| Show THE RAIN WIZARD A cheyenne corre correspondent of the mountain news gives the following account of krank frank Melbourne Is 8 first ex peri me n the rhe first experiment made by frank melbourne the rain maker in this vicinity has proven successful melbourne came here a week ago at the invitation nv citation of a number of cheyenne citizens who subscribed funds to defray the expenses of a series of rain producing experiments in the arid and regions of wyoming he agreed to produce rain within three days of a time set by citizens here or forfeit any claim to compensation saturday evening last melbourne commenced work he established himself in the loft of a barn in the suburbs of the city and has been there ever since except when leaving it for his meals the only apparatus or chemicals he took into his bis retreat were contained in four ordinary gripsacks grip gripe sacks acks the windows of the barn were carefully shaded with blankets blanke tp and the crevices in the floor of the barn loft covered to prevent any eye penetrating the mystery of the rain laboratory all day sunday a d monday the barn was watched by the curious but no do one ventured to intrude upon the privacy of the rain king as it was said he be had bad a big revolver to iliac disc urage intruders monday a curious phenomenon was witnessed in the evolution of the clouds the morning opened clear and bright but towards noon doon clouds rolled f i in n from all portions of the coriz horizon n when near the rain maker barn they i seemed to become stationary and changed from cumulous to stratus or rain clouds thousands of people w watched ached thern them with interest expecting a rainfall but brisk winds sprung up and separated them into fragments of scud and the day closed as clear and bright as when it began this morning signal service officer Ravens cratt said that an approaching rainstorm from the northern part of montana had been diverted to an easterly and northerly direction and that the indications were for dry weather it if it rains today I 1 he said it wilt will be Mel bournes rin and not the lords 11 this morning opened clear but by noon the clouds c loud 9 commenced com ed to roll to 11 toward the city melbourne had until this evening to bring the rain and there was much excitement over the outcome bets were made of two to one that he would fail and considerable able money was put up Mel bournes brother who is with him had money to meet every offer from noon there seemed to bean be an unending struggle in the clouds masses of them crowded in from the horizon apparently attracted toward the rain doctors point of vantage overlooking the cit city y business was almost suspended suspended and thousands of people were on the streets watching the clouds at there was a heavy peal of thunder and a vivid flash of lightning and in a few moments the rain came down in torrents torrente it continued twenty minutes and then the clouds broke and the sun came out bright and warm melbourne sent out word that in an hour there would be more rain half an hour later rain commenced falling failing again and fell unceasingly for nearly achour an hour the entire precipitation preci oita to 8 this evening was 48 of an inch the signal officer reported the humidity of the atmosphere at 32 ten minutes before the rain and 85 when the rain commenced to fall a most singular phenomenon the committee in charge of the experiments have bave not had a formal meeting this even ing but individually they express them themselves selves as satisfied with the result and are in favor of paying melbourne the money consideration agreed upon ex governor baxter of the committee favors retaining melbourne for further experiments at different seasons of the year the tests to be made under the supervision of scientists and experts melbourne is said working in his den tonight and says be will give plenty of rain tomorrow A meeting of the committee having the rain min making experiment in charge was held at a late hour tonight and the money melbourne was to receive for causing a rainfall was awarded him |
