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Charles Hatfield

From Kook Science

Charles Hatfield
Born 15 July 1875(1875-07-15)
Fort Scott, Kansas
Died 12 January 1958 (82) [1]
Los Angeles, California
Nationality American
Field(s) Pluviculture
Known for Rainmaking

Charles Mallory Hatfield (July 15, 1875 - January 12, 1958) was an American "rainmaker" who claimed to have produced over 500 successful artificial precipitations with his secret mixture of 23 chemicals.

The "Moisture Accelerator"

  • Raised in Kansas.
  • Sewing machine solicitor.
  • 1904, "RAINSTORMS AT $50 EACH".
  • by 1907, Hatfield held ongoing contracts across Southern California, including Stanislaus, Merced, San Joaquin, and boasted contracts in Oregon and other states.
  • 1915, San Diego flooding, legal controversy.
  • 1920, farmers in Washington state counties Grant, Douglas, and Lincoln contracted with Hatfield at a modest $3000 per inch.
  • 1921, farmers in Medicine Hat, Alberta (Canada) paid out $8000 for four and a quarter inches of rain.
  • 1931, farmers in San Bernadino county propose an offer of $10,000 (or $1000 a foot) to fill Big Bear Lake.

Resources

References

  1. "California, Death Index, 1940-1997," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VPWX-P72 : accessed 24 February 2015), Charles Mallory Hatfield, 12 Jan 1958; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.