Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-10-30
THE LAWMAKERS,
Prophets IN ALL AGES WHO
PRETENDED TO WOO RAIN.
Indian, African and Arabian Proto-
types OF Professor Myers-What
the Latter is Doing.

OF raln-maNng on scale SO colossal as
to make us believe that "dry spells will
hereafter be unknown, it behooves us to
see what tie rain-makers Of other lands
and times hive done.
But first let us salute Professor Carl
Myers, who at his balloon farm at Frank
fort, near Utica, N. Y, is toiling away
at the apparatus which is to precipitate
showers on The thirsty earth whenever it
wants them
Professor Myers has the only balloon
farm in the world He calls it thus be-
because the same conditions of weather
are Necessary for balloon-making as for
farming. lie makes his ain-producing
bombs in ravine just back Of his farm
house, where the cloths of which the
balloons are constructed can be protected
from wind and rain. He has produced
material impervious to hydrogen gas,
which will lissipate itself through the
pores OF the most dense metal or most
perfect glass. This cloth is vanished
and hung in the ravine to-day. Some
eight or ten coats are applied, by var
nlsh machine which is O wonderful net
work of rollers and scrapers. If rain
were to fall upon this vanished cloth
before it is thoroughly dried the fabric
would take fire and be DESTROYED by
spontaneous combustion. Out Of this
cloth Professor Myers makes balloons
ten feet in diameter, which are inflated
with one part of oxygen gas and two
parts Of hydrogen gas. Then small cart
ridges, connected with two wires, are
placed in the balloons and they are sent
skyward.
The account Of an eyewitness Of some
OF the recent experiments is interesting:
"When u balloon is sufficiently high
the cartridge is exploded by means Of
electricity sent through the wires, and
the two gases unite, forming water. This
serves as u nucleus to precipitate the
moistures Of the atmosphere, and there
is rain. Last May Professor Myers and
General Dyrenforth made their first ex-
pertinent in this line in the ravine short
distance from the farm. Then few
balloons were taken to Washington, and
in the presence Of several officers and
scientific men another experiment was
held There was perfect success. The
balloon was exploded and the gases
united with the most terrific report and
brilliant illumination. 1t rivals the sun
in brilliancy. Professor Myers says that
the explosion that would occur if q
twenty-foot balloon were employed would
cause the most terrific report ever heard
on earth. In experiments to be per-
formed in Texas there will be bombs of
dynamite carried up by kites and en-
ploded in the air, and mortars will dis
charge large quantities Of giant powder.
Professor Myers has shipped to Texas
the most unique outfit ever gotten to-
getller ia la. world. 1t is Il complete
laboratory to be used out of doors for
the manufacture Of all the gases and
chemicals to be used in the expert
ments.'
The adventurous rainmakers will
make their experiments in Northern
Texas-the arid region of the United
States. If rain can be produced by ex-
| plosions in the air and among the clouds
| these balloons will do it. One hundred
of them, each ten feet in diameter, have
been already shipped to Texas.
Think Of bringixg on showers at will
all over the region where there is so much
suffering from drought in Texas, South
ern Kansas, Dakota, Arizona, and even
in our Middle States in prolonged dry
ness.
Rain-makcrs in all ages have been
adroit. Every pastoral and agricultural
community has had them and has cried
unto them in its hour Of need. 1t has
also pounded them to death whenever
they made signal failure in their pre-
dictions.
But the savage rain-maker has ever
been fertile in expedients. In the first
place, he was always more weatherwise
even than the rude farmers who employed
him. He knew that rain might be ex-
pected from the direction opposite to
that in which the hedgehog placed the
mouth Of his nest. Every sign Of rain
which was neglected by others was eager
ly welcomed by him. To his acute mind
rain was near, and he would redouble his
lamentations to bring it Oh, when ducks
and brakes Huttered their wings more
than usual; when young horses rubbed
their backs on the ground; when sheep
began to bleat and skip about; when
swine were seen to carry hay and straw
to their hiding places, or when oxen
licked themselves the wrong way. In
like manner he knew that the grateful
moisture was not far off when frogs
croaked more than usual; when swallows
flew low and chandeliers ran with low
cred head; when donkeys carried their
ears pricked forward; when ants came
running out of their hills; when cranes
assembled in great hocks, and when
waterfowl came hurrying to land.
Studying all these signs, the savage or
the primitive rain-maker was often ena-
bled after seeming struggles for days
with the powers Of the air, to announce
rain an hour or two before it fell, and on
such occasions no honors were too great
for him. Among the Katfirs Of South
Africa the king himself must be submits
sive to the successful "rain-maker.'
From time immemorial the African
rain-maker has been dignitary. Every
fetish man on the coast processes to be u
producer Of showers when they are
needed, provided you give him the right
materials. But sometimes it is impossi-
BILE to secure those things. Then the
rain-maker has his clients on the hip.
Catlin tells q good story Of cunning
Mandan warrior, who wished to be arain-
maker. So, according to Mandan custom,
the young Indian passed days on the top