The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-02-19


when the California rainy season is at
an endp
cake the facts in the case East
of the Rocky Mountains the drift of
the atmosphere is from west to east at,
we will say, an average movement of
100 to $50 miles in any twenty-four
hours-surely never less. 'Rainmakers'
will 60 to work at given point on a
certain day and will continue their
operations for days and the air in
which their experiments have been
tried has moved hundreds of miles to
the eastward of their location A
chance shower will fall here and there
through perfectly natural causes, and
the fact is heralded broadcast through
the land that the 'rainmakers' were
successful in producing rain.
"The movement of the air in Cali.
fornia, and generally west of the Rocky
Mountain range, differs materially
from that in the section east of the
mountains, yet we know that there is
varying movement, let it be in what
direction it WILL and that the forego-
ing remarks relative to experimenting
on moving atmosphere apply equally
well to the Pacific states.
1.-THE department of agriculture at
tempted rainmaking on scientific prin-
ciples, yet l am sure the department
does not lay claim to having been able
to extract rain from a cloudy sky, let
alone cloudless sky. The whole
matter is, in my opinion, tizzle.
"If our 'rainmakers' want u test OF
their ability to produce rain, why not
cooperate with the weather bureau,
and when the atmosphere is in a static
condition, with no chance of rain for
some time to come. let them practice
and try and squeeze u single tear from
the heavens.
ITO the intelligent thinker the mere
idea Of producing revulsion in nature
through artificial means, considering
the immensely Of the space to be af-
fected by q cooling process or other
wise, and all this to be done by n few
men Juggling in hut, is simply pre-
posterous.
while in Washington city several
months ago the opportunity was nj
forded me to scan the records of the
voluntary observers of the weather
bureau scattered throughout the coun
try, and, to satisfy myself regarding
the rainmaking experiments that hat
been prosecuted, gave particular at
tention to the records of the observer
in the vicinity of the places where tn
experiments had been made. In II,
single instance was rainfall noted tina
might have not fallen through natural
causes and for which there was pre-
cedent both as to duration and amour
of precipitation"
1t will be noticed first, the gentle.
man, +. r. Kerkam, is "chief of tn
weather bureau" and consequently Il
q little jealous for the sanctity Of hi
profession, and naively suggests tina
the rajnmakers should operate in con
junction "with" the weather bureau
1t reminds one of the biblical story
"the bramble said to the cedar of lie
banon. 'Ifyou have indeed chosen u
to be king over you, come put you
trust under our shadow p"
Again it will be noticed that HI
argues it is the rainy season in Cali
fornia, and cites where it had raineC
of late, etc. Grant all that he says
but it is to be remembered that thu
place where the rainmaker
are operating is very dry, ever
in the rainy season, that the average
rainfall annually is only three inches
and some years it has fallen way
below that.
Now it will be noticed that he give
no data as to the rainfall during tbC
experiment. Why this silenceP Sup
pose it appears after all that in
radius of 100 miles Of Plxley, there hal
been three inches of rainfall in thirty
days. this fact would knock the pro
fessors argument into cooked hat.
Finally he says, let them wait unit
the rainy season in California is over
and then experiment. That sounds
nice. But the professor is not posted
The rainmakers do not work miracles
or attempt to produce a revulsion o
natural law, but only seek to seiz'
upon the resources Of nature, and CO
operate with natural law. This is I
point he has overlooked.
The professor is a paid officer Of The
government and manifests his sense o
Importance in consequence. thereof
which perhaps is fitting. He is thu
Goliath Of the weather and deles thu
camp of the rainmakers. Give it Il
him David.