Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 September 1894 — RAINMAKING. [ARTICLE]

RAINMAKING.

The Apparatus Used to Draw Slxjwers In _ the West. The faith of prairie residents in the modern Aquarius, the rainmaker, is evidenced by • the large sums received from localities for trials of the unique science, from SIOO to SSOO for five days’ work is the ruling quotation for a visit from the rainmaker and usually even these amounts are not contingent upon rain appearing. The modern rainmaker has his apparatus on wheels and his car’s advent into a prairie town is hailed with delight and wonder. The Rock Island railway, has three cars operating in—Kansas and Nebraska constantly, and half a score of independent aspirants for cloud ruling Work in the same territory. When the rainmaker’s car is sidetracked at a prairie station and gets, ready to bombard the heavens it presents an odd appearance. On top of a freight car is a tank holding 800 gallons of water. Through the roof project three pipes to lead into the air above the gases generated in the laboratory inside. In one end of the car is the operator’s living room. In the other is an imposing array of bottles, jars, electric battery, cells, pipes and wires. The principle on which the work is done is that of sending elect rifle d gases through the pipes. These being tighter than air ascend with great rapidity to an altitude of 4,500 to 6,000 feet where they are supposed to intercept a current of moisture moving from northeast to southwest and turning cold, sink, forming a vacuum into which a* drawn the moisture laden air currents. About 4,500 cubic feet of gas is sent up per hour and the records of the rainmakers show that, either through some influenee or by good fortune, clouds have formed soon after the issuing of the gases al many stations —although in some instances they have bombarded the heavens in vain for days. The operation is quite expensive, an alloy with murium, costing sls a pound, being much used, and the eost of the cars is about SIOO a day.