El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-04-24

nomenon, in days before gunpowder
was employed in war, was attributed
to the noise made by the clashins Of
swords against shields and coats OF
mail Later on it was referred TO the
agitation Of the atmosphere by eXplO-
sives. But the weather bureau de-
clares that the belief in question has
no basis whatever in fact, and that
rain has never yet been brought from
the clouds by human agency
When the question OF firing the big
guns at Puget Sound came UP, Prof.
Willis L Moore, chief Of the wealth
er bureau, wrote; The reason why
rain has usually followed the great
battles Of history is that military
commanders move armies and begin
engagements when possible, on fair
days Then as rain falls on an aver
age one day in three, IL il does not
follow battle, the reason why is that
there is a drouth."
Think Hail PreventabIe.
II, on the one hand, many people
believe that rain can be produced ar
tificially, a faith is held even more
widely than hail can be preventable.
This idea is especially prevalent in
Europe, where, for some reason uneX-
planned, hail is far more destructive
to agriculture than in our own cOuu-
t-y. Vineyards in particular suffer
enormous damage from this cause
Thus II comes about that in that part
OF the world resort is had 10 many
strange eXpedients for the prevention
OF hailstorms- One Of these is he
ringing of church bells. This method
has been popular for centuries, and is
still in common use, although long ago
forbidden by the pope
The vineyardists quite generally be
Geve that lightning rods, being useful
in thunderstorms, afford protection
against the hail which often accom-
pany such phenomena More than a
century ago. in France and other Eu-
ropean countries, there We're in use
for this purpose hundreds OF thou
sands of socalled ''paragreles tall.
metal-tOpped poles, set UP in the
fields. Indeed, they are quite com
money! employed even at the present
day, though mostly replaced by the
more modern hail cannon"
The hail cannon is a small mortar,
to the muzzle Of which is attached a
sheetiron funnel There is no pro-
Jectile. The explosion OF the charge
sends aloft a whirling ring Of smoke
and gas which, sailing through the
air with great energy and a Whistling
sound, is supposed 10 have a tendency
10 dissipate the threatening clouds.
Both the Austrian and Italian govern
ments have made serious investigation
OF this method of preventing hail, but
have failed 10 endorse IL.
Science Withhoids Endorsement.
The fact is that, up to now, science,
which knows OF no way to make rain,
Is equally unacquainted with any
means whereby hail can be prevented.
Science holds the theory that hall
stones start from very far aloft, where
the temperature may be hundreds Of
degrees below zero. This is inferred
from the fact that the core OF a big
hailstone always has a much lower
temperature than the outer layers. BY
measuring such temperatures il is pos
sible 20 get a notion Of the altitude
at which the individual hailstone was
formed.
To make study Of hailstones, it is
necessary TO catch them first This
may be accomplished by allowing them
TO fall upon a bed or soft cotton. or
upon a sheet Of strong paper fIoated
on the surface Of a barrel OF water.
This idea is to avoid injury 10 the
hailstones, and to prevent the partial
melting which is likely 10 follow
when, on striking, the energy Of grav-
tty is suddenly transformed into heat
Large hsIlstones curiously enough.
seem to be made up Of a series OF
skins, like an onion.
Especially in the spring time rain
o. hail is likely to be ACCOMPANIED by
electric discharges from the skies, and
here again is a matter in regard to
which there are widely accepted mis-
takes. For one thing, IL is said that
lightning never strikes twice in the
11i--I PAa--Ss buL LIe AaI- Is e4acLlg
opposite ThunderstOrms have & way
OF following certain tracks. and a
building once struck is liable 70 be
struck again.
How TO Escape Lightning.
If you want TO know how TO escape /
death by lightning. here are some
-dont's" which are derived from the |
highest scientific authority
Don't use wire clotheslines. Many
people in this country every year are |