The Courier News from Blytheville, Arkansas • Page 7

WISNESDAY, TUNE 1954 BLYTHEVILLE (ARK.) COURIER NEWS PAOB MCTON Since Cloud-Seeding Began Public Reaction Has Varied By PRANK CARET AP Science Reporter WASHINGTON (AP) The debate over whether to renew a contract with a rainmaking firm was getting hotter and hotter at a meeting of officials in San Diego County, Calif. Mayor Lloyd Harmond of Coronado threw in this comment: "A day of prayer would be more effective and would save taxpayers money." Hit honor later qualified the remark to some extent, but it underscores the mixed reactions turned up in an informal Associated Press survey of rain makers and rain making. Commercial cloud-seeding firms have been in operation since shortly after Dr. Vincent Schaefer succeeded in producing man-made snow in a laboratory experiment at Schenectady, N. in 1946.

Some of the firms ai-e manned by top-flight scientists. They have been hired by local communities, farmers' organizations, public utilities and others. The firms generally claim they're able fco produce seeding clouds with dry ice or silver in precipitation up to 50 per cent above what might normally be expected. One of them claims a more than 300 per cent increase during a job In Dallas, Tex. Lawsuits Fending The AP survey shows the reactions of clients vary.

Most are simply undecided as to whether they got their money's worth, but of these some still are stringing along. In other instances rain-making firms have been rehired for several seasons. Property owners who suffered damage from excess rainfall insist upon taking the rain makers' claims at face value. Suits totaling two million dollars have been brought against cloud seeders by some residents of New York state who claim they were hurt by too much rain. Three damage suits are pending against a prominent Western cloud seeder as the result of a flood in El Reno, in 1953.

On the bouquet side for the rain makers, the survey turned up such remarks as this one by President A. S. Cummins of the California Oregon Power the first power company in the nation to launch an organized long-term, plan of cloud seeding in hope of raising water levels in its reservoirs: "We have had three good years. We think we've seen definite results. We can't prove it statistically, but we're satisfied.

We expect to continue the experiment for another two years." In the Sacramento area of California the number of farm groups Sponsoring rain-making ventures has dropped from eight to four since 1851. But all three major power companies in the area are continuing full-scale rain-making efforts. Farmer Uncertain In several Wyoming counties drives are under way to raise funds for cloud-seeding projects. So far the farmers don't appear to be so interested as in past years. Arizona farmers have spent several hundred thousand dollars on such projects in the past but can't make up their minds whether ben- tfits resulted.

In New Mexico there was great enthusiasm several years ago, but no projects under way now. Ranchers and farmers say they Businessmen Look for Better Sailing in Fall KEEPING A COOL HEAD -Sleeping cool on a hot summer night can be accomplished, according to the New York manufacturer of this pillow Made of non-allergic vinyl plastic, it supposedly has the right grooves, curves, lumps and bumps to fit the shape of the Human head and keep it relaxed. A small amount of water put inside the inflated pillow keeps it cooL think rain making might worto but that they see no immediate hopes. Farmers in Yatima and other counties of Washington, organized as the Horse Haven Water Development have given a commercial cloud seeder a new contract lasting until June 1958. Rainmaking ventures have been under way every year since 1950 in Horse Haven.

A spokesman for the group told The Associated Press: "Statistically, I presume, it would be impossible to prove the A eas of operations have ranged in size from 500 to 32,000 square miles. Increases Vary He says expectable Increases in rainfall vary with the operational season and the geographical area (in general, the colder the clouds, the more rain which can be made by dry ice or silver iodide seeding). He says his firm nas achieved rain increases ranging from 20 per cent in the southern United States, Mexico and Central America in the success or failure of the operation springtime to between 70 and 80 at this time. However, we have had four good crops in a row, and the farmers in the territory seem to be satisfied." One commercial operator, William J. Hartnett, president of the Weather Corp.

of America, St. Louis, says he believes cloud seeding "has been overrated for farm purposes." But he contends thai, utility companies, through increased water levels in reservoirs, can increase kilowatt hours without building new plants. Dr. Irving P. Krick of the Water Resources Development of one of the world's busiest cloud that since 1950 he has conducted more than 150 projects in the United States and six foreign countries.

per cent in mountain snow operations in the United States in the wintertime. Among a group of five of Krick's clients contacted by The Associated Press, three indicated faith in the techniques, another said there was "convincing evidence of some benefits," and the fifth said "no clear- cut evaluation was possible." The city of Dallas, accepts Krick's claim that he and his associates increased the water in the Dallas watershed by 363 per cent in 1952-53. North American Weather Consultants of Altadena, Calif, report about 30 commercial jobs since 1950, involving areas of about 4,100 square miles each. Average rainfall increase claimed: 38Va er Now that we have a Natural Gas Water Heater relaxing soaks! leisurely showew-anytime you feel like tt, without waiting With a Natural Gas Water Heater you have an ever-read? tupply of hot water for bathroom and general cleanliness needs. Plenty, too.

for the stepped-up demands of automatic clothes washers and dishwashers. RFFRESHING baths, any time! Through bath after bath, never a wait for hot water with Natural Gas. EASIER, faster laundering! A Natural Gas water heater Is de- specifically to keep step with automatic washer demands. OoatJinuoui hot water for whiter, germ free washes. SPEEDIER dishwashing and cleaning! Plenty of hot water for hand or automatic dishwashing.

Instant hot water for aM household cleaning, with Natural OM. Ark-Mo Power Co. cent. On the East Coast, Wallace Howell Associates of Cambridge, reports "we feel we have succeeded" in increasing rainfall a number of jobs in the United States. Canada, Peru and Cuba.

By SAM DAWSON i NEW YORK shot the; rapids without major damage, bus-' inessmen at midyear look for pleasanter sailing come fall. The summer doldrums may help in a number of cases. The factory shutdowns for July vacations should trim inventories little more, let new orders and consumer demand build up. For fall outlook is for more new orders on the books, better sales, fewer layoffs, high weekly work hours, with factory employment rolls either at their present levels or rising if orders come in as now seems likeiy. Confident Most retailers seem confident now that in the next six months they can equal sales volume of a year ago- Some think they can surpass it.

If so, it'll be a merry Christmas. Few in industry ana trade, however, look for sharp gains. They think, rather, that the long decline in business is over or about so. that the adjustment will continue here and there in some industries till fall, that after Labor Day there are likely to be more plus signs than minus ones in the economy. All but the most ardent booster, however.

Look for the upturn to be moderate and Its pace as measured, and pleasant, as a wedding march. This confidence Is a reversal in their thinking of six months ago. The year started on a pessimistic note with worry increasing as the early months brought a string of factory layoffs and shortened work weeks. Industrial output continued Its downward slide until May, a total drop of 10 per cent. Factory sales dropped 8 per cent, with the sales of durable goods down 12 per cent and the soft goods selling about as well as ever.

In sections where the economy is based largely on the manufacture of durable goods, the winter arid spring were not happy ones. Inventories Down Some manufacturers aren't out of the woods yet. As a whole, they've knocked down their inventories of raw materials by 10 per cent and pared their stocks-in- process a little, but it's only since late spring that their stocks of finished goods have stopped piling Yolande wears a new two-piece swimsuit made of eye-catching sea-green cloth. The bikini is still the popular thing to wear on the French Riviera. Tomorrow: Government activity.

End advance PMS June 30 CHARLEY'S ELECTRIC CO. 112 South Fifth Street BIytheville, Arkansas Electrical Wiring Commercial Refrigeration York Air Conditioning Sales Service Appliance Repairs N.F. Marshall-Frank Stalcup Tel. PO 2-2993, Nite Tel. PO 3-6109 or 3-4029 We Close on Saturday Afternoons up.

The two saving in aJl this are: 1. The consumer on buying about as much as ever, although shifting considerably from one class of goods to another and becoming more Insistent In looking for a bargain. 2. Earnings hold much better than output, and sales. Tax cuts help In both instances.

The consumer hns the benefit of of less of an income tax bite on his paycheck. If he's drawing one, or of unemployment benefit payments, if he isn't. On some goods, morever, his dollar goes farther in the stores because of the excise tax cut. Many a company expects its profits statements for the Last half of this year to reflect rising sales and thus to top the same period of last year, when sales were Farmers Denmark probably has the mott highly organized agricultural ia- dustry in.th* world. Tht agricultural producers have achieved a high standard of efficiency through cooperative enterprises in production.

quality of production and distribution. Read Courier OlMitftod Ads, NORTH STAR SUPPER CLUB Bob Bevington's Trio Radio-Television Artists Featuring SUE HARRIS, VOCALIST WED. JUNE 30th ADM. 2 PER COUPLE 9 P. M.

TILL 1 A. M. What will the car you buy be worth next year? Here's the tip-off: Throughout the industry, there's a definite trend toward V-8 power, and Ford is the only car in the low-price field that offers you a V-8 plus over-all styling and mechanical features most Like the new cars of tomorrow. Keep these things in mind! Wifl It hove stay-in-style looks? With its smooth, uncluttered lineg, rd it widely recognized as the car with the best dressed body. Each or the 28 models is right 'at home'' in the finest places.

Because it wears fcomowow's it will keep ite appeal. it have a V-8 engine? Only Ford in its field offers you low-friction, deep-block en gines only Ford offers a V-8 The Y-block V-8 and the i-block Six are the most modern engines in America. Will it have new Ball-Joint Suspension? Gone are kingpins! You ride easier, steer easier on ball joints. And only Ford in its field offers this extra feature which is sure to spell extra value when it trade-in time. Will it have the latest power Ford has all five! And they ward, but to the height yon select, too.

Power steering, power brakes and Fordomatic Drive are other power assists which will make your Ford worth more. It pays to own Ford. .0 more. For example: where another low-priced car ha? power to lift front windows only, Ford's lifts all four. And power movei the seat not just back and for- Available at It takes all these modern 'Worth More" features to make sure your new car will bring you the best return when you sell it.

And only Ford in its field has them! Come in and Test Drive Pbrd Worth more when you buy worth more when you sell III Broadway Chiekatowba M4SI Yw'r. lnMiMtad in an A-1 Und J-r. SM Yw.