Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-07-23
RAINMAKER
COMING BACK
Sherman County Will Pay
Expense.

Sherman coun'y, Oregon, where fo
two seasons, Charles NJ Hatfield o
California, has heen coaxing rain fro
the clouds, is to levy tax against the
p operty owners next year to pay Mr.
Hatfield regular salary for his services
several months during the spring oi
each wear.
Mr.. Hatfield was IN Portland accom-
panied by his brothe-, Paul A. Hatfield
his assistant, says the Portland Journal.
The two are on their way to southern
California where they Will again put in
to action the chemical process which
has worked Sc successfully.
This las been Mr.. Hatfeld's second
spring in Sherman couaty. Last year a
bumper wheat crop is excellent.
The normal rainfall i'll 80 years on an
average has beon one inch from May
to July 10. From May to July 10 is
the time that NJ. Hatfe,d's contract
calls for his presence in Sherman coun-
ty to bring about the best results pos
sibe IN the rain coaxing business. Dur
ing the time that he was at work the
rainfall has been 65 per cent more than
the natural normal average in Sherman
county during the other years before
the Hatfield process was started
Little is known of the remarkable
but successful experiments the Cali
fornian has been carving on in East
ern Oregon. His fame has been spread
broadcast and lie is always receiving
requests and letters asking for more de.
tails about his secret and the price that
he charges for inducing rain from the
clouds to fall where it is most desired.
Heretofore the farmers of Sherman
county, that is certain percentage Eof
them, have raid Mr.. Hatfield his sal
ary out of their own pocke's. Here
after, however, the county officials will
pay him, securing the money bv adding
a small amount to the tax lists of all
the county property.
IL do not claim to be able to make
rain," MIR. Hatfield said, my object bo-
ing to attract rain from moisture laden
clouds that otherwise would pass over
the locality in which l am situated.
first thought of the idea when a boy in
the arid parts of southern California
when cloud after cloud day after day
passed oyer us without ever shedding a
drop of water although we needed it
badly.
"The system consists of chem cal
combinations. Nature furnishes ground
and man fertilizes it to get an increased
production. Similarly nature furnishes
moisture bearing clouds and in the
same manner assistance is necessary to
bring about greater precipitation.
"My scheme is natural one-I have
simply worked it out en- the same
principle as is followed by nature in To-
calities where there is always plenty OF
ram. | give to the atmosphere my
chemical secret which has the same
effect as the climatic conditions in sec
tions OF the country where there is
plenty OF rain or rain at intervals"
TIE chemical combinations which
Hatfe'd uses are naturally secret. Der
ricks are erected at suitable places
there are two in sherman county-to
which he carries water, which Is eVap
GRATED by chemical process, treated
with electricity and permitted to float
away, or in other words allowed TO
evaporate.
The Hatfield chemical preparation
arises and comes in contact with the
rain bearing clouds. Precipitation fol
lows. From May l until July 10 Hat
field and his brother are at work mix
ing the preparation which promises tc
make Sherman county. Oregon, one 0
the greatest whes. raising countries il
the United States.