Page 86 - James Rodger Fleming - Fixing the sky

2.1 Weather engineers and onlookers in El Paso, Texas, watching the inflation of the
balloon in which John T. Ellis is to make his ascent. (harper’s weekly, october 10,
1891, 772)

climate). Ellis reported hopefully, “Soon after midnight rain had begun to fall
40
within a few miles of El Paso, to the south and southeast.” Remember, however,
that they were experimenting north of the city and the prevailing winds were
from the south. In other words, whether the Ellis team was responsible or not,
they were willing to take credit for any rain that fell anywhere in the region. The
final bill presented to the city for one thundershower during the “rainy” season
was $1,300.
From there, the team proceeded by invitation to Corpus Christi and San
Diego, Texas, which were reportedly “suffering a severe drought”; according to
Ellis, when the group arrived and before they could set up their equipment, “a
heavy rain had set in from off the Gulf of Mexico and the weather continued
stormy for several days.” Still, they decided to bombard the rain-swept skies.
Although many shells were detonated with no apparent effect, Ellis reported,
selectively, that one explosion, in heavier clouds than usual, “was immedi-
ately followed by a downpour which lasted for several minutes and soaked the
[observing] party to the skin before they could enter a carriage” (33).

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