Rainmakers? Did they or didn’t they?

Just barely over a half century ago in 1951, Daviess and surrounding counties had experienced three straight dry years and the last winter was the driest winter on record. Up to this time in early May, there was a moisture deficiency of approximately 11 inches since the previous October. Rainmakers started to canvass the area stating they could increase the amount of rain that fell. Farmers were desperate and bought less which also affected the retail merchants.

A meeting was called and the rainmakers arrived with a South Dakota speaker representing the Water Resources Development Corporation of Denver, Colo. He started his speech on the positive angle telling about their success. The company had worked in 17 states as well as a few foreign countries and they’d had success. According to their records, there had been a 30% increase of rainfall where they’d been employed, and a federal government investigation showed the method increased precipitation by 17%.

In order to increase the rainfall, the company would set up coke burning generators at target areas reaching out to a distance ranging from 40 to 125 miles. They’d be operated by men who were notified from the Colorado company when there were such conditions as – how hard the wind was blowing, etc. There was as much water on the earth as ever, but it was now used in greater quantities. For example, it took 27 gallons of water to make one gallon of gasoline and the large factories depended on the water supply.

The smallest area in which the company would work would be approximately one million acres. They wouldn’t take any less than $25,000 for thier work for a year’s time. The cost to the farmer would be about three cents per acre if all farmers participated, but it was unlikely all would take part and the cost would be closer to six cents per acre.

A few weeks after the meeting and the rainmakers hired, a 1.79 inch rain fell in Gallatin. People’s morale was lifted and seed houses and store’s businesses increased. Many merchants reported they’d had their biggest sales since Christmas.

The company’s strongest argument and selling point was they couldn’t make it rain, but with their generators, they could increase the amount of rainfall that did occur.

Personally, I think a person can take a rain gauge and see the results of the amount of rain that fell, but there’s no gauge to measure how much the rainfall was increased. With an argument like the rainmakers, how could they be wrong!