Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1891-09-26
GOVERNMENT RAIN MAKING.
strenuous Efforts at FL PasO to Bring
Down Showers.

chief rain maker of the Government
expedition during Gen. Dryenforth's
absence, was lost.
Mr.. Ellis made a balloon ascen-
sion at four and a-half o'clock from
the water works on the edge Of the
town. He went up 5000 feet to as
certain the meteorological condi-
tons of the upper air currents
preparatory to trying to make them
send down rain to-day.
He took observations every 500
feet, and remained up for about an
an hour. His balloon meantime
had drifted across mountain ridge,
and it came down in rocky ravine
in which cactus and Spanish dagger
grew in a thicket.
A party of about twenty horse
men started out to find the balloon
and Mr.. Ellis, but after a search of
three hours they were unsuccessful.
Meantime, the news that he was lost
in the mountains had reached the
city, and a relief party was at once
made up. A detail of soldiers from
Fort Bliss started out with Major
Hinton, the commander of the post,
and DIR. Appel, the post surgeon.
They were mounted and took an
ambulance with them. Fifty citi-
zens also joined in the search.
The Sun correspondent was on a
rescuing expedition on his own ac-
count, and at about eight and a-half
o'clock he found Mr.. Ellis at the en-
trance to very rugged ravine eight
miles from town.
The lost traveller was clam bering
over the rocks and cactus and whist
ling a merry air. He said that his
ascension had been very successful,
but he would have preferred coming
down in pleasanter spot. He had
left his balloon in the ravine, and it
will be brought to town later. Mr..
Ellis and the Sun man met a res
cuing party about three miles from
town and received rousing well
come.
The most important observation
which Mr.. Ellis made during his
ascent was in regard to the effect
produced by rackarock powder and
dynamite ground explosions upon
the upper air currents. Several
sticks of powder and dynamite in
two-pound charges were exploded
when Mr.. Ellis was $500 feet high
and three miles away. He felt the
conclusions from the explosions,
and they made the big balloon vib-
rate for ten or twelve seconds. He
also felt the vibration from the
clouds above him after the concus-
sions had reached them. The high
est humidity was at about 500 feet,
and was 60 per cent.
The Governor of chihuahua and
many prominent men from Mexico,
New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and
all over Texas came here to see the
experiments. This was a general
holiday and excursion trains have
been run to the city. Mr.. Ellis
says that this is not Uncle Jerry's
greatest rain show on earth, but
simply scientific experiment. The
people, however, say it beats cir
Gus all out.
The active work of sky lombard
ment was begun by Mr.. Ellis and
his associates, shortly after ten
O'Clock this morning. Mr. Jennings
was first on the scene and his ex-
plosives were soon popping on the
top of Mount Franklin.
Then the mortars were trained
and the 21-pound bombs were sent
whizzing heavenward to explode
500 feet above. AS soon as the n.y.
drogen apparatus could be got ready
the filling of one of the stock bal
looms was begun in readiness for an
ascension before one o'clock.
At about five o'clock the sky
along the eastern horizon began to
pile high with clouds.