The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-07-04
CAN PREVENT HAIL
NEW DEVICE IN AUSTRIA FOB
BREAKING Up SUCH STORMS.
Jass ~ II the Rain Makers Pian gxp.o
stves are Discharged Into the AIR Hot 10
This Case. Strange 20 Say. is Drives the
Clouds Away Instead OF Gathering
Them-six Trials Prove 10 TO be = suc>
csss-Is % Used for the fresscssoe %
Big Observation-Disclosures Psan for Pre-,
venting Precipitation.


venting Precipitation.
Washington. July s.-The principle OF
disturbances OF -;he upper trsta OF ar
by means OF explosions turned on; 10
be unsccessful. but the revorse principle,
that Of d,ssipa;ing rain and haslstorns
by u,eans OF explosions in the upper cur
rents Of air has proved successful. IN
like the rain-producing experiments car.
ried out in this country which were oou-
Quoted tor the exposition OF . scientific
principle. cne experiments which prov~d
successful were carried out in Aussrfo
for The commercial purpose OF prctecstnO
valuable vineyards from the dsvssese>u0
OF hail storms which are OF ffeQuens 90
currance in tina. section OF country. NJ.
Albert Bigger. burgomAster os WiRdieco-
Frei;ssritz Qower Steirmsrk, Aus,rial
owns extensive vineyards. sstuased on
the southern slopes OF the Bacher noun
tains. a locality often visited by dessruc-
tive hail storms. According to Consul
CONAN. a; Zurich. having expended
great deal OF money and labor on tAa
Improvement 90 his lands and In secur-
ing choice cuttings from which to raiss
his vines. he began 10 experiment II
protect his crops from their worst enemy
hail. At first he purchased galvanized
iron wire 5ctting and stretched &c over
1--WE acres a. his bes. vines. but found
this scheme too expensive for general
application. He therefore. concluded To
try the shooting or explosive syseenss to
scatter the clouds and drive away ar-
proachine hail or heavy rain STORMS.
He erected SIX stations on the Sx moot
prominent, SUBMITS surrounding the 10
cality and commanding territory OK
abou. two miles In extent. These sat-
tons buili OF wood. shelter ten heavy
mortars each. In The neighbornoo4 of
every station - a cabin. in which 0S
necessary powder is stored.
A corps OF volunteers. conssstng ot
ne zhbors who are also owners Of small
vineyards. nave been trained "a handle
the motars al the slightest indication
of an approaching srorm- The nor'ars
are Immediately manned and osded
with abou, four and a auarted onces of
powder each, shooting commences sinh
ulsaneousiy and continues resugariy
out Of the sixty uortsTs until the clouds
have scattered and the Storm has blown
over These experiments were anxiousiy
watched by the citizens OF Wsndiech-
Freiscritz last summer. AT the approsch
of thgeateAing black clouds over the
SUBMITS OF the Bacher mountains . sig
nal was given and all the nostars were
fired OFF, and the continuous deconisa-
lions in few moments caused a sudden
reaction IN the movements Of the clouds
The cloud wall opened up hsnei-like.
the mouth OF the funnel began 10 rise
in ne FORM Ok consecutive rings cxrand-
ing gradually NIL all OF the clouds sca;-
tered and entirely disappeared There
was 10 hail or even a sudden down.
pour Of rain. The same experience was
gone through six times last summer.
and has without single exception pro
ven "A successful prev ent!ye.