The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-07-29
Rain toOsder.


Some time within the next few days
there is going to be noise out IN West
ern Kansas. Uncle SANS rain makers
are bound thilher with provision Of
explosives suiiieisgt 10 stock a tair.si1ed
volcano in active 5feraiion.
They take with them three score bai-
looms, each Ten feet IN diaa:efcr when ex-
panded likewise about 100 kites five feet
high, a fieieht ear full Of wooden aaor-
tars 10 ire bombs fsoEn. snt assnysthau-
sands Of pounds Of iyuamiie, guHpoa
der. nitr0-glycenne and other powerful
agents FOR agiisating nature with sp..sna.
II there is not second deluge in The re
gions mentioned within a fortnight, &
win not be FOX lack Of elor. on the part
Of General Dryenferth AMI the Depart
ment Of Agriculture.
Seven thousand dollars yet remain OF
the 5000 appropriated BY Congress for
this purpose, and 50 there is no need to
economics on the fireworks for the pre-
Eminary experiment. Because II IS 2
matter Of history that storms have often
followed heavy cannonading in warlare,
il hiss been thought desirable 10 attack
the SKY for this meteorological purpose
with regular line Of battle. eonyen-
lent and excessively arid plain VII be
selected for operations, and the woodeE
mOrtars viii be planted across Z IN drills
As il were, for g distance Of about two
miles. They will be loaded with dyna-
mite. rackarock and other materials eals
culated to agitste the atmosphere as
much as possible, while at suitable IN
tervals Of space the balloons viii be ar
ranged for ascencion. simultaneously q
fight ofkites will be let loose in the alf.
The three score balloons Will IN them-
selves represent an extraordinary scien-
tifc novelty. They are all completed
now. and each one IS calculated 10 aold
about 5s5 cubic feet Of gas-one-thirl
oxygen and two-thirls hydrogen
The oxygen is put in iirst and then the
hydrogen. Each balloon, upon being in
hated. ascends under control Of double
wire. which serves instead Of rope to
hold it by. When it reaches the desired
height the button Of an electric instru-
ment on the ground is touched, spark
iguites a fuse in the balloon and the
oxygen and hydrogen suddenly combine
with terrific explosion. Experiments
made within the last few days IN this
city show that such an oxygen-hydrogeu
balloon, thus ignited, produces really
tremendous detonstion, the cloth OF
paper vessel itself appearing for an in
start and BY daylight Ike blil oiiire-
Few things can be imagnedmoe curious
than this phenomenon, which signifies
that the two gasses, al the touch Of FIRE,
have united in the shape Of . drop or
two Of water, which harmless Auid con-
sists of two parts of hydrogen and one Ct
oxygen.
But, as has been said, the balloons will
be supplemented by two great kites, each
of which viii be held BY a doubled wire
instead Of string. Their tails.vill carry
dynamite and other explosives, which
will be set of in the same way by the
electric spark. Meantime, while the
oxy-hydrogen bags explode and the Kite
tails 90 back, the buried mortlrs viii
vomit forth raeksrOck to the heavens all
along the two-mile line. For at least
two, and probably three days the racket
viii be kept gp. Then the expedition
will hoist its umbrella and calmly await
the doWnpOur, cOnsOled for the incon-
yenience by the acclamations Of the agri-
cultural population which has learned b
appreciate the fact that moisture -
wealth.