The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1892-01-29

ever, lIlttG WIFI Une forces at our ulS-
posal, or with any that is ever likely to
come within the reach OF man, it is alb
solutely impossible to produce rain arti-
ficially. believe that but few who
have not made this subject a study
have any adequate conception OF the
inconccivable amount of force and
energy which nature uses in the produc-
tion OF rain.
1t is calculated that the sun is pour
ing on this earth ON an average OF one
horse power to every ten feet square of
s,rf;tce. Bs,sing /, calculation on this
we find that on an area of ten miles
square the sun IS constantly pouring it's
energy to the extent OF more than &C.
SSO,OOO horse power, which in one year
amounts to more than 22S trillon
loottuns OF energy. In other words
the great center OF the solar system is
showering down on us more than twice
the energy OF the Niagara falls for every
10 square miles OF surface on this earth.
The vast output OF energy is constantly
being used up and stored by every grow
ing plant or creeping animal. The wind
that moyes our wind engines and the
streams OF water that turns the wheels
and spndles tnat add SO much to the
wealth OF the world, all received their
inspiration from this source. The steam
engine OF to day that converts the heat
contained in coal into useful work, is
but resurrectlng energy that was stored
in the growing plants myriads OF ages
ago.
l do not believe the figures have
given, as vast as they seem, are near as
large as they should be, in other words
believe that the sun is pouring much
more than 425 horse power OF energy on
every acre OF surface this earth contains.
In the production OF rain nature uses a
large proportion OF this energy. Per-
;haps if we had possession OF such in
conceivable forces we might produce
rain artilicially.
1t is calculated that the potential OF
an ordinary atmospheric discharge OF
electricity is millions OF volts, and the
Intensity OF the current millions OF am
peres. One authority calculates that a
steam engine OF 100 horse power run
ming for ten hours would represent no
more energy expended than such Il dis
charge. In other words and ordinary
flash OF lightning represents the expen-
diture OF force or power to the extent o.
100000 foot pounds, equal to
the raising OF 100000 tons one loot
high. tits therefore very plain to any
one who will give the subject moments
thought, that all the money in the
United States treasury would not buy
enough dynamite to equal in explosive
energy even small thunder storm, and
vet scientists tell us that the electrical
discharges do not cause the rain, they
are the result OF atmospheric condictions
that may or may not produce rain as
we'll as electricity.
The fall OF moisture required for grow.
ing crops must be not less than sixteen
inches, the average of the Mississippi
valley is thirty inches and OF the whole
earth it is thirtY-six inches. Taking the
rain fall at sixteen inches, and the ter
rliles square as a unit, we find that the
water falling 5000 feet (the average fal
is much greater than that represents
and expenditure OF energy OF more thar
l,l5O trlllions OF foot pounds or NOR,
than $40 billion OF foot tons.
Such vast expenditures OF energy can
not be comprehended by the human
mind, yet q dim outline Of the work dom
can be conveyed when we consider th
fact that a steam engineof 100 horse pov
errunning day and night 81 = days in the
year, would have to run constantly 70
more than Ga, 600 years to expend tina
amount Of energy. In spite fall ttls
some people think that BY expi0dsns'
little gunpowder, dynamite br oxysfss
drogen gas, or by sending up On unknowl
gas through j hole in tho top 2ot q barr
that an this machinery will start 9 nr I'M p