SENATE. 
 
 52d Congress. 
 1st Session. 
 
 L\/V\ O 
 
 lONGRESS, ) 
 Session. > 
 
 Ex. Doc. 
 
 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 o 
 
 <D 
 
 LETTER 
 
 FROM 
 
 THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, 
 
 IN RESPONSE 
 
 To Senate resolution of February 23 , 1892 , transmitting the report of the 
 agent of the Department of Agriculture for making experiments in the 
 production of rainfall. 
 
 February 25, 1892. — Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry and 
 
 ordered to be printed. 
 
 U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
 
 Office of the Secretary, 
 Washington , D. ( 7 ., February 24 , 1892. 
 To the Senate of the United States : 
 
 In compliance with a resolution of your honorable body, of the 23d 
 instant, directing the Secretary of Agriculture to communicate to the 
 Senate a copy of the report of the special agent of the Department of 
 Agriculture for making experiment^ in the production of rainfall, I 
 have the honor to transmit said report herewith. 
 
 I have the honor to remain, yours very respectfully, 
 
 J. M. EUSK, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 The Secretary of Agriculture : 
 
 Sir: As special agent of the Department of Agriculture, for making 
 experiments in the production of rainfall, I have the honor, in compli- 
 ance with instructions contained in your letters, dated February 27 and 
 June 30, 1891 (copies of which are hereunto annexed), to submit for 
 your consideration the following report : 
 
 HISTORY AND ORIGIN. 
 
 It has long been sought to devise some means, whereby the blessings 
 of rainfall may be somewhat equally enjoyed — that is to say, whereby 
 there may not be distress from lack of rainfall, and whereby rainfall 
 may be a blessing and not a calamity. 
 
 Many schemes, more or less rational, for producing rainfall, have been 
 suggested. Among the earlier was one of Prof. Espy. In 1839, Espy 
 suggested the building of great fires to heat the air, upon the theory 
 that warm air, “rising, would, owing to the diminished pressure, ex- 
 
2 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 pand, and, by expansion cooling the vapor, cause condensation and 
 precipitation.” 
 
 It was proposed in Australia, in 1884, after a drought had prevailed 
 for three years, causing great industrial depression, to test Espy’s the- 
 ory; but Mr. Russell, the Government astronomer in New South Wales, 
 declared that it would require the burning of 9,000,000 tons of coal 
 daily, to increase the rainfall at Sydney by 66 per cent, where the aver- 
 age relative humidity is 73. 
 
 It has also been suggested to build fires along the margins of rivers 
 or to erect a tall chimney over a pool of water and build fires at the 
 edge of the water, with draft over the water up the chimney, causing 
 the flames to pass over the surface of the water to the chimney, and 
 thus carry moisture into the air. There is no doubt that this will form 
 clouds of vapor in the air; but it is not equally certain that the vapor 
 will be condensed to raindrops. 
 
 In 1871 Mr. Edward Powers published a book entitled “War and 
 the Weather,” being a collection of historical data tending to show that 
 even in very dry regions, battles, during which there was cannonading, 
 have been followed by copious fall of rain. 
 
 The theory that rainfall will be produced by concussion of the air, 
 caused by explosions, is not new. Napoleon is said to have believed 
 that rain usually followed heavy cannonading and to have taken ad- 
 vantage of this theory in ordering the maneuvers of his troops. 
 
 European scientists of a later day, entertaining the same theory, 
 have pointed to the unusually wet season which prevailed throughout 
 France during the Franco-Prussian war. 
 
 Quite recently, after writing my report, I have received from M. 
 Charles LeMaout, of Saint-Brieuc (Ootes-du-Nord), France, five printed 
 pamphlets, being essays by him, dated, respectively, 1856, 1861, 1870, 
 1886, and 1887, discussing the effect of concussion of the air toward the 
 production of rainfall, and, by numerous illustrations, declaring rainfall 
 invariably to result from heavy cannonading. 
 
 In addition to declared observations of rainfall succeeding battles, 
 from concussion of the air from cannonading, attention has been called 
 to the fact that during a shower, a heavy clap of thunder is always suc- 
 ceeded by an immediately increased fall of rain, ^ven if this be but for 
 a short time. 
 
 The proposition of Mr. Powers was to resort to heavy cannonading, 
 and he estimated that the cost of two experiments, exclusive of the cost 
 of the guns which were to be loaned for the purpose by the Govern- 
 ment, would be $161,500, or a little over $80,000 each. 
 
 In 1880, Gen. Daniel Buggies, of Virginia, obtained a patent on the 
 production of rainfall by setting off explosives from balloons in the air. 
 
 The idea of producing rainfall by concussion, with the incident ad- 
 vantages to the world of rain where it is needed and such proper dis- 
 tribution of the rainfall that there might not be floods and torrents, 
 made a strong impression upon the mind of Senator Charles B. Far well, 
 of Illinois. Considering the question of expense, however, it occurred 
 to him, independently, and without knowledge that anything of the 
 kind had ever been suggested, that a great saving might be effected 
 with increased efficiency of operation, by causing the explosions to take 
 place above the earth’s surface, by firing high explosive attached to bal- 
 loons. It seemed preferable to him to produce explosions somewhat 
 above the surface of the earth, because of the closer proximity of the 
 concussive force to the clouds, that is, to an apparent stratum or to ap- 
 parent strata of moisture, or, if there were no clouds, still at a situation 
 where the concussion would be most widespread, by not being impeded 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 3 
 
 by irregularities or obstacles on the surface, thus extending the area of 
 concussion. 
 
 During the years 1888, 1889, and 1890, Senator Farwell frequently dis- 
 cussed with me the physical and mechanical questions involved in the 
 subject, and, for the purpose of acquiring some knowledge of the present 
 state of the art in meteorological science, I availed myself of the privi- 
 lege of acquaintance with Lieut. John P. Finley, of the Army, who has 
 long been connected with the Signal Service and whose work is well 
 known, and also brought him and Senator Farwell together. In many 
 interviews I obtained much specific theoretical information from him. 
 
 Impressed with the desirability of testing the question of producing 
 rainfall by concussion, Senator Farwell obtained appropriations from 
 Congress, at first of $2,000 and then of $7,000, which appropriations 
 were accredited to the Department of Agriculture. 
 
 Senator Farwell having discussed the physical and mechanical details 
 of the subject with me for a long time, as described, and I having un- 
 dertaken some preliminary experiments at his expense, in 1890 and 
 early in 1891, to test the ascensional force of various gases in different 
 kinds of balloons, my name was brought to your attention, and on the 
 27th of February, 1891, 1 had the honor to receive from you the appoint- 
 ment as special agent of the Department of Agriculture, for the mak- 
 ing of experiments in the production of rainfall, which appointment was 
 continued June 30, 1891 to June 30, 1892. 
 
 PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION. 
 
 At an early stage of the consideration of the subject, I discarded the 
 idea of firing explosives from balloons. The plan having been to send 
 up high explosives and set them off in the air, I thought it would be 
 best to make the gas employed to carry up the balloon itself the explo- 
 sive, and to employ a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, in the propor- 
 tion of about two of hydrogen to one of oxygen. This mixture of gases, 
 upon ignition, explodes with great force and produces water, thus, per- 
 haps, presenting (although the quantity is very small as compared with 
 the volume of the gas mixture) a nucleus for the aggregation of more 
 water. 
 
 But, upon suggestion from Senator Farwell, it was deemed best not 
 to rely solely upon explosions produced above the surface of the earth, 
 nor solely upon the effect of ignition of the gaseous mixture ; and it 
 was determined at the proper time to try the effect of explosions upon 
 the ground and of the ignition of various other explosive subst ances from 
 ordinary gunpowder (for the dense smoke resulting, which might supply 
 nuclei for the aggregation of moisture) to the high nitro-explosives. 
 
 Immediately upon receiving the appointment, I addressed myself to 
 the careful consideration of the subject, and, availing myself of the aid 
 of the libraries of Congress and of the Patent Office, endeavored to as- 
 certain what, if anything, had been done heretofore, knowledge of which 
 might lead to benefit, either in the avoidance of any operation which 
 had shown itself to be futile, or iu the adoption of measures which 
 would seem to have produced condensation of aqueous vapor in the at- 
 mosphere. 
 
 I found innumerable instances where heavy cannonading had been fol- 
 lowed by copious fall of rain, though there was nothing definite to in- 
 dicate that there might not have been rainfall in each case without 
 the firing; and I also found an instance where a surface cloud is said 
 to have been caused to disappear by firing : — a battery in France, going 
 out and encountering a fog or mist, the firing of one or more of the guns 
 S. Ex. 5 4 
 
4 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 being said to have caused dissipation of the mist by condensation and 
 precipitation of the vapor; but I could find nothing precise and authen- 
 tic to serve as a guide for the details, when and in what manner to pro- 
 duce explosions in order to get any certain result. 
 
 THEORIES. 
 
 From about the time of the appointment until recently I have re- 
 ceived many suggestions, entailing considerable labor of correspond- 
 ence on my part; but the suggestions have been mostly as to possible 
 theories (many of which I was quite unable to understand). 
 
 Among the theories advanced by those who maintain the practica- 
 bility of producing rainfall by concussion, I mention the following: 
 
 First. That the jarring of the air by the concussive force of explos- 
 ions causes aggregations of the particles of moisture held in suspension, 
 particularly by the tendency of such a body as water to condensation, 
 collection, or agglomeration, like quicksilver. 
 
 Second. That in connection with the jarring, smoke, particularly, per- 
 haps, the smoke of gunpowder, presents nuclei or mechanical retaining 
 points for the agglomeration of suspended particles of moisture, that 
 moisture will collect in the air upon solid particles as nuclei being- 
 shown by the fact that hailstones are frequently found to have particles 
 of dust or vegetable matter at their centers. 
 
 Third. That the reaction of the pressure of the atmosphere after each 
 explosion, combined with the shock of the explosion, the buoyancy of 
 the gases produced, and the heat generated, creates a forcible upward 
 current, which breaks strata above and below, and takes the form of an 
 eddy or whirlpool, which tends still further to break the strata and also 
 extends the disturbance; or, with a shade of difference, that each explo- 
 sion producing a momentary vacuum, the subsequent inrush of columns 
 of air (considering the air, for mere illustration, to be in lateral columns) 
 will, perhaps by the motion of the earth on its axis, not be just end to 
 end or point against point; but, the columns passing each other, a whirl 
 or whorl will be started which, widening as it extends upward, will pre- 
 sent a vortex, whereby heavy or moisture-laden air will be drawn from 
 afar, in right lines, toward the center, just as objects are drawn from 
 the circumference of the maelstrom to its center ; the action being thus 
 centripetal and not centrifugal; the precipitation not necessarily wait- 
 ing for an arrival at the storm center, but taking place as soon as there 
 has been sufficient weight of moisture by condensation, anywhere away 
 from this center, to prevent its longer being held in suspension. 
 
 Fourth. That electricity is generated by every explosion by the fric- 
 tion and other effects of the disturbances, and that this may be the 
 factor in generation of storm -conditions by producing polarization of the 
 earth and sky in the vicinity of the explosion, and a consequent mag- 
 netic field with a force tending to the gathering of moisture and the in 
 ducing of other conditions necessary for storm formation, electrical 
 manifestation being a constant forerunner and concomitant of storms ; 
 and 
 
 Fifth. That, considering the distance between the place whence a 
 moisture-laden air-current starts, or is finally launched, and the place 
 where it parts with its moisture, as a straight line or a line of collima- 
 tion, the actual track of the current or the path of the moisture will be 
 curvilinear — just as the trajectory of a projectile is a parabola — that, 
 as a very slight obstruction, ‘opposed to a projectile under even very 
 great velocity, will greatly aid the force of gravity in deflecting the 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 5 
 
 projectile toward the earth, that is, shortening the curve, so, opposing 
 waves in the atmosphere, produced by explosions, will tend to shorten 
 the path of the current, and that if this moisture-laden current then 
 meets a cold current, precipitation of the moisture upon the earth will 
 be immediate; that the moisture-laden current passing from the Pa- 
 cific Ocean eastward is deflected upward by the Rocky Mountains to 
 such an extent that its trajectory from that place — the place whence 
 the current is launched — is very long, so that the current does not get 
 within reaching distance of the earth until it has passed over what are 
 called the arid regions ; that the cause of precipitation of moisture toward 
 the end of the trajectory is by reason of contact of the moisture-laden 
 current with the north current, and that if the moisture-laden current 
 can be brought down sooner precipitation will take place at a shorter dis- 
 tance from the upward deflecting surface, or the mountains. The ob- 
 jection that the moisture-laden current will be at least as liable to meet 
 a cold current or conditions of low temperature at high altitudes, and 
 so have its moisture condensed there, is met by the statement that if 
 the moisture be condensed, even congealed to frost or to ice particles so 
 high above the earth’s surface, it may still be carried onward to a great 
 distance by its vehicle, namely, the current of air, before it gets below 
 this vehicle, and, even after having dropped therefrom, may be com- 
 pletely absorbed by dry air below, before reaching the earth; so that 
 the point of this theory would seem to be to bring down the moisture- 
 laden current. 
 
 PREPARATORY WORK. 
 
 Without any theory or theories on the subject myself, I understood 
 your appointment to mean that I was to consider and formulate, and 
 adopt or devise the most practical and reasonable means to ascertain 
 whether violent and sudden motion or concussions, produced upon the 
 air by explosions, can have any effect toward the production of rainfall. 
 
 Therefore, in the preparation of this report I have confined myself, 
 as far as possible, to a mere statement of facts, together with such a 
 review of past information as may be useful in giving weight to pre- 
 vious investigation, concluding with deductions that seem to be justi- 
 fied by the observational and experimental knowledge obtained. 
 
 I determined to proceed in a purely empirical and, so far as my judg- 
 ment would extend, practical manner; and the first step was to ascer- 
 tain what would constitute the best explodents. My knowledge of 
 explosives and their action was somewhat aided by early military train- 
 ing, some military experience in time of war and subsequent thereto, 
 and connection with the subject of explosives as chemist in the United 
 States Patent Office. 
 
 Early in March I went to New York City and spent some days in 
 going around among the manufacturers of high explosives, and pro- 
 cured samples for test. I also procured a number of paper balloons 
 and some paper bombs. 
 
 Returning with these I made the necessary tests at my country place, 
 Laurelwood, at Mount Pleasant, in this District, a short distance from 
 the city of Washington. I found the balloons entirely unsatisfactory, 
 because the paper was not gas-tight. I found the preferable explosive 
 for the purpose to be rackarock, which, consisting of two ingredients, 
 non-explosive when separate, and thus very safe and transportable as 
 ordinary freight, is of high explosive force when the ingredients are 
 properly mixed, though even when ready for explosion it is less sen- 
 
6 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 sitive and so less dangerous than dynamite and the other common 
 nitro-explosives; and I became satisfied that the bombs, if fired in suf- 
 ficient quantity and made of somewhat larger size than I was able to 
 obtain, might be effective. 
 
 In the meantime I had begun correspondence with all the balloon 
 manufacturers in the United States of whom I could learn, in order to 
 get the prices of balloons of various sizes and materials, adapted for 
 use for inflation with oxygen and hydrogen gases, and to be exploded 
 at high altitudes. 
 
 As a result of my correspondence, upon the morning of March 9, a 
 balloon manufacturer and practical aeronaut, of New York State, ar- 
 rived at Washington, bringing samples of fabric and paper for balloon 
 construction and also parts of apparatus for the manufacture of oxygen 
 gas. He and I, together with Dr. Claude A. O. Bosell, of the Patent 
 Office, an eminent chemist, who was subsequently detailed by the Sec- 
 retary of the Interior, upon your request, at my suggestion, to aid me 
 in making the experiments, tested the oxygen apparatus and carefully 
 discussed the questions of size of balloons, and of the material from 
 which they might most advantageously and economically be manu- 
 factured. 
 
 The balloon manufacturer was directed to return at once to his place, 
 where, having facilities for manufacturing and sending up balloons of 
 all sizes, he should experiment with the various fabrics and papers and 
 also with small quantities of the explosive mixture of gases proposed, 
 and should report to me when he had arrived at something definite, 
 whereupon I would, myself, go there to experiment and make observa- 
 tions before ordering a large quantity of apparatus and material for 
 making the more important experiments in the District of Columbia and 
 elsewhere. 
 
 During the next few weeks experiments were made on the lines pro- 
 posed, and I made search in New York City and at other points, for a 
 paper or material for manufacturing paper suitable for the construction 
 of balloons of 8 or 10 feet in diameter. The use of paper for the pur- 
 pose would greatly reduce the cost of balloons, but no j)ractical way of 
 obtaining a paper that would answer the requirements was found. 
 With more time for investigation, however, I have no doubt that a suit- 
 ablepaper can be provided, and believe that a paper properly made .from 
 the pulp obtained from the destroyed Treasury notes or national cur- 
 rency — the so-called greenback pulp — would answer the purpose. 
 
 During March, I was also engaged in considering various apparatus 
 and devising plans of operation. 
 
 On the 5th of April I went to New York State with an assistant and 
 spent several days with the balloon-maker, making experiments in pro- 
 ducing concussions by means of various explosives, especially with the 
 mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gases. This mixture was found to 
 produce a very powerful explosion and concussion of the air, and the 
 balloon-maker w as given an order for the following material and appa- 
 ratus : 
 
 Twenty 10-foot balloons, constructed of fine muslin, woven especially 
 lor the purpose and supplied by special apparatus with a number of 
 very thin coats of varnish. 
 
 Twenty retorts or canisters, witli proper fittings for manufacturing 
 oxygen. 
 
 One gasoline furnace for the same. 
 
 Fifty electrical fuses. 
 
 One 20-foot balloon. 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 7 
 
 One electrical discharger. 
 
 One hydrogen generating apparatus, complete. 
 
 Five oxygen wasli-hottles, with connections; and some dynamite. 
 
 Later, more balloons, etc., were ordered. 
 
 A balloon 10 feet in diameter will, including the neck, contain about 
 525 cubic feet of gas at 30 inches of the barometer; a 12-foot balloon, 
 about 1,000 cubic feet; and a 20-foot balloon, about 4,500 cubic feet. 
 
 During April and May the manufacture of balloons and the construc- 
 tion of other apparatus were rapidly pushed, and, with the assistance 
 of Dr. Orazio Lugo, of New York, Dr. Bosell, of the Patent Office, and 
 Mr. John T. Ellis, whom I called from Oberlin College, Ohio, to act as 
 my assistant, I thoroughly investigated the different processes of manu- 
 facturing the gas, etc., finally deciding upon the use of sulphuric acid, 
 water, and iron, for hydrogen, and chlorate of potash and black oxide 
 of manganese, subjected to high heat, for oxygen, and had the various 
 necessary apparatus constructed. Investigations were also made as to 
 the most economical and advantageous sources from which to obtain 
 the necessary chemicals and supplies, freight and other expenses being 
 considered. 
 
 On the 13th of June I sent Mr. Ellis to New York State, where he 
 spent several days with the balloon-maker at his place, and in New 
 York City on his return, inspecting the apparatus which had been con- 
 structed and making final arrangements for a preliminary test in the 
 District of Columbia during the following week. 
 
 Some time was spent in looking about for clean and suitable iron bor- 
 ings or scrap as free as possible from grease, and many establishments 
 in the United States, which would be likely to have such, were written 
 to for prices and other information. 
 
 It also occurred to me that kites might be employed for suspending 
 in the air high explosives, such as nitro glycerine or nitro-gelatine, in 
 suitable pouches of fabric, or dynamite or other solid explosives, in 
 sticks or parcels, though the idea of employing nitro glycerine or nitro- 
 gelatine was subsequently abandoned as too dangerous and as trouble- 
 some in use, the operation being confined in this particular to the em- 
 ployment of dynamite and rackarock. 
 
 I considered that kites might also be serviceable to act as condensers 
 to collect and convey to the earth any appreciable atmospheric elec- 
 tricity. I thought that if the explosion of the gas mixture or of other 
 substances employed, generated static electricity by the concussion or 
 by friction of bodies of air, then, by having a suitably prepared kite 
 within proper distance of the exploding balloon, the charge might be 
 collected and possibly measured. It seemed, also, that the kites might 
 be employed to ascertain atmospheric electrical conditions before and 
 after, as well as at the time of explosion. For electrical purposes it 
 was clear that the faces of kites should be supplied with strips of tin- 
 foil properly in contact with a suitable light, insulated, two-conductor 
 wire, and that the wire might, at the earth, be in connection with a sul- 
 phuric acid or other suitable condenser, the kites also to have collect- 
 ing kfiobs of coils of wire at their corners. But simple as the making 
 and flying of a kite may appear, every boy being an adept in the art of 
 kite-flying, it is not so easy to determine just what form of kite would 
 be suitable for my purposes, and I undertook and engaged in many ex- 
 periments in which I received assistance from the balloon-maker. The 
 handling of large kites with long tails was found to be exceedingly 
 troublesome, and the preparation and transportation of this balanciog 
 weight was a serious matter, considering the question of time and labor. 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 As a stiff breeze tends to carry kites out horizontally and keep them 
 from rising when hung as usual, a hanging or poise was adopted which 
 would tend to make the kite ride the wind ; and, in order to get a 
 greater elevation than can be got with one kite, owing to the weight of 
 the connecting line or wire, I determined to send some kites up u tan- 
 dem,” whereby intermediate kites between the end kite and the 
 ground, the intermediate kites having short lines attached to the main 
 lines, would act as buoys to lift the main line. 
 
 I ordered a large supply of sticks and of fabric, and other adjunctive 
 matter from which to make a number of kites, varying in height from 
 3 to 12 feet, regard being had in the manufacture to the economical 
 cutting of the material. It was found that some of the kites could be 
 made tailless. 
 
 In addition to the other work, I had spent some time in prospecting 
 over the District of Columbia for a suitable site or place where the ap- 
 paratus might be set up and tested, and a few balloons be exploded to 
 get some idea of the concussive effect. Since a soap-bubble filled with 
 two parts of hydrogen to one of oxygen will explode with a report as 
 loud as that of a horse-pistol, it was not known what might be the 
 effect of the explosion of hundreds or thousands of cubic feet of the 
 mixture, and I did not deem it wise to explode a balloon filled with the 
 mixture at any place except where there might be ample room and 
 freedom from habitations. An experiment made many years ago by 
 Prof. Joseph Henry, of the Smithsonian Institution, in which he had 
 exploded less, 1 believe, than 50 cubic feet of the mixture, compressed 
 and in a vessel buried in the ground, had resulted in what seemed like 
 an earthquake on a small scale, and had, I am informed, torn a hole in 
 the ground some 18 feet in diameter. In addition, it was necessary 
 that the place should be of ready access for the carriage of the mate- 
 rial and apparatus thereto. It was also necessary, for the manufac- 
 ture of the fiydrogen, that water should be within convenient distance, 
 and it seemed best to choose a somewhat secluded place for operation 
 in order to be undisturbed. I finally ascertained that the most suitable 
 place was a field hidden from the road by a grove of trees and on a 
 hillside running down to Piney Branch Creek, near my place in the 
 country. 
 
 PRELIMINARY TESTS. 
 
 On the 17th of June, Mr. Ellis returned to Washington with the bal- 
 loon-maker and an aeronaut and aeronautical mechanic, Mr. George E. 
 Casler. Unsettled and rainy weather during the next succeeding three 
 days prevented any outdoor work, but plans and methods were fully 
 discussed here with me. 
 
 On the 20th and 21st, a small hydrogen -generator, an oxygen appara- 
 tus, and sufficient material to inflate a number of balloons were taken 
 to the field on Piney Branch, and some things stored in the buildings 
 on my place, and on the 22d one balloon was inflated and sent up cap- 
 tive with duplex insulated, or so-called two-conductor, wire (No. 21) 
 holding the balloon at the neck and also connected to an inserted elec- 
 trical cap or fuse, and exploded at an altitude of 1,850 feet above the 
 top of the hill, from the electrical discharger or dynamo on the ground. 
 The appearance of the explosion was that of a disk of fire extending 
 laterally and of a diameter of about 20 feet, with irregular lance-like 
 edges, and immediately afterwards a slight nebula was visible for an 
 instant. The report was terrific and was heard all over the District of 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 9 
 
 Columbia, and the concussive effect was far-reaching and quite markedly 
 felt by those on the field. The crash is said to have been greater than 
 that of any peal of thunder, as appears from the following letter: 
 
 Smithsonian Institution, 
 
 Washington, D. C., June 28, 1891. 
 
 Sir: Permit me to enter a protest against a continuance of the experiments in tir- 
 ing the balloons on the property adjoining my farm and residence. I have a herd of 
 very fine Jersey cows, some with calf, and the tremendous explosion yesterday right 
 over my bam was calculated to cause abortion. 1 have had this happen from a 
 thunder storm and your bomb was worse than any thunder. It shook the house and 
 alarmed my family. 
 
 Please, Mr. Secretary, move your dynamiters away from “ Oakmont,” Piney Branch. 
 
 Yours, respectfully, 
 
 William J. Rhees, 
 
 Chief Cleric, Smithsonian Institution. 
 
 Hon. J. Rusk, 
 
 Secretary of Agriculture. 
 
 This and the subsequent experiments were undertaken for the pur- 
 pose of testing and studying the operation of the apparatus and learn- 
 ing some practical details, and being performed at a time when rains 
 were frequent, the circumstance of succeeding rain was not heeded. In 
 fact it was' not supposed that one explosion however great or a few ex- 
 plosions at long intervals, would be effective toward inducing the pres- 
 ence of rain clouds, since many instances are known of the explosion ol 
 a powder-mill without the explosion bringing rain. 
 
 On the 24th a series of experiments, consisting in the inflation and 
 explosion of several 10-foot balloons (at rather long intervals, owing to 
 the inadequacy of the oxygen-generating apparatus), was made in the 
 presence of a number of prominent officials and scientists. The chief 
 purpose of these experiments was to ascertain whether a smaller pro- 
 portion of oxygen might not suffice, as I had recognized that the ready 
 production of oxygen in large quantity was a difficulty with which we 
 would have to contend. 
 
 The explosions at these experiments were considered by those who 
 were present, as of great intensity and volume and as very violent, but 
 I recognized that no one of them was much more than half equal in 
 force and sound and concussive effect to the explosion at the first ex- 
 periment. This was clearly owing to the diminished proportion of 
 oxygen. In the case of the explosion of one balloon the proportion of 
 oxygen had been so diminished that the excess of hydrogen took fire 
 and set fire to the fragments of the balloon, which then fell blazing- 
 through the air. 
 
 The experiments were attended with some difficulty, owing to a rather 
 strong wind which prevailed, and a balloon, held captive, would not 
 rise straight upward, but would be blown out horizontally after diving 
 toward the ground as a gust of wind struck it. This showed me that 
 in employing balloons I should sometimes have to let them be free and 
 employ common time-fuse with a percussion or fuse cap to fire them. 
 
 In this series of experiments, the combination of the explosion of dyna- 
 mite with that of balloons (two sticks of dynamite being placed in a 
 balloon with the electrical cap in the dynamite, the explosion of the 
 dynamite to set fire to and explode the mixture of gases) was tried; 
 but the appearance was not different from and the report seemed little, 
 if at all, greater than that from a balloon without dynamite. It seems 
 noteworthy that explosions in the air do not appear to have the concus- 
 sive or jarring effect upon objects on the earth which even more distant 
 explosions on the ground have upon these objects on the ground, so 
 
10 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 that I have never heard of a mere peal of thunder, however loud, break- 
 ing glass in windows, while the discharge of a 6-pounder gun with less 
 noise will do this. 
 
 As the gas mixture and the dynamite placed together did not produce 
 any markedly increased effect, I considered that additional expense in 
 setting off these different explosives together in the air would not be 
 justifiable. I determined from this to fire the gaseous explodent alone 
 in the air, and whatever solid explodents were to be employed, near to 
 or upon the ground. 
 
 In addition to what has just been described as having been done in this 
 series of experiments, two balloons filled with the mixture of oxygen and 
 hydrogen were sent up, connected ^tandem,” about 100 feet apart, by 
 electrical conductors, and were fired from the one dynamo on the ground. 
 Both balloons were exploded, and there was an appreciable interval 
 between the explosion of the first and that of the second balloon. 
 
 The apparatus for the manufacture of the gases was found to work 
 fairly well, except as to certain minor details, and provision was made 
 to remedy defects before proceeding further. The production of oxygen, 
 however, in the quantities necessary for practical operation was found 
 to be an exceedingly difficult problem, one scarcely soluble without ob- 
 tainment of apparatus too expensive for the smaller appropriation to 
 afford. I had to wait, therefore, for the next appropriation to become 
 available, but set to work at once with Mr. David IT. Mead, of this city, 
 Dr. Bosell, and others to devise a suitable apparatus for manufacturing 
 oxygen on a larger scale and with more certainty. The apparatus de- 
 vised will appear in some of the photographs taken at Midland, Tex., 
 and will be pointed out later on. It was proper in principle and, if 
 properly made, would have answered every purpose, but made by a 
 firm in this city, it was defective in construction. 
 
 In accordance with the order contained in your appointment, I had 
 notified Gen. Daniel Buggies, the patentee, to be present at the experi- 
 ments of the 24th, and I paid his expenses out of the appropriation. 
 
 Among those present at this trial of the apparatus were Hon. Edwin 
 Willits, Assistant Secretary of Agriculture; Assistant Secretaries 
 of the Treasury Nettleton and Spaulding; Prof. Langley, of the Smith- 
 sonian Institution; Maj. J. W. Powell, of the Geological Survey; the 
 Commissioner of Patents, Gen. Daniel Buggies, and about fifty other 
 scientific and practical observers. 
 
 WHERE TO GO. 
 
 The next consideration was where to make the test for rain. It was 
 not difficult to decide where not to make this test; for it was clear that 
 operations in a rainy climate like that of Washington and its vicinity 
 and during an unusually rainy summer like last summer would prove 
 little or nothing, at least until some initial knowledge should have 
 been obtained. Prom the time that the fact of the appropriation and 
 my selection as special agent had become known, I had received many 
 urgent solicitations from various rainless regions to go there and make 
 trials. But all the places to which I was asked to go were not only 
 very far from Washington, but most of them were rather inaccessible, 
 and the items of transportation to and of labor and assistance on the 
 ground would have been very great. At this point, I received a gen- 
 erous offer from Mr. Nelson Morris, of Chicago, of the freedom of his 
 large ranch in the dry region of Texas, with supply, gratis, of assistance, 
 free subsistence and quartering of the expedition, and payment of local 
 expenses, and I accepted the offer. 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 11 
 
 The ranch, known as the u C” ranch, is near Midland, a town in the 
 Northwestern part of the State and a station of the Texas and Pacific 
 Railroad, and embraces several hundred thousand acres (so there would 
 be no want of room) ; but the ranch house, located in the south central 
 portion of the Llano Estacado, in Andrews County, a county adjoining 
 New Mexico, on the west, is 23 miles from Midland, much farther than 
 I had been led to believe. 
 
 A short time before leaving Washington, while looking for a compe- 
 tent meteorologist, Mr. George E. Curtis was recommended to me by 
 Prof. B. E. Fernow, chief of the forestry division of the Agricultural 
 Department, as a competent man, and, upon Mr. Curtis then calling 
 upon me, I employed him, at a stated per diem, to act as meteorologist 
 of the expedition during the operations near Midland. Mr. Curtis was 
 not able to leave Washington at the time at which I left and it was un- 
 derstood that he could not be absent from Washington longer than 
 about three weeks. 
 
 At the request of Mr. Curtis, I bought a self-regulating Richard 
 freres barograph, and he obtained, through the courtesy of the W eather 
 Bureau, a delicate aneroid barometer compensated for temperature, 
 stem-graduated thermometers, tested and supplied with correction 
 cards, two sling psychrometers, and a Robinson anemometer. 
 
 From the Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory, Readville, Mass., 
 through the courtesy of A. Lawrence Rotcli, esq., director, I was fur- 
 nished, free of charge, with several sulphuric-acid condensers. No- 
 where, however, could I find suitable electrical measuring apparatus 
 for an instantaneous static charge, although I made search in New 
 York, and afterwards in St. Louis, for the same. 
 
 Mr. A. E. Porter, manager of the Smith Electrical Works, Pompton 
 Lakes, N. J., lent me, without any charge whatever, eight magneto 
 machines, that is, electrical dischargers or so-called dynamos, for use 
 in the experiments; and these dischargers, of the most perfect con- 
 struction, were of great service. By this public-spirited act on the part 
 of Mr. Porter and his company an amount of not less than $230 was 
 saved to the appropriation. 
 
 THE START FOR THE FIELD. 
 
 On the 3d of July the apparatus, which had been completed, and two 
 tons of cast-iron turnings from projectiles, furnished by the Navy Depart- 
 ment, were shipped by freight to St. Louis, en route for Midland and I 
 sent Mr. Ellis to St. Louis to make arrangements for securing other ma- 
 terials and necessary chemicals in that city, as I had ascertained that 
 they could be obtained there with economy, considering freight charges. 
 
 In St. Louis there were bought from Meyer Bros. Drug Company, 8 
 tons of sulphuric acid in drums, 1 ton of chlorate of potash in kegs, 
 500 pounds of binoxide of manganese, and a number of casks for use in 
 connection with the hydrogen apparatus, arrangement being made for 
 the return of the unused material and empty condensers. From George 
 E. Fritz & Sons, and other houses in St. Louis, there were purchased 5 
 tons of cast-iron borings and other miscellaneous materials necessary. 
 
 By reason of delays on the part of certain firms in New York, in the 
 construction and shipment of special grades of wire and kinds of ex- 
 plosives, and of delay on the part of firms of this city in the comple- 
 tion of an oxygen apparatus, it was necessary for Mr. Ellis to wait in 
 St. Louis until the 24th of July. Upon their receipt, on that day, they 
 were loaded into a freight car, together with the materials purchased 
 in St. Louis, and were shipped to Fort Worth, Tex. 
 
12 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 Meanwhile, through the public spirit of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain 
 and Southern Railroad and its attention to Southwestern interests, and 
 by the courtesy of Mr. George 0. Smith, free transportation had been 
 obtained to the amount of $500. 
 
 On the 26th of July Mr. Ellis proceeded to Fort Worth and Dallas, 
 where, by the kindness of Mr. John A. Grant, general manager of the 
 Texas and Pacific Railroad and the interest of the road in the welfare 
 of Texas, free transportation was obtained for the members of the ex- 
 pedition and the apparatus to the amount of about $300. The carload 
 of apparatus was then shipped to Midland, arriving on the 5th of Au- 
 gust. 
 
 Before I left Washington I desired to gain some further knowledge 
 on the subject of explosives, and thought that I might with benefit 
 consult with some of the officers at the artillery school, Fort Monroe, 
 Ya. With this object in view I went there, at my own expense, about 
 the middle of July, but learned nothing new except that there is a very 
 large quantity of powder stored at Fort Warren which is unservice- 
 able for military purposes, but which might be available for producing 
 explosions in rainfall experiments. Subsequently . I had an interview 
 with the Assistant and Acting Secretary of War and discussed with 
 him and with an officer of the Ordnance Corps, the possibility of ob- 
 taining a supply of this powder, but without coming to any determina- 
 tion, and as I was occupied with many other matters connected with 
 the expedition, and busy in getting the remaining material together for 
 proper shipment, I did not pursue the subject further. I suggest, how- 
 ever, that this unserviceable powder might be employed advantage- 
 ously in rainfall operations in the future. 
 
 July 29, the balloon-maker and Mr. Casler arrived at Washington with 
 the remainder of the balloon apparatus and various appurtenances, and 
 on the 30th, accompanied by them and Mr. Paul E. Draper, I started 
 for Midland, Tex. 
 
 The route to Midland was by way of St. Louis, Little Rock, Texar- 
 kana, and Fort Worth. Arriving at St. Louis, I spent a day there in 
 the collection of some small supplies, and had a block of pur§ tin rolled 
 into thin sheets for the electrical kites. 
 
 At Thurber, Tex., I met Mr. R. D. Hunter, who generously sent from 
 his coal mines to Midland, six kegs of blasting powder for use in the 
 experiments. 
 
 I reached Midland on the evening of August 5, in company with Mr. 
 E. W. Rannells, the manager of Mr. Morris’s ranch, who had joined me 
 en route, and on the following day most of the party were taken in vari- 
 ous conveyances to the headquarters of the a C” ranch. Mr. Ellis had 
 arrived at Midland on the 4th. The ranch house is about 6 miles north 
 and 17 miles west of Midland, say, in latitude 32° 12' R. and longitude 
 102° 20 / W., and the elevation above the sea level is about 2,800 feet. 
 
 There had been a deficiency of rain in this region for several years, as 
 I was informed, and during the past eighteen months the drought had 
 been especially severe. 
 
 The journey of 23 miles from Midland Station to the ranch house 
 made a strongly negative impression upon me, as regarding the possi- 
 bility of obtaining any rain in that region. The day, described to me 
 as a typical day there, was a very hot one. Though w T e started quite 
 early in the morning, the sun shone fiercely. There was not a fleck of 
 a cloud visible anywhere in the sky. The ground was dry with the 
 appearance of alkali and seemed parched. The landscape was a gen- 
 eral glare. There was a strong dry wind from the south, which seemed 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 13 
 
 greedily to take up any moisture that miglit be present as on the skin, 
 leaving the skin with a feeling of parchment. I was assured that this 
 was but one of a succession of scores of such days at this time in the 
 morning; though later in the day, light summer clouds, ball of cotton 
 or light cumulus clouds, were wont to make their appearance. 
 
 While I would not perform the experim ; in a wet climate, because 
 I felt that, if rain followed, the fact would not be satisfactory in the 
 sense of a result, and that this would be no fair test, on the other 
 hand, during my ride from Midland, I feared that I had here gone to the 
 other extreme, and that the test would not be fair either; that no local 
 disturbance under such conditions as here existed could induce the 
 presence of moisture; and this doubt became rather a conviction as day 
 after day of the same kind succeeded. 
 
 IN THE FIELD. 
 
 August 7 and 8, Mr. Ellis and Mr. Casler, with men in the employ of 
 Mr. Nelson Morris, were engaged in unloading the car, and on the 7th, 
 four large wagon loads, some by double teams, were hauled to the ranch. 
 On the 8th, the remainder of the apparatus and material was loaded 
 and hauled out, excepting 6 drums of acid (9,000 pounds) and some 
 iron (8,000 pounds), which material was stored at the freight depot. 
 The help and cartage were generously supplied by Mr. Morris. 
 
 At Midland I ordered two large tanks to be built, that we might make 
 hydrogen more rapidly and on a larger scale. 
 
 On the 7th, being myself out at the ranch, I rode over the ground for 
 a mile and a half to the south of the ranch house and for about a mile 
 to the east and west thereof. The region being entirely without stream 
 or natural pool, every ranch is supplied with numerous wells from which 
 water is pumped into surface tanks or ponds by wind-wheel pumps. 
 Here and there are extensive depressions, called by the herders u draws,” 
 which, being dry, showed white alkaline efflorescence. 
 
 I deem it proper, at this point, to state that, notwithstanding the 
 barren appearance of the region, the soil seems exceptionally rich and 
 strong, even on the knolls. This may be from the fact that the soil here 
 is not leached nor are the knolls denuded of topsoil by great rainfall. 
 In spots where the land is artificially watered the soil is very highly 
 productive. I was particularly impressed with the abundance and size 
 and the fine quality and flavor of fruit grown at and about Midland, 
 the peaches and pears being very fine, and watermelons weighing more 
 that 70 pounds being common. If the region could only be supplied 
 with water there would be little left to be desired there. 
 
 I determined to place my material in three parallel lines some what 
 less than half a mile apart, the lines being concave toward the ranch 
 house, and extending to about equal distances to the east and west 
 thereof, the ranch house being about the center of the position. In the 
 front line, that is, in the line farthest to the south of the ranch house, 
 namely, in the front thereof, between the ranch house and Midland, at 
 a distance somewhat less than 50 yards apart, I placed about sixty short 
 guns, something like mortars, improvised from 6-inch well tubing sawed 
 into lengths of about feet, and from bell-mouthed wagon-axle boxes, 
 all of which were set with one end in the ground at an angle of about 
 45°, leaving the outer end free; and, in addition, I made several mines 
 or blasts by putting sticks of dynamite and rackarock into prairie-dog 
 and badger holes. The mortars were afterwards loaded with the blast- 
 ing powder kindly given me by Mr. Hunter, sod and earth rammed 
 
14 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 down hard, supplying the wadding, and blasting fuse inserted from 
 the top or bottom, as was most convenient, or electrical-fuse caps, 
 affording the means through which to ignite the charge. Where elec- 
 trical-fuse caps were employed, the gun was to be fired from an electri- 
 cal discharger. The setting of these tubes, or guns, was a matter of 
 considerable labor and consumed much time, as the ground was very 
 hard. 
 
 On the next line I intended to place kites, each kite to be in a posi- 
 tion directly in the rear of the central point between the two guns in 
 front of it; and on the rear line — a line, however, much shorter than 
 either of the other lines — and behind the house, I desired to send up 
 and explode balloons. 
 
 The tubes were not all set at one time, some being set on the 13th, 
 14th, and 15th. 
 
 The whole party engaged at different times in making the kites, and, 
 as they were completed they were carried out to their positions. 
 
 As it would have required a large force of men to fly all these kites, 
 if each kite had to be held by a man, it was intended to fasten them to 
 the mesquite bushes, the cliapparal bushes, and the catsclaw bushes, 
 with which the prairie is scantily supplied. 
 
 The reason that I chose the rear line for the balloons was that there is 
 a kind of meadow in the rear of the house, extending more than a mile 
 to the left, or east, thereof, and some distance to the right or west, and, 
 being supplied with grass and being free from the thorny bushes, there 
 would be less danger of tearing any balloon in inflating it, or in 
 transporting it from the place where it had been inflated to the place 
 where it might be desired to let it rise. There is a well at the ranch 
 house ; but the water is very alkaline, and I feared that the use of this 
 water in making hydrogen might entail loss of acid or detract from its 
 efficiency by some neutralization; and so I deemed it best to set up the 
 hydrogen apparatus at a well on this meadow, where the water is less 
 alkaline, about a mile to the left, east-northeast of the house; it being 
 intended to inflate the balloons there, send up some from that place, 
 and carry the rest to the westward along the meadow. 
 
 The ranch house is shown in the accompanying photograph marked 1 : 
 
 The well which I chose for the situation of the hydrogen apparatus 
 is shown in the annexed photograph, marked II, where, also, may be 
 seen the hydrogen apparatus in operation, with a balloon in process of 
 inflation. 
 
 On the 9th of August I was joined by Mr. Powers, author of “War 
 and the Weather,” whom I had invited, at the expense of the appropria- 
 tion, to be present at and assist in the experiments. 
 
 On the evening of this day, August 9, a trial of the power of the 
 “ rackarock” was made, at which a number of charges were exploded 
 and the force was found to be very great. There was great concussion. 
 The explosions were made at about a mile to the southeast of the ranch 
 house, and there was a strong wind blowing from the southwest. 
 
 On the morning of the next day, August 10, a very heavy rain fell, 
 coming fr om the northeast and extending west and southeast. The 
 rain continued for about two hours, causing water to run into the 
 “ draws,” and the plains to be drenched. The amount was not accu- 
 rately measured, as I was not yet prepared ; but it was estimated at 
 about an inch. 
 
 Maps of the Weather Bureau being received later, it was seen that 
 on the map of August 7, 8 p. m., the forecast to 8 p. m. of August 8, 
 predicted light showers on the Gulf coast of Texas; that the map of 
 
• The Ranch House. 
 
II. The Well or East Mill. 
 

EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 15 
 
 August 8, 8 a. m., showed a shower at Palestine, toward Galveston, in 
 the preceding twelve hours, the wind being northwest; no rainfall at 
 Abilene nor west of Abilene, Abilene (Weatherford) being the nearest 
 weather station to Midland, and about 140 miles east thereof, and 
 Palestine being farther from Abilene (direction east by south), than 
 Galveston is from Palestine (direction south by east) ; that the map of 
 August 9, 8 p. m., showed a Gulf rain extending, on the south and east, 
 from Galveston to New Orleans, and, on the north and east, from west 
 of Palestine to Vicksburg; no rainfall at Abilene nor west thereof; 
 that, on this same map the forecast to 8 p. m. of August 9, predicted 
 showers in the eastern portion and on the coast of Texas ; that the map of 
 August 9, 8 p. in., showed a rain in the eastern portion and on the 
 coast of Texas, the rain not extending so far west and northwest as that 
 shown on the map of August 8, 8 p. m.; that, on the map of August 
 9, 8 p. m., the forecast to 8 p. m. of August 10, predicted local rains in 
 the southeastern with fair weather in the northwestern portion of 
 Texas; that the map of August 10, 8 a. m., showed a local rain at 
 Abilene in the preceding twelve hours, the wind being south (the 
 actual time of the rainfall was between 12:20 a. m. and 4 a. m. of the 
 10th); and that the map of August 10, 8 p. m., showed clear weather at 
 Abilene and vicinity from 8 a. m. to 8 p. m. of the 10th. 
 
 At the time that the rain came at the ranch it seemed that the explosions 
 might have had some effect in producing the storm; but when I learned 
 that there had been a heavy shower at Abilene that morning I attached 
 no significance to the heavy rain at the ranch as resulting from the ex- 
 plosions. 
 
 But I found it to be of common knowledge along the Texas and Pa- 
 cific Railroad that while rains are not infrequent at Abilene and even 
 as far west toward Midland as Big Springs (only 39 miles from Mid- 
 land), it will rain at these places time and again without the rain falling 
 at Midland and vicinity ; and I was also soon informed by many per- 
 sons from Midland and vicinity, and by the most experienced and ob- 
 servant herders on the ranch, and ascertained it to be a fact, that it 
 was a common sight to see heavy rain or nimbus clouds, evident rain 
 storms, passing over the locality, on their way somewhere else, and 
 without parting with a drop of water to this ground; and it occurred 
 to me that I might have observed the reason for this during my ride 
 from Midland station. The ground is so heated and dried by the sun 
 and the dry wind that, by radiation, a very thick stratum of superin- 
 cumbent air is kept hot, and this exerting a repellent action no moisture 
 can be precipitated. The dry stratum may even take up considerable 
 moisture from above without letting it get to the ground. One might 
 as well expect moisture from the upper part of a steam- filled room to 
 be deposited on a hot stove therein. There is no dew at night in this 
 region. There can not be, because the ground is warmer than the air. 
 That is to say, there is no dew unless the ground has been cooled by a 
 rain or a norther, and it does not generally remain cool enough for 
 moisture to be deposited longer than one night. Unless the rain clouds 
 are very heavy, it would seem that the hot and dry layer of air would 
 have to be broken up ere there can be precipitation of moisture upon 
 the ground, and it may be that the explosions of the 9th broke up such 
 a layer by a widely extended displacement and replacement, with com- 
 mingling of air currents. 
 
 In this connection I wish to mention a phenomenon observed sev- 
 eral times from the ranch-house porch, facing south. The southerly 
 wind, bringing cumulus clouds toward us, they were often, at low alti- 
 tude, seen to vanish as they approached, thus showing the conversion 
 
16 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 or reconversion of moisture into vapor, probably through the influence 
 of the dry and heated surface-stratum of air. 
 
 A very interesting and singular climatic feature observable in this 
 region is, that the surface currents are very much more rapid than the 
 higher currents, which are sometimes of different directions, as evi- 
 denced by the motion of clouds, and, as will hereafter appear, by the 
 motion of balloons. 
 
 On the evening of August 11, Mr. Curtis, arrived at the ranch house. 
 
 On the next day Mr. Curtis set up the anemometer, at about 100 feet 
 from the ground, placed the pressure and heat-measuring instruments 
 in suitable situation, and instituted a regular system of observation, 
 taking observations daily at 7 a. in., 2 p. m., and 7 p. m., central time. 
 He was most exact in the time of his observations. I am sorry that 
 he was with the expedition so very short a time, arriving after the first 
 rain and leaving before the heavy Midland experiment. Mr. Curtis 
 has made me no narrative report; but, upon my calling on him for a 
 report, has furnished me with the following tabular statement: 
 
 Report of tri-daily observation made August 12 to 24, 1891, at the “C” ranch, 16 miles 
 north and 12 miles west of Midland , county of Andrews, State of Texas. 
 
 [Latitude, 32° 14'; longitude, 102° 12'. Local time" is forty-nine minutes slower than Central time, 
 hence 7 a. m., Central time=6 h ll m a. m. mean local time; 2 p. m. Central time= l h 11“’ p. m. mean local 
 time.] 
 
 Date. 
 
 7 a. m., Central time. 
 
 2 p. m., Central time. 
 
 7 p. m., Central time. 
 
 Temperature. 
 
 Dew 
 
 point. 
 
 Temperature. 
 
 Dew 
 
 point. 
 
 Temperature. 
 
 Dew 
 
 point. 
 
 Dry 
 
 bulb. 
 
 Wet 
 
 bulb. 
 
 Dry 
 
 bulb. 
 
 Wet 
 
 bulb. 
 
 Dry 
 
 bulb. 
 
 Wet 
 
 bulb. 
 
 August 12 
 
 
 
 
 87.5 
 
 66.1 
 
 55 
 
 79.3 
 
 66.8 
 
 61 
 
 August 13 
 
 68.5 
 
 64.0 
 
 62 
 
 
 
 
 87.7 
 
 65.1 
 
 52 
 
 August 14 
 
 68.0 
 
 64.2 
 
 62 
 
 90.0 
 
 68.6 
 
 58 
 
 89.0 
 
 63.6 
 
 48 
 
 August 15 
 
 71.0 
 
 61.4 
 
 56 
 
 92.7 
 
 66. 4 
 
 52 
 
 89.0 
 
 64.4 
 
 50 
 
 August 16 
 
 69. 8 
 
 63.4 
 
 60 
 
 88.0 
 
 69.5 
 
 60 
 
 85.0 
 
 67.0 
 
 58 
 
 August 17 
 
 69.8 
 
 62.6 
 
 59 
 
 89.9 
 
 69.1 
 
 59 
 
 83.8 
 
 68.9 
 
 62 
 
 August 18 
 
 71.6 
 
 66.6 
 
 64 
 
 85.0 
 
 69.0 
 
 62 
 
 73.9 
 
 67.8 
 
 65 
 
 August 19 
 
 70.9 
 
 66.9 
 
 65 
 
 91.0 
 
 70.3 
 
 61 
 
 90.0 
 
 68.6 
 
 58 
 
 August 20 
 
 76.0 
 
 65. 4 
 
 60 
 
 96.0 
 
 69. 6 
 
 57 
 
 82.0 
 
 66.0 
 
 58 
 
 August 21 
 
 68.8 
 
 62.6 
 
 59 
 
 95.8 
 
 69.6 
 
 57 
 
 93.0 
 
 66.4 
 
 51 
 
 August 22 
 
 62. 6 
 
 60. 1 
 
 58 
 
 65.7 
 
 57.6 
 
 52 
 
 
 
 
 August 23 
 
 51.0 
 
 47.5 
 
 45 
 
 78.4 
 
 57.4 
 
 41 
 
 75.3 
 
 55.2 
 
 39 
 
 August 24 
 
 60.4 
 
 51.4 
 
 44 
 
 88.9 
 
 63.6 
 
 48 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Date. 
 
 Precipitation. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Time of be- 
 ginning. 
 
 Time of 
 ending. 
 
 Total amount of 
 rain. 
 
 7 a. m. 
 
 2 p.m. 
 
 7 p. m. 
 
 Direction 
 
 from. 
 
 Miles 
 
 per 
 
 hour. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion 
 
 from. 
 
 Miles 
 
 per 
 
 hour. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion 
 
 from. 
 
 Miles 
 
 per 
 
 hour. 
 
 Aug. 12.. . 
 
 A n o' 1 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SE.... 
 
 7 
 
 SE.... 
 
 SE.... 
 
 SE.... 
 
 SE 
 
 SE. ... 
 
 SW... 
 
 SE.... 
 
 S 
 
 15 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 
 Calm ... 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 3 
 
 0 
 
 2 
 
 4 
 
 10 
 
 12 
 
 0 
 
 17 
 
 
 
 
 
 s::::: 
 
 SE.... 
 
 SE.... 
 
 S 
 
 ""l2 
 
 14 
 
 13 
 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 11 
 
 5 
 
 22 
 
 
 
 
 
 sw 
 
 Aug. 16. . . 
 Aug. 17* £ 
 
 Aug. 18. j 
 
 A n o* IQ 
 
 3:15 p. m.. 
 3 :35 ? _ „ 
 8:30 5 P * m - 
 10:30 a. m. 
 11:15 a. m. 
 4:50 p. m. 
 
 3 :25 p. m.. 
 C4:40 
 
 Inappreciable. . . 
 do ) 
 
 Calm . . . 
 
 E 
 
 £Dur. night 
 10 :32 a. m. 
 11:17 a.m . 
 5:30 p.m . 
 
 ....do ] 
 
 Sprinkle 4 
 
 0.02 inch ) 
 
 SE 
 
 S 
 
 sw... 
 s 
 
 SE.... 
 XE ... 
 
 S 
 
 Aug. 20 1 . . 
 Aug 21 
 
 4:58 p.m.. 
 
 9:00 p. m. . 
 
 Inappreciable. . . 
 
 s 
 
 Calm ... 
 XF 
 
 SW... 
 
 s 
 
 18 
 
 3 
 
 Aug. 22... 
 
 7 :40 a. m.. 
 
 About 11 
 a. m. 
 
 Inappreciable; 
 fine mist. 
 
 
 SE.... 
 
 6 
 
 A n nr 
 
 
 
 
 s 
 
 8 
 
 SW... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 * At intervals. t Sprinkle at intervals. 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 17 
 
 Report of tri-daily observation made August 12 to 24, 1891, at the 11 C” ranch, 16 miles 
 north and 12 miles west of Midland, county of Andrews, Sate of Texas — Continued. 
 
 Date. 
 
 August 12 
 August 13 
 August 14 
 August 15 
 August 16 
 August 17 
 August 18 
 August 19 
 August 20 
 August 21 
 August 22 
 August 23 
 August 24 
 
 * From barograph curve. 
 
 Aneroid barometer. 
 
 Total wind movement in miles. 
 
 Central time. 
 
 Central time. 
 
 7 a. m. 
 
 2 p.m. 
 
 7 p. m. 
 
 7 a. m. 
 
 2 p. m. 
 
 7 p. m 
 
 
 27. 184 
 
 27. 152 
 
 
 
 60 
 
 27. 201 
 
 *27! 180 
 
 27! 090 
 
 48 
 
 
 t51 
 
 27. 165 
 
 27. 090 
 
 27. 032 
 
 54 
 
 
 t71 
 
 27. 117 
 
 27. 065 
 
 27. 022 
 
 58 
 
 54 
 
 40 
 
 27. 153 
 
 27. 100 
 
 27. 050 
 
 98 
 
 37 
 
 75 
 
 *27. 130 
 
 27. 100 
 
 27. 030 
 
 56 
 
 76 
 
 68 
 
 27. 110 
 
 27. 045 
 
 27. 030 
 
 59 
 
 74 
 
 73 
 
 27. 060 
 
 26. 985 
 
 26. 912 
 
 55 
 
 81 
 
 53 
 
 27. 021 
 
 26. 948 
 
 26. 970 
 
 98 
 
 82 
 
 57 
 
 27. 030 
 
 26. 952 
 
 26. 887 
 
 61 
 
 50 
 
 40 
 
 27. 177 
 
 27. 250 
 
 27. 23 
 
 130 
 
 84 
 
 
 27. 320 
 
 27. 230 
 
 27.12 
 
 
 fill 
 
 29 
 
 27. 102 
 
 26. 98 
 
 
 92 
 
 117 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 t For 12 hours. \ For 19 hours. 
 
 Geo. E. Curtis, 
 
 Meteorologist. 
 
 Observations were also made by myself at other times than those 
 given in the above table, and it is to be noted that observations taken 
 from the anemometer at regular intervals only would not give a correct 
 idea of the windy nature of the region and the wind velocity, since the 
 wind generally blows in gusts. It is very seldom calm, excepting in 
 the night and early in the morning. The prevailing winds are southerly. 
 
 There was no firing whatever on the 10th and 11th, and though the 
 map of the Weather Bureau of 8 p. m., August 11, shows a rainfall at 
 Abilene of 2 inches, the rain being of very great extent also, there 
 was no rain at the “0” ranch subsequent to the rain of the 10 th, nor 
 did it rain there on the 12th, 13th, 14th, or 15th. 
 
 During the 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th, work was done in getting 
 the apparatus and material into place and condition. Strenuous efforts 
 were made to get the oxygen and hydrogen generators into proper oper- 
 ation. The oxygen apparatus was found to be defective especially when 
 exposed to the high winds, and great delay resulted also from the neces- 
 sity of putting together and setting up the large hydrogen-generating 
 tanks and waiting for them to soak and become gas-tight. Balloons 
 were partly filled, but were damaged. Kites were sent up on the 
 middle line; but, owing to the character of the wind, they were soon 
 broken in body or broke their strings and were blown miles away. 
 
 In the afternoon of August 12, at about 5 o’clock, a few kites were 
 got up close to the house, each carrying a one-half pound stick of dyna- 
 mite. The air was so nearly calm that a kite could be kept up only a 
 few minutes. Each kite was held by a cord from its body connecting 
 with a two-conductor insulated wire passing to the electrical discharger 
 on the ground, and the dynamite stick was suspended about 20 feet 
 from the kite by the wires of an electric fuse, the lower end of the wire 
 being wrapped about the stick to sustain it with the cap inserted into 
 the stick, and the upper ends of the wires connected with free clean 
 ends of the two-conductor wire. At about 5:45, the wind blew up sud- 
 denly very strong from the southeast, bringing clouds which were very 
 dense over the southern sky. The velocity of the wind was 30 miles 
 an hour. There was no rainfall. 
 
 S. Ex. 45 2 
 
18 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 On the 13th, Dr. Rosell, of the Patent Office, and Mr. Keefer, from 
 my office in Washington, arrived. The party was now complete and is 
 shown in the annexed photograph, marked III, as on the porch of the 
 ranch house, Mr. Bannels and the cook being on the extreme left of 
 the party with Mr. Powers next, a herder (behind whom is Mr. Ellis), 
 and Mr. Keefer being on the right, and the rest of the party between ; 
 the gentleman dressed in the sash being Mr. Curtis. 
 
 There was no firing on the 13th. Time was consumed in attention to 
 the oxygen and hydrogen generators and placing guns. About this 
 time Prof. Longuemare and Capt. Juan Hart came as a committee from 
 El Paso, bringing a letter from the mayor of El Paso, Hon. Richard 
 Caples, to urge me to go to El Paso and operate there. 
 
 On the 14th a stick of dynamite was fired close to the house in the 
 afternoon. The 13th and 14th were clear, dry days. 
 
 On the 15th, in the evening, a few sticks of dynamite were fired singly, 
 but without apparent effect. 
 
 I would say that the firing on the 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th was on a 
 very small scale (very much less in concussion than that of the 9th), 
 because it was not desired to expend much of any particular explosive 
 until all should be ready for a combined and full operation. What fir- 
 ing was then done was mostly for the purpose of ascertaining how best 
 to explode dynamite in the air, tb find out whether, when attached to a 
 kite- connection it would break that connection, and to learn how far it 
 should be from the kite. 
 
 The morning of the 16th was calm, and, with one of the herders, I 
 went on horseback to the southwest of the house, to the front line, and, 
 carrying a quantity of blasting powder and dynamite and rackarock, 
 we loaded some of the guns to learn how best to fire them. We also 
 experimented in firing dynamite and rackarock, that I r ight learn 
 whether it was best, so far as concussive effect is concerned, to put it 
 into the ground or to fire it above ground. We fired the gns planted 
 in the ground, as alreaded described, and loaded with th°> blasting 
 powder. The concussive effect upon the air was slight, but considera- 
 ble smoke was produced. We next loaded with rackarock. T he con- 
 cussive effect on the air upon discharge was greater than from the 
 blasting powder, but was not very great. The gun, however, was de- 
 stroyed. The piece of wrought-iron pipe constituting it was fimbriated 
 about half its length. 
 
 We next fired dynamite and rackarock blasts in dog holes. The tear- 
 ing up and shaking of the ground was great and astonishing, but the 
 concussive effect upon the air was not great. There was not much noise 
 from the explosions. We next exploded charges of dynamite on large 
 flat stones on the ground. The stones were broken and the concussive 
 effect on the air was strong. We next exploded charges of rackarock 
 on large flat stones on the ground. The concussive effect on the air was 
 greater. These experiments determined me to produce all explosions 
 thereafter, excepting where I had my guns and mines, above the surface 
 of the ground. 
 
 Starting to return to the house at about 10 o’clock I noticed that 
 cumulus clouds, which heretofore had never made their appearance be- 
 fore half past 11 or 12 o’olock in the morning, were already thick in the 
 southeast whence the wind now began to blow, moderately at first, but 
 soon increasing to a stiff breeze. Soon after noon the sky was nearly 
 covered with large round and darkened cumulus clouds. 
 
 Great delay had resulted from the necessity of putting together the 
 large hydrogen tanks and it was then necessary to wait for them to 
 
III. The party, 
 
IV. Shelter for oxygen apparatus, with party at work, 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 19 
 
 soak and become tight. No experiment would have been made until 
 everything was ready for a full test but that a number of interested 
 persons had come to the ranch, some of them from a considerable dis- 
 tance, to witness the experiments, and I desired, if possible, to show 
 them something of the process and methods of operation; therefore, 
 early in the afternoon of August 10, the inflation of a 10-foot balloon 
 was begun. 
 
 The cloudiness continued to increase and the filling of the balloon 
 proceeded slowly, owing to the defects in the oxygen-generating appa- 
 tus and for want of a suitable shelter. A rude shelter was afterward 
 constructed, as shown in the annexed photograph marked IV. 
 
 I directed Dr. Eosell to begin preparation of ground explosions of 
 rackarock, in order to experiment under these conditions. The racka- 
 rock was tied in bundles of from five to twelve cartridges, with an elec- 
 trical fuse in the middle. These bundles were suspended 3 or 4 feet 
 from the ground, on mesquite or other bushes, and were exploded from 
 time to time from one of the dynamos or electrical dischargers. At 3 :15 
 p. m. rain began to fall from these cumulus clouds overhead for about 
 five minutes. The amount of rainfall was reported to me as inappreci- 
 able. About 50 pounds of rackarock were exploded. About fifteen 
 minutes after 6 p. m., the balloon having been filled, a blasting fuse, to 
 burn about three minutes (much too long a fuse), was inserted, and, 
 after about half an hour’s delay, and some difficulty in moving the bal- 
 loon a short distance from the spot where it was filled, owing to the 
 fact that the wind was buffeting it about, blowing at about the rate of 
 15 miles an hour, the fuse was lighted by Dr. Rosell and the balloon 
 was set free. It rose rapidly, but passed with great apparent speed to 
 the northwest. At the height of a little over half a mile it moved to the 
 eastward, and there, at the height of about a mile, began moving south, 
 when, at a distance of about 2 miles from the place where it was let go, 
 and at the height of a little over a mile, it exploded. I believe that the 
 balloon when it exploded was a little over 2 miles from the ranch house. 
 These distances are estimated, but were estimated by the balloonist 
 with the eye of an experienced aeronaut. It was noticeable that after 
 the balloon had risen to the height of about half a mile its lateral move- 
 ment was much less rapid. Owing to the strong wind which was blow- 
 ing from our direction toward the balloon when it exploded and the 
 distance at which it exploded, the sound was quite faint. It was the 
 intention to ascertain the distance of the balloon, when it should ex- 
 plode, from the place whence it started by observation of the flash and 
 counting the seconds from the time of the flash to the report of the ex- 
 plosion, but from an oversight this was not done. 
 
 The explosion of the balloon was not accompanied by any precipita- 
 tion, nor was' there rainfall immediately thereafter. At 8 o’clock, how- 
 ever, heavy rain clouds were seen to form in the west- southwest and 
 rain fell from them heavily, accompanied by lightning. These rain 
 clouds appeared as an isolated mass, and the precipitation seemed to 
 dissipate them. There was no rain at the ranch house. Late that night 
 the wind backed to the east and blew a gale. 
 
 The maps of the Weather Bureau of the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17tli 
 and the map of 8 a. m. of the 18th show no rain nor indications of 
 rain during this period up to 8 p. m. of August 18. 
 
 On the morning of the 17th there was dew on the grass for the first 
 time. About 10 o’clock on this morning, the wind being east, the 
 ground batteries having been connected by wires to the electrical dis- 
 chargers, heavy explosions were made at frequent intervals and some 
 S. Ex. 5 5 
 
20 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 of the blasts were fired. Mr. Ellis, Dr. Bosell, Mr. Draper, and Mr. 
 Keefer tied rackarock cartridges into bundles about a central stick of 
 dynamite containing the cap, bung them as bigk as possible upon tbe 
 bushes, and discharged them with very powerful concussive effect. 
 
 At this point I would mention a peculiarity of rackarock as compared 
 with dynamite. If two dynamite sticks were laid upon the ground, say 
 18 inches apart, and one stick was fired by an electrical fuse cap, the 
 other stick would always explode also ; whereas, if two rackarock car- 
 tridges were laid at the same distance apart and only one was fired, 
 the other would not explode. The rackarock cartridges might even be 
 placed within 6 inches of one another without the firing of the one ex- 
 ploding the other. 
 
 I am informed that it has been stated that the first explosion on this 
 day took place in the evening. I can only say that the statement is 
 erroneous. 
 
 The morning was very clear, except that cumulus clouds had begun 
 to form at 10 o’clock in the forenoon, about two hours earlier than usual. 
 Early in the afternoon the sky was almost covered with cumulus clouds, 
 and there was a strong wind of about 15 miles an hour from the east 
 and southeast. Between 3 and 4 o’clock in the afternoon, heavy storm- 
 clouds were visible in the west. The firing continued and the wind 
 was southeast. The storm went around to the south and heavy rain 
 could be seen in the south pastures of the ranch, which covered an area 
 of about 500 square miles, and some of the men who were engaged in 
 the explosions, at a point about a mile south of the ranch-house, were 
 soon driven into the house by rain. The rain was accompanied by 
 thunder and lightning, but was much heavier to the south and southwest 
 than at the ranch-house, extending to Midland. In going to Midland 
 from the ranch-house on the 18th, from about 2 miles from headquarters 
 to Midland, the roads were heavy with mud. The heavy rain-clouds 
 did not seem to come directly before the wind, but seemed to be whirled 
 by eddies toward the zenith. The rain extended to the ranch-house, 
 where it began to fall about half-past 4. The rain at the ranch-house, 
 however, was light, so that it was reported to me as not measurable. 
 In the south and southwest, however, the rain could be seen falling in 
 torrents. At the ranch-house itself the appearance of storm was very 
 strong, and heavy storm-clouds extended to the northwest far beyond 
 the ranch-house, where rain w T as also seen to fall in torrents. 
 
 Between 4 and 5 o’clock one of the electrical kites was sent up, and 
 managed by Mr. Draper. The kite soon became highly charged with 
 electricity and, being connected with one of the sulphuric- acid con- 
 densers, a spark of over half an inch was obtained. 
 
 The form of kite employed, being one supplied with bands of tin-foil, 
 is shown in the annexed photograph, marked Y, where also appears 
 other electrical apparatus used by the expedition. 
 
 I would state here that it was my intention to send up an electrical 
 kite at the same time as and in proper juxtaposition with balloons, the 
 object being to ascertain, if possible, what might be the static electrical 
 condition of the atmosphere previous to an explosion; then to recognize 
 what, if any, electrical effect may accompany an explosion, and, finally, 
 whether any electrical effect succeeded the explosion as the result 
 thereof; but partly owing to the great difficulties with which I had to 
 contend from the high and irregular winds and partly from other un- 
 foreseen causes, I was not able to do anything of importance in this re- 
 spect. I suggest trials in this line. 
 
 Between the night of the 16th and the evening of the 17th there were 
 
An electrical kite. 
 

 
 
 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 21 
 
 exploded about 200 pounds of dynamite and rackarock and 525 cubic 
 feet of oxy-hydrogen gas. Between 5 and 6 o’clock in the evening some 
 more rackarock was fired, the wind being then strong from the south- 
 east, but the firing was not followed by rainfall at the house. The 
 storm seemed to have passed over to the northwest, where it was very 
 dark and where rain was seen to fall. Soon after the firing the wind 
 went around completely, and between 6 and 7 o’clock thunder-heads 
 and lightning were seen in the southeast, and the storm from here 
 backed to the north. Before 8 o’clock lightning was seen in the north- 
 east as well as in the southeast, the entire sky overhead became dark- 
 ened with storm-clouds, and the wind changed to the south-southeast. 
 Preparations were then made to fire some dynamite. At half past 8 a 
 number of sticks were fastened together and exploded. Directly there- 
 upon there was a light dash of rain from the clouds immediately over- 
 head, but it lasted only a few moments. Explosions of rackarock were 
 also made at intervals during the evening, and the sky being heavy 
 with clouds, each explosion was followed by a spatter or flurry of rain. 
 Between 10 and 11 o’clock a light drizzling rain set in, and it was driz- 
 zling when I retired, about 12 o’clock; but the next morning I was in- 
 formed, to my surprise, that the rain-gauge showed no measurable 
 quantity. 
 
 On the morning of the 18th the sky was completely covered with 
 stratus clouds, and between 10 and 11, and 11 and 12 there were 
 sprinkles of rain. In the afternoon, between 2 and 3 o’clock, there was 
 a strong wind of about 13 miles per hour from the south and a heavy 
 storm was seen in the east, where thunder was heard soon after 3 o’clock 
 in the afternoon. I then directed the firing of rackarock and the ex- 
 plosions began about 4 o’clock and were kept up at intervals. In all, 
 about 90 pounds were exploded in sixteen blasts. When the firing be- 
 gan the wind was blowing 1 from the east at the rate of 20 miles per 
 hour. In about three-quarters of an hour from the first explosion it 
 began to rain and the rain continued about an hour. I was informed 
 that the rain gauge showed a rainfall of 0.02 of an inch. Rain was seen 
 to be falling heavily in the east, but no more rain fell at the house that 
 evening. After about half past 5 there was no more firing. 
 
 The maps of the Weather Bureau of August 17, 8 p. m., and 18, 8 a. 
 m., give no forecast of this storm, but the rain is shown on the map of 
 August 18, 8 p. m. 
 
 From the beginning of the firing on the 16th up to and including the 
 night of the 18th, there had been an apparent disturbed condition of 
 the atmosphere with hauling and backing winds and wandering storms. 
 These are conditions which I am informed by residents of this region 
 had never been observed there before and created surprise. 
 
 The morning of the 19th was clear and the day remained so. There 
 was no firing, and some of the members of the party, with the assist- 
 , ance of some mechanics of the ranch, were engaged in repairing the 
 oxygen apparatus. 
 
 Dr. Rosell, Mr. Oasler, Mr. Draper, and Mr. Keefer were sick and 
 obliged to be in bed from the effects of the alkaline water, which pro- 
 duced severe pain in the back across the kidneys, accompanied by high 
 fever. Every one of the party, with the exception of myself, was ill 
 from this cause and had been so at different times before this. From 
 service in the Army, on the plains, heretofore, in alkali regions, I had 
 learned to beware of the pernicious water, and I warned my assistants, 
 but the climate being very hot and being often exhausted and thirsty 
 from hard work, they were heedless until after they had suffered. I 
 
22 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 recommended treatment of tlie water with sulphuric acid and this was 
 beneficial. 
 
 In order to repair the apparatus it was brought up from the east mill 
 to an adobe building, a blacksmith and machine shop, near the ranch 
 house, shown in the annexed photograph marked YI. 
 
 On the morning of August 20, the sky was clear and there was a strong- 
 steady wind of about 12 miles an hour from the south, which at about 11 
 o’clock, backed to the southeast. Desiring to find again the jdace of every 
 gun and mine on the front line, as little flags which I had placed one at 
 each spot where a gun or mine was located had been blown away, I started 
 out about 10 o’clock on horseback with a herder named Kelly, who had 
 had some experience in blasting, to the west- south west of the ranch, to 
 begin with the first gun and mine at that end. We carried with us an 
 electrical discharger and about fifty rackarock cartridges and a few 
 sticks of dynamite. We found that the first gun was already loaded 
 with blasting powder. We pulled it almost entirely out of its excava- 
 tion, saving as much of the powder as we could, and re-inserted it to 
 the depth of only a few inches, and re-loaded it with the powder and 
 two inserted cartridges of rackarock. The charge was exploded from 
 the electrical discharger, the cap being inserted between the cartridges. 
 Most of the powder was ignited. The concussion was strong, but not 
 so great as when rackarock is fired unconfined. The tube, constituting 
 the gun, was broken into many pieces. We then moved to the south 
 along the line, firing some blasts and some dynamite and rackarock. 
 Somewhat later, some of the party, I think Mr. Draper and Mr. Keefer, 
 came out and we hung bundles of eight, ten, and sixteen sticks of rack- 
 arock with a stick of dynamite inside, on the bushes and exploded them 
 one after another. On the explosion of the last charge, the largest one, 
 I noticed a peculiar rising of the top portion of the smoke in faint ring- 
 form with a lateral whirling motion from right to left, the ring widen- 
 ing as it ascended and disappearing. And the smoke on the ground 
 and the ring moved with the wind. The rising of the ring seemed to 
 be accompanied by a peculiar sound, distinct from the noise of the 
 wind. The sound was so uncertain and lasted so short a time that it 
 did not make a strong impression upon me at the time, and I forgot 
 about it until I was informed by Mr. Ellis and Lieut. Dyer, that, in 
 subsequent experiments, they had sometimes noticed the same thing. 
 The wind had backed somewhat farther to the east, but directly after 
 the last explosion, it hauled back to the south. I then rode around the 
 entire line and returned to the ranch house by way of the east mill. 
 
 After noon the wind abated considerably, but heavy storm clouds be- 
 gan to make their appearance in the northwest, extending to the north, 
 and by a few minutes after 4 o’clock they had risen to the middle 
 of the sky. At about half past 4 the wind shifted to the north 
 and blew over 20 miles an hour. I then directed the firing of some 
 rackarock, and a charge of six cartridges was exploded at about 5 
 o’clock. A few minutes before the explosion, however, there was a slight 
 sprinkle of rain. A charge of ten cartridges of rackarock was then ex- 
 ploded, about five minutes after the first, and a charge of twelve cartridges 
 was exploded about ten minutes later. T3ie charges were not followed 
 by any immediate rainfall at the ranch house, but Dr. Rosell, who had 
 done the firing at about half a mile to the south-southeast of the house, 
 and others who were with him, told me that directly after each explosion 
 they had felt the rain spatter in their faces for a few moments. At 
 about half past 5 there was a light rain at the ranch house. The storm 
 was passing rapidly to the southwest, and at about a quarter to 6 & 
 
VI. The adobe blacksmith and machine shop. 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL 
 
 23 
 
 fourth charge was exploded, and again the party felt a spatter of rain. 
 A heavy storm, with thunder, was seen in the southwest. The sky con- 
 tinued very heavy. About 0 o’clock a kite was sent up carrying two 
 sticks of dynamite, but just before the dynamite was exploded it began 
 to rain, and the rain continued for a few minutes only. At about half 
 past G the wind shifted to the southwest and the sky was clearing in 
 the northwest and north. There were still storm clouds overhead, how- 
 ever, and at about 7 o’clock I directed the explosion of four sticks of 
 dynamite on a bush. The explosion was followed immediately by a light 
 rain, which lasted, from a sprinkle to a light shower, for about fifteen 
 minutes, and light sprinkles continued during the evening. A heavy 
 storm, accompanied by lightning, was observed in the south during the 
 rest of the evening. 
 
 On the 21st, work progressed on the oxygen apparatus, though the day 
 was so very hot that it was not possible to do much work. After sun- 
 down, and up to 9 o’clock, about 160 pounds of rackarock were exploded 
 in fifteen charges. The wind was south. At about 12 in the night the 
 wind shifted to the north, and it blew up very cold in strong gusts. 
 
 The morning of August 22, was foggy and the sky was entirely over- 
 cast. The wind was blowing in strong gusts from the north, and 
 ir was so cold that fires were built. Beginning at about half-past 8, 
 and at short intervals, seventeen charges of rackarock were exploded in 
 bundles of from six to twenty-five cartridges each. The explosions 
 were seen to condense and dissipate the mist for a few moments where 
 they occurred. The mist continued until about half-past 10 a. m. 
 There was no rain. The Weather Bureau map of 8 p. m., August 21, 
 predicts a cooler temperature for the 22d, with showers in the northern 
 part of Texas, and the Weather Bureau maps of August 22 show a rain 
 extending from far eastward to and beyond Abilene. 
 
 On the afternoon of August 22, by reason of the expiration of his 
 leave, Dr. Rosell was obliged to leave the party and return to W ash- 
 ington, and he went, accompanied by Mr. Keefer. 
 
 On the morning of August 23 there was a heavy dew by the cooling 
 of the ground. The day was clear. 
 
 Having become convinced of the inexpediency of the manufacture 
 of oxygen in any situation exposed to the wind, I determined to make 
 a large quantity of oxygen in the adobe hut and store it in one or more 
 of the balloons as reservoirs, and then convey these balloons to the place 
 of operation, charging each balloon thereafter to be filled with the mixed 
 gases, first with the necessary quantity of oxygen from a reservoir bal- 
 loon and then with the requisite quantity of hydrogen from the hydro- 
 gen generators at the place. As hydrogen is more diffusive than oxy- 
 gen, it is always best to charge the necessary quantity of oxygen first 
 into the balloon to be exploded. 
 
 I now renewed every effort to get ready for the grand test, and on 
 the 21th oxygen was made in the adobe and stored in reservoir bal- 
 loons. The annexed photograph, marked VII, will show the oxygen 
 apparatus and the work in progress. 
 
 The 23d and 24th were dry, clear days. The wind was southerly, and 
 on the 24th it blew a gale of about 20 miles an hour from the south- 
 west. 
 
 Mr. Curtis’s time having expired, he left the ranch to return to Wash- 
 ington. 
 
 The map of the Weather Bureau of August 25, 8 a. in., shows a 
 shower at Abilene on the 24th, with wind south ; but, as said above, it 
 was dry and clear at the tc 0 ” ranch. 
 
24 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 THE MIDLAND TEST. 
 
 On the morning of August 25 the sky was clear and there seemed to 
 be every indication that the weather was u settled dry,” as expressed 
 by the ranchmen. I had hoped for a quiet day, but the wine], which, as 
 usual, had been light during the night, increased soon after sunrise and 
 by 10 o’clock it was blowing from the south at a velocity of nearly 25 
 miles an hour. The hydrogen-generating apparatus had been started 
 early in the morning and by 10 a. m. several balloons were being rapidly 
 filled. The accompanying photograph, marked VIII, shows the infla- 
 tion in progress before the wind became strong, the balloon on the 
 ground to the right of the picture being a reservoir balloon containing 
 oxygen. 
 
 As the wind increased in strength, the greatest difficulty was experi- 
 enced in preventing the balloons from breaking away or being destroyed. 
 The work proceeded, however, although in spite of all efforts several 
 balloons were lost at different times during the day, one bursting- 
 through its heavy cord netting and others parting the cables by which 
 they were held. The course of each of these balloons, as it rose, indi- 
 cated that above the strong surface current from the south another cur- 
 rent was moving from the southwest to the northeast, at an altitude of 
 about 1 mile, and that above this, at an altitude of 2 miles or more, there 
 was a third current moving from northwest to southeast. At 11 a. m. 
 the first balloon, containing 1,000 feet of oxy-hydrogen gas, was exploded, 
 and during the afternoon three more of the large balloons were exploded. 
 
 The annexed photograph, marked IX, will show the struggle with one 
 of these balloons. 
 
 Most determined and persistent efforts were made to fill a large num- 
 ber of balloons, and carry them out in line, send them up, and explode 
 them ; but by 6 o’clock only the few mentioned had been filled and ex- 
 ploded, and the party returned to the house weary and jaded. The 
 balloons which exploded flew directly north. Three balloons were let 
 go free and were fired by short time fuse ; but one was held captive and 
 fired from a dynamo or electrical discharger. Owing to the violence of 
 the wind, if the wire, constituting its cable, were merely paid out, the 
 balloon would drag and be beaten down; so, while the balloon was 
 held on the ground, the end of the wire attached to the dynamo or 
 electrical discharger was carried about a thousand feet to leeward, and, 
 the balloon being then liberated, as it passed over and somewhat be- 
 yond the spot where the dynamo was, the handle was pushed down and 
 the balloon exploded. 
 
 As the last of the free balloons was rising, an interesting circum- 
 stance occurred. The balloon had got about three-quarters of a mile 
 from the East mill, when a charge of about a dozen cartridges of racka- 
 rock with some sticks of dynamite was fired half a mile directly to wind- 
 ward of the mill. 
 
 The wave resulting from the explosion was heard to strike the balloon 
 with such force that the balloon was thought to have been ruptured, 
 and it was seen to careen and sway violently. The balloon was not in- 
 jured, however and, in about ten seconds, it exploded. 
 
 At sundown, ground explosions were begun and they were continued 
 throughout the evening. The charges were very heavy and the explo- 
 sions occurred at short intervals, 40 pounds of dynamite, 200 pounds of 
 rackarock, 150 pounds of blasting powder being used, and early on the 
 following morning 50 pounds of dynamite and 100 pounds of rackarock 
 were fired in about a dozen heavy charges. 
 

 VIM. I nflating the balloons. 
 

 IX A struggle with one of the balloons. 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 25 
 
 During tlie day the sky had been very clear, the fragments of 
 cumulo-sfcratus clouds which appeared during the afternoon (as they do 
 with the utmost regularity on every day during fair weather) being 
 much lighter, higher, and more scattered than usual. At 7.30 a. m. the 
 thermometer had indicated a temperature of 68.4° with the dew- 
 point at 42°, and the relative humidity 37. The barometer had 
 shown a pressure of 29.98 inches with the wind continuing from the 
 southeast at a velocity of 18.16 miles per hour. At 3.30 p. m. the tem- 
 perature had risen to 92.2°, the dew-point remaining at 42°, and 
 the relative humidity having fallen to 16. Upon the same afternoon, 
 the office of the Weather Bureau at El Paso, 200 miles west, re- 
 ported the relative humidity at that point to be only 6. This would 
 indicate that upon the day upon which the firing occurred the atmos- 
 phere over an extended area was in as dry a condition as it ever is. 
 Such extreme dryness is seldom observed, even in that region. The 
 barometer at this hour indicated 29.93 inches, the wind continuing from 
 the south with a velocity varying from 19 to 23 miles per hour. At this 
 time a few fragments of clouds were floating overhead as usual, but 
 they were at an altitude of 6,000 or 8,000 feet, and very light and scat- 
 tered. 
 
 The firing ceased at about 11 p. m., the atmosphere at that time being 
 very clear, and as dry as I have ever observed it. 
 
 At about 3 o’clock on the following morning, August 26, I was 
 awakened by violent thunder, which was accompanied by vivid lightning, 
 and a heavy rainstorm was seen to the north — that is, in the direction 
 toward which the surface wind had steadily blown during the firing, and 
 hence the direction in which the shocks of the explosions were chiefly 
 carried. The storm extended northwest. The wind was directly north, 
 and the clouds approached slowly during the next two hours, until 
 shortly before 6 o’clock a. jn. a heavy rain could be seen falling over 
 the north pastures of the ranch. The rain continued falling heavily 
 over the entire north half of the ranch for about two hours. Only the 
 edge of the clouds passed over the ranch-house, however, so that the 
 rain there was slight; but Mr. Bannells, manager of the ranch, an ex- 
 perienced ranchman, and others of the party, and I, estimated the rain- 
 fall to be not less than 1 inch and probably as much as an inch and 
 a half on the north pastures less than 2 miles from the house. While 
 the thin edge of the cloud was overhead, a few charges of dynamite 
 were fired near the ranch house. A few moments after the first explo- 
 sion the first overhead rain began, and after each subsequent explosion 
 rain could be seen falling from the clouds overhead in what appeared to 
 be a heavy shower, but the air was still so dry that at first no rain and 
 afterward only a sprinkle reached the ground. After each explosion 
 the quantity of rainfall increased. 
 
 During the forenoon the clouds passed slowly to the east and south- 
 east, and, from reports afterwards received, it was learned that a very 
 heavy rain had fallen over the northern part of the Slaughter ranch, 
 situated east of the u O ” ranch, as well as over the rest of the central 
 portions of Andrews and Martin counties, and the storm had then dis- 
 solved before reaching points 100 miles east. At Abilene no rain fell, 
 nor did the wind change there, but continued blowing, as upon preced- 
 ing days, from the southeast. At other Weather Bureau stations, on 
 all sides of us, such as Fort Stanton and Santa Fe, FT. Mex., and El 
 Paso and San Antonio, Tex., there was no rain. The storm seems to 
 have been entirely local. 
 
 I have seen since that on the map of the Weather Bureau of August 
 
26 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OP RAINFALL. 
 
 25, 8 p. m., the forecast to 8 p. m. of August 26 predicted local showers 
 on the extreme southeast coast and the northwest (I do not know 
 whether this means the extreme northwest or anywhere north and west 
 of the center of the State); but from what precedes, it appears that 
 while I was in Texas showers were several times predicted for the 
 region*and did not occur at Midland and vicinity when there were no 
 explosions, and that when showers were not predicted for the region, 
 and there were explosions, showers occurred ; so I do not consider it 
 conclusive that because, in a general way, showers were predicted for 
 the northwest region and we got a rain after firing, consequently, 
 the firing must appear as having been superfluous. Besides what came 
 was not a shower. It was a heavy rain, estimated for the north pas- 
 tures of the U G V ranch and part of the Slaughter ranch at 1J inches. 
 The maps of the Weather Bureau of August 26 and 27 show no rain in 
 this region. 
 
 At 7 :25 a. m., August 26, ivhile there was a sprinkle of rain at the 
 ranch house, and heavy rain was falling to the north and northwest, 
 the temperature was 69.4°, the dew-point 45°, and the relative humidity, 
 40. The storm clouds extended from a line about 15° above the north- 
 western, northern, northeastern, and about 20° above the eastern hori- 
 zon to a little south of the zenith. The barometrical pressure was 30.34 
 inches, having risen steadily during the preceding 48 hours (.44 inch). 
 
 At 3 p. m. the barometer indicated a pressure of 30.06 inches, the 
 temperature was 90.4°, dew-point 45, relative humidity 20, and the wind 
 had hauled to the southeast, and was blowing with a velocity of 17 
 miles an hour. 
 
 After the completion of these experiments and after a thorough test 
 of all the apparatus on hand, I concluded that I might safely comply 
 with urgent requests for my return to Washington, where my presence 
 was imperatively demanded. 
 
 On the evening of the 26th I proceeded to Midland, together with 
 Messrs. Powers, Draper, and the balloonist, and on the following morn- 
 ing started for Washington. 
 
 During the whole of the time that I was at the “O” ranch, not only 
 was every possible facility extended to the expedition from Mr. Morris, 
 to whom I desire to express my thanks, but cheerful and most efficient 
 assistance was rendered by the personal attention of Mr. E. W. Ran- 
 nells, the manager of the ranch, to whose untiring zeal and courtesy 
 every member of the expedition testifies, and to whom whatever success 
 was achieved, is, in a great measure, due. 
 
 I left Mr. Ellis and Mr. Casler at the U C” ranch in charge of the 
 apparatus of the expedition, with instructions to remain at that point 
 a few days, in the hope of securing a calm day on which to make another 
 experiment, and then to transport the apparatus to Midland Station 
 and ship it by freight to El Paso, where, upon the invitation of the 
 mayor and prominent citizens, I agreed to make a test, provided the 
 local expenses of teams, labor, and hotel bills should be paid and trans- 
 portation to and from that point be furnished, saving that amount to 
 the appropriation. 
 
 Being unable to return to Texas during the next few weeks I found 
 it necessary to leave the immediate conduct of the subsequent experi- 
 ments to Mr. Ellis, to whom I gave careful instructions and whom I 
 knew to be competent to prosecute the investigations in the best possible 
 manner. 
 
 I kept in constant communication with him by mail and telegraph. 
 Mr. Ellis carefully followed all instructions given him, and his manage- 
 ment and the subsequent work of the expedition have been satisfactory. 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 27 
 
 Upon your request, at my suggestion, Lieut. S. Allen Dyer, of the 
 Twenty- third Infantry, U. S. Army, who gave valuable assistance and 
 worked with Mr. Ellis during the experiments at El Paso and San 
 Diego, has been detailed by the Secretary of War to assist Mr. Ellis in 
 making his report. 
 
 Concerning the subsequent movements of the party in the experi- 
 ments at El Paso and San Diego, I respectfully invite your attention to 
 the following reports of Mr. Ellis and Lieut. Dyer, together with at- 
 tached statements, letters, and meteorological data. 
 
 REPORT OF MR. ELLIS . 
 
 Washington, D. C., December 1, 1891. 
 
 R. G. Dyrenforth, 
 
 Special Agent, Department of Agriculture : 
 
 Sir: The departure from Midland of Dr. Rosell and Mr. Keefer on August 22, 
 of Mr. Curtis on the 24th, and of yourself, with Messrs. Powers, Myers, and 
 Draper, on the 27th, left Mr. George E. Casler and myself in charge of the ap- 
 paratus and unused material of the expedition at the “ C ” ranch. 
 
 In accordanca with your instructions, I secured the services of Mr. N. A. Jen- 
 nings, who had come from Dallas, Tex., to witness the experiments, and had 
 rendered valuable assistance in the work of the 25th of August, to assist Mr. Cas- 
 ler and myself in the work before us. 
 
 Your instructions to me were, to remain at the “ C” ranch a week or ten days 
 in the hope of securing a moderately quiet day in which to make another test, 
 and then to transport the outfit of the expedition overland by team to Midland, 
 and thence, by the Texas and Pacific Railway freight, to El Paso, and prepare for 
 the test at that point. During the next week the wind did not moderate, but at- 
 tained a velocity daily of from 15 to 26 miles an hour. 
 
 On the 31st of August, in company with Mr. Jennings, I drove to Midland, 
 where I received a message from Mayor Caples, of El Paso, under date of August 
 27, as follows : “ Have made all arrangements you requested in letter of 24th in- 
 stant. When can we expect you ? ” I telegraphed in reply that we would ship 
 the apparatus during the week, and that another week at least would be required 
 in which to set it up. 
 
 In the letter file which you left with me, I discovered a circular from the New 
 York Oxygen Company, stating that they were prepared to furnish pure oxygen 
 gas, stored in seamless steel cylinders, under a pressure of 120 atmospheres. I 
 estimated that by this means we could procure our oxygen gas at great econ- 
 omy of both time and money over the method we then employed. I therefore 
 telegraphed the New York Oxygen Company on September 1, to furnish me prices 
 and information concerning weight of cylinders, etc., and on September 2, 1 re- 
 ceived the following reply by telegraph : 
 
 “Oxygen, 5 cents per cubic foot, cash, f. o. b. New York, subject to satisfac- 
 tory guaranty for prompt return of cylinders here, free of expense to us. Weight 
 of cylinders charged, 95 pounds each. 
 
 Lenox Smith, President .” 
 
 Upon the same day I received the following reply to a message, sent Septem- 
 ber 1, to the Consolidated Fireworks Company of North America, in New York 
 City: 
 
 “ Bomb-shell salutes, 21-pounders, $17 per dozen, net. These are heaviest re- 
 ports made. We mail catalogue. 
 
 Consolidated Fireworks op America.” 
 
 For use at El Paso, in addition to materials we had on hand, I desired to pro- 
 
 cure materials, necessitating an expense as follows, viz : 
 
 2,000 cubic feet of oxygen, at 5 cents per cubic foot $100 
 
 6 dozen bomb shells, at $17 per dozen 102 
 
 500 pounds of dynamite, at 15 cents per pound . 75 
 
 Express from New York on oxygen and bombs, about 20 cwt., at $10 per 
 cwt 200 
 
 Total $477 
 
28 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 On account of the smallness of our party it would be very difficult to manufac- 
 ture our own oxygen at El Paso and carry on the other labors of an experiment 
 at the same time . It therefore seemed important that these materials should all be 
 secured in time for the test. However, the Government appropriation could not 
 spare the necessary funds. The people of El Paso had only agreed to furnish 
 transportation and pay local expenses of labor, teams, and hotel bills. I decided 
 to. ask them to assume these additional expenses and took the night train for El 
 Paso, Mr. Jennings returning meanwhile to the “C” ranch. 
 
 I arrived at El Paso on the 3d and received a warm welcome at the hands of 
 Mayor Caples, Capt. Juan S.Hart, of the El Paso Daily Times; Prof. Longuemare, 
 of the Bullion, and Mr. Kelly, of the city council. I laid the proposition before 
 the gentlemen, who gave most considerate attention, and was then driven to the 
 “ mesa” or table-land back of the city, to select a place for operating. The spot 
 which seemed most suitable for the balloon apparatus was a ravine or “ arroya,” 
 about 1£ miles north of the center of the city, at the foot of one of the walls of 
 the City Water Company’s reservoirs. In this hollow the balloons while filling 
 would be protected from the wind, which prevails from the southeast at an aver- 
 age velocity of about 10 miles per hour, and an abundant supply of water for the 
 hydrogen generator could be obtained through hose laid from the reservoir. 
 
 I also called at the office of the Weather Bureau and had a conversation with 
 Mr. Lovej the observer at that point. 
 
 That evening the city council at a special session agreed to pay the expenses 
 of procuring the oxygen, bombs, and dynamite, and authorized Mayor Caples to 
 make any other expenditures he deemed advisable. The bombs and oxygen were 
 immediately ordered by wire to be shipped by express. 
 
 On the 4th of September I returned to Midland, where I was met by Mr. Jen- 
 nings. On our return to the ranch we found that the ranch “outfit” had gone 
 to Colorado City to ship cattle, leaving only the cook and two or three men who 
 were on the sick list and could give us no assistance. 
 
 It was impossible to get the assistance of any of the freighters or other labor- 
 ers of Midland on account of their fear of our explosives and electrical apparatus. 
 Mr. Casler, Mr. Jennings, and I, therefore, packed our paraphernalia in the 
 wagons as rapidly as we were able and hauled it ourselves with mule teams to 
 the railroad at Midland. Mr. Casler, being too ill to drive a team, was brought 
 in the next day in a carriage. 
 
 The material brought from the ranch was as follows : Two hydrogen-generating 
 tanks, with wash barrels, etc.; 1,900 pounds chlorate of potash, in kegs ; 500 pounds 
 binoxideof manganese ; 500 pounds of rackarock ; 2,000 pounds of sulphuric acid, 
 in drums ; 1,000 pounds iron borings ; thirty-three 10 and 12 foot balloons ; one 
 20-foot balloon for explosive purposes ; one 22-foot balloon for ascensions ; 7 dy- 
 namo dischargers; 12 boxes and trunks, containing fittings and instruments; 
 2,000 pounds oxygen furnaces, cylinders, and wire. This material we loaded into 
 a freight car, together with 12,000 pounds of sulphuric acid, 5,000 pounds iron 
 borings, which had been stored at the Midland freight depot, and shipped it to 
 El Paso. 
 
 Foreman Jesse Corne and the ranch “outfit” returned before we had finished 
 loading and gave every assistance possible. Mr. Casler and I left Midland on 
 the evening of Wednesday, September 9, and reached El Paso at noon the fol- 
 lowing day. El Paso is situated in the midst of an exceedingly dry and barren 
 region in the fertile valley of the Rio Grande, 840 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. 
 Mr. Jennings remained at Midland to bring in another load of our apparatus 
 and start the car, following us to El Paso September 12. On the 13th we were, 
 joined by Mr. Eugene Fairchild, whom I had called, in accordance with your 
 instructions, from Oberlin College, Ohio, to assist in the chemical and electri- 
 cal work of the operations. The carload of apparatus and chemicals also ar- 
 rived from Midland on the 13th. 
 
 Soon after our arrival at El Paso, Maj. James Henton, commanding officer 
 of Fort Bliss, El Paso, called on me at the hotel and very kindly offered any as- 
 sistance he might be able to furnish in the shape of men and teams. The major 
 also handed me a letter from the San Antonio Board of Trade and Gen. D. S. 
 Stanley, commanding the Division of Texas, U. S. Army, urging that we come 
 to San Antonio to make further experiments, and proffering all the assistance 
 they might be able to give. In reply, I informed the Board of Trade and Gen. 
 Stanley of the arrangements which you had already ordered for experiments at 
 El Paso and in Southern Texas, and, after communicating with you, stated that 
 I knew of no reason why we could not come to San Antonio immediately after 
 finishing the work at these points. 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 20 
 
 On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the 14th to 16th of September, the ap- 
 paratus and materials necessary for* the experiment were hauled to the point 
 selected upon the “mesa” back of the city, beside the water- works reservoirs. 
 Here the hydrogen generator was set up in the sheltered ravine. Firehose was 
 laid from the reservoir. A hut, 12 by 14 feet in dimensions, was erected, in 
 which the balloons, dynamos, instruments, and fittings were stored, and .3,000 
 pounds of iron and 3,600 pounds of sulphuric acid were brought from the car for 
 use in making hydrogen gas. On the 16th, burros were load.ed with 400 pounds 
 of dynamite, 100 pounds of rackarock, 20 bombshells, 2 mortars, 2 dynamos, wire, 
 exploders, etc., and proceeded to the summit of the southern end of Mount Frank- 
 lin, a point 3 miles east of the balloon apparatus, with an altitude of about 2,000 
 feet above the Rio Grande at El Paso and 5,700 feet above the sea level. Mr. 
 Jennings was given charge of the preparations and execution of this part of the 
 work. 
 
 The following day, Thursday, the 17th, the 22 feet (diameter) balloon was in- 
 flated with hydrogen for use by me in making an observational ascension, to get 
 some data concerning the temperature and humidity of the various currents and 
 strata of the upper air. 
 
 I carried a barometer graduated to read hundredths of feet, a “ wet and dry 
 bulb” thermometer, or psychrometer, for determining the humidity of the air, 
 and a photograph camera. The balloon was heavily ballasted with sand bags so 
 that the ascension might be gradual, giving time for making careful readings of 
 the instruments at short intervals. 
 
 The balloon was let loose at 4:05 p. m. (Rocky Mountain time), and ascended 
 slowly to a height of about 1,000 feet, where it hung for a few moments in equi- 
 librium. A few handfuls of sand thrown out, however, caused it to slowly rise 
 a few hundred feet more, and by repeating the process a series of observations 
 was easily made which can be accepted as reasonably accurate. The balloon 
 changed its course repeatedly as it passed through different currents, and the 
 variations in temperature were marked. 
 
 At 4:44 p. m., I was at an elevation of 4,300 feet above El Paso (8,000 feet above 
 sea level), and at a lateral distance of about 6 miles from the waterworks reser- 
 voir and the apparatus. At that time several 2-pound charges of dynamite were 
 exploded at that point, in order that I might observe the effect. 
 
 A few moments after the first puff of white smoke arose by the reservoir, the 
 sound reached my ears, and at .the same time the balloon was perceptibly shaken, 
 trembling for several seconds in a manner that would have been alarming but 
 for my confidence that the fabric and netting were amply strong to withstand the 
 strain from the jarring. At this time the balloon was very close to the cumulo- 
 stratus clouds above, and a moment after the first sound wave reached me an 
 echo came from the clouds, causing the balloon to vibrate slightly again. Sev- 
 eral of the 2-pound charges of dynamite were fired at the reservoir during the 
 next five minutes, and after each explosion I experienced the same jarring of 
 the balloon. At 4:49 my ballast was exhausted, excepting a few pounds, which it 
 was necessary to retain for use, if necessary, in avoiding the dangers of a landing 
 in a precipitous region. I therefore opened the valve of the balloon and de- 
 scended at 4:55 p. m. in a valley on the southeast side of Mount Franklin, about 
 6 miles (in a direct line) east-northeast from the starting point, and 7 miles north- 
 east from El Paso. After folding the balloon and depositing it in a safe place, I 
 started for El Paso around the south end of the mountain. I soon met Mr. Jen- 
 nings with horses, and after sending word to Mr. Fairchild, who was farther up 
 4he valley, we proceeded to the city. On the outskirts of the city we met Dr. 
 D. M. Appel and a party of men from Fort Bliss, whom Maj. Henton had very 
 considerately detailed to render any necessary assistance. 
 
 The record of observations made are given below. 
 
30 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 Observations made September 17. 
 
 Altitude above— 
 
 Temper- 
 
 ature 
 
 (cor- 
 
 rected). 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 humid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Dew- 
 
 point. 
 
 Abso- 
 
 lute 
 
 humid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind 
 
 Wind velocity 
 (approximate). 
 
 Time 
 
 (local). 
 
 Sea 
 
 level. 
 
 El Paso. 
 
 direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Feet. 
 
 3, 900 
 
 Feet. 
 
 200 
 
 O 
 
 89. 
 
 23 
 
 O 
 
 46 
 
 Grains. 
 
 3. 539 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 P.M. 
 
 4. 00 
 
 4, 200 
 
 500 
 
 86. 
 
 30 
 
 50 
 
 4.077 
 
 N. 
 
 Very light. 
 
 4.07 
 
 4,700 
 
 1,000 
 
 1.500 
 
 80. 
 
 24 
 
 40 
 
 2. 849 
 
 NW. 
 
 Very light. 
 
 
 5, 200 
 
 75.4 
 
 31 
 
 43 
 
 3.178 
 
 W. 
 
 Light. 
 
 
 5,800 
 
 2,100 
 
 72.9 
 
 30 
 
 40 
 
 2. 849 
 
 w. 
 
 6 miles per hour. 
 
 
 6, 400 
 
 2.700 
 
 72.9 
 
 30 
 
 40 
 
 2. 849 
 
 s. 
 
 10 miles per hour. 
 
 4. 35 
 
 7,000 
 
 3,300 
 
 71. 9- 
 
 30 
 
 38 
 
 2. 646 
 
 w. 
 
 Light. 
 
 
 7,200 
 
 3,500 
 
 67.9 
 
 31 
 
 36 
 
 2. 457 
 
 sw. 
 
 Light. 
 
 
 7, 500 
 
 3, 800 
 
 66. 
 
 30 
 
 34 
 
 2. 280 
 
 sw. 
 
 Very light. 
 
 
 8,000 
 
 4,300 
 
 60. 
 
 65 
 
 48 
 
 3. 8015 
 
 w. 
 
 Very light. 
 
 4.44 
 
 *4, 300 
 
 600 
 
 81. 
 
 29 
 
 45 
 
 3. 415 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 miles per hour. 
 
 6. 00 
 
 +3, 717 
 
 0 
 
 83. 
 
 26- 
 
 44 
 
 3. 295 
 
 E. 
 
 2 miles per hour. 
 
 J6. 00 
 
 *Mt. Franklin. t At El Paso. $ Weather Bureau. 
 
 Note. — The exceedingly dry condition of the atmosphere immediately above 
 El Paso at the time these observations were made and during* the subsequent 
 experiment, may perhaps be better comprehended by those not conversant with 
 meteorological figures, when it is stated that during such conditions, if rain fell 
 from the clouds overhead in quantities sufficient to make 12 inches of rainfall in 
 a more humid climate (the entire average annual rainfall at El Paso is less than 
 12 inches), but should descend so slowly or in such small drops as to be entirely 
 evaporated in the air before reaching the earth, the average relative humidity 
 would still be less than 35, or about one-half the average humidity throughout 
 the Northern States. An amount of water equal to a flood about 2 feet in depth 
 over all the surface of the land in that locality, could be evaporated in the air 
 before it would become as moist as the atmosphere generally is throughout the 
 Eastern and Northern States. 
 
 It will be seen that while the relative humidity was considerably higher in the 
 upper strata than at the surface, yet the absolute humidity increased only slightly, 
 and the dew point was lower ; the increase in relative humidity being due mostly 
 to the decrease in temperature. If the cloud stratum, which was very high, 
 could have been reached, a greater amount of moisture would doubtless have 
 been found, but the presence of a stratum of exceedingly dry air 5,000 feet thick, 
 below the moist strata, would effectually prevent any considerable quantity of 
 rain from reaching the earth below, even if heavy clouds were condensed above 
 and caused in some way to precipitate their moisture. 
 
 In fact, it is a matter of frequent occurrence in this region to see rain falling 
 in torrents from heavy nimbus clouds high above the earth, but evaporating so 
 rapidly in the descent as to disappear entirely before reaching the earth, some- 
 times even before it has fallen a half or a third of the distance. If the jarring 
 together of the particles of moisture in suspension in the air and the consequent 
 releasing of latent heat is an important factor in the disturbance of the atmos- 
 phere for generating a storm center, it would seem that such a locality as the 
 Rio Grande valley at El Paso, where the moist strata are almost always at so 
 great a height, would be a peculiarly difficult place in which to obtain the 
 desired effect. Upon the Staked Plains, and in the southern part of Texas; the 
 moist cloud strata were much lower, even during the dryest days. This is dem- 
 onstrated by the fact that on numerous occasions when the air at the surface of 
 the earth was exceedingly dry, but with broken cumulus clouds floating over- 
 head, the explosion of a few pounds of dynamite on the ground would jar show- 
 ers from the clouds, and the drops fell to the earth, sometimes inside of ten or 
 twelve seconds, showing that the clouds were so low that the wave of concussion 
 had reached them and the resultant drops had fallen from the cloud to the ground 
 in that time. If, again, the effect of the explosion of the balloons directly in the 
 moist currents is important, another difficulty in the way of successful work pre- 
 sents itself at El Paso; for the altitude of the moist currents is so great and the 
 dry surface winds have such a high velocity that it is difficult to get a balloon to 
 attain a Sufficient height before exploding. The test, therefore, at El Paso was 
 to be a peculiarly severe one under any circumstances. 
 
 Moreover, upon the following day, the 18th, a strong wind set' in from the 
 southwest, rolling vast quantities of hot, dry air from the great desert region, 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 31 
 
 the Sahara of North America, which lies just west of El Paso and the Rio Grande 
 valley and extends to the Sierras and the coast of the Gulf of California. In 
 many portions of this great desert rain is practically unknown and the wind from 
 that quarter, which set in at El Paso during the morning of the 18th, was so hot 
 and dusty that the sky took on a copper hue ; every vestige of the showers which 
 had recently fallen in the vicinity were driven far away to the. east, and, so far 
 as the conditions of the atmosphere were concerned, the test might as well have 
 been made in the very midst of the desert instead of on its border. 
 
 However, despite the unusually unfavorable condition, it seemed best to proceed 
 with the experiment and observe what effect, if any, the explosions would pro- 
 duce ; any postponement in order to secure normal conditions being especially 
 undesirable, on account of the fact that a large number of prominent people from 
 Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, and from Chihuahua and Sonora, Mexico, were 
 present, by invitation of El Paso, to witness the experiment, and would be incon- 
 venienced by the delay. 
 
 At 8 a. m. we were joined at the balloon apparatus by a detachment of United 
 States troops from Fort Bliss, which, at my request, had been detailed by Maj. 
 Henton to assist in the work. The detachment consisted of twenty privates and 
 two noncommissioned officers under the command of Lieut. S. Allen Dyer, of 
 Company D, Twenty-third Infantry, U. S. Army, and rendered valuable assist- 
 ance. 
 
 Mr. Jennings, accompanied by ten of Lieut. Dyer’s men, proceeded to the sum- 
 mit of Mount Franklin, where all the preparations had been made for maintain- 
 ing a continuous fire of dynamite and rackarock throughout the day. 
 
 In the meantime, the hydrogen-generator was recharged and balloons and fit- 
 tings were unpacked. The balloons were first charged with oxygen from the 
 cylinders which had arrived on the preceding day and were then attached to the 
 hydrogen-generator for the completion of the inflation. 
 
 At 10:30 a. m. the temperature on the mesa was 84°, the relative humidity 38°, 
 dewpoint 59, and the barometer indicated a pressure of 30.11 inches, having 
 slowly risen during the preceding forty-eight hours. 
 
 At 10:35 the first explosion was fired from Mount Franklin by Mr. Jennings 
 and his men, and from that time until 7 :30 p. m. the explosions at that point oc- 
 curred at intervals of three minutes; 206 charges of from 2 to 50 pounds of dyna- 
 mite and rackarock being fired, and 550 pounds of the explosives being used. 
 Between 11 a. m. and 12:30 p. m, 2-pound charges of dynamite were exploded at in- 
 tervals of two minutes on a hill 1 ,000 yards west of the gas generator. About 
 fifty charges were fired at this point. 
 
 At 1:30 p. m. the first balloon, containing 525 feet of oxy-hydrogen gas, was ex- 
 ploded at an altitude of 3,000 feet, and from that time until 5:30 p. m., eight bal- 
 loons of the same capacity were exploded at thirty-minute intervals and at alti- 
 tudes varying from 500 to 4,000 feet. From 2 to 4 p. m. about fifty charges of 
 dynamite were fired at short intervals on the mesa southeast of the generator, 
 and bombshells were thrown from a mortar at intervals of five minutes during 
 that time, and exploded at altitudes of 500 to 1,000 feet. 
 
 From 7:30 to 8 p. m. the bombs from the mortars were fired at intervals of one 
 minute each, exploding high in the air with great force. At 8 p. m. a balloon, 
 containing 525 feet of the explosive gases, was fired at an altitude of 2,000 feet 
 and a 12-foot balloon of 950-foot capacity was exploded at an altitude of 4,000 feet. 
 This exhausted all the available material, and the firing ceased. Between the 
 hours of 10:30 a. m. and 8 p. m. 370 heavy explosions had been made, the inter- 
 vals between averaging one and two-thirds minutes. 
 
 During the day the wind had blown from the west and southwest from the dry 
 region, at an average velocity of 7 miles an hour, and at 8 p. m., when the firing- 
 ceased, was still blowing lightly toward the northeast. At this time clouds ana 
 lightning could be seen in the east and northeast, the direction toward which 
 the wind had been blowing during the firing. Soon after 8p.m. the wind died 
 out, rising again very lightly soon after 10 p. m., but coming then from the north- 
 east, a direction diametrically opposite to that from which it had been blowing 
 before; broken clouds began to appear, coming from the northeast over Mount 
 Franklin. At 11 p. m. clouds also began to form overhead, a thin stratus cloud 
 gradually spreading and growing heavier until at 12.30 a. m. two-thirds of the 
 sky was thickly overcast and every appearance indicated rain. At this time the 
 temperature was 69.5°, the relative humidity 64, absolute humidity 5.12 gr.,and 
 dew point 57, and the barometer indicated a pressure (corrected) of 29.91 inches, 
 having fallen .17 of an inch during the firing and showing a net fall of .16 of an 
 inch during the twenty-four hours ending at 11 p. m. 
 
 Soon after midnight the clouds began to pass off to the south, no rain having 
 
32 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 fallen, and at 3:30 a. m. the barometer, which had fallen to 29.91, began to 
 rise. By sunrise the sky was clear, except for the clouds which could still be 
 seen in the southeast, and the indications for rain had disappeared. A heavy 
 dew had fallen during the night, an occurrence which, I am reliably informed, 
 had never been known before in that region. 
 
 From inquiries by mail and telegraph on the morning of the 19th, it was as- 
 certained that soon after midnight rain had begun to fall within a few zniles of 
 El Paso, to the south and southeast, evidently coming from the clouds which had 
 formed over the city, during the explosions, and, between midnight and morn- 
 ing, a heavy rainstorm had passed down the Rio Grande valley, copiously wet- 
 ting the valley, including a few miles of the contiguous portions of Texas and 
 Mexico. 
 
 It is a circumstance worthy of careful notice that the direction of the course 
 of this storm seems to have been directly opposite to the constant course of the 
 rainstorms which occur in that region and which are almost invariably from the 
 Gulf country in the east and southeast, toward the arid mountain region to the 
 west and northwest, while this disturbance evidently originated in the midst of 
 this dry region about El Paso, after leaving El Paso traveling down the Rio 
 Grande valley from northwest to southeast, a direction from which only the dri- 
 est winds are expected. 
 
 The materials consumed in the El Paso test were as follows: 
 
 From the stores of the expedition: 
 
 Nine 10-foot diameter balloons, at $25 $225. 00 
 
 One 12-foot diameter balloon, at $35 35. 00 
 
 1,600 pounds sulphuric acid, at $1.32 per cwt 21. 12 
 
 3,000 pounds cast-iron borings, at 50 cents per cwt 15. 00 
 
 400 electrical exploders, at 3 cents _• 12. 00 
 
 Rope, wire, etc ,. 8.00 
 
 150 pounds of B rackarock 25.00 
 
 Total 341.12 
 
 Salaries of members of expedition during twelve days spent at El Paso. . 192. 00 
 
 Total cost to Government 533. 12 
 
 Expenses paid by outside parties (by the city of El Paso): 
 
 500 pounds of dynamite, at 15 cents 75. 00 
 
 2,000 cubic feet oxygen gas, at 5 cents 100. 00 
 
 6 dozen bombshells, at $17 per dozen 102. 00 
 
 Expressage on oxygen and bombs and return freight charges on 
 
 cylinders (estimated ) 250. 00 
 
 Hotel bill of party (estimated) 90.00 
 
 Teams and labor (estimated) 150. 00 
 
 Total.. 767.00 
 
 Total expense of El Paso test (approximate) 1, 300. 00 
 
 Among those present at the El Paso experiment were: Mayor Richard Caples, 
 of El Paso, and the mayor of Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico; Maj. James 
 Henton, Twenty-third Infantry, U. S. Army, commanding officer at Fort Bliss; 
 Dr. D. M. Appel, post surgeon at Fort Bliss; Lieut. S. Allen Dyer, Company D, 
 Twenty-third Infantry, U. S. Army, acting signal officer, Fort Bliss; Capt. Juan 
 S. Hart, editor, and J. A. Ponder, city editor, El Paso Daily Times (representing 
 the Associated Press) ; the editors of the El Paso Daily Tribune and El Paso Daily 
 Herald: Hon. George W. Fulton, jr., Colman-Fulton Pasture Company, Gregory, 
 Tex.; Dr. Y. M. Yandell, El Paso, health officer; Mr. N. D. Lane, El Paso, ob- 
 server U. S. Weather Bureau; Mr. William A. Bowen, secretary San Antonio 
 Commercial Exchange; Lieut. Bartlett of the Artillery, from Fort Sam Houston, 
 San Antonio, and Mr. Herbert Stranathan, of the staff of the St. Louis Post- 
 Dispatch. 
 
 THE SAN DIEGO EXPERIMENT. 
 
 On August 30, Mr. Robert J. Kleberg, representing the King Ranch (of 700,000 
 acres) near Corpus Christi, Tex., and Hon. N. G. Collins, of San Diego, had called 
 at the C ranch, Midland, having come to investigate the outcome of the Midland 
 experiments and to urge that some experiments be made by the Government 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 33 
 
 party, in their locality. These gentlemen stated that their region was suffering 
 from very severe drought, and that the results of a successful test would be of 
 great immediate benefit to the country. 
 
 Since at this time (August 30), the appropriation could not afford the expense 
 of a test in the southern part of the State, it was necessary for me to inform the 
 gentlemen that it would be impossible for you to pay the expenses. . They re- 
 quested that I furnish them with some idea of the expense of an experiment such, 
 as they proposed, and that I mail them, as soon as convenient, a more detailed 
 estimate of the expenditures necessary, and meanwhile they would return to 
 Corpus Christi and arrange for the payment of the expenses by those in the 
 neighborhood who were interested in the matter. This I did, and stated that 
 we could reach Corpus Christi on or before September 24. On September 9, I 
 received the following telegram from Mr. Kleberg: 
 
 “Corpus Christi, Tex., September 9. 
 
 Have ordered everything by wire. Money ready to pay all expense. 
 
 R. J. Kleberg.” 
 
 And on September 12 the following: 
 
 “ Everything ordered. Come to Corpus Christi. 
 
 Robert J. Kleberg.” 
 
 Having reported their proposal and plans to you and received your approval, 
 I arranged to go to Corpus Christi immediately after completing the work at 
 El Paso. 
 
 Hon. George W. Fulton, Jr., came to El Paso from Corpus Christi, represent- 
 ing the parties who had subscribed toward the expenses of the proposed tests 
 there, to witness the El Paso experiment and to complete arrangements for the 
 operations in the southern part of the State. At his request, Gen. Stanley detailed 
 Lieut. Dyer, with two non-commissioned officers and eight privates from Compa- 
 nies B and D, Twenty-third Infantry, at Fort Bliss, to assist us in southern Texas. 
 
 Through the courtesy of Mr. E. G. .Bleker, general manager of the Texas lines 
 of the Southern Pacific Company, and Mr. R. W. Andrews, passenger agent of 
 the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad, I obtained free transportation for 
 the fifteen members of our party and our freight, from El Paso to Corpus Christi 
 (780 miles) and return. 
 
 After loading and shipping our freight, we left El Paso, with Lieut. Dyer and 
 his men, on September 23. We reached San Antonio, the following morning 
 arid were met by Mr. William A. Bowen, secretary of the San Antonio Commer- 
 cial Exchange, who took us to the rooms of the exchange where a number of 
 representative citizens of San Antonio, including President Hugo of the Board of 
 Trade, Mr. R.W. Andrews of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad and the 
 editors of the city papers, had gathered to talk with us concerning the experi- 
 ments and the prospect of our being able to come to San Antonio for a test in the 
 near future. That region, like the rest of the State, was experiencing an un- 
 usually dry season. At 1:30 p. m. , we started on to Corpus Christi, reaching that 
 point at 8 p. m. During the afternoon, a heavy rain had set in from off the Gulf 
 of Mexico and the weather continued stormy for several days. On account of the 
 rainy weather, we postponed, indefinitely, any important experiment, but on Sep- 
 tember 26, an unimportant trial was made of some bombs which had been re- 
 ceived from New York. At 3 p. m., twelve of the bombs and two mortars were 
 carried in a carriage to an elevated spot about 1 mile west of the Corpus Christi 
 Railroad station where they were unpacked and the mortars set up. 
 
 The weather was threatening, several slight showers having fallen during the 
 afternoon, and cumulus clouds passing overhead at intervals. A brisk wind was 
 blowing from the northeast, and the clouds were moving rapidly. Just as a 
 heavy cumulus cloud came well overhead, four bombs were shot f rom the mortars 
 and exploded at a height of about 500 feet. No rain was falling at the time, and it 
 could be plainly seen that none was falling anywhere in the vicinity. A few seconds 
 after theexplosions, scattered drops began to fall, and as the cloud passed rapidly 
 on towards the southwest, the rain could be seen falling from it in a brisk shower . 
 When another cloud came overhead, four more bombs were fired, and the same 
 result was observed except that the shower was heavier than the first. Finally 
 a heavier cloud than usual passed over, and the explosion of four more bombs 
 was immediately followed by a downpour which lasted for several minutes and 
 soaked the party to the skin before they could enter a carriage. As this shower 
 passed on southwest, it could be seen to grow heavier and spread out over a 
 much broader path. 
 
 As the rainy weather continued, the advisability of abandoning the experi- 
 ments in that region was discussed ; but it was deemed advisable to wait a few 
 
 S. Ex. 45 3 
 
34 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 days, and see how long the wet weather would continue. Camp equipage and 
 commissary supplies were provided by the citizens’ committee, and on September 
 28, the expedition proceeded to San Diego, a small station on the Mexican Na- 
 tional Railroad, the county seat of Duval County , 55 miles west of Corpus Christi, 
 where the drought had been very severe and there had been a deficiency of rain 
 for several years. Very little of the rain which had fallen on the coast during 
 the preceding days had penetrated so far inland , and the fall there had been 
 much less. 
 
 Camp was pitched near a windmill pump, li miles northeast of the San Diego 
 station, and two hydrogen-generators were setup. The rainy weather gradually 
 cleared up, the last shower falling on the 3d of October, when the Weather Bu- 
 reau office at Corpus Christi recorded 0.10 of an inch and a slight sprinkle fell at 
 San Diego. On October 4, a “norther” arose which quickly drove away every 
 sign of rain. “ Norther ” is the name applied in Texas to cool, dry winds which 
 sweep down from the north over the hot, dry plains, generally with a velocity 
 of from 10 to 20 miles an hour. Having their origin in the elevated arid regions 
 of the Northwest, and passing over thousands of miles of dry prairie country be- 
 fore reaching Texas, the “ northers ” or “ dry northers,” as they are frequently 
 called, are, by all means, the dryest winds that ever blow in that region. The 
 “northers” are not shallow currents, as many of our surface winds are, but, 
 generally, as we found by sending small balloons up into them, they extend up- 
 wards to a height of two miles or more, forming a thick stratum of extremely 
 dry air — a condition of the atmosphere under which, according to the theories 
 we were testing, as well as to the accepted principles of the formation of rain- 
 storms, it would seem to be utterly impossible to produce rain by any means. 
 
 On the 10th the “ norther” subsided, but another was foretold for the 12th by 
 the Weather Bureau office at Corpus Christi. This one dissipated, however, be- 
 fore reaching Texas, and on the 15th, being informed by the Weather Bureau that 
 all indications promised normal, dry weather, we began work. 
 
 After a full discussion of the matter with Lieut. Dyer, the following plan was 
 decided upon : 
 
 First. The principal explosions should take place at night time, on account of 
 the fact that the heavy winds which prevail during the day, subside soon after 
 sunset and the night is comparatively quiet, therefore offering fewer difficulties 
 to the manipulation of the balloon apparatus. It was also thought that the high 
 winds of the daytime might tend to dissipate the effect of the explosions. 
 
 Second. A preliminary firing, with the explosions occurring at intervals of 
 five or ten minutes, should be kept up during several hours, commencing early 
 in the morning of Friday, the 16th of October, and continuing through the day 
 and following night, in order to observe the effect of explosions occurring at con- 
 siderable intervals as compared with a shorter series of much more rapid ex- 
 plosions which should keep up a constant agitation of the air. 
 
 Third. On the night of October 17, taking advantage of whatever meteorolog- 
 ical disturbances the preliminary firing had caused, the principal and final ope- 
 ration should take place, consisting of about 1,000 very heavy explosions occur- 
 ring in rapid succession. 
 
 The night of October 15 was perfectly clear, and at 6 p.m., the barometer in- 
 dicated a pressure of 30.07 (corrected). 
 
 At 1 a. m., Friday, October 16, with the wind blowing from the southeast at 
 about 5 miles per hour, the firing of dynamite and rackarock was begun and was 
 continued until 3 a. m., the explosions occurring at comparatively frequent in- 
 tervals, five dynamos being used. The first balloon was exploded at 2 a. m., a 
 second at 4 a. m. , and a third at 7 a. m. In the mean time, three hundred 21-pound 
 charges of dynamite and rackarock had been fired. The firing of dynamite was 
 then continued in 3-pound charges, at five-minute intervals, until 12:30 p. m. 
 
 During the 16th, the wind continued to blow from the southeast, attaining a ve- 
 locity of 15 miles an hour. In the afternoon, a few cumulus clouds passed over- 
 head, but, as night approached, they gradually disappeared. At 6 p. m. the 
 barometer stood at 30.02, having fallen slightly in the twenty-four hours. At 5 
 p. m. the firing of five-minute explosions was renewed, the charges consisting 
 of 21 pounds of rackarock and a quarter pound of dynamite, the use of a portion 
 of dynamite having been found effective in producing a better explosion of the 
 rackarock. 
 
 At 6 p. m. a 10-foot balloon was exploded and the firing of dynamite was con- 
 tinued till 8 o’clock. At 11 p. m., a second 10-foot balloon was fired and three 
 more followed at intervals of seventy-five minutes each, the last being exploded 
 at 3 o’clock a. m. At that time, (the morning of Saturday, the 17th,) the sky was 
 clear, the wind was fresh from the south, having blown from that direction since 
 10 p. m., and the barometric pressure was 30.09. The Weather Bureau reports 
 
35 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 show that a region of several hundred square miles directly northwest of us had 
 become overcast with clouds during the night. 
 
 There was no more firing throughout the day of the 17th until evening, but 
 preparations were immediately begun for the formidable task of firing, with as 
 little danger of accident as possible, 7,000 cubic feet of oxy-hydrogen and 800 
 charges of dynamite and other explosives; 1,500 pounds of rackarock and dyna- 
 mite were bound in bundles of three cartridges of the former (*2i pounds) and one 
 small cartridge of the latter (i pound) with the electric exploder inserted in the 
 dynamite and short wires extending, ready to be attached to the electrical con- 
 ductors from the dynamos. One hundred 2-pound cartridges of powder were 
 prepared for a cannon and the work of generating gas for the balloon explosion 
 was also steadily pushed. 
 
 The dynamo dischargers and connecting wires were rearranged so that the 
 explosions would not be so close together, as the great concussion caused severe 
 headache to the operators. Between 5 and 6 p. m., a few charges were fired to 
 test the new wire. 
 
 At 6 p. m., the thermometer indicated a temperature of 79°, the barometric 
 pressure was 30.11 and the barometer was steadily rising; the relative humidity 
 was 48, wind fresh from the southeast, and sky clear, but for a slight patch of 
 light clouds, evidently 50 miles away, on the northwest horizon, in the direction 
 toward which the wind had been carrying all the disturbances of the firing of 
 the preceding thirty -six hours. This cloud had been observed since 2 p. m., 
 and since that time had not changed its position. A careful observation during 
 the four hours showed that it was not approaching, but evidently rested station- 
 ary. During the afternoon, fearing that the distant spot of cloud might be an 
 indication of a “norther,” which I knew would render futile an attempt to pro- 
 duce rain by any means at that time, I carefully questioned a number of the 
 most intelligent citizens and ranchmen of that locality, who were present to wit- 
 ness the experiment, and received positive and unanimous assurance, first, that 
 the cloud spot was not a forerunner of a “norther,” being entirely diffe’ ent from 
 the dull, lead-colored clouds which sometimes accompany a very cold “norther,” 
 and also, secondly, that there was not the slightest chance of rain from that cloud 
 or from any clouds in that direction, as they never had rain from that quarter. 
 
 Believing, however, that any effect of the explosions upon the atmosphere 
 must have been carried in that direction, and recalling the reversing of the 
 wind at both Midland and El Paso, after the firing at those points, we watched 
 the cloud very closely. Several times during the afternoon, lightning was seen 
 beneath it. A 10-foot balloon sent up at this time, to ascertain the direction of 
 the upper currents of the air, revealed the fact that at an altitude of about 4 miles 
 there was, as is usually the case, a current moving in the opposite direction to 
 the wind on the surface, that is, from northwest to southeast. 
 
 At 9 p. m. all arrangements had been completed and the following parapher- 
 nalia was in position, viz : 
 
 Six dynamos with two double conductors leading from each to a safe distance, 
 for the explosion of dynamite, these dynamite batteries being arranged in a semi- 
 circle of three-fourths of a mile diameter, southeast of the balloon apparatus. 
 
 Five mortars for throwing 21-pounder bombshells into the air, these being 
 located to the left of the dynamite line. 
 
 One 12-pound cannon to the left and north of the mortars. 
 
 Beside each dynamo Was a pile of rackarock, consisting of about one hundred 
 21-pound charges for each dynamo, and ready primed with electric exploders. 
 One hundred bombs were piled beside the mortars, which had been sunk in the 
 ground to prevent accidents from explosions. One hundred cartridges were also 
 piled beside the cannon. At the gas apparatus four balloons had been filled and 
 were anchored, with fuses inserted ready for firing, and two more were in the 
 course of inflation. 
 
 The dynamite battery was manned with two men for each discharger, one of 
 whom should attach the charges to the wires, and the other work the dynamo. 
 The wires were so arranged that each dynamo could explode two of the heavy 
 rackarock charges in rapid succession, every minute, and every precaution was 
 taken to guard against accidents. The mortars and cannon were handled by 
 Lieut. Dyer and two men— Mr. Fairchild and Mr. Casler ; I operated the balloon 
 apparatus, and Mr. Jennings had charge of the dynamite batteries. 
 
 At 9:45 p. m.,'the first balloon was started off. As it ascended, easily visible by 
 the fact that it was a moonlight night, the men at the batteries made ready, and 
 the moment the flash of the explosion was seen, the dynamite and mortar bat- 
 teries and the cannon were exploded, the flash of the balloon serving as a signal 
 for these explosions, the roar of the ground explosions mingling with the crash 
 S. Ex. 5 6 
 
36 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 of the explosion of about 1,000 cubic feet of oxy-hydrogen gas produced a concus- 
 sive effect of tremendous force, and the ground was shaken for miles, as we af- 
 terwards learned, in every direction. 
 
 From 9:45 to 11:30 p. m., the explosions were continued at the rate of ten amin- 
 ute. The men were instructed to bunch the firing into volleys, so that at times 
 a dozen explosions occurred in half as many seconds. 
 
 The hundreds of spectators who had come from San Diego and other towns near 
 by, crowded together in a frightened mass in the open space in the midst of the 
 camp. As soon as they were assured that passage was safe along the roadway a 
 large majority of the spectators started for their homes. 
 
 At midnight, after the rapid firing had ceased, those who had remained, also 
 left the camp, the believers in “rainmaking” being sadly disappointed and all 
 being positive that the test was a complete failure, for the sky overhead was 
 never clearer and the moon never shone more brightly. The fact that the edge 
 of the light cloud in the northwest seemed to be nearer, did not have the slight- 
 est weight with any of the many ranchmen present, for they were confident that 
 no rain could come from that quarter, and all were convinced that the test was a 
 failure. 
 
 At 6 p. m., the barometer had indicated a pressure of 30.11 inches, which is 
 above the normal. Since that time it had continued its steady rise and now- 
 showed 30.24 inches, and was still ascending. The relative humidity had risen 
 from 48 at 6p. m., to 84 at 10.15, and 92 at midnight. The temperature had fallen 
 in that time from 79° to 65.5°. The absolute humidity of the air had increased 
 from 5.018 gr. per cubic feet at 6 p. m., with the dew-point at 56°, to 6.35 gr. at 
 midnight, with the dew-point at 63°. The wind continued from the southeast at 
 about 4 miles per hour on the surface, with a greater velocity above, as was indi- 
 cated by balloon movements. The sky was perfectly clear except for the cloud 
 in the northwest, which, after resting stationary for nine or ten hours, had evi- 
 dently begun to approach at about 11 o’clock, after the heavy firing had been in 
 progress an hour and fifteen minutes. 
 
 Up to midnight, four 12-foot balloons containing 3,500 cubic feet of oxy-hydro- 
 gen gas had been exploded and about eight hundred charges of other violent 
 explosives. 
 
 Several times a heavy ground explosion was observed to create a forcible up- 
 ward current, taking the form of an eddy or whirlpool, accompanied by a ring 
 of smoke, which rose with a whirling motion high into the air attended with a 
 peculiar sound, something between a whistle and a hoarse m.oan, heard for sev- 
 eral moments after the explosion. 
 
 After midnight, balloons alone were used, being sent up and exploded at inter- 
 vals of forty-five minutes, the approach of the clouds, meanwhile, being watched 
 with the greatest interest. At 2 a. m., when they had risen to an altitude of 
 about 25° from the horizon, they seemed entirely to cease approaching and be- 
 gan to spread out steadily in both directions from a point directly northwest, of 
 the observers. By 3 a. m., that which had been a small cloud in the northwest, 
 had grown and spread out, extending wings to left and right which circled 
 around us both to the west and east in what soldiers term a ‘ 4 flanking move- 
 ment,” until the clouds extended all around three sides of us, to the west, north, 
 and east. 
 
 Meanwhile the clouds, for something more than an hour, had not advanced 
 toward the zenith, the sky being entirely clear down to the edge of the clouds, 
 which defined an irregular line extending from a point in the southwest, around 
 three sides of us, at an elevation of about 25° from the horizon, to a point in the 
 southeast. Up to 3:50 a. m., the clouds kept creeping around us in both direc- 
 tions, in an unusual manner, starting from a center in the northwest where the 
 formation and growth seemed to originate. 
 
 At about 2:30 a. m., while the conditions were as described above, a 10-foot 
 balloon was sent off with the fuse set for about fifty seconds. As it rapidly as- 
 cended, we were surprised at its unusual actions, for instead of floating steadily 
 away, as usual, upon the inclined path by which the wind would carry it, this 
 balloon started on a slant toward the northwest and when it had reached a 
 height of a few hundred feet, turned sharply back toward the southeast and then 
 made several other changes of direction before exploding at an altitude of about 
 1,500 feet. 
 
 The actions of the balloon showed plainly that there was some unusual dis- 
 turbance of the air. Our balloonist had never seen such action before. When 
 the next balloon was released, therefore, at 3:20 a. m., while the clouds were still 
 strangely holding off but extending around us, several of our party took posi- 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 37 
 
 lions at different spots to observe the course which the balloon would take. 
 There were exclamations of amazement on all sides when, after ascending- to- 
 ward the north about 200 feet, it turned sharply to the south and passed directly 
 overhead in an irregular waving course, then turned again toward the northeast 
 and pursued an unsteady course in that general direction, turning back and 
 forth and to one side and the other, making spirals and zigzags in every direc- 
 tion, until it finally exploded at a height of about 3,000 feet, a little to the north- 
 east of the starting point. The sight of the ascending balloon carried noise- 
 lessly hither and thither in the moonlight, by unseen and unexplained forces 
 was almost uncanny and positively alarming for the moment, in its suggestions 
 of all manner of whirlwinds and cyclones in embryo. Immediately after the ex- 
 plosion of this balloon as well as that of the one preceding it, flashes of lightning 
 were seen in the distant clouds by those who were watching them. 
 
 At 3:30 a. m. it was noticed that the sky to the south was also filling with 
 clouds and only at the zenith was it clear. This attracted attention to the sky 
 overhead where we were soon able to see the manner in which the clouds were 
 forming ; for at about 3:35 we saw a spot of vapor appear in the clear sky over- 
 head, then spread out and rapidly thicken until within five minutes it had become 
 a dark cloud entirely obscuring the moon. This cloud slowly drifted to the south 
 and other spots of vapor began appearing here and there, growing in the same 
 manner. In fifteen minutes the sky was completely “ filled up ” with dark clouds. 
 
 It was now a few minutes before 4 a. m,, and the barometer stood at 30.30 inches. 
 The wind, which had sunk to a light breeze, now changed from the southeast to 
 the northwest, and the clouds, which covered the entire heavens, could be seen 
 moving in the same direction. 
 
 At 4 a. m. the last balloon was exploded. It had been carried half a mile to 
 the south when the explosion occurred, and rain appeared to begin to fall at 
 that point immediately after the explosion. At 4:05, some bombs and a few 
 charges of rackarock were exploded and immediately scattered drops began to 
 fall. In five minutes a steady rain was falling and in another ten minutes, the 
 water was pouring down in torrents. The rain continued falling until a few 
 minutes before 5 a. m., and the rain-gauge registered .47 of an inch in that 
 time. A little before 5 o’clock the wind had risen strongly from the north and 
 the clouds were carried rapidly south before it. The rain ceased as the clouds 
 passed off, and the fact was revealed that there was not a single cloud of any 
 kind following the one storm cloud from which the rain had fallen. Fifteen 
 minutes after the rain ceased t the northern half of the sky was entirely clear, 
 and in an hour there was hardly a cloud in sight. Our weary men u turned in ” 
 after seventy- two hours of work with only five or six of sleep. 
 
 This rainfall was the only one observed by the office of the Weather Bureau 
 at San Antonio from the 4th day of October to the 16th of November. The mate- 
 rial used in the San Diego experiment was as follows : 
 
 From the stores of the Government expedition: 
 
 Fifteen 10-foot balloons, at $25 $375. 00 
 
 Five 12-foot balloons, at $35 175. 00 
 
 3,600 pounds sulphuric acid, at $1.32 per cwt 47. 52 
 
 2,000 iron borings, at 50 cents per cwt 10. 00 
 
 100 pounds rackarock 16. 00 
 
 Wire, etc 10.00 
 
 Cost to Government $633. 52 
 
 Materials furnished by the King Ranch and others in Corpus Christi, 
 
 San Diego, and vicinity (cost estimated): 
 
 2.000 pounds of rackarock $320. 00 
 
 5.000 cubic feet oxygen gas 250. 00 
 
 120 bombs. 170.00 
 
 250 pounds cannon powder 25. 00 
 
 500 pounds dynamite 75. 00 
 
 2.000 pounds iron borings 10. 00 
 
 1 ,500 electrical exploders 45. 00 
 
 200 feet time fuse and caps 5. 00 
 
 Total $900.00 
 
 Total cost of materials used (approximated) $1, 533. 52 
 
38 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 The latter persons also paid the salaries and expenses of the party during the 
 time spent at Corpus Christi and San Diego, and the traveling expenses from El 
 Paso and return, a sum amounting to $736. 
 
 During the following day a number of gentlemen, who had watched the results 
 of the experiment, came to our camp to offer their congratulation on what they 
 considered “ a complete success in producing rain under the most unfavorable 
 circumstances,” and to bring me reports from various points near by where the 
 rainfall had been much heavier than at our camp. 
 
 From Judge James O. Luby, Dr. Lincoln B. Wright, and Mr. Vat verde, agent 
 of the Mexican National Railroad, at San Diego, I received the following reports, 
 which, in the absence of the officers of the Weather Bureau in that region, are 
 as reliable as could be obtained. The original expressions are used : 
 
 Moose Ranch, 23 miles northwest, no rain. 
 
 Mathis, 30 miles northeast, no rain. 
 
 Banquete, 25 miles east, no rain. 
 
 Corpus Christi, 50 miles east, no rain. 
 
 Pena, 50 miles southwest, no rain. 
 
 Skidmore, 40 miles north northeast, “ good rain.” 
 
 San Antonio, 115 miles north, slight rain (.19 inch). 
 
 Paul Hennery. 6 miles north, “very heavy rain.” 
 
 Laredo, 85 miles west, “ good rain.” 
 
 Realitos, 30 miles southwest, “light rain.” 
 
 Parie Ranch, 27 miles southwest, “ heavy rain.” 
 
 Benavides, 18 miles southwest, “pretty good.” 
 
 Hoffman Ranch, 7 miles southeast, “ very good rain, water ran.” 
 
 Thomas Collin’s, 10 miles southeast, “ good rain.” 
 
 Paleta Blanca, 16 miles southeast, “ heavy rain.” 
 
 Other points to at least 25 miles southeast, “ heavy rain.” 
 
 Many points south of San Diego reported that the rainfall was “ very heavy ” 
 in that direction, the water “ running” and “ standing in the hollows.” 
 
 According to the theories under test, the fact that the rainfall extended as far 
 north as San Antonio (115 miles), where there was a slight fall, would not at all 
 indicate that the rain was not occasioned by local causes, for the effects of the fir- 
 ing, whatever they may have been, must certainly have been carried as far and 
 farther than that point by the wind which blew steadily in that general direc- 
 tion during all the firing. 
 
 That the “norther ” had no connection with the formation of the storm would 
 seem to be clearly indicated by the fact that the clouds, which afterward devel- 
 oped and produced the rainfall, were in sight at least eleven hours before the 
 “ norther” reached San Antonio, 115 miles north. The rain was local in char- 
 acter, being restricted to south-central Texas and being central and much the 
 heaviest in the immediate vicinity of San Diego. It occurred over the region 
 which, according to the theories of “ rainmaking,” would be affected by the fir- 
 ing, and during an unusually high and steadily rising barometer. 
 
 According to the statement of the agent of the Weather Bureau at San An- 
 tonio, the “norther ” itself, was brought at least twenty hours before it was due, 
 under normal conditions. He says, “ The morning telegraph reports of the 17th 
 indicated a probable ‘ norther ’ for this locality within thirty-six to forty-eight 
 hours, and I was surprised to note that it reached here in little more than six- 
 teen hours, a feature which is clearly attributable to the disturbing influences 
 of your experiments at San Diego.” 
 
 The following forecasts were made by the Weather Bureau during the time of 
 the experiment at San Diego: 
 
 Thursday , October 15— Generally fair weather may be expected for forty-eight 
 hours in the Mississippi Valley and the Gulf States. 8 p. m.: For the Gulf 
 States, generally fair. 
 
 Friday , October 16 — For the Gulf States, generally fair. 8 p.m.: For the Gulf 
 States, generally fair. 
 
 Saturday, October 17 — 8 a. m.: Another clearing condition of great magnitude 
 has moved from the Pacific coast to Wyoming, and will dominate the weather 
 west of the Mississippi River for the next forty-eight hours. 
 
 Forecast until 8 a. m. Sunday — For Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Eastern 
 Texas, generally fair; stationary temperature, except slightly warmer in north 
 ern portions, winds becoming southerly. 8 p.m.: Another clearing condition from 
 the Rocky Mountain plateau to Colorado, increasing in magnitude, and dominating 
 the weather west of the Mississippi River. Fair weather may be expected for 
 the middle and upper Mississippi Valleys and west of the Mississippi River, also 
 in the Atlantic and Gulf States. 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 39 
 
 Forecast until 8 p. m., Sunday . — For Louisiana and Eastern Texas, generally 
 fair; slightly cooler, except stationary temperature on the Gulf; winds becoming 
 northerly. 
 
 On October 19 our party returned to Corpus Christi, where it disbanded. Free 
 transportation was furnished by the railroads for the various members of the ex- 
 pedition to El Paso, St. Louis, and Chicago, and for our apparatus and unused 
 material to St. Louis, where I returned all the unused chemicals and empty acid 
 drums to Meyer Bros. Drug Company, where I received creditfor the same on the 
 account of the appropriation. 
 
 In making the experiments at El Paso and San Diego, allowing the regular 
 rates for all transportation of both party and paraphernalia and the full prices 
 on all apparatus and material used, and including all the expenses of the expe- 
 dition after leaving Midland till it arrived at Washington on the return, a nomi- 
 nal expense of $6,384.34 was incurred. Of this amount there was an actual ex- 
 penditure on the part of the Government of $1,450 (in round numbers), and there 
 was received from the prosecution of the investigations in the form of free rail- 
 road transportation, the furnishing of materials and assistants free of charge, 
 and the payment of salaries and other expenses, assistance amounting to a nom- 
 inal sum of $4,984.34. saving that amount to the appropriation. 
 
 I wish to express my appreciation and gratitude for valuable assistance given by 
 Mr. George C. Smith, of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad; 
 Col. John A. Grant, of the Texas and Pacific; Mr. E. G. Bleker and other officials 
 of the Southern Pacific; Mr. R. W. Andrews, of the San Antonio and Aransas 
 Pass, and the officials of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe, and Mexican Na- 
 tional Railroads; also to Mayor Richard Caples, Maj. James Henton, Lieut. S. 
 Allen Dyer, Dr. W. M. Yandell, Dr. Appel, Capt. Juan S. Hart, Mr. Robert J. 
 Kleberg, Messrs. F. Gueydan & Co., Judge James O. Luby, Dr. L. B. Wright, 
 and many other citizens of Corpus Christi and San Diego, who assisted in secur- 
 ing the desirable results of our work at those places. My thanks are also due 
 to the following members of the Twenty- third Infantry, who rendered faithful 
 and intellegent service in the work of the expedition: Sergt. F. Lehman and 
 Privates, S. Adams, M. M. Wolff, and H. McCann, of Company B,and Corpl. A. 
 Gerald and Privates G. Arthur, E. J. Fay, B. F. Ellis, F. Nelson, and M. Morris, 
 of Company D. 
 
 I have the honor to transmit herewith copies of certain observations made by 
 the nearest stations of the Weather Bureau during the months in which the ex- 
 periments were made, statements, concerning the operations and results at El 
 Paso and San Diego, by Mr. Eugene Fairchild, of the expedition, and a few letters 
 of especial interest from prominent citizens of Texas regarding the experiments 
 at which they were present. 
 
 Lieut. Dyer has been present with me in Washington during the preparation 
 of this report, in which work he has given valuable assistance. Lieut. Dyer was 
 with me constantly during the experiments at El Paso and San Diego and he 
 authorizes me to say that he concurs in all the statements in this report concern- 
 ing those experiments. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 John T. Ellis. 
 
 BE PORT OF LIEUT. DYER. 
 
 Washington, D. C., December 10 , 1891. 
 
 R. G. Dyrenforth, 
 
 Special Agent, Department of Agriculture, Washington , D. G.: 
 
 Sir: In compliance with special orders received from the War Department, I 
 reported to the Acting Secretary of War, who directed me to report to the Secre- 
 tary of Agriculture; upon doing so, I was ordered to report to you, and in com- 
 pliance with your request, I have the honor to submit the following report of my 
 observations and views regarding the Government rainfall exneriments at El 
 Paso and San Diego, Tex.: 
 
 Having been detailed by the commanding officer at Fort Bliss, Tex., to render 
 Mr. Ellis such assistance, in these experiments, as he might require, I was pres- 
 ent when, on the 17th of September, preliminary to the experiments to be made 
 on the following day, a balloon ascension was made by Mr. Ellis to obtain some 
 data concerning the condition of the upper air strata. The observations made 
 
40 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 by Mr. Ellis revealed the fact that a thick stratum of extremely dry air existed 
 over the valley, reaching- to the altitude of at least 4,000 or 5,000 feet, a condition 
 which could exist only in a few localities, such as the valley in which El Paso 
 is situated, surrounded by high hills and dry, barren country. During the as- 
 cension made by Mr. Ellis, a number of charges of dynamite were exploded on 
 the ground near the place of ascension ; this was 4:45 p. m. During the firing 
 there were light cumulus clouds above which increased and grew heavier during 
 the evening, and at 9 o’clock p. m. the sky was overcast with thick clouds, and 
 soon after a slight rain fell, the rain-gauge showing a fall of .07 inch. 
 
 This was the heaviest and almost the only rainfall in El Paso at any time dur- 
 ing the seven months previous to the time of my leaving there on November 30. 
 I am of the opinion that the explosions were the direct cause of the increased 
 amount of precipitation. It was a noticeable fact that this shower was not accom- 
 panied by any wind, as it will be found that every rain in that section has always 
 been preceded by wind storms. Many persons who were familiar with the 
 weather at El Paso were of the opinion that this fall of rain was due to the ex- 
 plosions. 
 
 During the night, the dry west wind which arose, cleared away all further in- 
 dications of rain. On September 18, the day on which the experiments were 
 conducted, the sky was perfectly cloudless, with a dry wind blowing, the ther- 
 mometer registering, at 10 o’clock a. m., nearly 90°, and the barometer being 
 very high, showing a reading of 30.11. The relative humidity was less than 40, 
 and the dewpoint 59. 
 
 The experiment began at 10 a.'m., and was continued throughout the day until 
 8 p. m. The wind during the day had blown from the west and southwest at 
 about 8 miles an hour. I noticed that at about 8 p. m., a few clouds had formed 
 and also saw sharp flashes of lightning in the east. Later in the night, more 
 clouds were noticed gathering and forming overhead, and at midnight the 
 sky was black. At this time the thermometer registered 69°, the relative hu- 
 midity was 64, dew-point 57, and the barometer stood 29.94. Before sunrise nearly 
 all the clouds had passed oh and the barometer was rising rapidly. The changes 
 in the atmospheric conditions were such as to show good chances for rain. The 
 heaviest dew known to El Paso had fallen that night, and I was informed by a 
 number of persons that such a heavy dew was never known in El Paso before. 
 While there was no rain in El Paso, reports came in that rain had fallen within 
 15 miles to the south and southwest, some time after midnight, and it is my 
 opinion that this rain was from the clouds which had formed and gathered over 
 El Paso. I believe that could the explosions have been continued for a longer 
 period, the results desired would have been obtained. After once changing the 
 atmospheric conditions from a usual to an unusual state by artificial means, any 
 cessation of these means would destroy the effects produced and the conditions 
 would again resume their natural state, and, in my opinion, a continual series of 
 explosions should have been kept up until the results desired were obtained. 
 But the material furnished by El Paso was so small in quantity that it was nec- 
 essary to stop the work before the desired results had been effected. 
 
 At San Diego, Tex., on the 15th, 16th, and 17th of October, the experiments 
 Were conducted upon a different and more uniform method. On the 16th, the re- 
 ports from the Weather Bureau showed that the chances of any rain falling at 
 any time in the immediate future were very improbable. It was decided to be- 
 gin the experiment by firing a few preliminary explosions, using dynamite and 
 ^ackarock every few minutes during the night, and it was noticed from careful 
 observation that even these comparatively few and scattered explosions caused 
 noticeable changes in the atmospheric conditions. On the 17th, the reports from 
 the Weather Bureau were even more unfavorable than those of the day previous 
 for any prospects of rain. The day was dry, with a cool wind blowing from, the 
 south; but again that night similar experiments were carried on as on the night 
 of the 16th; the same if not greater changes were noticed, the Weather Bureau 
 reports showing that an extensive area directly north of the point of operations, 
 and in the direction toward which the wind was blowing, had become heavily 
 overcast with clouds during the night, while at all other points in Texas the sky 
 was perfectly clear. 
 
 On the 17th, the day of the final experiment, a telegram was received from the 
 Weather Bureau predicting dry, fair weather, with a rising barometer. It was 
 thought best to finish the work, even though a number of the most prominent 
 people said rain could not come, much less be produced by explosions, under such 
 conditions, and that the result of the experiments would be a pronounced failure. 
 I myself had a long talk with one of the residents and he informed me that rain 
 was never known to fall there with such conditions as then existed, and that it 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 41 
 
 would be utterly impossible for our party to change the conditions to those suit- 
 able for our work, and that it would be better to wait for more favorable condi- 
 tions. 
 
 A series of explosions was kept up continually from about 9 p. m. until 12 mid- 
 night. The night was perfectly clear, the only cloud to be seen being a slight 
 patch in the northwest which had lain there all the afternoon. The air was dry 
 and cold, with a slight wind from the southeast. At 12 o’clock midnight this 
 cloud seemed to be growing and began to approach. 
 
 I observed a peculiar effect of some of the ground explosions, namely, the for- 
 mation of rings of smoke, rising and whirling, attended by a distinct rushing and 
 moaning sound, lasting a few moments. 
 
 From this time until 3 a. m., several balloons were fired at intervalsof a half to 
 three-quarters of an hour. Meanwhile the clouds had been growing steadily and 
 rapidly and vivid flashes of lightning were seen after each explosion. The air was 
 becoming more moist and the clouds had spread around three sides of us. The 
 balloons took unusual courses in their ascents, turning in a number of different di- 
 rections, thus showing conclusively that there was a strange disturbance of the 
 air; some of the actions of the balloons could be explained in my mind only by the 
 existence of unusual electric conditions. 
 
 At 3:50, the sky was black with clouds, very heavy and hanging low, many 
 clouds having formed from clear sky before our eyes. At about 4 o'clock some 
 bombs and a balloon were fired, and almost immediately the rain began to fall, 
 the wind having veered round to the northwest a few minutes before. The rain 
 was soon falling in torrents, drenching everybody and everything. It continued 
 falling for about an hour, when the rain gauge showed that .47 of an inch had been 
 precipitated in that time. 
 
 By 6 a. m., a dry north wind had arisen, which drove the clouds away and re- 
 moved all prospects of further rain. 
 
 During the day I talked with a number of the most prominent citizens of San 
 Diego, who informed me that they were astonished at the results obtained; that 
 there was no doubt in their minds that the rain which fell was the direct result 
 of the operations. 
 
 The reports which came in by telegraph during the day showed that the rain had 
 extended over an extensive area in south-central Texas, being central and heav- 
 iest at the point of our operations and directly north of that point, where the ef- 
 fect of the explosions would be the greatest. The storm was local in character 
 and had come unforetold and unexpected by any office of the Weather Bureau. 
 There was certainly every possible appearance of the rain having been the re- 
 sult of the operations at San Diego. 
 
 One gentleman informed me that this rain, comparatively light as it was, had 
 been worth to him alone a number of thousand dollars, and that a large area of 
 country in that vicinity had been greatly benefited by it. 
 
 I do not know of a single person who was present while the experiments were 
 made and who saw the conditions under which they were made, who does not ex- 
 press it as his opinion that rain was caused to fall by the operations, and that 
 under the most trying atmospheric conditions. My own observations and expe- 
 riences during the experiments, have led me to the conclusion and belief that 
 rain can be produced by artificial means and that especially will ‘‘ rainmaking ” 
 prove a practicable and most valuable success when the conditions are favorable 
 for rain ; but precipitation, for some reason, does not occur, as is frequently the 
 case, during the driest seasons in the semi-arid regions, and especially during the 
 growing season, when rain is most needed. I know that this opinion is shared 
 by nearly all who have been present at the tests. 
 
 I desire to thank Mr. Ellis and the members of his party for their kindness 
 and consideration to myself and detachment during all the operations, Mr. Ellis 
 being ready at all times to give me any desired information or assistance. 
 
 Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 S. Allen Dyer, 
 
 First Lieutenant , Twenty-third Infantry , U. o. A . 
 
43 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFAL1 
 
 45 
 
 Record of observations made during the month of August, 1891. 
 
 ABILENE, TEX. 
 
 8 a. m., seventy -fifth meridian time=6:21 
 a. m. local time. 
 
 8p. m., .seventy-fifth meridian time=6:21 
 p. m. loeal time. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tem- 
 
 pera- 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tem- 
 
 pera 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity ‘ 
 
 Wind. . 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Veloc 
 
 ity. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Veloc- 
 
 ity. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 1 
 
 29. 90 
 
 71 
 
 93 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 .22 
 
 29. 90 
 
 66.5 
 
 97 
 
 NW. 
 
 19 
 
 28 
 
 2 
 
 30.00 
 
 69 
 
 95 
 
 W. 
 
 5 
 
 .06 
 
 .92 
 
 87 
 
 41 
 
 NW. 
 
 3 
 
 T. 
 
 3 
 
 .05 
 
 67 
 
 98 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 .97 
 
 86.6 
 
 40 
 
 S. 
 
 4 
 
 
 4 
 
 .04 
 
 72 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 1 
 
 
 .95 
 
 90 
 
 41 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 
 s 
 
 04 
 
 
 66 
 
 S. 
 
 10 
 
 
 .97 
 
 90 
 
 34 
 
 SE. 
 
 18 
 
 
 6 
 
 .06 
 
 74 
 
 74 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 .96 
 
 90 
 
 34 
 
 SE. 
 
 13 
 
 
 7 
 
 .06 
 
 74 
 
 74 
 
 S. 
 
 7 
 
 
 .97 
 
 90 
 
 41 
 
 SE. 
 
 10 
 
 
 8 
 
 . 06 
 
 75 
 
 74 
 
 s. 
 
 9 
 
 
 .94 
 
 86 
 
 45 
 
 SE. 
 
 18 
 
 
 9 
 
 .03 
 
 78 
 
 67 
 
 s. 
 
 10 
 
 
 .95 
 
 82 
 
 55 
 
 SE. 
 
 10 
 
 T. 
 
 10 
 
 .00 
 
 72 
 
 91 
 
 s. 
 
 8 
 
 .62 
 
 .96 
 
 
 78 
 
 E. 1 
 
 14 
 
 
 11 
 
 .02 
 
 75 
 
 82 
 
 s. 
 
 12 
 
 T. 
 
 30.02 
 
 78 
 
 71 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 
 12 
 
 . 13 
 
 71 
 
 95 
 
 s. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .08 
 
 78 
 
 73 
 
 S. 
 
 11 
 
 
 13 
 
 . 11 
 
 68.5 
 
 98 
 
 s. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .00 
 
 87 
 
 54 
 
 SE. 
 
 16 
 
 
 14 
 
 .04 
 
 71 
 
 86 
 
 s. 
 
 6 
 
 
 29. 94 
 
 90 
 
 54 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 
 15 
 
 .02 
 
 74 
 
 84 
 
 s. 
 
 12 
 
 
 .93 
 
 90 
 
 54 
 
 SE. 
 
 11 
 
 
 16 
 
 .07 
 
 74 
 
 84 
 
 s. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .96 
 
 90 
 
 54 
 
 E. 
 
 9 
 
 
 17 
 
 .06 
 
 75 
 
 84 
 
 s. 
 
 
 
 .93 
 
 90 
 
 54 
 
 SE. 
 
 17 
 
 
 18. 
 
 .02 
 
 76 
 
 85 
 
 s. 
 
 8 
 
 
 .90 
 
 80 
 
 72 
 
 N. 
 
 2 
 
 T. 
 
 19 
 
 29. 97 
 
 76 
 
 87 
 
 s. 
 
 12 
 
 T. 
 
 .81 
 
 93 
 
 41 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 
 20.. .. 
 
 .90 
 
 77 
 
 83 
 
 s. 
 
 12 
 
 
 .78 
 
 97 
 
 33 
 
 S. 
 
 12 
 
 
 21 ... 
 
 .92 
 
 80 
 
 69 
 
 sw. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .76 
 
 97 
 
 31 
 
 S. 
 
 10 
 
 
 12 
 
 30. 09 
 
 65 
 
 100 
 
 NE. 
 
 6 
 
 .26 
 
 30. 18 
 
 67.2 
 
 66 
 
 N. 
 
 12 
 
 44 
 
 23 
 
 .33 
 
 56 
 
 97 
 
 NW. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .14 
 
 76.5 
 
 41 
 
 NW. 
 
 4 
 
 
 24. 
 
 . 13 
 
 62.6 
 
 67 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 29. 89 
 
 84 
 
 29 
 
 SE. 
 
 14 
 
 
 25.. .. 
 
 29.97 
 
 68 
 
 48 
 
 S. 
 
 17 
 
 
 .91 
 
 88 
 
 30 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 
 20. . . 
 
 30.12 
 
 66 
 
 61 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 30. 04 
 
 88 
 
 30 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 27.. . 
 
 .23 
 
 64 
 
 79 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 .09 
 
 86 
 
 34 
 
 E. 
 
 10 
 
 
 28 
 
 . 14 
 
 65 
 
 90 
 
 E. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .01 
 
 83 
 
 47 
 
 E. 
 
 
 
 29. 
 
 .06 
 
 73 
 
 75 
 
 S. 
 
 0 
 
 .04 
 
 .00 
 
 80 
 
 54 
 
 SE. 
 
 10 
 
 
 20 
 
 .08 
 
 72 
 
 71 
 
 SW. 
 
 7 
 
 .01 
 
 .07 
 
 78.6 
 
 58 
 
 NE. 
 
 12 
 
 T. 
 
 21 
 
 .17 
 
 69.5 
 
 86 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 T. 
 
 .14 
 
 73.0 
 
 78 
 
 S. 
 
 6 
 
 
 Mean . . . 
 
 30. 06 
 
 71.1 
 
 81.2 
 
 s. 
 
 6.5 
 
 *1.21 
 
 29.97 
 
 84.5 
 
 49.9 
 
 SE. 
 
 10.8 
 
 *. 8? 
 
 EL PASO, TEX. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 1 
 
 29. 80 
 
 75 
 
 38 
 
 E. 
 
 12 
 
 
 29.81 
 
 83.1 
 
 31 
 
 E. 
 
 24 
 
 
 2 
 
 .93 
 
 73. 1 
 
 49 
 
 E. 
 
 14 
 
 
 .83 
 
 89.9 
 
 23 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 
 3 
 
 30. 02 
 
 71.2 
 
 40 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 .84 
 
 92.2 
 
 20 
 
 E. 
 
 9 
 
 
 4 
 
 29. 96 
 
 73 
 
 32 
 
 E. 
 
 7 
 
 
 .81 
 
 93.8 
 
 17 
 
 SE. 
 
 T 
 
 
 5 
 
 .96 
 
 72 
 
 42 
 
 NW. 
 
 3 
 
 T. 
 
 .79 
 
 97.7 
 
 10 
 
 S. 
 
 2 
 
 
 6 
 
 .89 
 
 74.9 
 
 27 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .75 
 
 94.4 
 
 14 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 7 
 
 .88 
 
 72.5 
 
 43 
 
 SE. 
 
 
 
 .77 
 
 91.2 
 
 17 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 8 
 
 .90 
 
 74 
 
 40 
 
 E. 
 
 10 
 
 
 .75 
 
 91.9 
 
 17 
 
 E. 
 
 7 
 
 
 9.. 
 
 .90 
 
 73.4 
 
 46 
 
 E 
 
 8 
 
 
 .81 
 
 82.0 
 
 28 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 T. 
 
 10 
 
 .95 
 
 67. 1 
 
 59 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .79 
 
 89.6 
 
 18 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 11 
 
 .91 
 
 72.2 
 
 51 
 
 W. 
 
 10 
 
 
 .84 
 
 87.8 
 
 25 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 
 12 
 
 30. 02 
 
 73 
 
 51 
 
 E. 
 
 8 
 
 
 .88 
 
 88. 2 
 
 21 
 
 SE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 13 
 
 .03 
 
 70.5 
 
 51 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 .86 
 
 89.6 
 
 21 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 14 
 
 29. 98 
 
 70.6 
 
 46 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .82 
 
 90. 4 
 
 18 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 15.. 
 
 .91 
 
 70.8 
 
 45 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 .77 
 
 91. 4 
 
 16 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 16 
 
 .91 
 
 72 
 
 36 
 
 SE. 
 
 
 
 .85 
 
 85.2 
 
 28 
 
 SE. 
 
 14 
 
 
 17 
 
 .97 
 
 65.8 
 
 53 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .90 
 
 75.8 
 
 57 
 
 NE. 
 
 28 
 
 .04 
 
 18 
 
 .98 
 
 66.7 
 
 75 
 
 NE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .80 
 
 84.5 
 
 37 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 T. 
 
 19 
 
 .90 
 
 69 
 
 75 
 
 N. 
 
 3 
 
 T. 
 
 .73 
 
 93.9 
 
 13 
 
 W. 
 
 3 
 
 
 20 
 
 .86 
 
 74 
 
 22 
 
 NW. 
 
 12 
 
 
 .78 
 
 92.4 
 
 18 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 21 
 
 .88 
 
 69.6 
 
 42 
 
 NE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 . 75 
 
 99.4 
 
 7 
 
 NW. 
 
 6 
 
 
 22 
 
 .96 
 
 70 
 
 50 
 
 NE. 
 
 28 
 
 
 .98 
 
 77.0 
 
 40 
 
 SE. 
 
 17 
 
 
 23 
 
 30.20 
 
 61 
 
 60 
 
 E. 
 
 12 
 
 
 .93 
 
 83.0 
 
 28 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 24.. 
 
 29. 94 
 
 67.8 
 
 35 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 
 .71 
 
 91.2 
 
 18 
 
 SW. 
 
 4 
 
 
 25 
 
 .77 
 
 77.2 
 
 32 
 
 W. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .69 
 
 95 
 
 6 
 
 NW. 
 
 3 
 
 
 26. 
 
 .90 
 
 74.2 
 
 34 
 
 W. 
 
 14 
 
 
 .80 
 
 92.8 
 
 13 
 
 NE. 
 
 24 
 
 T. 
 
 27 
 
 30.01 
 
 73.2 
 
 29 
 
 N. 
 
 7 
 
 .03 
 
 .90 
 
 90 
 
 15 
 
 SE. 
 
 11 
 
 
 28 
 
 .02 
 
 73.3 
 
 40 
 
 NE. 
 
 17 
 
 
 .84 
 
 86.7 
 
 22 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 29 
 
 29.93 
 
 70 
 
 53 
 
 NE. 
 
 23 
 
 T. 
 
 . 95 
 
 70 
 
 56 
 
 NE. 
 
 18 
 
 T. 
 
 30 
 
 30. 02 
 
 67.9 
 
 58 
 
 NE. 
 
 12 
 
 .02 
 
 .99 
 
 69.6 
 
 66 
 
 NE. 
 
 15 
 
 T. 
 
 81 
 
 .09 
 
 64. 1 
 
 79 
 
 NE. 
 
 10 
 
 .04 
 
 30. 00 
 
 73.9 
 
 50 
 
 SE. 
 
 11 
 
 T. 
 
 Mean . . . 
 
 29. 95 
 
 70.9 
 
 46.2 
 
 SE. 
 
 8.7 
 
 *.09 
 
 29. 83 
 
 87.5 
 
 25 j 
 
 SE. 
 
 9.2 
 
 *0.4 
 
 * Total. 
 
46 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL; 
 
 Record of observations made during the month of August, 1891 — Continued. 
 
 SANTA FlC, N. MEX. 
 
 Date. 
 
 8 a. m. 
 
 seventy-fifth meridian time 
 a. m. local time. 
 
 =5:56 
 
 8 p. m. 
 
 seventy-fifth meridian time=5:56 
 p. m. local time. 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tem- 
 
 pera- 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tem- 
 
 pera- 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Ve- 
 
 locity. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Ve- 
 
 locity. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 1 
 
 30. 02 
 
 60 
 
 48 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 29. 97 
 
 72.8 
 
 22 
 
 N. 
 
 16 
 
 
 2 
 
 . 11 
 
 
 59 
 
 E. 
 
 3 
 
 
 30. 04 
 
 74.8 
 
 12 
 
 NE. 
 
 10 
 
 
 3 
 
 . 11 
 
 61 
 
 44 
 
 E. 
 
 8 
 
 
 29. 97 
 
 79 
 
 19 
 
 NW. 
 
 8 
 
 
 4 
 
 .04 
 
 64.8 
 
 48 
 
 FI 
 
 4 
 
 
 .96 
 
 80 
 
 23 
 
 NE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 .00 
 
 64.2 
 
 47 
 
 E. 
 
 
 
 .98 
 
 72 
 
 71 
 
 SW. 
 
 13 
 
 
 6 
 
 .04 
 
 63 
 
 51 
 
 E. 
 
 2 
 
 T. 
 
 30.01 
 
 72 
 
 42 
 
 sw. 
 
 18 
 
 .01 
 
 7 
 
 .06 
 
 63.5 
 
 53 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .00 
 
 73 
 
 39 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 .06 
 
 8 
 
 .08 
 
 58. 
 
 46 
 
 NE. 
 
 5 
 
 T. 
 
 29. 96 
 
 78 
 
 27 
 
 SE. 
 
 11 
 
 
 9 . 
 
 .02 
 
 60.5 
 
 48 
 
 NE. 
 
 2 
 
 .01 
 
 .96 
 
 74. 5 
 
 26 
 
 E. 
 
 3 
 
 
 10 
 
 .05 
 
 55.4 
 
 76 
 
 NE. 
 
 8 
 
 .10 
 
 30. 04 
 
 64 
 
 65 
 
 E. 
 
 6 
 
 .12 
 
 11 
 
 .13 
 
 57.5 
 
 61 
 
 NE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .02 
 
 78 
 
 13 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 
 12 
 
 .14 
 
 64 
 
 51 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .06 
 
 78 
 
 24 
 
 S. 
 
 6 
 
 
 13 
 
 . 14 
 
 61.2 
 
 49 
 
 E. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .98 
 
 82 
 
 18 
 
 SW. 
 
 
 
 14 . 
 
 .05 
 
 62. 0 
 
 50 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .94 
 
 82.1 
 
 18 
 
 w. 
 
 6 
 
 
 15 
 
 .00 
 
 63 
 
 42 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .91 
 
 83 
 
 11 
 
 s. 
 
 12 
 
 
 16 
 
 .04 
 
 65.1 
 
 39 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 . 95 
 
 80 
 
 15 
 
 SE. 
 
 .12 
 
 
 17 
 
 .04 
 
 63 
 
 46 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .94 
 
 76 
 
 25 
 
 S. 
 
 12 
 
 
 18 
 
 .00 
 
 59 
 
 65 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 02 
 
 .88 
 
 72.8 
 
 39 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 10 
 
 29. 89 
 
 57 
 
 71 
 
 NE. 
 
 8 
 
 .01 
 
 .96 
 
 78.2 
 
 18 
 
 NW. 
 
 8 
 
 
 20.... 
 
 30. 00 
 
 56.8 
 
 45 
 
 NE. 
 
 13 
 
 
 .96 
 
 80 
 
 10 
 
 N. 
 
 13 
 
 
 21 
 
 .00 
 
 59 
 
 40 
 
 NE. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .92 
 
 82 
 
 7 
 
 NW. 
 
 12 
 
 
 22 
 
 . 12 
 
 54 
 
 70 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 
 30.15 
 
 65 
 
 39 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 
 23 
 
 .29 
 
 51 
 
 62 
 
 S. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .02 
 
 74 
 
 23 
 
 SW. 
 
 6 
 
 
 24 
 
 29. 99 
 
 57 
 
 50 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 
 29. 83 
 
 81 
 
 15 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 
 25 
 
 .87 
 
 58. 1 
 
 32 
 
 E. 
 
 0 2 
 
 
 .85 
 
 83 
 
 16 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 26 
 
 .97 
 
 61 
 
 31 
 
 NE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 30. 00 
 
 76. 8 
 
 20 
 
 SE. 
 
 16 
 
 
 27 
 
 30.14 
 
 63.2 
 
 38 
 
 SE. 
 
 
 
 .09 
 
 7l' 
 
 34 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 28 
 
 .18 
 
 53.6 
 
 82 
 
 NE. 
 
 8 
 
 T. 
 
 .10 
 
 59 
 
 62 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 .22 
 
 29 
 
 .19 
 
 51 
 
 81 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 T. 
 
 .13 
 
 56 
 
 65 
 
 NE. 
 
 8 
 
 .02 
 
 30 
 
 .20 
 
 51 
 
 68 
 
 NE. 
 
 3 
 
 .23 
 
 .18 
 
 58 
 
 67 • 
 
 E. 
 
 8 
 
 .21 
 
 31 
 
 . 27 
 
 47 
 
 86 
 
 E 
 
 3 
 
 .01 
 
 .12 
 
 71 
 
 30 
 
 w. 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 \C NE. ) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 * Mean. . 
 
 30.07 
 
 58.7 
 
 54.2 
 
 < SE. > 
 
 ( E. ) 
 
 4.5 
 
 1 
 
 *.38 
 
 30. 00 
 
 74.4 
 
 29.5 
 
 SE. 
 
 9.2 
 
 *. 64 
 
 CORPUS CHRISTI AND SAN ANTONIO, TEX. 
 
 1 
 
 29. 92 
 
 82 
 
 88 
 
 S. 
 
 11 
 
 
 29.91 
 
 78.5 
 
 73 
 
 SE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 2 
 
 .99 
 
 80 1 
 
 92 
 
 NW. 
 
 4 
 
 
 . 95 
 
 71 
 
 86 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 .50 
 
 3 
 
 30.02 
 
 75 
 
 100 
 
 S. 
 
 12 
 
 2.40 
 
 30. 01 
 
 73.2 
 
 78 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 4 
 
 .04 
 
 79 
 
 94 
 
 s. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .05 
 
 74.3 
 
 84 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 .08 
 
 5 
 
 .11 
 
 78.8 
 
 83 
 
 s. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .13 
 
 73.5 
 
 74 
 
 NW. 
 
 2 
 
 
 6 
 
 .12 
 
 81 
 
 88 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 
 . 14 
 
 75. 5 
 
 76 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 
 7 
 
 . 10 
 
 81 
 
 88 
 
 s. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .13 
 
 77 * 
 
 59 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 8 
 
 .08 
 
 80 
 
 83 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .10 
 
 75 
 
 84 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 9 . 
 
 .06 
 
 81.5 
 
 86 
 
 SE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 .08 
 
 76 
 
 80 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 
 10 
 
 .04 
 
 80 
 
 87 
 
 SE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 .08 
 
 76 
 
 82 
 
 n 
 
 0 
 
 
 11 . 
 
 .06 
 
 80.5 
 
 90 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .08 
 
 78 
 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 12 
 
 .10 
 
 80 
 
 92 
 
 N. 
 
 3 
 
 
 . 12 
 
 78.2 
 
 81 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 13 
 
 .08 
 
 79 
 
 91 
 
 N. 
 
 3 
 
 
 . 10 
 
 78 
 
 71 
 
 SW. 
 
 1 
 
 
 14 
 
 .03 
 
 79 
 
 91 
 
 N. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .06 
 
 77 
 
 71 
 
 o 
 
 0 
 
 
 15.... 
 
 .01 
 
 81 
 
 88 
 
 w . 
 
 3 
 
 
 .05 
 
 76. 5 
 
 74 
 
 o 
 
 0 
 
 
 16 
 
 .03 
 
 80 
 
 92 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 . 19 
 
 .08 
 
 76i 5 
 
 76 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 17 
 
 .04 
 
 81.2 
 
 91 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 .04 
 
 .09 
 
 78 
 
 71 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 18.... 
 
 .04 
 
 82. 5 
 
 86 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .06 
 
 78 
 
 
 SE. 
 
 1 
 
 
 19 
 
 29. 98 
 
 82 
 
 84 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .02 
 
 78 
 
 75 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 
 20 
 
 .99 
 
 83 
 
 84 
 
 SE. 
 
 
 
 29. 99 
 
 78 
 
 75 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 21 
 
 .96 
 
 82 
 
 84 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .98 
 
 78. 1 
 
 77 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 22.... 
 
 .94 
 
 82 
 
 84 
 
 SE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 .97 
 
 77.5 
 
 78 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 23.. 
 
 30.12 
 
 68.5 
 
 83 
 
 N. 
 
 12 
 
 .02 
 
 30.19 
 
 68 
 
 60 
 
 N. 
 
 9 
 
 .47 
 
 24.... 
 
 .10 
 
 68 
 
 67 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .14 
 
 61.5 
 
 66 
 
 NE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 25 
 
 .04 
 
 77 
 
 59 
 
 SE. 
 
 
 
 .07 
 
 61 
 
 71 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 26 
 
 .11 
 
 73.5 
 
 80 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 . 17 
 
 66 
 
 75 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 27 
 
 .14 
 
 71 
 
 86 
 
 NW. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .20 
 
 66. 5 
 
 78 
 
 NE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 28 
 
 . 10 
 
 73 
 
 84 
 
 N. 
 
 8 
 
 
 .13 
 
 69.2 
 
 67 
 
 NE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 29 
 
 .05 
 
 76 
 
 87 
 
 W. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .09 
 
 70.2 
 
 73 
 
 N. 
 
 3 
 
 
 30 
 
 .05 
 
 78 
 
 87 
 
 SW. 
 
 2 
 
 
 . 10 
 
 74.5 
 
 70 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 31 
 
 .10 
 
 77 - 
 
 87 
 
 N. 
 
 1 i 
 
 
 . 14 
 
 72 
 
 75 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 Mean . 
 
 30.05 
 
 78.5 
 
 86 
 
 SE. 
 
 1 5 
 
 *2.65 
 
 30. 08 
 
 74 
 
 74.6 
 
 SE. 
 
 2.7 
 
 *1.05 
 
 * Total, 
 
47 
 
48 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL 
 
 Record of observations during the month of September , 1891. 
 
 EL PASO, TEX. 
 
 8 a.m., seventy- fifth meridian time=5 : 54 8 p. m., seventy -fifth meridian time=5:54 
 a. m. local time. p. m. local time. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tem- 
 
 pera- 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tem- 
 
 pera- 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Veloc- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Veloc- 
 
 ity. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 1 
 
 30.08 
 
 62.9 
 
 82 
 
 E. 
 
 5 
 
 
 29.91 
 
 81.9 
 
 36 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 2 
 
 .00 
 
 60.9 
 
 73 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 30. 00 
 
 72 2 
 
 59 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 .07 
 
 3 
 
 .15 
 
 63.2 
 
 73 
 
 E. 
 
 14 
 
 
 .03 
 
 77 
 
 38 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 4 
 
 .12 
 
 59.2 
 
 71 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 29. 96 
 
 82.5 
 
 24 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 5 
 
 .06 
 
 60.0 
 
 57 
 
 SE. 
 
 1 
 
 
 30.01 
 
 86.3 
 
 13 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 6 
 
 .15 
 
 68.3 
 
 23 
 
 SE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 .04 
 
 84.7 
 
 14 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 7 
 
 .10 
 
 63.3 
 
 37 
 
 SE. 
 
 1 
 
 
 29. 89 
 
 90.7 
 
 12 
 
 W. 
 
 5 
 
 
 8 
 
 29.90 
 
 73.1 
 
 22 
 
 NW. 
 
 12 
 
 
 .87 
 
 85.8 
 
 24 
 
 NE. 
 
 19 
 
 .01 
 
 9 
 
 30. 03 
 
 71.0 
 
 34 
 
 E. 
 
 13 
 
 
 .90 
 
 87.5 
 
 21 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 10 
 
 .00 
 
 69.0 
 
 59 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 .03 
 
 .83 
 
 89.1 
 
 21 
 
 NW. 
 
 7 
 
 
 11 
 
 29. 88 
 
 72.5 
 
 40 
 
 NW. 
 
 7 
 
 
 .77 
 
 93. 1 
 
 14 
 
 NW. 
 
 9 
 
 
 12 
 
 .90 
 
 76.4 
 
 33 
 
 NW. 
 
 12 
 
 
 .83 
 
 92.2 
 
 15 
 
 W. 
 
 7 
 
 
 13 
 
 .95 
 
 70.3 
 
 50 
 
 W. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .92 
 
 82 
 
 31 
 
 SE. 
 
 17 
 
 T. 
 
 14 
 
 .99 
 
 71.0 
 
 54 
 
 NE. 
 
 4 
 
 .02 
 
 . 9C 
 
 81.3 
 
 35 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 T. 
 
 15 
 
 .93 
 
 66.6 
 
 60 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 T. 
 
 .80 
 
 89.9 
 
 18 
 
 SE. 
 
 1 
 
 
 16 
 
 .91 
 
 70.7 
 
 39 
 
 N. 
 
 10 
 
 
 .86 
 
 87.1 
 
 10 
 
 NW. 
 
 5 
 
 
 17 
 
 30. 00 
 
 73.3 
 
 28 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 T. 
 
 .91 
 
 83 
 
 26 
 
 E. 
 
 2 
 
 
 18 
 
 30.08 
 
 65. 0 
 
 80 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 .07 
 
 .89 
 
 84 
 
 24 
 
 SW. 
 
 7 
 
 
 19 
 
 29. 98 
 
 61.0 
 
 73 
 
 SE 
 
 4 
 
 
 .86 
 
 85.7 
 
 15 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 20 
 
 .94 
 
 64.8 
 
 61 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .'86 
 
 81.4 
 
 31 
 
 SE. 
 
 13 
 
 
 21 .. 
 
 .97 
 
 
 54 
 
 E. 
 
 10 
 
 
 .87 
 
 83 
 
 31 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 22 ... 
 
 .98 
 
 70. 1 
 
 35 
 
 SE. 
 
 10 
 
 
 .78 
 
 84 
 
 25 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 23 
 
 . 85 
 
 67.9 
 
 54 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 .02 
 
 .69 
 
 80.9 
 
 33 
 
 S. 
 
 6 
 
 
 24 . 
 
 .79 
 
 65.0 
 
 64 
 
 SE. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .67 
 
 83.5 
 
 22 
 
 SW. 
 
 4 
 
 
 25 
 
 .87 
 
 65.4 
 
 74 
 
 E. 
 
 8 
 
 .01 
 
 .84 
 
 75 
 
 54 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 T. 
 
 26 . 
 
 .90 
 
 63.7 
 
 86 
 
 E. 
 
 8 
 
 
 .77 
 
 82.6 
 
 7 
 
 W. 
 
 10 
 
 
 27 . 
 
 .92 
 
 56.0 
 
 34 
 
 NW. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .83 
 
 80 
 
 12 
 
 NE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 28 
 
 .96 
 
 57. 1 
 
 44 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .92 
 
 81.8 
 
 23 
 
 E. 
 
 20 
 
 
 29 
 
 30. 03 
 
 66.0 
 
 58 
 
 E. 
 
 16 
 
 
 .84 
 
 76 
 
 41 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 30 
 
 29.78 
 
 63.7 
 
 76 
 
 E. 
 
 8 
 
 
 .59 
 
 77.9 
 
 43 
 
 S. 
 
 7 
 
 T. 
 
 Mean . . 
 
 29.97 
 
 66.2 
 
 54.3 
 
 E., SE. 
 
 6 
 
 *. 15 
 
 29. 86 
 
 83.4 
 
 25.7 
 
 SE. 
 
 7.1 
 
 *.08 
 
 CORPUS CHRISTI, TEX. 
 
 1 
 
 30. 08 
 
 76. 
 
 87 
 
 W. 
 
 4 
 
 
 30.00 
 
 83.5 
 
 76 
 
 E. 
 
 21 
 
 
 2 
 
 .01 
 
 80.5 
 
 84 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 29. 93 
 
 82 
 
 76 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 3 
 
 .04 
 
 77.2 
 
 91 
 
 N. 
 
 12 
 
 T. 
 
 30.02 
 
 81 
 
 72 
 
 E. 
 
 8 
 
 
 4 
 
 .13 
 
 73. 
 
 73 
 
 N. 
 
 16 
 
 
 .07 
 
 78.5 
 
 60 
 
 E. 
 
 17 
 
 
 5 
 
 . 13 
 
 74. 
 
 78 
 
 NE. 
 
 10 
 
 
 .09 
 
 80 
 
 54 
 
 E. 
 
 13 
 
 
 6 
 
 .18 
 
 69.5 
 
 76 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .10 
 
 81 
 
 58 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 
 7 
 
 . 15 
 
 71.3 
 
 58 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .04 
 
 81 
 
 65 
 
 SE. 
 
 13 
 
 
 8 
 
 .08 
 
 67.5 
 
 94 
 
 SW. 
 
 8 
 
 
 .04 
 
 81 
 
 61 
 
 E. 
 
 12 
 
 
 9 
 
 .11 
 
 73. 
 
 82 
 
 SW. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .08 
 
 81 
 
 70 
 
 E. 
 
 15 
 
 
 io : 
 
 . 10 
 
 73.8 
 
 83 
 
 w. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .00 
 
 81.6 
 
 76 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 
 li 
 
 .02 
 
 81. 
 
 80 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 29.97 
 
 82 
 
 72 
 
 SE. 
 
 17 
 
 
 12 
 
 .02 
 
 81. 
 
 72 
 
 SE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 .98 
 
 82 
 
 65 
 
 SE. 
 
 14 
 
 
 13 
 
 .04 
 
 71. 
 
 91 
 
 SW. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .95 
 
 84 
 
 59 
 
 SE. 
 
 14 
 
 
 14 
 
 .03 
 
 72. 
 
 86 
 
 S. 
 
 14 
 
 T. 
 
 .97 
 
 82.1 
 
 92 
 
 E. 
 
 12 
 
 .10 
 
 15 
 
 .05 
 
 74. 
 
 88 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 .40 
 
 30.02 
 
 81 
 
 80 
 
 SE. 
 
 15 
 
 .10 
 
 16 
 
 . 11 
 
 80.9 
 
 90 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 .02 
 
 .07 
 
 82.1 
 
 86 
 
 E. 
 
 24 
 
 
 17 
 
 .13 
 
 82. 
 
 88 
 
 SE. 
 
 10 
 
 
 . 10 
 
 83 
 
 84 
 
 SE. 
 
 14 
 
 
 18 
 
 .15 
 
 82. 1 
 
 79 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 
 .06 
 
 82 
 
 80 
 
 E. 
 
 23 
 
 
 19 
 
 . 05 
 
 81. 
 
 82 
 
 E. 
 
 11 
 
 T. 
 
 .03 
 
 82.1 
 
 74 
 
 E. 
 
 19 
 
 .10 
 
 20 
 
 .07 
 
 75. 
 
 91 
 
 N. 
 
 10 
 
 
 29.97 
 
 81.5 
 
 63 
 
 SW. 
 
 6 
 
 
 21 
 
 .03 
 
 75. 
 
 84 
 
 SW. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .98 
 
 80 
 
 75 
 
 E. 
 
 19 
 
 .08 
 
 22 
 
 .04 
 
 75. 
 
 91 
 
 NE. 
 
 11 
 
 .02 
 
 30.00 
 
 81 
 
 70 
 
 E. 
 
 19 
 
 .22 
 
 23 
 
 29. 98 
 
 73.8 
 
 96 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 .04 
 
 29.88 
 
 80.9 
 
 78 
 
 E. 
 
 15 
 
 
 24 
 
 .88 
 
 76. 
 
 91 
 
 NE. 
 
 6 
 
 T. 
 
 .87 
 
 78.5 
 
 85 
 
 NE. 
 
 16 
 
 .06 
 
 25 
 
 .90 
 
 73. 
 
 96 
 
 E. 
 
 6 
 
 .66 
 
 .93 
 
 81 
 
 80 
 
 NE. 
 
 24 
 
 1.37 
 
 26 
 
 .91 
 
 75. 
 
 91 
 
 N. 
 
 17 
 
 .01 
 
 .83 
 
 80 
 
 92 
 
 NE. 
 
 23 
 
 .16 
 
 27 
 
 .89 
 
 79.5 
 
 89 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 .09 
 
 .88 
 
 81.5 
 
 84 
 
 SE. 
 
 19 
 
 T. 
 
 28 
 
 .93 
 
 81. 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 T. 
 
 .96 
 
 81.5 
 
 86 
 
 E. 
 
 15 
 
 .01 
 
 29 
 
 30. 03 
 
 79.6 
 
 85 
 
 SE. 
 
 15 
 
 .83 
 
 .97 
 
 81 
 
 80 
 
 NE. 
 
 9 
 
 .21 
 
 30 
 
 29. 96 
 
 80.1 
 
 85 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 .03 
 
 .89 
 
 82.1 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 19 
 
 .14 
 
 Mean. .. 
 
 30. 04 
 
 76.1 
 
 84.8 
 
 SE. 
 
 8.7 
 
 *2. 10 
 
 29. 99 
 
 81.3 
 
 74.5 
 
 E. 
 
 15.5 
 
 *2.55 
 
 ♦Total. 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 49 
 
 Becord of observations during the month of September , 1891 — Continued. 
 
 SAN ANTONIO, TEX. 
 
 8 a. m., seventy- fifth meridian time=6:30 8 p. ra., seventy -fifth meridian time=6:30 
 
 a. m. local time. p. m. local time. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tern. 
 
 pera- 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tem- 
 
 pera- 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Veloc- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Veloc- 
 
 ity. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 1 
 
 30. 13 
 
 73 
 
 69 
 
 NE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 29.98 
 
 88 
 
 43 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 .06 
 
 71.3 
 
 79 
 
 NE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .96 
 
 84. 1 
 
 51 
 
 E. 
 
 9 
 
 
 3 
 
 . 10 
 
 74.2 
 
 66 
 
 NE. 
 
 10 
 
 
 30. 07 
 
 82 
 
 45 
 
 NE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 4 
 
 . 19 
 
 59.2 
 
 70 
 
 N. 
 
 7 
 
 
 .09 
 
 80.5 
 
 34 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 5 
 
 . 17 
 
 61.3 
 
 66 
 
 N. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .09 
 
 84.5 
 
 34 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 6 
 
 .19 
 
 64.5 
 
 
 NW. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .08 
 
 85.5 
 
 32 
 
 NE. 
 
 8 
 
 
 7 
 
 .16 
 
 68 
 
 63 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .02 
 
 86.5 
 
 34 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 8 
 
 .10 
 
 69 
 
 70 
 
 W. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .01 
 
 84 
 
 29 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 
 9 
 
 .15 
 
 68.5 
 
 66 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 .06 
 
 84 
 
 41 
 
 E. 
 
 5 
 
 
 10 
 
 . 10 
 
 68 
 
 71 
 
 NW. 
 
 3 
 
 
 29. 96 
 
 87 
 
 34 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 11 
 
 .06 
 
 74 
 
 68 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .93 
 
 88.5 
 
 38 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 
 12 
 
 .06 
 
 73 
 
 69 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 .96 
 
 89 
 
 33 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 
 13-. 
 
 .06 
 
 69.5 
 
 68 
 
 NW. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .98 
 
 88 
 
 27 
 
 NE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 14 
 
 .07 
 
 71 
 
 66 
 
 NE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 30. 01 
 
 71.5 
 
 82 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 .21 
 
 15 
 
 .07 
 
 71 
 
 81 
 
 E. 
 
 7 
 
 .06 
 
 .06 
 
 73 
 
 78 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 1.06 
 
 16 
 
 .15 
 
 74 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 .02 
 
 .08 
 
 74.8 
 
 72 
 
 E. 
 
 10 
 
 
 17 
 
 . 18 
 
 75.5 
 
 78 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 . 10 
 
 82.5 
 
 62 
 
 SE. 
 
 10 
 
 
 18 
 
 .19 
 
 74 
 
 80 
 
 E-. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .09 
 
 “6 
 
 74 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 19 
 
 .12 
 
 72.2 
 
 84 
 
 NE. 
 
 3 
 
 .71 
 
 .04 
 
 82 
 
 60 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 .03 
 
 20 
 
 .11 
 
 67 
 
 73 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .02 
 
 82 
 
 58 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 21 
 
 .08 
 
 68.7 
 
 72 
 
 N. 
 
 8 
 
 
 29. 99 
 
 82 
 
 43 
 
 NE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 22 
 
 .09 
 
 70 
 
 79 
 
 NE. 
 
 8 
 
 
 30. 04 
 
 74.5 
 
 78 
 
 E. 
 
 7 
 
 .04 
 
 23 
 
 .05 
 
 71 
 
 79 
 
 E. 
 
 8 
 
 
 29.91 
 
 78.6 
 
 66 
 
 E. 
 
 8 
 
 
 24 
 
 29. 93 
 
 71 
 
 81 
 
 E. 
 
 10 
 
 .15 
 
 .91 
 
 74.4 
 
 78 
 
 E. 
 
 12 
 
 
 25 
 
 30. 02 
 
 71 
 
 95 
 
 E. 
 
 9 
 
 . 05 
 
 30.00 
 
 73 
 
 91 
 
 E. 
 
 5 
 
 .40 
 
 26 
 
 .00 
 
 70 
 
 83 
 
 NE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 29. 89 
 
 81.5 
 
 50 
 
 NE. 
 
 8 
 
 
 27 
 
 29.93 
 
 73.9 
 
 84 
 
 E. 
 
 7 
 
 T. 
 
 .92 
 
 77. 5 V 
 
 83 
 
 E. 
 
 6 
 
 .16 
 
 28 
 
 ~30. 00 
 
 74.6 
 
 84 
 
 E. 
 
 3 
 
 .03 
 
 30.00 
 
 80.5 
 
 61 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 29 
 
 .13 
 
 . 68.5 
 
 88 
 
 NE. 
 
 12 
 
 .54 
 
 .03 
 
 76 
 
 66 
 
 NE. 
 
 7 
 
 T. 
 
 30 
 
 .01 
 
 72 
 
 95 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 .02 
 
 29. 90 
 
 75.2 
 
 87 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 .12 
 
 
 
 
 
 NE. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mean... 
 
 30. 09 
 
 70.3 
 
 75.8 
 
 u. 
 
 5.4 
 
 *1.58 
 
 30.01 
 
 80.9 
 
 55.5 
 
 SE. 
 
 6.3 
 
 *2.02 
 
 CORPUS CHRISTI, TEX. 
 
 1 
 
 29.90 
 
 71 
 
 84 
 
 SE. 
 
 13 
 
 T. 
 
 29. 88 
 
 82.5 
 
 86 
 
 SE. 
 
 19 
 
 
 2 
 
 .92 
 
 81.5 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 18 
 
 .02 
 
 .90 
 
 82 
 
 84 
 
 SE. 
 
 24 
 
 
 3 
 
 .90 
 
 81.5 
 
 80 
 
 E. 
 
 19 
 
 .10 
 
 .90 
 
 81 
 
 80 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 T. 
 
 4 
 
 . 91 
 
 75 
 
 95 
 
 NE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 .94 
 
 75 
 
 74 
 
 N. 
 
 18 
 
 
 5 
 
 30.01 
 
 65.5 
 
 61 
 
 N. 
 
 12 
 
 
 .92 
 
 74.8 
 
 68 
 
 N. 
 
 10 
 
 
 6... 
 
 29. 95 
 
 67. 6 
 
 83 
 
 N. 
 
 13 
 
 
 30. 02 
 
 68.3 
 
 81 
 
 N. 
 
 19 
 
 
 7 
 
 30.14 
 
 64.4 
 
 71 
 
 N. 
 
 17 
 
 
 .11 
 
 67 
 
 45 
 
 N. 
 
 11 
 
 
 8 
 
 .22 
 
 54 
 
 70 
 
 N. 
 
 11 
 
 
 .15 
 
 71. 1 
 
 56 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 9 
 
 .21 
 
 61.5 
 
 71 
 
 NW. 
 
 10 
 
 
 .16 
 
 71.5 
 
 50 
 
 N. 
 
 11 
 
 
 10......... 
 
 .22 
 
 54 
 
 76 
 
 N. 
 
 11 
 
 
 .14 
 
 67 
 
 49 
 
 E. 
 
 .11 
 
 
 11 
 
 .17 
 
 58 
 
 78 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .13 
 
 72 
 
 69 
 
 E. 
 
 10 
 
 
 12 
 
 .16 
 
 66 
 
 85 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .11 
 
 74 
 
 70 
 
 E. 
 
 10 
 
 
 13 
 
 .10 
 
 66.5 
 
 90 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 .07 
 
 74.4 
 
 86 
 
 E. 
 
 12 
 
 
 14 
 
 .13 
 
 66.5 
 
 95 
 
 s. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .10 
 
 74.9 
 
 83 
 
 SE. 
 
 11 
 
 
 15 
 
 .16 
 
 70 
 
 95 
 
 NW. 
 
 3 
 
 
 . 11 
 
 75.8 
 
 81 
 
 E. 
 
 15 
 
 
 16 
 
 .12 
 
 70.1 
 
 84 
 
 S. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .08 
 
 76 
 
 82 
 
 E. 
 
 13 
 
 
 17 
 
 .13 
 
 71.5 
 
 84 
 
 sw. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .15 
 
 77 
 
 78 
 
 SE. 
 
 11 
 
 
 18.. 
 
 .32 
 
 70 
 
 77 
 
 N. 
 
 17 
 
 
 .34 
 
 71 
 
 45 
 
 N. 
 
 9 
 
 
 19 
 
 .40 
 
 56 
 
 57 
 
 N. 
 
 9 
 
 
 .30 
 
 70.9 
 
 54 
 
 SE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 20 
 
 .27 
 
 55.5 
 
 62 
 
 W. 
 
 12 
 
 
 .27 
 
 72 
 
 65 
 
 SE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 21 
 
 .30 
 
 61 
 
 87 
 
 w. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .26 
 
 73 
 
 69 
 
 SE. 
 
 11 
 
 
 22 
 
 .31 
 
 63 
 
 93 
 
 NW. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .26 
 
 72 
 
 65 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 
 23 
 
 .30 
 
 62 
 
 89 
 
 SW. 
 
 9 
 
 
 .25 
 
 73 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 11 
 
 
 24 
 
 .22 
 
 67 
 
 76 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .14 
 
 75 
 
 72 
 
 SE. 
 
 13 
 
 
 25 
 
 .14 
 
 68.5 
 
 85 
 
 S. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .15 
 
 74.8 
 
 86 
 
 SE. 
 
 15 
 
 
 26 
 
 .21 
 
 71 
 
 91 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .23 
 
 75 
 
 80 
 
 SE. 
 
 11 
 
 
 27 
 
 .30 
 
 68.1 
 
 95 
 
 N. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .27 
 
 74.9 
 
 83 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 28 
 
 .33 
 
 66.5 
 
 92 
 
 N. 
 
 11 
 
 
 .27 
 
 74.5 
 
 76 
 
 E. 
 
 18 
 
 
 29 
 
 .27 
 
 72.2 
 
 65 
 
 E. 
 
 13 
 
 
 .23 
 
 74.5 
 
 66 
 
 E. 
 
 19 
 
 
 30 
 
 .21 
 
 70.5 
 
 79 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .17 
 
 75.2 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 
 31 
 
 .19 
 
 70 
 
 86 
 
 N. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .16 
 
 76 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 15 
 
 
 Mean . . . 
 
 30. 16 
 
 67 
 
 81.2 
 
 N. 
 
 8.5 
 
 *12 
 
 30. 13 
 
 74.1 
 
 71.9 
 
 SE. 
 
 12.5 
 
 T. 
 
 * Total. 
 
 S. Ex. 45 4 
 
50 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 Record of observations during the month of October, 1891. 
 
 SAN ANTONIO, TEX. 
 
 8 a. m. , seventy-fifth meridian time=6:26 8 p. m.,, seventy-fifth meridian tijne=6:26 
 
 a. m. local time. p. m. local time. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tem- 
 
 pera- 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion.' 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tem- 
 
 pera- 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Veloc- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Veloc- 
 
 ity. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 1 
 
 29. 92 
 
 74.3 
 
 88 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 29.87 
 
 79.7 
 
 66 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 
 2 
 
 .95 
 
 75 
 
 87 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 .03 
 
 .92 
 
 78.6 
 
 73 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 .14 
 
 3 
 
 .94 
 
 74 
 
 86 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .92 
 
 75 
 
 84 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 .22 
 
 4 
 
 30. 02 
 
 
 70 
 
 N. 
 
 9 
 
 .02 
 
 30. 06 
 
 58.5 
 
 72 
 
 N. 
 
 16 
 
 
 5 
 
 .10 
 
 61 
 
 58 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 
 29. 97 
 
 69.3 
 
 55 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 
 6 
 
 .01 
 
 59 
 
 67 
 
 NE. 
 
 
 
 30. 10 
 
 65.5 
 
 59 
 
 N. 
 
 9 
 
 
 7 
 
 .26 
 
 54 
 
 59 
 
 N. 
 
 12 
 
 
 . 16 
 
 63.5 
 
 36 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 
 8 
 
 .26 
 
 50. 1 
 
 64 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 
 . 16 
 
 72 
 
 42 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 9 
 
 .26 
 
 57.5 
 
 66 
 
 NE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 .21 
 
 
 50 
 
 N. 
 
 5 
 
 
 10 
 
 .28 
 
 49.5 
 
 64 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 15 
 
 67 
 
 51 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 ,11 
 
 .22 
 
 47.1 
 
 62 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .16 
 
 67 
 
 45 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 12 
 
 .21 
 
 54 
 
 70 
 
 NE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .10 
 
 73.2 
 
 44 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 13 
 
 . 13 
 
 58 
 
 75 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 .05 
 
 75 
 
 42 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 14 
 
 . 19 
 
 61.3 
 
 63 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 
 .11 
 
 73.7 
 
 48 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 15 
 
 .18 
 
 64 
 
 70 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .08 
 
 77.3 
 
 45 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 16 
 
 . 14 
 
 64 
 
 72 
 
 NE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .06 
 
 76.2 
 
 46 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 
 17 
 
 . 14 
 
 
 100 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 .13 
 
 78 
 
 46 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 18 
 
 .40 
 
 65 ~ 
 
 31 
 
 N. 
 
 12 
 
 .19 
 
 .39 
 
 64 
 
 38 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 
 19 
 
 .46 
 
 50. 5 
 
 46 
 
 N. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .31 
 
 67 
 
 37 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 20 . ... 
 
 .33 
 
 49.5 
 
 64 
 
 NW. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .28 
 
 71.5 
 
 32 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 21 
 
 .32 
 
 53 
 
 69 
 
 ‘ N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .26 
 
 75 
 
 34 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 22 
 
 .35 
 
 57.4 
 
 66 
 
 N. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .25 
 
 74.9 
 
 39 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 23 
 
 .32 
 
 58.2 
 
 61 
 
 NW. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .23 
 
 74. 6 
 
 40 
 
 S. 
 
 3 
 
 
 24 
 
 .25 
 
 58 
 
 100 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 . 11 
 
 74 
 
 41 
 
 S. 
 
 5 
 
 
 25. 
 
 . 19 
 
 60 
 
 78 
 
 N. 
 
 5 
 
 
 . 15 
 
 74. 1 
 
 43 
 
 S. 
 
 4 
 
 
 26 
 
 .24 
 
 64.8 
 
 87 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 .22 
 
 75.7 
 
 45 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 27 
 
 .33 
 
 62 
 
 79 
 
 NE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .26 
 
 77.5 
 
 40 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 28 
 
 .34 
 
 58.4 
 
 67 
 
 N. 
 
 7 
 
 
 .27 
 
 75.2 
 
 40 
 
 E. 
 
 7 
 
 
 29 
 
 .32 
 
 59.5 
 
 60 
 
 NE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .22 
 
 71.7 
 
 55 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 30 
 
 .25 
 
 58 
 
 83 
 
 E. 
 
 5 
 
 
 . 16 
 
 74 
 
 45 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 31 
 
 .22 
 
 65.5 
 
 85 
 
 E. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .16 
 
 75.5 
 
 50 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 Mean . . . 
 
 30.21 
 
 59.7 
 
 70.9 
 
 N. 
 
 4.8 
 
 *. 24 
 
 30.14 
 
 72.4 
 
 47.8 
 
 SE. 
 
 5.3 
 
 *. 36 
 
 RIO GRANDE CITY, TEX. 
 
 1 
 
 29. 84 
 
 77.5 
 
 85 
 
 E. 
 
 8 
 
 
 29. 79 
 
 84.9 
 
 68 
 
 SE. 
 
 10 
 
 
 2 
 
 .86 
 
 77.2 
 
 91 | 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .83 
 
 78.9 
 
 87 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 .36 
 
 3 
 
 .85 
 
 74.8 
 
 93 
 
 NE. 
 
 5 
 
 . 12 
 
 .83 
 
 79.6 
 
 88 
 
 E. 
 
 7 
 
 .03 
 
 4 
 
 .89 
 
 72.7 
 
 95 
 
 NE. 
 
 4 
 
 .01 
 
 .93 
 
 71.1 
 
 90 
 
 NW. 
 
 8 
 
 .76 
 
 5 
 
 30.02 
 
 64. 1 
 
 76 
 
 NW. 
 
 9 
 
 .01 
 
 .88 
 
 75.8 
 
 60 
 
 NW. 
 
 2 
 
 
 6 
 
 29. 93 
 
 64.5 
 
 92 
 
 NW. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .94 
 
 80 
 
 61 
 
 N. 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 30. 13 
 
 64 
 
 64 
 
 NW. 
 
 9 
 
 
 30. 07 
 
 70.2 
 
 53 
 
 N. 
 
 5 
 
 
 8 
 
 .20 
 
 52. 2 
 
 80 
 
 N. 
 
 1 
 
 
 . 12 
 
 71.2 
 
 40 
 
 N. 
 
 3 
 
 
 9 
 
 . 19 
 
 52. 2 
 
 86 
 
 N. 
 
 1 
 
 
 . 12 
 
 74.5 
 
 40 
 
 NE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 10 
 
 .20 
 
 53! 2 
 
 83 
 
 NE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .08 
 
 69.2 
 
 43 
 
 NE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 11 
 
 . 13 
 
 52. 1 
 
 89 
 
 NE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .05 
 
 71.5 
 
 50 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 12 
 
 . 12 
 
 60 
 
 81 
 
 NE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .04 
 
 75 
 
 53 
 
 E 
 
 3 
 
 
 13 
 
 .06 
 
 60.4 
 
 88 
 
 0. 
 
 0 
 
 
 .01 
 
 76.8 
 
 53 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 14 
 
 .12 
 
 60 
 
 91 
 
 NE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .06 
 
 75.6 
 
 63 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 15 
 
 .09 
 
 66.5 
 
 92 
 
 E. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .04 
 
 77.8 
 
 57 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 16 
 
 .06 
 
 66.1 
 
 89 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 .02 
 
 78.8 
 
 51 
 
 SE. 
 
 6 
 
 
 17 
 
 .08 
 
 66.5 
 
 88 
 
 0. 
 
 0 
 
 
 .08 
 
 80.9 
 
 50 
 
 E. 
 
 6 
 
 
 18 
 
 .27 
 
 63. 1 
 
 89 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 . 32 
 
 71.3 
 
 40 
 
 W. 
 
 9 
 
 
 19 
 
 .39 
 
 49 
 
 80 
 
 W. 
 
 2 , 
 
 
 .28 
 
 67.7 
 
 38 
 
 NE. 
 
 3 
 
 " 
 
 20 
 
 .32 
 
 44.3 
 
 70 
 
 NW. 
 
 5 
 
 
 .21 
 
 68. 1 
 
 50 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 21 
 
 .26 
 
 51 
 
 88 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .20 
 
 71.8 
 
 49 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 22 
 
 .28 
 
 52.9 
 
 86 
 
 N. 
 
 2 
 
 
 .21 
 
 72.5 
 
 52 
 
 E. 
 
 2 ' 
 
 
 23 
 
 .28 
 
 54.7 
 
 85 
 
 0. 
 
 0 
 
 
 . 19 
 
 71 
 
 52 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 24 _ _ 
 
 . 18 
 
 58 
 
 90 
 
 NE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .06 
 
 75.2 
 
 54 
 
 E. 
 
 6 
 
 
 25 
 
 .08 
 
 62.5 
 
 90 
 
 NE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .07 
 
 77 
 
 50 
 
 NE. 
 
 5 
 
 
 26 
 
 .16 
 
 63.5 
 
 93 
 
 NE. 
 
 3 
 
 
 . 18 
 
 73.8 
 
 70 
 
 SE. 
 
 10 
 
 
 27 
 
 .27 
 
 64.6 
 
 87 
 
 N. 
 
 3 
 
 .23 
 
 75.2 
 
 55 
 
 E. 
 
 2 
 
 
 28 . . 
 
 .29 
 
 57.6 
 
 88 
 
 N. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .20 
 
 75 
 
 55 
 
 E. 
 
 6 
 
 
 29 
 
 .24 
 
 59.7 
 
 92 
 
 NE. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .14 
 
 76.5 
 
 54 
 
 NE. 
 
 9 
 
 
 30 
 
 .16 
 
 65 
 
 92 
 
 E. 
 
 2 
 
 
 . 10 
 
 75 
 
 55 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 31 
 
 .12 
 
 67.2 
 
 92 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 .07 
 
 78.5 
 
 42 
 
 E. 
 
 5 
 
 
 Mean _ . 
 
 30. 13 
 
 60.9 
 
 86.6 
 
 1 
 
 NE. 
 
 3.5 
 
 *. 14 
 
 30.08 
 
 74.9 
 
 55.6 
 
 E. 
 
 5.4 
 
 *1.15 
 
 * Total 
 
52 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 Becord of observations during the month of November, 1891. 
 
 CORPUS CHRtSTI, TEX. 
 
 8 a. m., seventy -fifth meridian time=6:30 8 p. m., seventy-fifth meridian time=6:30 
 a. m. local time. p. m. local time. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tem- 
 
 pera- 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Cor- 
 
 rected 
 
 barom- 
 
 eter. 
 
 Tem- 
 
 pera- 
 
 ture. 
 
 Rela- 
 
 tive 
 
 hu- 
 
 mid- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Wind. 
 
 Pre- 
 
 cipita- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Veloc- 
 
 ity. 
 
 Direc- 
 
 tion. 
 
 Veloc- 
 
 ity. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miles. 
 
 
 1 
 
 30.154 
 
 68.5 
 
 95 
 
 W. 
 
 2 
 
 1.59 
 
 30. 157 
 
 76.5 
 
 74 
 
 E. 
 
 13 
 
 0 
 
 2 
 
 30. 192 
 
 71.0 
 
 79 
 
 N. 
 
 10 
 
 .01 
 
 30. 199 
 
 74.0 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 19 
 
 .30 
 
 3 .... 
 
 30. 239 
 
 75.5 
 
 66 
 
 E. 
 
 15 
 
 .02 
 
 30. 225 
 
 76.0 
 
 70 
 
 E. 
 
 14 
 
 0 
 
 4.... 
 
 30. 239 
 
 72.4 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 0 
 
 30. 154 
 
 75.0 
 
 78 
 
 SE. 
 
 10 
 
 0 
 
 5 
 
 30. 134 
 
 61.0 
 
 94 
 
 W. 
 
 7 
 
 0 
 
 30. 031 
 
 74.5 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 13 
 
 0 
 
 6 i__ 
 
 30. 020 
 
 70.0 
 
 90 
 
 SE. 
 
 4 
 
 0 
 
 29. 930 
 
 75.2 
 
 86 
 
 SE. 
 
 15 
 
 0 
 
 7 
 
 2.). 939 
 
 72.0 
 
 93 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 0 
 
 29. 822 
 
 76.0 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 13 
 
 0 
 
 8 ..mil" 
 
 2.1.751 
 
 73.5 
 
 91 
 
 SE. 
 
 1.2 
 
 0 
 
 29. 641 
 
 78.0 
 
 81 
 
 S. 
 
 19 
 
 0 
 
 9 . 
 
 30. 027 
 
 55. 0 
 
 59 
 
 NW. 
 
 24 
 
 .50 
 
 30. 073 
 
 59.0 
 
 49 
 
 W. 
 
 10 
 
 0 
 
 10 
 
 30. 03 5 
 
 45.4 
 
 64 
 
 sw. 
 
 12 
 
 0 
 
 29. 931 
 
 65.0 
 
 61 
 
 S. 
 
 10 
 
 0 
 
 11 
 
 2.1. 966 
 
 61.5 
 
 81 
 
 s. 
 
 9 
 
 0 
 
 29. 980 
 
 73.0 
 
 80 
 
 SE. 
 
 11 
 
 0 
 
 12 
 
 30. 263 
 
 57.9 
 
 56 
 
 N. 
 
 17 
 
 T. 
 
 30. 210 
 
 67.0 
 
 53 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 0 
 
 13 
 
 30.211 
 
 61.0 
 
 84 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 0 
 
 30. 157 
 
 71.0 
 
 81 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 T. 
 
 14 
 
 3) .165 
 
 71.0 
 
 81 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 0 
 
 30. 123 
 
 72.1 
 
 83 
 
 SE. 
 
 13 
 
 T. 
 
 15 
 
 30 067 
 
 70. 5 
 
 88 
 
 SE 
 
 g 
 
 0 
 
 29. 995 
 
 74. 0 
 
 86 
 
 SE 
 
 14 
 
 0 
 
 1G 
 
 2 ). 908 
 
 7 . 2 ! 0 
 
 91 
 
 se! 
 
 3 
 
 0 
 
 30. 006 
 
 76.0 
 
 82 
 
 SE. 
 
 12 
 
 T. 
 
 17 
 
 
 43. 0 
 
 
 N. 
 
 30 
 
 . 08 
 
 30. 581 
 
 49. 5 
 
 34 
 
 N. 
 
 12 
 
 0 
 
 18 
 
 
 38. 0 
 
 57 
 
 n! 
 
 19 
 
 0 
 
 30. 422 
 
 55 0 
 
 79 
 
 NE. 
 
 18 
 
 6 
 
 19 
 
 3 ). 276 
 
 54.0 
 
 76 
 
 n! 
 
 7 
 
 0 
 
 30. 166 
 
 64^0 
 
 87 
 
 NE. 
 
 3 
 
 T. 
 
 20 
 
 30. 103 
 
 66.0 
 
 90 
 
 SE. 
 
 3 
 
 0 
 
 30. 004 
 
 68.0 
 
 86 
 
 SE. 
 
 8 
 
 0 
 
 21 
 
 29 964 
 
 70. 3 
 
 93 
 
 SE. 
 
 7 
 
 .01 
 
 29. 797 
 
 73.8 
 
 83 
 
 S. 
 
 9 
 
 . 01 
 
 
 23 870 
 
 59. 0 
 
 94 
 
 SW 
 
 7 
 
 0 
 
 30. 134 
 
 56 8 
 
 31 
 
 N. 
 
 
 0 
 
 2 5 
 
 30. 195 
 
 48.0 
 
 47 
 
 N. ’ 
 
 11 
 
 0 
 
 30. 094 
 
 58.5 
 
 60 
 
 SE. 
 
 5 
 
 0 
 
 24 
 
 30. 071 
 
 54.0 
 
 64 
 
 NE. 
 
 17 
 
 0 
 
 30. 022 
 
 59.0 
 
 88 
 
 N. 
 
 9 
 
 T. 
 
 25.... 
 
 30.051 
 
 51.0 
 
 93 
 
 W. 
 
 12 
 
 ,01 
 
 29. 952 
 
 61.5 
 
 54 
 
 NW. 
 
 2 
 
 0 
 
 25 
 
 23. 954 
 
 48.0 
 
 63 
 
 SW. 
 
 6 
 
 0 
 
 30. 029 
 
 62.5 
 
 69 
 
 S. 
 
 4 
 
 0 
 
 27 
 
 30. 014 
 
 52. 0 
 
 84 
 
 sw 
 
 5 
 
 0 
 
 28. 865 
 
 70.0 
 
 75 
 
 s. 
 
 18 
 
 0 
 
 28 . . 
 
 29.913 
 
 62. 6 
 
 97 
 
 s. 
 
 5 
 
 0 
 
 30. 195 
 
 65.7 
 
 42 
 
 N. 
 
 21 
 
 0 
 
 29 
 
 30. 537 
 
 42.5 
 
 50 
 
 N. 
 
 14 
 
 0 
 
 30. 491 
 
 55. 5 
 
 46 
 
 NE. 
 
 12 
 
 0 
 
 30 
 
 30. 455 
 
 47.0 
 
 72 
 
 N. 
 
 18 
 
 0 
 
 30. 309 
 
 58.0 
 
 70 
 
 E. 
 
 12 
 
 0 
 
 Mean 
 
 30. 135 
 
 59.9 
 
 77.6 
 
 N., SE. 
 
 10.3 
 
 .074 
 
 30. 090 
 
 67.3 
 
 70.5 
 
 SE. 
 
 11.5 
 
 .010 
 
 SAN ANTONIO, TEX. 
 
 1 
 
 30. 205 
 
 66.5 
 
 82 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 30. 154 
 
 74.0 
 
 50 
 
 S. E. 
 
 5 
 
 
 2 
 
 30. 230 
 
 63.2 
 
 07 
 
 N. E. 
 
 5 
 
 
 30. 206 
 
 74.3 
 
 52 
 
 E. 
 
 5 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 62.5 
 
 87 
 
 N. E. 
 
 5 
 
 
 30. 228 
 
 73.5 
 
 46 
 
 S. E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 4 
 
 30. 260 
 
 61.7 
 
 100 
 
 E. 
 
 2 
 
 
 30. 146 
 
 74.0 
 
 47 
 
 S.‘ E.’ 
 
 5 
 
 
 5 
 
 30. 153 
 
 61.0 
 
 87 
 
 W. 
 
 4 
 
 
 30. 009 
 
 76.0 
 
 38 
 
 S. E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 6 
 
 30. 041 
 
 61.0 
 
 100 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 29. 886 
 
 76.5 
 
 48 
 
 S. E. 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 29. 890 
 
 68.0 
 
 78 
 
 S. E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 29. 759 
 
 79.0 
 
 43 
 
 S. 
 
 5 
 
 
 8 "III"" 
 
 2 ). 739 
 
 70.7 
 
 86 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 29. 739 
 
 72.7 
 
 23 
 
 N. W. 
 
 17 
 
 
 9 
 
 30'. 0 )3 
 
 50. 0 
 
 52 
 
 N. W. 
 
 21 
 
 
 30. 096 
 
 58.0 
 
 18 
 
 N. W. 
 
 9 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 39. 5 
 
 36 
 
 W. 
 
 5 
 
 
 29.911 
 
 67. 5 
 
 26 
 
 S. 
 
 5 
 
 
 11 
 
 29. 989 
 
 50. 0 
 
 52 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 30. 029 
 
 73.0 
 
 39 
 
 N. 
 
 18 
 
 
 12 
 
 30. 357 
 
 47.0 
 
 55 
 
 N. 
 
 17 
 
 
 30.248 
 
 57.5 
 
 32 
 
 N. E. 
 
 8 
 
 
 13 
 
 30. 264 
 
 55. 0 
 
 51 
 
 N. 
 
 5 
 
 
 30. 156 
 
 69.5 
 
 72 
 
 E. 
 
 15 
 
 
 14 
 
 30. 204 
 
 61.0 
 
 78 
 
 S. E. 
 
 2 
 
 
 30. 106 
 
 74.0 
 
 66 
 
 S. E. 
 
 15 
 
 
 15 
 
 30.091 
 
 68.5 
 
 81 
 
 S. E. 
 
 9 
 
 
 29. 986 
 
 74.0 
 
 72 
 
 S. E. 
 
 11 
 
 
 16 
 
 30. 008 
 
 70.0 
 
 81 
 
 S. E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 30. 075 
 
 72.5 
 
 67 
 
 N. 
 
 24 
 
 T.' 
 
 17 
 
 30. 630 
 
 34.0 
 
 58 
 
 N. 
 
 19 
 
 0l07" 
 
 30. 679 
 
 43.0 
 
 34 
 
 N. 
 
 9 
 
 
 18 
 
 30. 738 
 
 34.0 
 
 35 
 
 N. 
 
 9 
 
 
 30. 510 
 
 43.0 
 
 51 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 19 
 
 30. 351 
 
 45.0 
 
 71 
 
 E. 
 
 5 
 
 6 . 62 ” 
 
 30. 227 
 
 56.0 
 
 55 
 
 E. 
 
 6 
 
 
 20 
 
 30. 136 
 
 59.0 
 
 100 
 
 S. E. 
 
 3 
 
 0. 22 
 
 30. 003 
 
 70.3 
 
 77 
 
 S. E. 
 
 3 
 
 0 . 03 
 
 21 
 
 29. 978 
 
 64.5 
 
 97 
 
 S. E. 
 
 4 
 
 0. 04 
 
 29. 842 
 
 60.0 
 
 94 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 0. 54 
 
 22 .. 
 
 30. 087 
 
 47. 2 
 
 55 
 
 N. W. 
 
 22 
 
 
 30. 153 
 
 52. 2 
 
 51 
 
 N. W. 
 
 3 
 
 
 23 . 
 
 
 34. 3 
 
 44 
 
 0 
 
 0 
 
 
 
 30 135 
 
 55. 5 
 
 41 
 
 S. E. 
 
 5 
 
 
 24 
 
 30. 154 
 
 38.0 
 
 65 
 
 N. 
 
 7 
 
 
 30. 074 
 
 50. 5 
 
 48 
 
 E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 25 
 
 30. 088 
 
 44. 8 
 
 64 
 
 N W. 
 
 7 
 
 
 29. 969 
 
 54. 5 
 
 50 
 
 S E 
 
 6 
 
 
 26 
 
 30.016 
 
 47.2 
 
 59 
 
 N. W. 
 
 6 
 
 
 30. 059 
 
 63.5 
 
 38 
 
 N. E*. 
 
 5 
 
 
 27 
 
 30. 018 
 
 45. 1 
 
 64 
 
 N. W. 
 
 4 
 
 
 29.878 
 
 71. 5 
 
 29 
 
 S. 
 
 5 
 
 
 28 
 
 30. 008 
 
 51.5 
 
 66 
 
 N. 
 
 6 
 
 
 30.357 
 
 57. 1 
 
 31 
 
 N. 
 
 13 
 
 
 39 
 
 30. 599 
 
 38.0 
 
 46 
 
 N. E. 
 
 9 
 
 
 30.520 
 
 48 5 
 
 50 
 
 N. E. 
 
 7 
 
 
 30 
 
 30.518 
 
 39.0 
 
 59 
 
 N. E. 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 30.321 
 
 53.0 
 
 41 
 
 S. E. 
 
 7 
 
 
 Mean . . . 
 
 30. 182 
 
 52.4 
 
 69.6 
 
 N. , SE. 
 
 6.3 
 
 0.12 
 
 30 115 
 
 61.5 
 
 47.7 
 
 S. E. 
 
 7 7 
 
 on 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 53 
 
 STATEMENT OF MR. FAIRCHILD. 
 
 The expedition has completed its work for the season, and the question is 
 asked, “ Have the experiments been successful ?” As a member of the expedi- 
 tion, I am convinced that the experiments have been entirely successful, and 
 furthermore, that the scheme is practicable; the cost being 1 very small as com- 
 pared with the benefit gained. A tax of a few cents an acre would cover the 
 expense of operations extending over the entire dry season. 
 
 A word as to the theories of “ rainmaking ” in answer to the* objection which 
 many scientists have raised, that the force of a heavy explosion is momentary 
 in its effect, and hence, if the concussions did cause the rain to fall, it should come 
 at once; it is not claimed that the explosions themselves will cause rain to fall 
 from a dear sky, but that they will start a storm center, and then in the natural 
 course of things the intermingling of the currents, and other disturbances will 
 progress, until rain will fall. 
 
 On the other hand, when the conditions are favorable and clouds are present, 
 as they are in many portions of Texas during many days of the driest seasons, 
 rain can be made to fall in greater or less quantity, within a few seconds after 
 the explosion, as we demonstrated time and again during the experiments. 
 
 At El Paso, we began work at about 10 a. m., exploding charges of dynamite 
 and rackarock powder at intervals of about two minutes until 8:03 p. m., with ex- 
 plosions of the large oxy-hydrogen balloons, containing from 600 to 1,000 cubic feet 
 of this powerful explosive, every forty-five minutes. In the evening, heavy 
 clouds gathered but passed off to the southeast. The next morning, September 
 10, it was learned that the rain had fallen in torrents all along the valley of the 
 Rio Grande. The Weather Bureau reports, for the section of country covered 
 by the rain on that day, had been for extreme dry weather with rising barometer. 
 
 From El Paso the party went to Corpus Christi, by way of San Antonio, in- 
 tending to operate there, but as it commenced raining on the day of our arrival 
 and continued for nearly a week, we went back into the country, 50 miles out of 
 the rain belt, to San Diego. Here Mr. Ellis, wishing, as this was to be the last 
 experiment, to have it as complete and positive as possible, waited nearly three 
 weeks until the weather had settled in for a long drought. 
 
 On Thursday night, October 15, the line was arranged. Directly east of the 
 camp was placed a 12-pound cannon. Next the 21-pound mortar batteries for 
 throwing the bombs into the air to the height of 500 feet or more. Beyond these 
 were the dynamite and rackarock stations, extending nearly three-quarters of a 
 mile down the road toward San Diego. The balloons were filled and started, 
 with time fuses, from an open space west of the camp. A light cannonading was 
 carried on Thursday and Friday nights, but the final bombardment of the heavens 
 on Saturday night was on a much larger scale than we had ever attempted be- 
 fore. The sky was cloudless and the weather predictions were most decidedly 
 against rain, but on Sunday morning the rain fell heavily for an hour, our rain- 
 gauge showing an inch and a half of precipitation. 
 
 The almost unanimous decision of all responsible persons who have witnessed 
 our work is that it has been a great success, and that without a doubt it will soon 
 be a thing of the past for the Texas cotton-grower to lose two-thirds of his crop 
 for lack, of rain at the right time. 
 
 Eugene Fairchild. 
 
 Chicago, III., November 1, 1891. 
 
 opinions of spectators. 
 
 [Extract from a letter from the Delamer Ranch, of San Diego, Tex.] 
 
 San Diego, Duval County, Tex., November 14, 1891. 
 
 I was present at the experiment on the night of the 17th of October, and on 
 the following morning drove out to the camp to offer you my congratulations, 
 but finding you asleep, did not disturb you. 
 
 You are aware that I was very much interested in the object of your visit here. 
 In fact I was one of the first to move in the matter of bringing you to San Diego, 
 for which purpose I went to some expense. 
 
 It affords me the greatest pleasure to say that 1 am satisfied with the result. 
 From what I saw and from what I heard from those who watched throughout 
 the night, I am of the opinion that the rain which fell on the morning of the 18th, 
 was produced by the explosions; that the clouds which gave the rain, formed over 
 this section from a clear sky, and were not carried from afar by the “ norther ; ” 
 
54 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 and that had the “norther” not come just at that hour, we would have had a much 
 better rain over this locality. 
 
 I will further state that I spoke to several parties on the morning* of the 18th, 
 and, without exception, they all attribute the rain to the explosions. 
 
 For my part! think the greatest object of the test has been attained, viz: the 
 demonstration that rain, much or little, can be drawn from the sky. One single 
 drop so drawn bears an incalculable importance. Further experiments will teach 
 us how to bring it in greater quantity and the most economical means of doing 
 so. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 H. J. Delamer. 
 
 P. S. — I would suggest that you write to Mr. R. J. Kleberg, Santa Gertrudes 
 or Collins post-office, Neuces County, Tex., who was the largest subscriber to 
 the “ rain ” fund, and who represents the largest landed interests in the South- 
 west. Mr. Kleberg is a gentleman of enlightenment, experience, and sound sense, 
 whose word carries the greatest weight. I think you will find he is pleased with 
 the result. 
 
 H. J. D. 
 
 [Extracts from letters written by Dr. Lincoln B. Wright, of San Diego.] 
 
 San Diego, Tex., October SO, 1891. 
 
 * * * Your experiments in rain-making were, in my opinion, a decided suc- 
 cess. I feel safe in saying that you evidently produced rain, or, to be more ex- 
 plicit, that rain would not have fallen without the effects produced by your ex- 
 periments. I have great confidence in the undertaking, and shall watch with 
 interest your future operations. * * * 
 
 Yours, very respectfully, 
 
 L. B. Wright, M. D. 
 
 San Diego, Tex., November 13, 1891. 
 
 * * * My brother, the colonel, saw Mr. Kleberg, of the King Ranch, the 
 other day and had a long talk with him about the experiments. 
 
 Mr. Kleberg was at the ranch, and in company with several other gentlemen, 
 watched the experiments throughout the night. To say that he is highly pleased 
 with the experiment and that he is thoroughly convinced of its success is to put 
 it mildly; he is enthusiastic and does not regret a dollar that he spent; he only 
 wishes that he had spent more. *’ * * 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 L. B. Wright, M. D. 
 
 Mr. Kleberg, to whom Dr. Wright refers, is, the manager and principal pro- 
 prietor of the 1,000,000-acre King Ranch. The ranch subscribed $1,000 for use 
 in making the experiments, the entire amount of which was not used, however. 
 Mr. Kleberg visited Midland, Tex., in August, immediately after the last experi- 
 ment at that point, and fully satisfied himself of its success before offering to 
 contribute toward an experiment at San Diego. 
 
 The following is from Messrs. F. Gueydan & Co., the principal mercantile and 
 banking house of Southern Texas, consisting of F. Gueydan, C. Tiblier, and 
 George Bodet, the latter of whom is also postmaster of San Diego and treasurer 
 of Duval County. The firm paid a part of the expenses of the experiments at 
 that point: 
 
 San Dieqo, Tex., October SO, 1891. 
 
 To whom it may concern : 
 
 It gives us great pleasure to testify our high esteem for the manner in which 
 the experiments have been made at this point for the purpose of producing rain. 
 
 We can say, without doubt, that the rain which fell at this place on the morn- 
 ing of the 18th, was due entirely to the heavy explosions caused by the Govern- 
 ment expedition; that, during their experiments, they have worked hard to ob- 
 tain the result which we so highly appreciate, and which has been of great bene- 
 fit to the surrounding country. 
 
 We extend our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to each and every member of 
 the expedition. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 F. Gueydan & Co. 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 55 
 
 [Letter from Dr. William Taylor, correspondent of the British Museum and Smithsonian In- 
 stitution.] 
 
 Considering the dry day and night previous to the rainfall at 4 o’clock on Sun- 
 day morning, October 18, and the rising barometer and the appearance of a dry 
 norther, I firmly believe that the rain was produced by the explosions made by 
 the Government expendition, at San Diego. I consider the experiments highly 
 successful, and sincerely hope that further experiments may be tried in this .re 
 gion. 
 
 Wm. Taylor, M. D. 
 
 San Diego, Tex., October SO, 1891. 
 
 [Letter from Judge James O. Luby, of Duval County, Tex.] 
 
 San Diego, Tex., October Sl t 1891. 
 
 I congratulate you on the success of your experiments at this place. 
 
 If your operations of the night of the 17th did not produce the rain in our county 
 on the morning of the 18th instant, it was one of the strangest coincidences I 
 have ever witnessed. The previous desultory explosions unaccompanied or fol- 
 lowed* by copious showers caused many to be skeptical of the final results; your 
 choosing the night of the 17th, on a rising barometer and an expectant dry 
 norther, made me think you courted failure in the face of a frowning world, as 
 the conditions were more unfavorable than at any time during your stay here. 
 I became interested and hied me to Camp Powers, to witness the final coup de 
 main. The smoking batteries and airy balloons were in strange contrast with 
 the clear sky. I was the only person on the ground, out of the hundreds present, 
 that carried an umbrella. I suppose you didn’t notice it, as you were busy at 
 the balloons. My reason for carrying it was that I don’t care to trifle with science. 
 
 After witnessing the heavy cannonading for awhile and seeing no perceptible 
 change in the sky, I feared that Prof. Newcomb’s yellow-legged polly wogs would 
 not be afforded an opportunity to disport themselves in water produced by your 
 efforts. 
 
 On my return from Camp Powers I watched the forming of clouds with inter- 
 est. I saw them form from what appeared to be thin air, and banking up in the 
 northwest. 
 
 On the explosion of one of the balloons at 2:30 a. m., I was at the lower San 
 Diego bridge, which, as you are aware, is a parabolic iron truss, with a span of 153 
 feet. I went there out of curiosity to note the effects of the balloon explosions. 
 
 The bridge is over 2i miles from the camp, and the structure rattled and vi- 
 brated with great force. I thought, that if tbe explosions could so visibly affect 
 a solid, well-braced structure at such a distance, that nature, being so constantly 
 shook up from her dewy slumbers, would drop a tear or two in response to the 
 efforts of the rainmakers. 
 
 What was my surprise, after retiring for the night, to hear the patter on the 
 shingles ; I then knew that, in the language of the festive cowboy, you had k ‘ got 
 acinch on Old Pluvius,”and that the “ Powers ” that be, got there with the limpid 
 aqua purd. 
 
 Wishing you future success, I remain 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 James O. Luby. 
 
 [Letter from Hon. G. W. Fulton, who was present during the operations at El Paso and sub- 
 scribed $300 toward the San Diego experiments.] 
 
 Gregory, San Patricio County, Tex., 
 
 November SO, 1891. 
 
 I have much pleasure in expressing to you my firm conviction that the San 
 Diego experiment was a success, and I should have done so much earlier had I 
 known where to reach you. I had promised myself the pleasure of witnessing it, 
 and very much regret that pressing business called me to Victoria while the ex- 
 periment was in progress. Your telegram announcing the beginning of opera- 
 tions only reached me Saturday afternoon, at Beeville, on my return from Victo- 
 ria. At that time I was much discouraged, for I never saw less appearance of 
 rain indications. I remarked to some friends that I was afraid the experiment 
 was a flat failure, and on the Monday morning following, when informed by Mr. 
 Driscoll that a half inch of rain had actually fallen at San Diego and over a wide 
 area contiguous to that point, I was much surprised, and gratified correspond- 
 
56 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 ingly. There were many people who attributed the rainfall to the intermingling 
 of the cooler north wind, which arose Sunday morning, with the warmer moisi 
 air, losing sight of several important facts. First, if I am correctly informed, 
 the rainfall was before the norther and ceased after the norther arose; second, 
 the air was not moist, as proven by the hygrome trie readings at the time; and last, 
 but not least, there was no rain at all immediately on the coast, where, if there 
 was any difference at all, there must have been much more moisture in the air 
 than at San Diego. 
 
 Considering these facts, I am forced to the conclusion that the rainfall was the 
 direct result of the explosions; and I further believe that if it had not been for 
 the norther, the result would have been convincing to the most skeptical.' 
 
 Always a believer in the theory that rain can be produced by concussions, my 
 opinion has been much strengthened by the results both at Ei Paso and San 
 Diego. I never viewed the enterprise in the light of procuring so much rain for 
 so much money, though I am now convinced that the time will arrive when 
 it will be possible to do so, and I am much in hopes that you will be enabled to 
 prosecute your experiments until the practicability of the theory is demonstrated 
 beyond any question. 
 
 You will doubtless be interested to know that the balloon which escaped you 
 at San Diego, was found near the western boundary of our pasture, quite 40 miles, 
 I should say, from where it ascended. It was still fairly well inflated, enough of 
 the hydrogen having escaped to cause it to descend, I presume, and the half- 
 burned fuse was still in place. 
 
 I hope it may happen that your investigations may again be pursued in this 
 section, for I feel deeply interested in them, and I wish to say that we regard 
 our contribution to the cause a most excellent investment. 
 
 Very truly yours, 
 
 G. W. Fulton, Jr. 
 
 [Letter from Mr. Robert J. Kleberg, of the King Ranch.] 
 
 King’s Ranch, Collins, Nueces County, Tex., 
 
 December 22, 1891. 
 
 Your telegram of recent date, asking me to give you my views of past and future 
 experiments in producing rainfall, came to hand a few days since, and I no w com- 
 ply with your request. As to past experiments, you know that I was not present 
 at any of the experiments made by your party when you experimented at San 
 Diego. I was here on the ranch, 27 miles to the southeast of the place where 
 you operated, still I witnessed some of the results of your experiment on Satur- 
 day night, the last night that you experimented. I was here, and at about 21 
 o’clock that night, I was awakened out of a sound sleep by the shocks produced 
 by the explosion of the balloons. It shook the building very perceptibly, so 
 much so that everyone on the ranch here was awakened. 
 
 I went out and found the sky bright and clear; stars and moon shining brightly. 
 Some of the men employed about the place had been up for some time trying to 
 see or hear the explosions of your experiments, and they showed me the locality. 
 I soon saw the flash of one of the exploding balloons, and exactly in a minute’s 
 time by the watch I felt the shock produced and noticed the shaking of the 
 building I was in. I was in an observatory, about 50 feet from the ground, on 
 top of a house. There was one small cloud visible in the sky at that time, and 
 only one. This seemed to be about 5 acres large. It was a little to the east of 
 San Diego and the point where I could see the explosions of the balloons. This 
 cloud was alone, disconnected from any. others; the stars were shining brightly 
 beneath it in the sky, showing that it was not a part of a bank of clouds. This 
 cloud was moving slowly from the east to the west, and we observed that every 
 time a balloon exploded lightning seemed to flash in this little cloud, and they 
 said that they had noticed it forming in the place where it then was. 
 
 I retired about 2 o’clock a. m., and at 4 a. m., I was again awakened by the 
 rain failing on the roof of the house I was occupying. At 7, when I arose, but 
 few clouds were visible and a dry “norther” or north wind was blowing. The 
 rainfall at this place was very light, but a neighbor living 20 miles to the west 
 of here and south of San Diego told me that on his ranch the best rain fell that 
 night which had fallen there in three years. Now, I will further state in this 
 connection, that, as all the “ northers ” we have had this winter, before that time 
 and since, were “ dry northers,” I do not think that the clouds from which the 
 rain fell that night or morning, were brought on by the “ norther,” but on thq 
 contrary were driven off by the same, and it seemed to me that the rain which 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 57 
 
 fell could fairly be claimed to have been produced by your experiment. So much 
 for my views on the past. I do not think, however, that these experiments, 
 which were made under the most adverse circumstances, have demonstrated, 
 fairly and sufficiently, the theory whether or not rainfall can be produced by 
 heavy concussions. 
 
 I do think, however, from what I could learn of the other experiments made 
 by you at Midland and El Paso, and from what I saw or witnessed here of your 
 experiments at San Diego, that the results were certainly encouraging to war- 
 rant our Government to make a liberal appropriation to be expended in further 
 experiments to produce rainfall. There certainly is no subject of greater inter- 
 est to our entire people than this, for in almost all portions of the Union has 
 there been suffering from drought this year. 
 
 I do think that in less than ten years great progress will be made in this re- 
 spect. Hoping to hear from you in reference to any steps which may be taken 
 in this matter, I remain, 
 
 Yours truly, 
 
 Robert J. Kleberg. 
 
 The foregoing extracts from letters are true copies of the originals. 
 
 S. Allen Dyer, 
 
 First Lieutenant , Twenty-third Infantry , U. IS. Army. 
 
 OBSERVATION OF ATTENDANT METEOROLOGICAL PHENOMENA. 
 
 I particularly invite your consideration of the following phenomena 
 believed to have been observed : 
 
 (1) The hot and dry surface stratum of air in arid regions, exerting a 
 repellent action upon any superior bodies or strata of air. 
 
 (2) The visible dissolving of clouds, showing the conversion or re- 
 conversion of moisture into vapor upon contact of the clouds with the 
 dry and warmer air of the surface stratum, the appearance being par- 
 ticularly striking when occurring while clouds are moving toward the 
 observer. 
 
 (3) The visible precipitation from a cloud, without the precipitation 
 reaching the ground. 
 
 (4) The greater rapidity of the surface currents, as compared with the 
 higher currents, and the difference in direction of these currents from 
 the surface currents and from each other at different altitudes. 
 
 (5) The mechanical effect of some of the explosions manifest in the 
 whirling ring of ascending smoke attended by the peculiar moaning 
 sound. 
 
 (6) The great force of the waves resulting from explosions, and the 
 return wave resulting from contact of the explosion wave with a cloud. 
 
 (7) The precipitation from a moist cloud near by, from the blow of an 
 explosion. 
 
 (8) The appearance of heavy cloud-formation, succeeding explosions, 
 in the direction toward which the wind was blowing at the time of the 
 explosions. 
 
 (9) The tendency of cloud-formation to develop at places on the hori- 
 zon of the field of explosion, and the appearance of rain at these points 
 gradually extending to the center, where it rained last when it rained 
 at all. 
 
 DEDUCTIONS. 
 
 The few experiments which have been made, do not furnish sufficient 
 data from which to form definite conclusions, or evidence upon which to 
 uphold or condemn the theories of the artificial production of increase of 
 rainfall by concussion. Experiments extending over a period of only a 
 few months can scarcely be sufficient. It is only by a large number of 
 
58 
 
 EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 tests, with accurate noting of conditions and occurrences, tliat definite 
 conclusions can be reached ; and, if then it be ascertained to be a certainty 
 that rainfall will be induced by explosions, that such production o i 
 rainfall can be reduced to an art, so as to effect precipitation at a pre- 
 determined place. What has been done so far is altogether prelim in ary ; 
 but with the benefit of the experience gained, I hope that the subject 
 will be pursued. At the risk of being tiresome, I have embodied in my 
 report the minutest details, in order that others who may follow me in 
 this line of inquiry, may be fully advised as to what has preceded. It 
 may be said, however, that the three principal tests which have been 
 made, namely, at the U C V Ranch, Midland; at El Paso, and at San 
 Diego, Tex. (all under conditions much more unfavorable than need ever 
 be encountered in attempts to produce rainfall), supply testimony which 
 would seem to point to the following inferences: 
 
 First. That when a moist cloud is present, which, if undisturbed, 
 would pass away without precipitating its moisture, the jarring of the 
 cloud by concussions will cause the particles of moisture in suspension 
 to agglomerate and fall in greater or less quantity, according to the 
 degree of moistness of the air in and beneath the cloud. 
 
 Second. That by taking advantage of those periods which frequently 
 occur in droughts, and in most if not in all sections of the United States 
 where precipitation is insufficient for vegetation, and during which at- 
 mospheric conditions favor rainfall, without there being actual rain, pre- 
 cipitation may be caused by concussion. 
 
 Third. That under the most unfavorable conditions for precipitation, 
 conditions which need never be taken in operations to produce rain, 
 storm conditions may be generated and rain be induced, there being, 
 however, a wasteful expenditure of both time and material in over- 
 coming unfavorable conditions. 
 
 COST. 
 
 In prosecuting the investigation in this matter, there has been a total 
 expenditure, allowing the regular rates and prices for all transporta- 
 tion and other expenses of the party and the ‘material (some of which, 
 however, remains on hand for use in future experiments), of about 
 $17,000. 
 
 Of this amount there has been au actual expenditure, on the part of 
 the Government, of about $9,000, and assistance has been received from 
 outside parties interested in the prosecution of the investigation, in the 
 form of free railroad transportations, the furnishing of materials and 
 labor free of charge, and the payment of expenses as stated in the re- 
 port of Mr. Ellis, amounting to about $0,017, to which should be added 
 contribution by myself, and value of materials, labor, subsistence, etc., 
 not specially itemized, amounting to perhaps some $2,000 more; thus 
 bringing to the work an amount nearly equal to the entire appropria- 
 tion and enabling me to carry out the investigation to a much greater 
 extent. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 For aid to the expedition at El Paso and San Diego, and for most 
 efficient services rendered here, in Washington, appreciative thanks 
 are due to Lieut. Dyer. This officer has been with me constantly dur- 
 ing the preparation of this report and, Jby his knowledge and ability, 
 his exact memory and strict attention to facts, he has enabled me to give 
 a fuller statement of details than would otherwise have been possible. 
 
 In closing my report, I desire to disclaim (with the sole exception of a 
 
EXPERIMENTS IN PRODUCTION OF RAINFALL. 
 
 59 
 
 denial by me, published in a prominent newspaper, of certain state- 
 ments attributed to me by that newspaper), each and every statement 
 which lias appeared in any newspaper or periodical as coining from me; 
 and I also desire to declare that all premature and undigested state- 
 ments by any member of my party, especially an effusion in the nature 
 Jbf a public lecture here, assumptive of experience on the part oft ho 
 ^lecturer unhad and of knowledge which could only be gained by the 
 (Most complete experience, were unauthorized. 
 
 1 forward herewith the maps of the Weather Bureau and the pamph 
 lets to which I have referred. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 B. (t. Dyrenfortii. 
 
 Washington, February 19 , 1892. 
 
 i 
 
 Department of Agriculture, Office of toe Secretary, 
 
 Washington, 1). C., February 27, 1891. 
 
 Sir: You are hereby appointed special agent of this Department for “the making 
 >f experiments in the production of rainfall,” in pursuance of the provision for the 
 same in the appropriations for this Department for the current year, said appoint- 
 ment to continue until the 30th day of June, 1891. 
 
 You are hereby authorized to take full charge of the same, and incur any expense 
 therefor that, in your judgment, is necessary, not exceeding the sum of $2,000, 
 ess the expenses of Daniel Ruggles, of Fredericksburg, Va., the owner of a 
 latent granted to him in 1880, covering the production of rainfall by artificial 
 neans, and who is in Washington at present, in consultation with this Department 
 relative to the subject-matter of the experiments. At the proper time, when you get 
 ready for the experiments, you will notify him to be present, and out of this sum will 
 pay his traveling expenses and his expenses in Washington for a limited time. In 
 other respects you are authorized to engage any experts, to purchase and transport 
 any material, to pay traveling expenses of yourself'and employes, as you may deem 
 necessary in the premises for a complete trial of your experiments, all, as well as 
 your own compensation, to be pauhout of said $2,000 on vouchers properly presented 
 to this Department on or before the expiration of this commission. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 J. M. Rusk, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 Mr. Robert G. Dyrenforth, 
 
 Washington, D. C. 
 
 Department of Agriculture, Office of the Secretary, 
 
 Washington, V. C., June 30, 1891. 
 
 Sir: Your appointment as special agent of this Department is hereby extended 
 and continued for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892. Your duties, as heretofore, 
 will be making of “experiments in the production of rainfall,” in pursuance of the 
 provision for the same in the appropriations of this Department for the fiscal year 
 ending June 30, 1892. You are hereby authorized to take full charge of said experi- 
 ments and incur any expenses therefor that in your judgment are necessary, not ex- 
 ceeding the sum of $7,000. You are authorized to engage any experts, to purchase and 
 have transported any material, and make said experiments in any place you choose, 
 and the traveling expenses of yourself and employes, your own compensation, and 
 all expenses will be paid out of said fund. You are authorized to do the things you 
 may deem necessary in the premises for a complete trial of your experiment ; and all 
 expenses herein authorized are to be properly presented, on vouchers, to this Depart- 
 ment on or before the expiration of this commission. 
 
 Respectfully, 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 ! 
 
 Mr. Robert G. Dyrenforth, 
 
 Washington, D. 
 
 C. 
 
 J. M. Rusk, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 o