The Washington herald., 1912-07-22
Prof. Moore Takes Issue
With Texas "RQinmaker':
Weather Forecaster Sees Faults in Plan to Pro-
duce Moisture by Exploding Dynamite
in the Air-No Experiment at
Battle Creek.

much of the State Of Texas, or at least.
over several hundred square miles OF ter
ritory surrounding the place Of expert
, ments, and. what is more significant had
been predicted by the Weather Bureau on
the basis Of the general meteorological
conditions Of the country.
PIutarch Beat EN- to IL.
That rain followed many Of the bat
ties of our civil war was due not TO the
effect Of the discharge OF firearms. but 10
the fact that in the regions where the bat
ties occurred, rain falls on an average
one day out of three and that command
ers are more inclined to move armies and
begin engagements in fair weather. In
fact, while rain is in progress such oper-
atoms are commonly impracticable. on
account Of the condition OF the roads.
The idea OF rain following battles is
expressed in the writings of PIutarch,
who states mis- opinion that the vapor
rising from the hot breath. blood. and
sweat Of the struggling masses is con-
densed into rain by the conclusion OF
the weapons and the hoarse cries OF
the victOrs. In a form little less crude
the belief that rain is caused by battles
has survived to the present day, but II
IL absolutely unfounded
Il have before me a clipping OF an
editorial in the Evening Herald. of AL
buquerqUe. y. Mex, dated June Il. 1872,
which states:
The merchants of Wichita Falls.
Tex, have expended sl,0oO on dynamite.
sending to Dallas for the explosive. and
every able-bodied citizen got out and
set off the white sticks. looking sky
ward between times, TO be the first TO
welcome a rain cloud
THE experiment was a failure, but
had rain happened to occur just after
the explosions these merchants would
have been convinced OF the efficacy OF
their efforts and many more thousands
of dollars would be expended before the
fallacy OF this opinion became apparent.
''On the 24th of this month the citizens
of Battle Creek, Mich, are 10 make a
public test OF MIR. Posts method, and
have advertis I'd the fact so widely that
the influx of visitors on that occasion
viii probably be large. This is an illus
tration of the only way in which rain
making can benefit a community. II re-
calls the fact that the so-called Chem
ical'' rain-maSers, who are charlatans
of the worst type, have frequently hg-
ured as attra ctions at country fairs, and
have been financed for advertising pur-
poses by the :ailroad companies.
shoot Popguns Mt Hail.
'In Europe the advertising and exploit
ing of certain guns and ammunition by
those interested in their manufacture and
sale has resulted in the expenditure OF
millions of dollars by horticultural asso-
cations. municipalities, and other public
institutions in the effort to destroy hail
storms by firing popguns at them. In
fact, expenditures for this purpose are
still being made 10 some extent. although
occasionally the cannoneers themselves
are forced to take refuge from the pelt-
ing Of the nail, whose coming they are
supposed TO prevent
Especial attention is invited to the fact
that, IL these experiments at Battle Creek
should be made at time when rain is
about to occur through the regular opera
tions of nature, the fallacious theory
that rain can be produced by conclusion
would be accepted by many people, and
a further unnecessary expenditure OF
money would probably result"