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

w TASHINGTON, D. c., April a.
M Many well informed persons
are disposed TO attribute the
recent remarkably wet weather in
Belgium, northern France, and Poland
to the fneessant cannonading that has
been going on in these regions. Ger
tainly in all previous history there
was never any such wholesale shoot
ing off Of explosives, and. II tn re is
truth in the theory that the firing OF
guns brings rain. the skies Of Europe
by this time ought nearly 10 have
fallen.
The United States gOvernme--t, in
1892, made an attempt to prove or
disprove this theory once for all, an
appropriation OF $4,000 being made
by congress for the purpose An arid
plain in western Kansas was chosen
as the scene of operations, and the
heavens were attacked with regular
line OF battle. Wooden mortars,
planted at regular intervals in the
ground for a distance OF two miles,
were loaded with "rackarock' and
other explosive calculated TO agitate
the atmosphere as violently as posi-
sible, while loads Of dynamite carried
aloft by scores Of balloons and kites
were set of simultaneously by cleo
tricity.
Government Attempt Fails.
The whole affair was undG-. the di-
rection OF experts OF the departmen
OF agriculture-the idea in view being
10 discover a method whereby show
ers might be artificially obtaiEed in
arid regions. There were so balloons,
each 10 feet in diameter, and 100
large kites. A whole train Of freight
cars was required TO transport the
paraphernalias together with a guam
tity Of explosives sufficient TO stock
a fair sized volcano in active opera
ton. Both kites and balloons, when
aloft, were controlled by double insu-
lated wires; and, when they reached
the desired elevation, the explosives
they carried were set off by touching
the button OF an electric instrument
on the ground.
By this means heavy charges OF
dynamite were conveyed even into the
exterior Of clouds, and there exploded.
While the balloons shook the skies,
and the kite tails went bang, the NOR
tars vOmited forth fire and noise all
along the two mile line. For three
days the racket was kept Ur-at the
end Of which time it was understood
that the expedition would hoist its
umbrellas and calnl-y await the down
pour, consoled for the Inconvenience
by the plaudits OF a grateful agricul-
tural population.
Rain Refuses to Fall.
Strange TO say, however, not a drop
Of rain fell The government expedi.
ton, having used up all its fireworks.
stole silently away. The farmers were
disappointed and disguised. 1t had
been explained TO them that, If the
experiment succeeded, IL might be
worth their while TO use similar meth
DDS 70 make rain The expense in
vOlved would not be worth consider
ing in case where a good drenching
shower in a given section might be
worth say, $4,000 or 100000.
Nevertheless, only four years ago, q
United States senator from the state
% Washington asked Gen. Leonard
Wood, then chief Of staff OF the army,
u order the firing OF a series Of salvos
by IA big guns in tie fortifcations
at Puget Sound-the object in view
being TO bring rain to put out forest
1res that were raging at the time.
The matter was referred to the wealth
er bureau which declared the sug-
sesuon an absurdity, and, on the
strength Of this expert opinion, the
senator's request was refused
The above desc ibed experiment in
Kansas was undertaken by direction
OF congress, which is hardly to be re-
garded as body Of scientists. Those
IN charge OF II thought that the eX-
ploslYes would have the effect OF 3ost-
ling together the small particles Of ]
moisture suspended in the atmosphere,
SO as 70 FORM large ones and rain
Another notion they had was that the
tremendous conclusions produced by /
the dynamite and rackarock would |
make hole in the air. into which the |
moist particles would rush, thus bring
ing about condensation and precipi- |
tation.
Is An Old Time Belief.
For many centuries II has been be- /
lieved that great battles are usually i
followed by transforms. The phe-