Evening journal., 1897-09-20
WANT TO MAKE RAIN.
aany European Scientists Trying 10
solve the Problem.

solve the Problem.
The scientists of Europe have taken |
up the problem of rain-making This |
has been brought about by the semi
successful results in the United States. |
The German government has already |
offered a reward of 10000 marks TO any
one who shall successfully demonstrate |
that downpour of rain can be caused |
at a fairly moderate expense, and the !
chances are that before many months
the world will see a practical test OF
what may come nearer success in the
way of rain-making than anything ever
before accomplished.
There is also another feature of the
problem which the European scientists
are discussing that has not previously
been brought up to any great extent.
and that is n plan for countries where
rain falls necessarily to stop such a
fall. 1t is much like considering the
two points of the compass, and yet sa-
wants declare that as much benefit will
result to the world by the discovery of
how to stop rain from falling as by the
discovery of how to make it fall.
OF the two it is easier to deal with the
attempts made to stop rain, because
less has been done in this direction.
There is, indeed, a patent the object of
which is to deal with tornadoes, and to
rob them of their evil effects by means
of an explosion in the midst of the tor
nado ITSELF But it would be unfair to
science not to admit that if it has done
nothing to prevent continual rain, it
has done much to mitigate the evil eff
fects that floods bring in their train.
A superb system of measuring and reg
istering the heights of rivers by means'
of gauges is carried out in this country.
In the case of the last flood very early
notice was given to the residents of the
threatened districts in Arkansas, Louis
lana and western Mississippi of the inn
pending danger.
The number of attempts that have
been made to induce rain to fall is le-
gion Money has been spent lavishly
with this end in view, and good invest
ment it would be if the success were
commensurate with the expenditure.
Scientific men have given their evil
dence for and against the success of the
experiments that have been tried, and
yet the question remains unsettled.
There is always the doubt of simple CO.
incidence of events to disturb the judg-
ment on the point of strict cause and
effect. The area, too, over which the
experiment is to be tried cannot al
ways be satisfactorily defined, either
with reference to the results obtained
or the benefits conferred.
The wind bloweth where it listeth,
and it may be that the rain-making ma
terials, supposing them to be effective,
are waited to considerable distance
before they become operative, or before
they meet with the necessary conditions
that insure precipitation.
,, Those efforts to produce rainfall
which approach to scientific method
, may be grouped under the following
heads: First, noise. 1t has been con
! tended that the firing of cannon anC
) the din of battle have generally beer
Z followed by rain. But when statistic
are carefully sifted there does not seen
r to be much ground for the belief, anC
no one would probably care to risk his
peace and comfort in the very uncer
tain hope that great uproar woulc
, bring down the needed rain.
! Second, the explosion of balloons
. filed with dynamite or other explosive
D some distance above the ground, has
= been advocated and repeatedly tried
with what measure of success it is diff
= cult to say. Nearly allied to the con
y cussion method is the attempt TO chill
= the atmosphere by the rapid evapora
| ton of some highly compressed gas.
. Then, again, it is asserted that tn
!. establishment of an electrical connec
f ton between a cloud and the earth b.
e means of a kite will induce rain TO fall
Such a means evidently supposes tn
e existence of a cloud; but inasmuch a
e periods of drought are liable to be &C
), companied with long continuance o
!, blue sky, the method, even if successful
y cannot always be applied, and in poin
+ of general application falls below tn
i level of the other suggestions.
l. Condensation is the result Of chillin
the air. The ascent of the lower STRAIT
3 of the atmosphere into the higher r,
70 gions and the consequent expansio
and loss of heat is the most probabl
e cause of rain. and it is not impossibl
- that the air near the ground, bein
9 made to rise by being artifcially hea
,e ed, might tend to produce the desire
III iownpour.-N. Y. Herald.
The Natural bridge of To-day.
The Natural bridge is 215 feet i
height 100 feet in width. with a spa
- of 90 feet. Under the arch might
N placed the Washington monument Z
h Baltimore Cedar creek. the streal
2. over which it stretches its arch, is clef
| -. II, -. 49,, ., ~ o,