The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1910-09-30
AND They DID
MAKE 1T RAIN
Successful a Memorable Attempt at
Making Rain fall Conducted During
the Summer of 1891 by General
r. 6. DyrenfOrth.
baltimore American. Sept. 49,

Baltimore American. Sept. l9.
Prayers for rain, that it may come
speedily, went up in the churches all
over Maryland yesterday. However
efticacious may be this method of get
ting the liquid which is so indispensable
for the crops and so much needed to re-
juvenate the sadly-depleted water sup
ply, scientists and some farmers have
pinned their fate on other means, have
fought over their utility, disputed their
practical results and scoffed and
praised the achievements which have
bee n made. Rainmakers of various
kinds have been used and misused al
most since the beginning of modern
science. individuals have tried, the
United States government has sent out
expeditions into the Western deserts,
and the results have been many and
varied.
Probably the best-known expedition
which had as it's object the discovery of
some effectual method of making rain
was that conducted during the summer
of 1891 by Gen. r. G. Dyrenforth, who
went with large party to the Texan
plains and before the admiring cowboys
there showed that he could make it rain.
The rainmakers' manual is little
book by Mr.. Edward Powers, "War and
Weather" Mr.. Powers devoted 20
years of his life to pushing the theory
that rain may be produced artificially by
conclusions, produced by sustained fir
ing of heavy artillery. He argued that
nearly all of the worlds great battles
have been followed b y heavy rams.
Then he maintained that is this was
true, the lower and warmer great cur
rents of the air, which if overaowing,
saturated with moisture, from the west
to east over the United States could be
forced by means of concussion into the
colder current of the air which, he be-
lieved. ran just as steadily from east to
west, rain would certainly result. And
the corrollary to this, he argued, was
that if the concussion was done in a
certain place rain would fall in that
locality.
: After agitating his theory for over a
score of years, he got the government
to take it up and to support it. In
deed, it looked for time as if rain
making would become just as much
function of the government as is the
taking of census, but this part Of his
| did HnWouar
Uncle Sam financed number of ex.
peditions, and the most famous of them
was the Dyrenforth one.
An appropriation of $s.0 900 was at the
disposal of Gen. Jupiter Pluvius Dyren-
forth, and after consultation with his
associate he expended it for the following
materials: He had 40 ten-foot balloons
made to contain about 600 feet of gas; %
larger balloons, 3 still larger ones to be
used for ascents to make meteorological
observations. He then procured sever
al hundred large kites and nearly car
load of rock powder, giant powder, dyn-
amite and other explosives. His object
was to keep up series of explosions in
the air and on the ground for several
hours or perhaps day at time. The
balloons were filled with two parts hy-
drogen and one part oxygen, and were
exploded high in the air by means of
electrical contrivances connected by wire
with dynamos on the ground. Sticks
of dynamite and cans Of powder were in
the same manner attached to the tails
of kites and series Of explosions, COW
ering an area of mile on the ground,
were arranged.
The program was not carried out to
the letter. But even SO, there were
explosions and conclusions galore. The
result was rain, much rain, continued
rains, more in fact than had been seen
in that part of the country for years.
Each series of experiments was follow
ed by copious showers, and if it was
not a case of cause and effect, there
was some of the most remarkable COIN
cidences on record. The general SEEM
ed to be able to turn on the heavenly
faucet almost at will and to make the
cold, much needed water literally pour
down.