The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-10-07
ART OF RAIN.MAKING IN TEXAS.
Col. Satisfied with. Results

Col. Dyrenforth.. well. Satisfied with Results.
Col. Dyrenforth, who conducted the re-
cent experiments In Texas, with view
of testing the theory of rain production
by great atmospheric disturbances, is
not the kind of man to rest, but, at least,
80 far as that work is concerned, is tax
ing matters easily, and receiving daily
reports from his assistant, Lieut.. Ellis,
who is now In Texas pursuing the work.
"The work that We have DONE" said
Col. Dyrentorth last night, "has con-
vinced me that the subject is we'll worth
being thoroughly investigated, and in
my opinion it should be pursued still
further. 1 do not say that what has
been accomplished is sufficient, but
enough has been done to convince any
one conversant with the subject that we
are on the right track. A further out.
lay of money would be profitable, but
whether Congress will make an appro-
priation for future experiments do not
know. That is a matter the Agricul.
tural Department will no doubt take up.
So far nothing has been done in this di.
rection, but I feel pretty certain it will
be brought before Congress in due time.
GAS for myself will not conduct any
more experiments, for my private bust.
meas is interfered with too much. These
experiments ought to be conducted IN.
der the direction of some one now in the
service of the .Government-an army
officer for instance. You will see by
the dispatches from Lieut.. Ellis that he
noticed the force of the waves produced
by a discharge of dynamite from the
earth, while he was in balloon some
distance above. This same thing was no.
ticed while he was at Midland. We had a
captive balloon attached to q wire. It
was at the time speak of about 1000
feet high, and a half mile from the oper.
ators. While it was in this situation q
lot of dynamite was discharged. The
charge was sufficient to produce waves
Of such force that they struck the balloon
producing noise similar to the Tapping
of huge sail on vessel when struck
by the wind. The report was so loud
that We thoug ht our balloon had burst
ed. There can be no doubt but that
these conclusions produce the atmos.
pheric Disturbances, and, properly con.
Quoted, bring about the gathering of
clouds and precipitation of moisture. I
believe that In time the theory can be
reduced to an absolute art.
"There is still much, however, that
we must determine. We do not know
just how these discharges should take
place. So far it is a mere conjecture,
and can only be ascertained by being
worked out. We must find out by ex.
pertinent whether it is better to arrange
our dischargiDg force in line, in cir.
Gle, spirally, or whether it should be
concentrated. The question of altitude
also has much to do with it. The meth.
cd of producing the coucussion has
more, perhaps, to do with it than the
mere discharge itself. We know of in.
stances where powder mills have blown
up, great quantities of powder having
been exploded with no resulting rain.
The same absence of rainfall has been
noticed following the accidental dis.
charge of large amount of dynamite.
Ofcourse, it will cost money to make
these experiments, but it will be money
we'll spent.
Had it not been for the utmost econ.
omy on our part during our recent expe.
dition the very small appropriation of
$1,000 would have beer used up long
ago. The railroads and others have been
very kind to us. The Iron Mountain
and other southern roads furnished free
transportation for our whole party and
all of our goods and material. Mr.. Mel.
son Morris, who put his ranch at our dis.
posal, permitted his carpenters and Ia.
borers to do our work, and thereby say.
ing us hundreds of dollars. Had it not
been for all these things We would have
run out of money long ago. As a mat.
ter of fact the Government paid for the
materials used in the experiment at
Midland only. While we were there
citizens of Ell Paso and Corpus Christi
waited upon US and desired us to make
experiments there, but did not think 1t
right to spend all the money in Texas.