly
for these, and the oattlemen were ex-
tremely anxious that the rainmakers try
their skill on the lower edge of the
Staked Plains.
II was upon the invitation of Nelson
Morris of Chicago, and upon the reports
of the dryness OF the section, that Gene
raj Dyrenforth came here Nelson Morris
is the owner of the G ranch, which Is
about % miles northwest of Midland
and covers 100000 acres. The grass on
the ranch was dry and yellow and
afforded very poor pasturage for the
cattle.
General Dyrenforth found, upon
arrival, that the ranch house was stu
ated in the middle of an immense
prairie, and that the winds almost con-
stantly swept over it with great force.
AS the scheme was to send up many
balloons filled with explosive gases, aud
to take observations from other balloons
connected by telephone with the earth,
these winds were serious obstacle to
contend with.
The shanty had to be built in which
to NIL the balloons with the proper pro-
portion Of oxygen and hydrogen. To
build this boards had to be brought
from Midland. Then the scientists were
comparatively light before beginning
their experiments. Great difficulty was
experienced in manufacturing oxygen
on scale large enough to serve the pur-
poses desired.
Apparatus had been constructed in
Washington, but it did not work
smoothly and rapidly in the field, and
IT required the constant attention of
Professor Carl Myers, the balloonist,
and several assistants to keep it from
blowing up and smashing things gener-
ally.
1t was intended to send the balloons
into the air at intervals of 90 minutes to
half an hour, but owing to the difficulty
of making the oxygen and of sending
the balloons up in gale it was found
Impossible to carry out this programme.
1t would take much more complete and
finer apparatus, besides large force of
men, to do it. Outside the members of
the commission the only help that was
furnished was by the cowboys on the
ranch. They were viking enough, but
naturally they were more expert at
roping and branding cattle than at con-
Quoting scientific experiments.
The explosion of rackarock powder
and dynamite on the ground was much
more successfully carried out. The
rackarock powder produced q greater
conclusion than the dynamite 1t was
as the difference between the report of
a shotgun and that of q rifle. From
eight to twenty-four pounds of racka-
rock were exploded at charge, and
from six to twelve pounds of dynamite.
The explosions followed each other on
some days at intervals of less than a
minute. Rackarock and dynamite were
also exploded from the tails of kites.
The effect of those explosions in
every case was highly satisfactory. In
every instance a series of explosions
was followed, within ten hours, by rain.
This was conclusive evidence that the
explosives certainly produced rain.
Tuesday night the last of the expert
ments was conducted. The night was
beautifully clear, and not cloud could
be seen. The heavens were dotted with
stars, and from all indications il was
safe to predict that no rain would fall
within AS hours at the least. A strong
gale was blowing towards the west.
Five balloons were sent up and ex-
ploded, and 200 pounds of rackarock
powder and $50 pounds of dynamite
set off on the ground. There was, of
course, no immediate result. The ba-
rometer was rising, and the needle was
pointed at fair.
BY 3 o'clock in the morning a bank
of clouds appeared on the western
horizon at the point towards which the
smoke and noise had blown. The sky
rapidly became overcast, and by 4
O'Clock there was rain, accompanied
by thunder and lightning. When the
sun rose it was seen that the storm had
come directly out of the west, and on
the horizon the clouds rose in funnel
shape like the smoke from volcano.
There was u beautiful rainbow visible
at sunrise. 1t ceased raining about s
o'clock.
Many heavy charges Of dynamite and
rackarock were then fired, and after
each rain fell in showers. This con-
tinued until the clouds were literally
out and the sun resolved what
was left of them in to thin air.
General Dyrenforth, Prof. Carl Myers,
and others Of the party will leave for
Washington to-day. Professor Powers
author Of "War and Weather." will go
to his home in Wisconsin. Mr.. John
I. Ellis is left in charge of the opera
tions, and will be assisted by George L.
easier, the balloonist. They will soon
proceed TO FL Paso and there continue
the experiments upon q grand scale.
General Dyrenforth will be in I'll Paso
in time to superintend the experiments
there. Later he will probably go to
Kansas TO make rain
there.
Flames In Narragansett Hotel
PROVIDENCE, r. l., Aug. 3t.-Shortly