The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-04
BOMBARDING THE SKIES.
WASHINGTON KICKs ON TEE tx
BLOSSOMS AT NIGHT

Sleep Driven From Hundreds Of Eyes.
A Couple of Light Showers Followed
the Firing, But They Had Been Pre-
diced by the Weather Bureau and
Probably Would Have Fallen any
way.
WASHINGTON. Nov. S.-After a dry spell
Of many weeks Washington caught light
raintull last night, as the alleged result of
she series of explosions which the experts of
the agricultural department has been caus-
ing across the river. but the cost OF the ex-
periments has been too great in the sacrifice
of nerves and comfort 60 make the plan
entirely popular with Washington people.
They stood the noise very well as long as
1t was confined to the daylight hours, but
their patience was exhausted when after
midnight last night there was a fearful
roar that shook every house in the city and
brought many people out of bed under the
impression that there was an earthquake.
AT intervals nicely adjusted 60 allow the
victims an opportunity to fall into an I'M
easy nap, the explosion was repeated with
the results that nobody slept. and
a slight rain fell This morning
there was an expression of Indignation at
the disturbance. The people at the post of
Fort Myer who had broken glass shaken
upon their heads were especially wrought
up, and yielding to a generally expressed
sentiment, the ma or general commanding
the army this morning promptly ordered
the agricultural department experts to
vacate the Fort Myer reservation, 80 there
will be no further attempts at rain-making
on the military reservations in or around
Washington.
One army officer, who observed the expert
ments last night because he could not sleep,
asserts that the first two shocks brought
down smart showers, which settled into a
steady rain, but this was suddenly stopped
by the last two explosions, 80 he is puzzled
30 decide whether or not aerial bombardment
is a success.
COMPLAINTS FILED.
A large number of complaints were to-
day made to Assistant Secretary Willis of
the agricultural department by citizens
who strongly protested against rain-making
experiments being continued during the
night The whole city was several times
awakened during the early hours this morn-
ing and the professionals evidently were not
in a very amiable frame of mind when
writing their communications to the assist
ant secretary. R. g. Dyrenforth, who has
been in charge Of the experiments, to-day,
explained that the heavy explosions OF last
night, which seemed to have disturbed
the slumbers and awakened the ire of many
citizens of Washington, were caused by his
having given directions to the people that
have charge Of the experiments to watch
for heavy clouds which would APP
cipitation, il undisturbed, and fire
under them. These conditions several
times appearing, charges were fired and
we're Immediately followed by downpour
OF rain, the men having to run for shelter
He had not thought about their firing
in the night and would see that there was
no further cause for complaint.
COST OF THE EXPLOSIVES.
Mr.. Dyrenforth in speaking OF the cost of
the experiment. said that rosellite, which
had been found to meet all requirements.
namely adequate power, safety and cheap
ness could be manufactured at from to 10
cents per pound. charge usually contains
from ten TO twenty pounds. Rosellite
he said, Is not as powerful as some other
explosives, for example. americanite or
rackrook, but it fully answered every re-
quirement. Mr.. Dyrenforth said that as
she comparatively slight concessions last
night were such a shock 10 the people of
Washington, from three TO five miles away,
one could imagine what disturbance of
the air must result from the
regular rainfall operation, where there
are thousands of such conclusions in
rapid succession and balloon explosions,
WnlCu are many times more Violent.
Mr.. Dyrenforth and his party will leave
Washington tomorrow for some rainless
region in Texas or New Mexico where, he
says, thorough scientific test will be made.
AN OFFICIALS OBSERVATIONS.
An official connected with the expert
ments gave to-day statement OF his per-
sonsl observations of the results of the bonn
bardments last night. He says that the
first explosion at so O'Clock a. m. was fol
lowed by lively shower Of rain. AT 2:41
O'Clock a. m. another explosion occurred
and rain followed within TWO minutes. No
rain followed the explosion of
3:53 O'Clock a. NJ. but the
clouds broke away and the sky cleared.
At 300 q. m. rain followed an explosion
within eight minutes. No rain occurred
after the explosion at 3:44 a. m. He thinks
that the experimenters succeeded in causing
rain by explosions, but says it is not possible
10 demonstrate the actual effect of explo-
sions upon the atmosphere sufficient to pro-
duce rain. He believed that it will be pos
sible TO secure rain by artificial means.
Maj. Dunwoody of the weather bureau
holds an entirely opposite opinion. He
thinks that the rain had no possible connec-
ton with the explosions. 1t was raining at
the time over an area of territory 2 900
miles long and 500 miles wide. Rain bad
been forecast for this section, and what
litrle precipitation there was came
naturally and not by artificial means. Mai.
Dunwoody is of the opinion that the ex-
periments will result only in waste of
money and time