The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-09-03
RAINM aKING A SUCCESS.
Further Experiments by Dyrenforth Bring
Large and Heavy Showers.
Special to The Statesman.

Large and Heavy Showers
Special to The Statesman.
MIDLAND, Tex, Aug. 26.-Today
was the grand finale of the operations
at this point of Uncle Jerry Rusk's
sky stormers, and fitting victory
was achieved by the scientists in
their effort to shake water from the
burning winds of the Llano Esta-
y cado, one of the dry grounds Of fair
\ America. General Dyrenforth and
s his party have met with a
q number of obstacles in their work in
this region which appeared well nigh
insurmountable, but with patient, I'M
4 firing energy they have overcome
every difficulty. The most powerful
4 and relentless enemy which the in
i habitants have had to encounter has
" been the fierce wind which constant
. ly sweeps over the plains of Western
& Texas. The force of the gale on the
balloons is very great and in several
cases has torn the captive balloons
4 from their fastenings, rent the strong
A meshes of the netting, as if they were
cobweb fabrics, and shelters had to be
/ made both for the balloons and for the
oxygen furnace. The oxygen APP
paratus used is probably the largest
ever constructed and manufactures
the gas on a scale never before at
tempted. The wind and the seclusiOn
]. of the ranch from supplies has also
made this work exceedingly diff
/, cult.
No such difficulties were encoun-
tered in the explosions on the ground,
however, and these were carried on
with entire success, over half a ton of
rock powder and dynamite having
been fired in the last few days. EX-
plosives were also fired from kites.
The explosions were made over
space of several square miles for three
weeks. An intermittent series of ex-
periments has been carried on, and
not in single instance has rain failed
to fall within ten or twelve hours
after the explosion. Your CORES
pondent has been on the ground con-
|. stantly, and therefore is cognizant of
all the facts. The series were brought
to climax yesterday, when seven
balloons containg 1000 feet of oXy-hy-
drogen gas were sent up and exploded
at heights varying from 1000 to 10000
feet.
At shutdown the batteries on the
ground began their work, and at
1890 q constant cannonading was
carried on under a sky of perfect
clearness, lit by countless stars of a
( brilliancy seldom seen in the north.
The barometer promised fair and the
hydrometer stood between dry and
very dry.
The cowboys and ranchmen who
are expert weather prophets said it
would be utterly useless to hope for
rain under such conditions as eX-
listed and all things seemed combined
to withstand the terrific onslaught on
the storms Of the sky.
At II D. m. Gen. Dyrenfurth with
drew his forces and all retired for the
night. Sleep, however, was soon
interrupted, for at a. m. the first
..5und from the heaven was heaM +,
and the rain makers were aroused by
a crashing peal of thunder, and the
rain was soon beating on the
roof. At sunrise magnificent double
rainbow dawned in the heavens and
Sam. A number of heavy charges
of dynamite were then made and after
every one the drops again poured
down till at last the clouds were en-
tirely expended and there was moth
ing left from which to shake water.
Cattlemen are jubilant over the sue
cess of the experimenters and scores
of invitations are daily pouring IN
from various localities asking for
further operations in the vicinity.
Gen. Dyrenfurth leaves for Washing
ton today for two weeks, leaving the
expedition in charge of Mr.. John L.
Ellis. The next operation will be
made in FL Paso, and thence the party
goes to Western Kansas. Your cor
respondent will accompany the eXpe-
dition.
A.Fire at San Antonio.
Special to The Statesman