A RAINMAKER AT WORK

Evening Star, Issue 17838, 8 December 1921, Page 5

A RAINMAKER AT WORK

EXPERIMENT IN ALBERTA. FARMERS PLEASED. In January last.(writes the Toronto-corre-spondent of the London ‘ Times ’) Mr Charles M. 11 ill-field entered into fi contract to furnish the farmers of tho Mschoino Hat district in Southern Alberta with moisture from the sky at a specified price per inch. This particular part of tho province had r-uf-f-eredi four successive crop failures, and the settlors were desperate. They heard of Mr Hatfield, who was said to have worked wonders in certain States of tho American Union, and sent for him. When he arrived there was some surprise that he was not dressed for the role of miracle worker. His hair, instead of being long and unkempt, was trimmed in tho normal fashion, and ho wore a neat suit. To all outward appearance ho was just an ordinary man of business. He gave somewhat evasive explanations of his discovery and methods. “ That,” he said, “which led mo to investigate this most, important subject was the great southern Californian drought of many years ago. For four years, time after time, the atmosphere would become heavily overcast, and -from indications it looked as if a good rain was in sight, but nothing came of these favorable prospects; the clouds would break up and drift away without condensing the moisture. Noticing this, I thought it possible that by surcharging the atmosphere with a. force of energy when these varied conditions in Nature existed rain could bo made to precipitate itself. I therefore took up the study of meteorology and allied .subjects, but four years passed before 1 ventured to induce rainfall," Mr Hatfield states that the first successful experiments were conducted on his father’s ranch in San Diego County, California, as far back as 1902, and his first public, contract was undertaken in the southern part of that Slate two years later. No rain Ha cl fallen for four months. Cattle and other animals were dying. Tho grain that was sown had never germinated. In three days after lie began operations the whole of Los Angeles County was refreshed with a splendid' rainfall. Thereupon the business men of Los Angeles engaged hint for the following season. He guaranteed eighteen inches of rain during the first four months of 1905. He claims to have been so successful that his rain gauge for the period showed 29.49 in.. In subsequent years; so ho says, ho operated successfully in tho San Joaquin Valley, California, in Eastern Oregon, in the, Texas cotton bell, and near Dawson City, where the miners desired additional water for sluicing purposes. , I have been told that lie did not succeed in the Yukon. THE RECENT EXPERIMENT. In any event, the 8.000 niftnbers of the United Agriculturai Association of Medicine Hat were'’ so satisfied with Hatfield’s credentials that they undertook to pay him one dollar apiece, or 8,000 dollars tabout £2,000) for Sin of rain between May 1 and August i, 6,000 dollars for din, and 4,000 dollars for 4in. In the view of at least one Government official, the average rainfall in the district for the past forty-six years made Hatfield’s contract look attractive.

In the mouth of April the rainmaker began his preparations by erecting his "plant’’ cn the shore of Chappico Lake, twenty-two miles north-easi, of Medicine Hat. The site is 200 ft above the town and 2,400 ft above the sea-level. The "plant” consists of a derrick about 25ft high surmounted by an open tank titled with certain chemicals. What these chemicals are Mr Hatfield's secret, and the tower is closely guarded night and day to keep out curious intruders. Even a visiting airman Hying over the tower left without adding anything to his store of knowledge. M'hal Mr Hatfield claims to be able to do is to draw clouds from other parts of the country to the Medicine Hat district., and then to relieve them of their moisture, the gases rising from the chemicals in the elevated lank ate supposed to act as a magnet, attracting the clouds, and then to precipitate them upon the parched fields. This theory tits in with tho prevailing «lonospheric conditions in Hie dry areas of Amt hem Alberta, where the people are accustomed to the formation of great banks of clouds which fail to break in blessings on their heads; hence the saying that “it rains much easier in Onlario than in Alberta. ’ THE SYSTEM EXPLAINED.

Mr Hat field explains his system thus; “My method of producing rain by artificial assistance is a natural process working in harmony with Urn very conditions that go to produce, rain from natural sources, and which consist of chemical evaporation. Humidity and moisture of the atmosphere arc the very essence and life ol these demonstrations. By liberating and surcharging the air with potent: and powerful forces, Nature responds to this assistance, and in return a production ot rain follows tviucii is front o(J0 per cent, to 1,000 per cent, greater than that which occurred naturally, itio atmosphere holds vast stores of moisture, and fnis system works upon this moisture through constant forces of energy that are going forth el ay and night, resulting in heavy rain’lall.” , ... No sooner had lie begun <-> work his “plant” last May than the rain began to descend, and ho actually got messages trom farmers aslting him io step ihe until they goi their seeding done. Vv nether or not ho had auyilimg to do with it, Medicine Hat received i.,c amount oi rain bn* which he contracted this year, and he was entiled to collect tlie wnolo B,ObU dollars. But he accepted S,StKJ dollars in mil settlement of Ins claim, mi "me ground that the rainfall had not been so distributed m point of time as to do the maximum good to the growing crops. The farmers’ on me whole were so contented with bis performance that they have retained hi* services for next year. A_ new contract, was agreed upon, in which 3iu_of ram arc allowed for natural precipitation duri:i fT Mar, June, mid .July, logd, and Air Hatlicid will receive 4,000 dollars (£1,01)0) an inch for every inch over 3iu and up to Ciu, the maximum amount to bo paid being fixed at I8,t)u0 dollar-. (£3,(XW). He announces that Chappie* Lake is not a good place for bus 11 plant.'’ ' He has learned the prevailing direction of the wind in the nicdicine Hat area, and will ciect nexu year's lower sixty or seventy miles northwest of Medicine Hat, so as to intercept the maximum guantilv of travelling clouds. In followin'' this course Hatlicid calculates tiiat. the action of his chemicals will cause the clouds to discharge their contents in the Medicine Hat district instead of dnttmg into Saskatchewan before unloading, as is too often their practice. . the rainmaker is still convinced tiiat conditions in this district are favorable for his operations. Ho is positive that ho can produce more precipitation next year than is called for in his contract.