Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1892-01-21
The Kansas Rain Wizard Tells the PeO.
pie What he Can and viii do
for Cash
If Any Rains are Needer he viii Furn-
ish them at 5000 Each, C. o. d.
Or Sell the Secret.
Three Districts Formed, and Rain Or.
dered for May or June-Pre.
pare your Boat.
RAIN CONVENTION

4
Mr.. A. b. Montgomery, manager of the
Kansas Artificial Rain company arrived In
s Miller Tuesday evening, for the purpose
of organizing q company in this and
neighboring counties to produce artificial
rain through the crop season of 1892. Mr..
Montgomery comes from q western coun-
ty of Kansas, where he says the climate
is dry and verv similar to that of South
OAK ota, q semi -arid region that frequent
Iy has insufficient rainfall to insure good
crop yield--or rather, where the rainfall
though sufficient is not distributed equal
iy over the crop season. And to over
come this obstacle, necessity has caused
the inventive genius Of man to supply the
deficiency.
With this general understanding as to
the purpose of Mr.. Montgomery's visit. a
large audience assembled at the opera
house in Miller yesterday to hear the
rain maker" as he is commonly called
talk upon the subject.
The meeting was called to order by
Commissioner II. l.. Smith, who was
made chairman, and A. d. Hill secretary.
Mr.. Montgomery was introduced, and
gave in substance the following informa-
tion regarding his business
The system in use by Mr. Montgom-
ery's company is e..
NOT CALLED THE "MELBoURNR sYsTE e
as generally supposed. although simit
to it. Mr. NJ. saw Melbournes tests in
Colorado last year, and induced him to
go to his home in Goodland, Kansas.
4 While there local doctor and chemist
called upon them. and insisted that they
could produce rain. After failure to make
satisfactory arrangements with Melbourne
Mr.. Montgomery formed company WI tn
the physician and chemist. and began
work testing their method. He claims
they made FIVE successful tests last fall
in producing rain. and only one partial
failure, when the temperature was too low.
As far as he will explain his system, it Is
to cause precipitation
BY THE USE OF CHEMICALS
in the air, while at a temperature of so
TO 60 degrees. He is very confident that
ii can be done. SO much so that If no
rain is produced. his company bears all
expense and asks no pay. His theory as
to the precipitation by this method, is
that other atmospheres, which are excess
siyslv charged, are robbed Of O certain
amount Of moisture and 1t is more equally
distributed. For instance the rainfall of
Iowa, Illinois and Missouri, which is
greater than needed, may be lessened by
the precipitation in the dryer states to
the west. and put stop to the overflow
OF the Mississippi.
While lie is confident OF producing rain
anytime, with temperature reasonably
favorable, yet he does not claim to have
string on the rin." The work Of shoot
ing chemicals in the air at @ given point.
may not cause the gentle paaer of the
rain drop to be heard right there, be-
cause it is
AFFECTED BY THE WIND CURRENTS,
which may carry it from ten to one hun
ired and fifty miles away. This he
would overcome bv organizing in districts
u several counties, with general mana.
ger in the center. Committeeman from
each county are TO report twice week to
the manager the condition Of crops. Iii
rection and velocity of wind. The man
ager is then to take advantage Of these
things in placing operators to produce
rain for certain localities. For instance,
IL the north half Of Hand county should
bo supplied certain week or month by a