Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 August 1891 — RAIN PRODUCED AT WILL. [ARTICLE]

RAIN PRODUCED AT WILL.

Successful Experiments of the Government Expedition Near Midland, Texas. Bomb Fxplosloni la th« Air C«nu tho First Good Rain Fall In Soreral Months —Farther Tests to Bo Made. The rain-fall expedition from the United States Department of Agriculture readied Midland, Texas, on the 10th, and have so far made two successful experiments. A reporter interviewed one of the party who said: “Saturday and Monday last part of tho rain making apparatus only was set up, and a preliminary trial •Anaue simply lo test the efficiency of the special blasting powder, which is being manufactured at the grounds from materiarbrought with us. Several bombs were exploded by means of electrical dynamos. Although this powder js very powerful, we were by no means confident that the explosions would have any practical effect upon the meteorological —However, - about ten hours aftertheexpfbsious clOudS gathered and a heavy rain fell, many miles.. We don’t think the explosions actually produced the storm, as they fwete not on a large enough scale, but they were undoubtedly instrumental in precipitating the moisture which the clouds brought to that locality and greatly inereased the intensity of tho storm and the quantity of tho rain-fail, which was greatest in tho immediate vicinity of the place of operations. Wo will continue to cautiously make tests as to the density o* the atmosDnere In this particular locality to that our bombs may be adapted to meet ivory possible condition, and when wo have sufficiently satisfied ourselves upon these and similar points tho decisive experiment will be made, which will not bo yet for several days.” - Tho reporter did not witness the experiments referred to above, but can testify to the rain falling in Midland, over twenty miles from the spot of operations, the first good rain for several mouths.