The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-07-03

I'VE or e., SIX years ago,
when the rain-makng ex-
= periments were being
conducted, first at Wash
ington, 'afterward in Tex
hGaEA as, my college chum and
,,Rd ] became greatly inter-
& ested in the subject.
NA We were then sopho-
IN ~ mores at 3. Elementary
YMJ az chemistry was our regu
AAB lar course of study that
year, and we spent most of
the spring term experimenting on our
own account ana exploding a vast
Bumber of gas Balloons.
The spring term closed on June 90,
and adj the boys went home, except
my cham Jaryis and myself, who, in
consequence of spending so much
0 time experimenting, had been con
ditioned," and had weeks hard work
to- make up in our Greek,
Rather than have it hanging over
us all summer and into the next year,
we agreed to do it, at once and have
done with it. Permission was accorded
to us to GO on living in our rooms
sor in Greek consented to give us an
extra examination. 20
1t was edreadfully hot during the
last four days of June, but we toiled
away witA Greek grammar and lexi-
con, hoping to get home for the
Fourth of July; and we should have
done SO. but our Greek professor ate
too much cantaloup on the day set
for the examination, and thought for
4S hours he had appendicitis
1t proved to be no such serious
trouble, but it hindered our plans.
The professor was not able to exam
inc us till the afternoon Of the third.
so we could not possibly get home
for the Fourth. o.
Jarvis was furious
''ConfoNnd cantaloup!" he grum-
bled. 'And confound a professor that
doesn't knows better than to eat it!
No use to start now.s9 We couldn't
get hoHhe!" he ragged On. 81 won't
spend the Fourth in railway car!
Let's stay here and shake the old
town ups Let's send up balloon at
midnight! We'll make it rain here
tomorrow"
Rather an incendiary sentiment, the
reader will say, but we had been shut
up with Greek for six long, hot days.
We had access to the laboratory in
Chemistry hall, where we had our
balloons, and generated the oxygen
and hydrogen gas for exploding them.
There was quantity of cotton
cloth, paper and glue, which had not
been used; and that evening we made
balloon ten teet in diameter, which
we succeeded in charging, outside the
window, with oxygen and hydrogen
from the laboratory retorts9, in the
proportion of two to one, that being
1.-The formula by which the two gases
unite to Produce water-and a par
ticular ear-splitting explosion.
We finished the balloon, and had
the gas generated at little past
IL o'clock; and then, after charging
a large Leyden Jar from the static
electrical machine, we started out to
ast6nish the quiet little town, and
usher in the Fourth of July
We had a large ball of strong ma
Mia Irvine and spool of small cop
per wire, the ends of which owere at
tached for a spark at the base of the
balloon.
We led our balloon, like a frisky
colt, along the Jane at the rear of
the chemistry building. and out across
the campus to the edgs of the, pine
woods. Then we let il rise.
The night was very dark and still.
but clouds had risen in the north and
west, and there was a frequent glow
of lightning in that quarter.
"There's shower coming!" Jarvis
exclaimed, as the balloon began it's
ascent. Eve shall have to make
naste."
\ But as yet there was not a breath
Of wind stirring; the balloon . had
risen and hung directly overhead. and
vas pulling hard at its restraining
string.
We knew from past experience that
when the electric spark acted on the
;wo gases the explosion would be
something tremendous; but we
thought that at height of 500 or 900
'leet, out there by the woods, no
lamage would follow.
And perhaps none would have fol-
owed, if all had gone as we planned.
,ut Jarvis had a great deal of trou-
lie connecting the wires. He was
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