Charles Hatfield

Charles Hatfield
Born	15 July 1875(1875-07-15) Fort Scott, Bourbon Co., Kansas
Died	12 January 1958 (82)  Los Angeles, California
Nationality	American
Field(s)	Pluviculture
Known for	Rainmaking
Influenced Edmond Charles Jeffery

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

Reading

• Jenkins, Garry (2005), The Wizard of Sun City: The Strange True Story of Charles Hatfield, the Rainmaker Who Drowned a City's Dreams, Thunder's Mouth Press, http://amzn.to/1A4eSM9 

Press Coverage

Charles M. Hatfield, press photo, c. 1908.

1900s-1910s

• "TAKES CREDIT FOR BRINGING RAIN TO SOUTH: Rainmaker Hatfield Says His Methods Are Scientific, and Claims He Can Develop a Downpour Anywhere.", The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, CA): 4, 8 Feb. 1904, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-takes-credit/133765758/ 
• "ENGAGED IN RAIN MAKING: C. M. HATFIELD, EX-FORT SCOTT MAN, CREATES SENSATION. HE MAKES CLOUDS OPEN UP: Now Working to Produce 18 Inches of Rain For Los Angeles Under $1,000 Contract.", Fort Scott Tribune and Monitor (Fort Scott, KS): 4, 14 Jan. 1905, https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-scott-daily-tribune-and-fort-scott/133766518/ 
• "CHARLES M. HATFIELD MAKES RAIN FALL AT WILL AND GAINS $1,000: SYSTEM EXPLAINED BY THE YOUNG WIZARD", The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, CA): 31, 19 Mar. 1905, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-charles-m-ha/133766655/ 
• "RAINMAKER PACKED UP: PROMISES TO TRY IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR. — IS SATISFIED WITH WORK: Elements Turn In and Make a Rain of Their Own as Soon As He Gets Away", Long Beach Tribune (Long Beach, CA): 2, 2 May 1905, https://www.newspapers.com/article/long-beach-tribune-rainmaker-packed-up/133767205/ 
• "COAXING RAIN AND PURE AIR FROM THE SKY. How Prof. Hatfield Won $1,000 from the Astonished Merchants of Los Angeles for Producing Rain, Until They Asked Him to Stop.", San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, CA): 49, 9 July. 1905, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-coaxing-rain/133774301/ 
• "Rainmaker Who Has Contract to Supply San Joaquin Valley: HATFIELD CHASING ELUSIVE CLOUDLETS.", Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, CA): 5, 4 Oct. 1908, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042462/1908-10-04/ed-1/seq-15/ 
• "RAINMAKER HATFIELD IS ACCUSED OF FLOODING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA", Stockton Evening Record (Stockton, CA): 4, 9 Feb. 1916, https://www.newspapers.com/article/stockton-evening-and-sunday-record-rainm/133774502/ 

"HATFIELD AND RAIN-MAKING PLANT" from 1921 press coverage of his activities in Alberta, Canada.

1920s-1930s

• "'Rainmaker' Saves Crops, Aids East Slope Ranchers", Seattle Star (Seattle, WA): 13, 9 Jul. 1920, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87093407/1920-07-09/ed-1/seq-13/ 
• "HATFIELD AND RAIN-MAKING PLANT: DROUGHTS AND FAMINE NEEDLESS SAYS 'RAINMAKER' HATFIELD, Tells Plan He Followed To Produce Record Rainfall in Drought-Stricken Areas of Canada.", Bismarck Tribune (Bismarck, ND): 3, 13 Aug. 1921, https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85042243/1921-08-13/ed-1/seq-3/ 

1940s-1950s

• "'Hatfield the Rainmaker' Started All This Tinkering With the Weather", Oakland Tribune (Oakland, CA): 16, 15 Feb. 1951, https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-hatfield-the-rainmaker/133775272/ 
• "Man Carries Mystery to Grave", News-Pilot (San Pedro, CA): 10, 29 Apr. 1958, https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-pilot-man-carries-mystery-to-grave/133775153/ 
• "Charles Hatfield Given Credit, Blame for San Diego Flood: 'Rain Maker' Takes Secret to Grave", The Pomona Progress Bulletin (Pomona, CA): 10, 9 May 1958, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pomona-progress-bulletin-charles-hat/133775207/