The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-07-30
Bombarding the Sky.

seed i'll your hair.
Bombarding the Sky.
The midsummer diversion of the Ag
ricultural Department of the United
States government promises to surpass
all the sensational events of the year
Our Uncle Jerry's" corps of chain lights
ming manipuIators and especially ems
=, gagged aerial artists are already on their
way to some secluded spot of sufficient
aridity in the Southwest to engage in
fiercely contested battle with natures
elements. They propose TO make it
rain, the accent being strong on make. y
While considerable has been written of
late in a detached way concerning this
remarkable socialistic experiment with
atmospheric forces, no connected story
of the governments new role as rain
maker has, as vet, been laid before our
readers.
The plan of campaign and the appa>
ratus to be used form an interesting
chapter. General Dyrenforth will make
the conditions as much like those of a
battle as possible, and he will exercise
great care to make necessary meteor
illogical observations before the greatest
pyrotechnic display and ear-splitting
fandango of the century begins. Con-
corning the range of his operations he
has kindly told Utica Herald reporter:
''Going to some accessible point where
there is plenty of room, l will endeavor
to have front of from two to three
miles in extent, and having several lines
OF fire at depth of from half a mile to a
mile. At intervals corresponding with
what would be the positions Of artillery,
iuassed, or of entrenched troops, L will
nave the balloons, the most expensive
clement of the outfit AT proper dis
tances from these front and rear, / pro-
pose to send up the kites, carrying in
suitable receptacles, such as rubber oils
ed silk, or balloon fabric bags. various
explosives, and again in front and rear
and laterally | propose to have vessels in
the nature of nortars, for firing other
explosives The vessels may be bell
shaped and buried in the ground with
their mouths out, whereby the earth
will supply requisite lateral resistance
and Obviate the necessity of hopping
propose to keep up the row for several
days"
These balloons are nearly leo in num-
her, and have diameters ranging from
ten to twenty feet. Filled with a mix
ture of oxygen and hydrogen, the force
IF hoir ha fin
he balloons turning the heavens into a
celestial pandeinonium, and the kites,
with dynamite bearing tails, shooting
off into space, and the lines of bombs,
arranged like artillery on the earth's
surface, pouring upwards the fiery con
tents, the sky will receive such a wallop-
ing as human beings have never yet pre-
sumed to ihflict upon it. During the
bombardment the manufacture of the
gases for the balloons will go on down
below in great stoves built for the occa-
sion. These are the invention of Prof.
Carl T.. Myers, the aeronaut. Each will
produce 600 cubic feet of oxygen in an
hour.
When the racket ends General Dyren
forth and his aerial warriors expect to
open their umbrellas, which will be
taken along in abundance. 1t may rain
any patriot hopes that it will; but sup
pose it does. How will General Dyren
forth, or ex-senator Farwell, or ''Uncle
Jerre' Rusk know that the moisture
would not have concentrated and fallen
to sweeten the parched earth had the
bombardment never taken place.
The blast furnace at Buena Vista is
yielding 100 tons of pig iron every "a
hours, which for some time past has been
the regular amount of output. The fur
mace recently shipped 1880 tons of pig
iron to the eastern States principally,
the largest shipment made from that
plant in one week.
A law exists in New York which for
bids railroads from charging over so
cents for sleeping berth. 1t has not
been observed heretofore, but it's revival
will be awaited of. 1t would be d good
idea if other States would follow in the
same line, and stop the extortion of 81
for a nights rest.
A warrant deed WAS filed at Nevada,
Mo-, last Friday, conveying boy baby,
Ruby Earl Sheppard, to r. S. Wyatt for
the sum of 81. The deed was duly signed
by the parties to the transfer, among
whom was the mother of the child, and
attested by a notary public.
Gen Thomas M. Brown, died at Mar
tinsviIle, Ind, on the 18th, aged Sc years
He had been prominent figure in pubs
lie affairs in his State; served in Congress
for number of years. and was conspic
ious for his gallantry as a soldier in the
late war
An Improvement in the demand for
foundry irons is confidently expected soon
as the foundries have about finished re-
pairs and are preparing to resume ope>
rations There is also an improved de-
mand for finished iron.
The village of Round Head, Hardin
county, Ohio, was destroyed by fire ear
ly Saturday morning. Lightning struck
the large wheel factory in the village
and this caused general confiagration.
The loss is estimated at 100000.
Rev. Sam Small, the evangelist, has
returned to the newspaper business, and
a fund has been raised to start an even
ing paper Mt Atlanta, Georgia, called the
Herald, of which he has assumed con~
troll.
Real estate transactions are not active
or numerous A lull prevails at Staun-
ton, as at every other place at present,
but there is a hopeful and confident feel
ing for the immediate future.
The Rarig Iron Works, at Buena Vista,
is now executing a contract for an iron
blast furnace at Iron Gate, which will
be ready for transportation very soon.
Virginius H Nash, a well-known mer>
chant. of Portsmouth, Va, died at the
Sweet Chalybeate Springs last Thurs
day.
Rev. Spurgeon the great London
Ix,ipa JapUprotslv i'll with t