The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-04-11

modifying the climate. The simplest
device would be to pump hot air from
the tropical zone and cold air from |
the region of the Arctic circle. 1t |
would not be difficult, nor would 1t
be very expensive, to construct steel
tube system of sufficient diameter TO
modify the climate OF the
Eastern seaboard.
For example, thin steel tube, say
four or five feet in diameter, Would
convey an enormous quantity OF ar.
One has really no idea of what this
quantity would be until one stops to
figure it out.
'The idea is Identical with the pipe
line system now in use. Oil is plped
long distances from the Oil wells OF
Pennsylvania, and similarly natural
gas is piped long distances. Now 1t
would be just as easy and just as
feasible to pipe air as Oil or gas.
''The distance, too, is not SO very
great. I have been surprised to md
how short a line would serve for this
purpose. If it extended from within
the tropical zone to within the Arctic
zone it would more than meet the re-
quirements and still extend over only
an eighth of a circle. 1t would be only
about three thousand miles long. l do
not think that it would require pipe
of more than four or five feet in diam
eter, ard the pipe could be built OF
thin steel and need not be expensive.
| Such a line would not be nearly so
costly to build and equip as a railroad
| line, nor does it present any material
difficulties. 1t would be the simplest
of mechanical problems, and the right
| of way would not be expensive.
sFor motive power some out of the
way waterfall could be utilized, so
that the expense of operation need not
be very great.
Il know all such suggestions as
these are generally looked upon as
coming from a wild eyed lunatic. But
there is really nothing half so daring
in this suggestion as was the idea of
laying a cable under the Atlantic
THE difficulties to be overcome were
greater then than any difficulties with
which this enterprise would meet. we
lgo to great deal of expense to secure
Ipure water for use in New York City
I don't see why it would not be just
as feasible to provide means for fresf
lair and at the same time modify the
'rigors of our climate OF course, the
transmission, but the air would al
ways produce heat where it is com
pressed and cold where it is expanded
Professor .Crocker was asked VIII!
his idea could not be Immediately ap
piled on a small scale to bring fresl
lair in the summer time from Cone.
Island or the seashOre. He replied:
cit could. 1t would be a very sim
pie thing to construct pipe line from
the seashore with vents along Broad
way or any other points desired, a
. intervals through the streets AM
make New York quite seaside resort
'"This, however, would afford onl
, a temporary relief. 1t would scarcel
be feasible to attempt to seriously cor
+ troll the climate, except over wild
areas 1t would have to be done b
national, rather than state Of munic
pal, action, and would probably re
, quire cooperation between this GOV
ernment and the Canadian and Mex
lean governments. Such a pipe lin
r las have described would have to e1
, tend from some of the very cold reg
+ ions Of the far North clear into th
, tropics. This would enable us at wi
to draw cold air from the North an
warm air from the South. In thi
= | way we CUulu pIoUdDiy pretty eHSC
o lively, too, control the rainfall.
: least we could turn on a cold bias
when we needed rain, and hot blas
. when we wanted to keep it away.
would certainly require a huge sy
q tenn, something very much larger tha
q danything here outlined. to stop
= blizzard.
. "But science today is more DARN
: than ever. 1T has brushed aside s
. many difficulties, so many appareI
q lobstacles, it has probed so many s.
q lcrets that it is not likely to stop sho
: now. In the sense of possible phys
! tcal achievements, there is no 'banl
ruptcy of science Science and il
: lvention have done much to conqut
: time and space. They have defied tt
= wind and the waves. They ha,
q brought most of the forces of natul
q under control. Why should they NJ
!, one day have control of them alp