Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-07-26
HOW THE RAINMAKER WORKS.
Milking Water from the Sky Is a
Peculiar Profession.

The first visit OF the rainmaker to
the comfy is causing considerable
discussion Of the ways and means Of
milking the sky Of surplus water.
The Rock Island management APP
pears to be very much in earnest in
its experiments and is proceeding in
It's tests Of the rainmaking theory
Systematically.
G. B. Jewell has charge Of the rain
making cars. which are simply
freight cars with proper fixtures.
The car is divided into two com
partments, one being used as a living
room and the other reserved for the
rain-making machinery When rain
is to be produced the car is run onto
q side-track and blocked. A hole.
five feet in diameter and about eight
feet deep, is dug and connected with
the car by rubber hose, after which
the top Of the hole Is covered by
boards. Directly over the hole and
on top Of the car is a tank filled with
eight hundred gallons Of water.
Between the tank and the edge of the
car is a space of about one foot in
width, through which three pipes
project thirty inches apart. On top
of the tank is u square box twenty
four inches long and twelve inches
wide. Inside the laboratory part OF
the car a wide shelf about two feet
from the floor extends from one end
to the other. On this are many
curious-looking bottles and boxes
said to contain the chemicals from
which the rain-producing gases are
made. Under the shelf are large
boxes securely locked, which the
young rain-maker declared were
never opened in the presence of any
one. Above the shelf and near the
top of the car is another shelf, on
which rests u twcnty-four cell battery,
and an unusually large jar connected
by wires with the battery. There
are also wires connecting the battery
with the rain machine proper, which
consists Of six large jars, divided into
groups Of two each In these jars the
gas is made and released through the
three pipes mentioned above that pro-
jet through the top Of the car by the
side Of the water tank.
No force is necessary TO send the
Gas into tho sky, as at the time 1t is
released 1t is much lighter than the
air. In escaping it makes little or no
noise and Is almost invisible, being of
u light blue tinge. At the other end
Of the car Is pipe running down
from the tank above and connecting
with q large wooden vessel, which in
turn Is connected with another wooden
vessel Of similar pattern. The re-
mainder Of the labratory Is filled with
pipes, bottles and other apparatus
ordinarily found in small labratory
In the rainmaking department of the
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific rail-
road company there are three cars
lifted up in the same manner and
they all operate at the same time a
few miles apart.
Regarding the process Mr.. Jewell
says.
"When the rainmaking machine is
in operation 1900 feetof gas escapes
from each of the three pipes project
ing from the top of the car every
hour. When it is liberated 1t is warm
and ascends steadily. In four hours
1t has reached an altitude Of from
1000 to 5000 feet, depending on the
conditions, altitude of the point of
operation, vegetation and humidity.
After the lapse Of a certain time it
turns cold instantly and drops with a
rush, creating n vacuum, into which
the moisture contained in the air
rushcs, forming clouds and they form
the storm center. When | have done
this have accomplished all that is
necessary, for nature will do the rest,
The size of the storm depends upon
the velocity and direction Of the wind
together with the temperature. ! do
not claim to be able to always pro-
duce rain at the point of operation,
because the wind may carry it many
miles away, but rain will surely fall
in the direction the gases are carried.
On "A calm day rain should extend
about twenty miles in each direction
from the point of operation. A ten
mile wind will spread the rainfall ten
miles in one direction and about fifty
miles In the direction it is blowing.
In twenty-five mile wind the area Of
the storm will be extended 100 to 1850
miles in one direction and no rain
to windward of the point foperation,
and but sprinkle at that point
The cost to the Rock Island railroad
company for the operation of each of
the three cars is about 800 per week