The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-09-10
FILLING THE BALLOONS.

ing for several days, as In the battles of
the Wilderness. they occurred nightly
during the continuance of the engage
mcntS History as shows that during
the Mexican war many battles on TIE
arid plains OF Mexico were followed by
copious rainfa'ls, a condition previously
almost unknown III some OF those locali-
ties.
Gen. Daniel Rugg'cs. OF Frndericks-
burg, Va, was among the number of
those who observed the regularity of
this phenomenon or rainfall after bat
tics. and soon after the close Of the war
he app led for 4 patent on the idea Of
~ oducinG Rainfall artiGcia y by means
Of explosions in tn" upper air" Gen.
Ruggles' ideas were crude, but lie OBJ
tanned his patent ana thereby the exclu-
sivr rirht to til wholesale and retail
trade in the artificial rain storms In this
country. However, when Congress took
up the matter and began to talk OF in
vcStigating the subject Gen. RuCgleS
freely surrendered al his rights in favor
~ the government
After Cen Ruggles had taken ont his
papers the sub5e of artificial rainfall
received little attention for twenty years
or mole. but as the grain and cattle IN
tere>ts extended into tn semi arid re-
gions of the West n d Southwest, the
poss hilit cs of the subject began Ia be
discussed. and many of the prominent
farm and ranch owners OF the West
were soon convinced that the schcm"
was we worth Il trial. {, Il. farwcil
and Nelson Morris, Of Chicago, both Of
whom are largely Interested In stock
lands. took the matter before Congress
and by dint of earnest agitation OBJ
i,,-% ,-in@, ,.f
5000 fer use by the Department
legations in this line. and the last
Congress added s., 90, to this sum for a
series OF practical cxpcr. ments, At the
urgent request of the friends of the
scheme Gen. Robert &. Dyonforth con-
scn:cd to supcrintend the Investigations
AMI eAper meitS-
4 series of tentative experiments were
first prosecuted near Washington at
which number of prominent officials
am scientists Were present. At the tine
of The operations in the District of Co
iumbia the explosions produced grn at
alarm throughout the suburbs, and a
PETITION was Immediately presented to
Ince Jerry kusk praying that he re-
move his dynamters" to region more
rcrlo'e and secluded, and an arid spot in
Teas was selected,
The mode of operation which General
Dyrcn 'orth adopts is to form line of
battle" covering position about three
Il lies long and two deep Along the
front of the line giant powder is fired
from mortars, and bombs of "raCkarock"
mixture are exploded. BEHIND this a
second line is formed, consisting of fifty
cloth kites held by electric wire and
l -. Il \
mite is eXpo:.ed when the kites are high
in the air by means of a cap and an
cinctric current which is passed through
the w res The dynamite is suspended
from the kites by wires of q length
: iicient to prevent the kites from be-
ing injured by the explosions.
A third line is formed behind the kites
consisting of exp osive balloons of 10, IL,
and 20 foot diameter charged with oxhy-
DIR gen gas, which Is one of the most
violent explosives known to science
Ten to twenty of these balloons are in
the air at once, each containing from
40 to 5000 cubic feet of the explosive
gases The concessions from the explo-
sion OF ouc of these balloons is so great
that 1t must be allowed to rise to a great
height in order to prevent injury to the
operatives and surrounding objects.
| The explosion is produced by means OF
electric wires Or by Il time fuse so regul-
| atcd that the explosion will take place
when the balloon has had time to reach
tie proper altitude, which varies accord
| ing to conditions, from 1000 to 1000
| feet
In charging the balloons with the
| gases the empty envelope IS first spread
on the ground and filled one third full
| with oxygen This is done by attaching
| the balloon by hose to retorts fillec
with chlorate of potassium and manga
| ncsc The retorts are then subjected t
intense heat in oxygen furnaces con.
| structed for the purpose. when oxyger
| gas is generated and passes through 3
| lime-water wash into the balloon
| When the balloon is one-third full it i:
detached from the oxygen apparatu:
and connected by pipe with one of the
larg' hydrogen generators, which com
| picteS the imitation. The hydrogen gen
orator consists of large tank half-fnl
! of water and iron borings turned from