The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-03
Tho Facts About Rain Making.

Tho Facts About Rain Making.
The discussion in Congress over the rain
compelling experiments Of last year give
Thickness to an article on this subject con-
tributed to the July number Of the Engineer
ING Magazine by Mr.. GEORGE f. CURTIS.
meteorological Of tho Governments rain
making expedition to Texas.
The first point to attract attention in this
account is that when. carly in August OF
last year. the expedition reached tho CO.
ranch Mt Midland. Texas. it found that tho
preceding month had been unusually dry
throughout the western part OF tho State.
but that in the southwestern part the
drought had already been broken up by
very heavy storm. which. says Mr.. CURTIS.
"came as welcome and prompt announce
ment Of the advent OF the usual August
rains" 1t would accordingly appear that
tho party arrived not in the dry time OF tho
year. but when rain was expected.
The first firing was done on the evening
Of Aug. Q, at Midland. and shortly after
noon of the 10th rain fell there. This. 1t
will DO remembered. was heralded as q
great triumph for DYRENFoRTH. Yet Mr..
Powers says that only two shots were fired.
and Mr. MYERS. the balloonst, thinks there
may have been three; while Mr.. CURTIS
says emphatcaly that the firing was mere
ly "a few shots of rackarock exploded us q
test of material. but with no idea Of consid-
| ering it as an experiment to produce rnin.
| and Of course no result was anticipated
| He further notes that he himself was 100
miles cast OF Midland, and found light show
| crs there, SO that there was q rainy condi-
Mt .th NptNv Ia o.
| tho Midland shots. The summary OF what
occurred through tho month is instructive:
| a. smart shower on the afternoon Of Aug. 10
| preceded on the evening Of Aug by two shots Of
| racknrock to test the powder.
- Shots fred Aug IT, II. and 10 without effect.
80. Cumuius clouds and slight showers on Aug. 10.
- and 20 accompanied by explosions OF rack
arock and dynamite executed when tho storm clouds
sight. sometimes before and soinetmes after
SPHINX ling had begun. Only tho 18th the rain
| fan measurable. when it was oo2 inch In several
cases shot dense cloud was in The zenith
seemed pr duce rpatter Of rain On three Of those
| days sprinkiing occurred before any firing.
| -. On Aug. ~ fine mist due to n severe norther
| was preceded the 21st by tho explosion Of 100
| pounds OF rackhrock. During the mist PIG pounds
were irec without effect.
| "5 Early on The 20h when local showers had been
predicted for this region by the Weather Bureau and
when thu continuous barometr,c records show the
passage OF OF very low pressure the border OF
| n thunder storm touched tho &C. ranch and gave n
shrinking of rain F,rafexplosions had been made
the preceding evening and in the report OF the exped
| ton published by tho Department OF Agriculture they
| are denominated the Midland test"
This last. then. is the principal II not the
only operation ut Midland which could DO
credited with causing rain by explosion.
and at fails to afford the primary condi-
ton of crucial test for the natural condi-
| apfnnalnpt 70 md nrpdrnfiya nf q
thunder storm prevailed" Besides. during
those eighteen days there were nine days
when rain fell at other Weather Bureau
stations, whilo 1t fell on only two days at
&C" ranch. 1t Is safe to say that the rain
at the latter point "wns not due to tho
presence OF the party OF experlmcntcrs but
to the advent OF the rainy season." and it
is further declared that "tlle experiments
have utterly failed to demonstrate that ex-
plosions can develop q storm or can pro-
ducc measurable rain. and they have been
not only unsuccessful in result. but meagre
and trivial" A study OF the operations at
| FL Paso and San Diego fails to show results
more conclusive than those at Midland.
Nevertheless. at Midland. In several In
stances. when dense. threatening cloud
wns overhead. q sharp explosion was fol-
lowed In twenty OF thirty seconds by q
spatter OF rain: or. II 1t was already
sprinkling. by an increase OF the drops
This roscmblcd tho largo drops following O
clap of thunder:
whether these drops ara aggregated mechanically
by the air waves In motion by tho concusscn or
whsther on the other hand 10 rapid condensation
that produces at the same time both the large rain
drors and the electric charge has been much discussed
the weight Of opinion 10 In favor of the latter view
This interesting result ~ such prove be- for It Ia
yet ely esabished)s not how ever what
the experiments were designed TO accomplish. which
to produce rain In measurable quantity and when.
needed essentially to transform the eondi-
tions OF hAbtation of the semiaTid plains and thus
largely Increase the value OF these lands The ap
preparation has been expended but the hopedfor mod
fcation OF climate no nearer realization than BEFORE
and indication has been obtained tina. thore IL any
| possibility Of accomplishing H."
But Mr.. CURTIS says that tho mere waste
OF money is far less important than tho
effect Of the experiments on the public
mind. While insisting that all meteor
ologists reject tho Idea Of producing rain by
conclusion. and whilo defending Uncle
JERRY RusK's department from the impu-
tation OF holding that idea. he points out
that the Governments experiments have
inspired n widespread popular belief In the
possibility OF making rain to order. Tho
result Is that "charlatans and sharpers have
not been slow to seize the opportunities
thus afforded" by contracting to produce
rain and by selling territorial rights to use
their methods. 1t is with an evident feeling
OF deep disgust that Meteorological CURTIS
expresses the hope that Congress has made
Its last appropriation to produce rain BY