Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-08-11

Many OF Natures forces that seemed
uuconquerable have been made subject
TO the will OF man and able and ready
when properly utilized to do his bidding.
There are, however. a number OF these
natural phenomena which have never as
yet been besought under mans dominion
and been forced to act at his command
for his advan age and to his qualification.
OF late years, however, the efforts to
navigate in the air have been superseded
by endeavors to cOerce the moisture in
the atmosphere to descend to the earth
as rain.
A short time ago an attempt was made
TO cause rain by the explosion of dyna
mite on balloons charged with oxygen
and hydrogen. high in the air The
principle, of course, was that by the
explosion the currents of air would be
to certain extent changed, and the
result would be discharge Of some OF
the moisture contained in the clouds.
This experiment, however, did not
meet with success. If by such an explo-
sion cold current OF air could be drawn
toward an area that is saturated with
water the latter must lose part of its
moisture as it cools, and consequently
there would be rainfall. The conditions
must ne Just right or this theory OF
explosives could not be successful.
Within few weeks another rain
wizard has come forth with an entirely
different scheme. which seems to promise
some success.
Frank Melbourne, an Australian, has
inventtd machine by means of which
a certain gas is manufactured and pro
iected into the air. BY this process it is
claimed that rain can be- manufactured
to order. The time required for the sue
cessful working of his machine Mel
bourne says is from six hours to three
DAYS and the area affected Is p. DOC
square miles,
Several experiments have been made
with this machine in ohio and report
says that they have been apparently
successful.
Secretary Rusk has taken deep inter
est in all these experiments in rain-mak
ing, for he fully appreciates the bearing
that such Investigations have on the
agricultural growth and prosperity of our
country. The government has also been
eaxnizsnt Of the Importance of this field
of experiment, and appropriations have
been made to cover the expenses of such
investigations and to stimulate inventors
in this field of science.
At the present time party of scien
fists under the leadership of Gen. Dyren
forth. the general director Of the expert
meuts ia rainmsking, is in Texas to con-
duet some investigations which the gov
eminent is about to make as to the
prseticability OF producing rain by the
firing of explosives in the upper strata
of the air. The theory on which these
experiments are based is that by means
of the explosives the cohesive for in
the atmospheric atoms which holds IN
the air the moisture will be disturbed
and in consequence the moisture thus
held will fall rs rain, the force which
maintains IL in the clouds being broken
This theory has been declared to be
false by some eminent scientists, but
they cannot base their denial upon actual
experiment.
Any person who could successfully
solve the great problem OF producing
rain at his will would confer beaedt
upon humanity that has not been equaied
since steam was brought into the service
of man. The consequences Of such a
discovery cannot be estimated, nor It's
usefulness computed
When thar secret of rsinmsking Is dis
covered then. indeed. will the desert be
made TO blossom As the rose. At present
irrigation is the only method We have oil
producing that result