The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-07-06
Special to Daily Leader.


Topeka Kan, July 6-ln spite oi
the verdict of the federal govern
ment that rain can not be coaxed
from the skies many farmers and cit,
izens OF Kansas are recalling the
experiments made seventeen years
ago by CLAYTON Is. Jewell OF Goodland
Kan, In this state and in Oklahoma
Nebraska and South Dakota. The
prevailing drought over this terri
tory which Is withering the corn and
burning up the paefures has become
80 serions that the people of West
ern Kansas are urging the revival of
the rainmaking experiments which
In 1894 produced copious showers
and IN some sections deluges. +,
"A sum appy-oxImating s25.00o was
spent In testing the rainmaking the.
DRY in that year The federal gov
ernment appropriated $4,000 to fin
ance the operations OF General r. @.
Dyrenforth on the parched plains OF
southwestern Texas, and the Chica-
go, Rock Island and Pacific Railway
company spent an equal sum In try
ing out the plans OF Rainmaker
Jewell
Soon Hrings Rain.
Jewell with his rainmaking car
fitted with al the chemicals neces-
sary apparatus, FASTENED TO caId-
we'll on the southern border Of the
state, where he shot into the clear
sky the gases which he alleged woul.
assemble the moisture into clouds
and cause precipitation Having
finished al Caldwell, a special engine
rushed his car TO Peabody, seventy
miles TO the north. where another
demonstration was made, Twg
hours later jewell was al Herington
in central Kansas. shooting his gases
ineo a cloudless sky. At each place
he assured the people that rain
would fall within forty eight hours,
and in quantities sufficient to save
The corn crop Following him were
newspaper correspondents sent out
to watch his movements
Rainfall stretching over a region
fifty miles wide and 100 miles long
be ween Caldwell and Herington. fol
lowing these tests within rwenty-four
hours was the heaviest in the his.
tory Of central Kansas In greater
pari of the territory covered the
fall was from four TO six inches. and
this in spite OF the fact that the
weather bureau predicted continued
clear.
Crops We're Saved.
Hundreds Of farmers in Kansas
who remember the successful tests
made by Jewell seventeen and eigh-
teen years ago are still firm beiev-
ers IN his theory AT more than
Twenty-Five towns in the western half
Of Kansas and Oklahoma he operat
ed his unique machinery. and at ev.
cry one following the tests copious
rains or deluges OF rain fell on the /
parohed fields Whether the gases |
be Manufactured by mixing of Ger
tain chemicals which were shot into /
Pie air al great height caused the
or nor, they know that /
following his tests rain came aud
their crops were saved, despite the
dry weather predictions
ju 1894. three counties in South
Dakota SPHINX. Marshall and Brown
-had 50 much confidence in this
device that the county
In each levied tax
% purchase from Jewell the right 10
ise his machinery and materials IN
'aeh oi them successful experiments
'wre made by those to whom Jewell
lave Instructions
Clayton r. Jewell was born IN To-
'eka, but his present whereabouts
ne unknown He was a dispatcher
or the Rock Island at GoodIand
When he began the study OF rain
nskine, To produce his rainmaking
as. Jewell used metallic sodiuns
mmonia. black oxide OF maganese.
austic potash and aluminium In
these materials danger
. his bl@Sskak ieSSefin5siais he
lai some narrow escapes. with
hese he also used an alloy known
IS mmrium which was Manufactured
tpressly for him By a Chicago firm
his cost Jewell Is cents a ponnd.
ar still Exists.
The famous rainmaking car which
h. Rock Island equipped for Jewell
fands on a side track In the shops
{ t1f company at Goodland when be
fean ihe study of the box car. and
las dlvlded into two compartments.
ne being nsed as a Eving room and