The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-19

the instruments often show from so to as
high as 50 without precipitation"
Professor Lowe in making the foregoing
statement has put himself in opposition
to the leading university men throughout
the State. Not a single physicist inclines
to his theory of rain-makng.
Professor Claypoole and others of
Throop University at Pasadena denounce
the theory as baseless The professor
said Il think if you could know about
the great battles of the world and their
effect upon the atmosphere you would
find that rain has not in nearly every
case followed the roar of battle, and that
when such has been the case rain would
have fallen if there had been no battle
1t is impossible to produce rain just
when we want 1t. When the air is dry
artificial means will not create moisture
Anybody that processes to be able to do
this is a quack."
Said Professor Jordan of Stanford:
From the newspaper notes, nothing is
suggested that could have the slightest
effect in bringing on a storm. The eX-
plosion of all the gunpowder in the world
would not do this, though by disturbing
or heating the atmosphere it might keep
off a storm five minutes. In a general
way as has been shown, the effect of
explosions on the movement of a storm
is about as great as a jumping flea would
be on the movements of a steamer.
81 should not wish to condemn Mr.
loves scheme without knowing what it
is. If it is once tried it will no doubt
condemn itself"
Professor Fernando Sanford. head of
the department of physics who is one
of the leading authorities of the country
on this subject of rain-making, said: Il
know nothing of the details of Mr..
tn do
know, however, that all such schemes
are fakes"
Professor Sanford then named over a
number of the best known fiascos in rain
making Among these is the Baker fake,
at Pixley. California. in 1894, and the Dy
renforth scheme for artificial rain-making
tried at San Antonio, Texas, November
25 1892.
ITO accomplish the desired result in the
latter case" said Professor Sanford. 1.-The
temperature of the air was raised by
heat-producing explosives. Eight ball
looms, $50 shells and 1000 pounds Of rosel-
lite were fired off No rain appeared.
One balloon exploded within black rain
cloud. but failed to produce any precipi-
tation.
ION the following Wednesday, with a
clear sky. ten balloons, 175 shells and
5000 pounds of rosellite were exploded and
the sky remained clear.
ION the following night the remaining
stock of explosives were fired off, regard
less of consequences, to get rid of them"
Frederick Slate, professor of physics in
the University of California, offered the
following opinion of artificial rain-mak-
ing:
'fDo / think the theory of producing rain
bv explosive balloons feasible? Judging
by the recent experiments in Texas, it
would seem not. There, you will remem-
Der. a reward even was offered If the
scheme tried should work. But we all
know it failed most signally, and in itself
that ought to be a sufficient answer to
such inquiries. The experiments were
conducted under quite favorable circum-
stances and the generally accepted Con
clusion is that they were a failure. Cen
orally speaking. 1 should say that the
idea is not feasible; that is, for all prac-
tical conditions"
Can you imagine conditions in which
explosive balloons might be effective for
producing rain?"
Eyes; as far as that goes, they can be
imagined very easily but they are hardly
ever likely to exist.