The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-06-12

uOn, OF rainstormlcycloues wata
spouts. thunder ancightning are l..
ing artificial TfeproCed IN tbs corrs
Of some remarkable reriments sttL
Elmer Gates Labo-ory, AT che
Chase, near Washinkn.
Professor Gates, { famous Dbvs;
cist who directs this, ciuatiug WORT
shop, has long been tIuctipg eIabC
rate researches lookiro the soIptiol
OF these enigmas of IRE. IA -
suit Of this labor be. hleduced som,
surprising theories VII, in the onin
ion Of many learned n will effect
complete revolution ip-esent meth
DDS OF weather forecas..
Many of these impor- discovaria.
were made with the as ance Of IN,
late II. A. Hazen, profes of meteor,
ology at the United Ses Weatbe,
Bureau, whose acciden death no.
CURED q few weeks ag,1st as the
work was drawing TO &C
The early experiments rho tro
Investigators were made the mn
- I
Of rsInmaking The mo ,dsrv ac.
cepted of theories hithertrsrad IN
explanation Of this proce assumes
that when moist air is cal -,
one region above tue eartl ,rotber
which Is colder, it Uuderg, on1on.
satiou and vice versa. Prof CT
aud Professor Hazen botl MID
that heat and moisture were, 49,
factors concerned in storm ., to,
Professor Gates had long bel the,
electricity played the most ,rtant
role il withdrawing, an, -
about to convince his ,ollaho -.
he was correct.
n.the initial experiment area
fluffy mass Of fleece cotton ,s,Is
pended from the ceiling of th, ,ro-
tory by dry silk thread, -
electrically charged by one p =
powerful static machine. Til 49, |
pole was connected with -. /
mass OF cotton.
As the two tufts were being {
they grew perceptibly larger. B
nearer, they grew smaller. |
sufficiently near or sufficiently 81 |
for q spark TO pass between tht I
a lightning fash pas betwea
clouds, they twitcL-u at the In,
OF discharge. II
The two tufts were aitervard
with smoke pulled into them thu
tube. Some OF this smoke
elected by each at the moment G
passed. When a certain dist
apart, the smoke left one Of the ma
and proceeded in straight line 10
other. Thus the electricity actul
carried the vapor from one TO
other.
Then steam was injected into
tuft and some of its moisture
similarly conveyed 70 the interior
the other, as proved by an instrum
for measuring humidity. 1t
noticed that although one piece
cotton would increase in volu
when first charged with electricity
would begin TO shrink as soon as
induced an opposite charge in 50
adjacent mass Of matter.
y volume OF moisture-saturated
was next enclosed in a rubber
balloon suspended by string.
balloon swelled when highly charg
but shruuk when in the presence
body charged with opposite electric
When succession of sparks pas
into the balloon it appeared to tax
sudden expiration, then an iaspI
ton Immediately afterward.
These aud other experiments pro,
to the satisfaction OF the two iuve
gators that electrical conditions
capable Of increasing and diminish
the density Of the air.
Iu a later experiment a moist C.
rent Of air was charged with uegat
electricity as it entered tue laborat
through au open window. 4 sim
current from luoihsr source
charged with positive elsclno.tv
q distance between the two iuIets
where the two currents miugle,
mist was seen 10 form Il was
successful ATTEMPT M rai1maki7g
doors which is believed 10 haze s5l-
the problem as 20 how Dame Nat
herself aggregates the moisture If
air into mists. rain or snow
Accordingto Professor Gates If.
locality or cloud acquire a charge
electricity. some adjacent locality
cloud must acquire n charge Of On
site electricity. NTilwavbetvao7 ~
two. oppgsitely CHARGED c'.uIs
regions Of moist air there mnst he
or moro secondary regions where I'M
respective particles c5mmiB~I. TE
If one being positive aud those ~
other being NEGATIVE thew attr,
-aHarr and f.--. --+-1-