Charles Hatfield: Rainmaker Or Con Man?

Farmers' Almanac ^ | Updated: June 5, 2024 | Amber Kanuckel

[SunkenCiv]

In 1915, the city of San Diego was in the midst of a drought, and it was willing to do just about anything... They'd heard tales of this "rain man," Charles Hatfield, so they enlisted his help to fill the reservoir with rainwater.

Hatfield was so confident he could bring rain to the parched city that he secured a deal but agreed only to accept money for each inch of rain that he produced: $1,000 per inch, to be exact, up to 50 inches. For the council, this was a perfect deal. If Hatfield was a charlatan and produced no rain, they didn’t have to pay...

Hatfield sprang into action and on January 1, 1916, he and his brother Joel built a tower for their concoction at the Morena Reservoir and allowed the mysterious chemicals to evaporate into the air. Much to the delight of everyone involved, the rains started five days later.

And they didn't stop. By January 10, severe rains moved in that drenched the San Diego area. More rain fell between January 14 and 18, causing river flooding that washed away bridges and railroads. By January 27, dams overflowed, taking homes, roads, and everything else in their path, with them. Then the Lower Otay Dam broke, causing a massive flood that claimed roughly 20 lives.

Despite epic destruction, Hatfield considered the deluge of water a success... Flood damages had risen to about $3.5 million and they were refusing to pay Hatfield. Unfortunately, since Hatfield never signed a contract, there was little that anyone could do. Hatfield fought to collect his money in an ordeal that lasted until 1938, with two courts deciding that the rains were an act of God. Hatfield nor the City ever received a penny in the matter.

[SunkenCiv]

[snip] Here is a short documentary I did in '04 about Charlie Hatfield, the most famous "rainmaker".

"In 1915 the San Diego city council, pressured by the San Diego Wide Awake Improvement Club, approached Hatfield to produce rain to fill the Morena Dam reservoir. Hatfield offered to produce rain for free, then charge $1,000 per inch ($393.7 per centimetre) for between forty to fifty inches (1.02 to 1.27 m) and free again over fifty inches (1.27 m). The council voted four to one for a $10,000 fee, payable when the reservoir was filled. Hatfield, with his brother, built a 20-foot (6 m) tower beside Lake Morena and was ready early in the New Year.

On January 5, 1916 heavy rain began - and grew gradually heavier day by day. Dry riverbeds filled to the point of flooding. Worsening floods destroyed bridges, marooned trains and cut phone cables - not to mention flooding homes and farms. Two dams, Sweetwater Dam and one at Lower Otay Lake, overflowed. Rain stopped January 20 but resumed two days later. On January 27 Lower Otay Dam broke, increasing the devastation and reportedly causing about 20 deaths (accounts vary on the exact number)." [/snip]

Charlie Hatfield "The Rainmaker" | 9:07
txmgarygygax | 209 subscribers | 56,418 views | August 30, 2010

[SunkenCiv]

Perhaps 40 years ago, the Almanac had a different article about Hatfield, I've found this to be entertaining ever since. :^)

[SaveFerris]

Well, it rained, so.....

[Sequoyah101]

Where is Charlie when we need him? Like now.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I just watched your documentary about Hatfield. Very nice job! Quite professional work.

And a fascinating story, to boot! I like the ending where Hatfield and his lawyers were smart enough to drop their claim for the $10,000 because they knew he would be on the hook for millions in damages caused by the floods and dam failure.

I had no idea that the dam failure in San Diego was the fifth deadliest in US history.

[SunkenCiv]

The documentary was not mine, I tried to avoid that misapprehension with the use of “snip” tags. My apologies.

[SunkenCiv]

“I wish Hatfield had been around when we needed rain for the Sahara Forest.”

“You mean Sahara Desert?”

“Sure, now.”

[SunkenCiv]

Always get it in writing. :^)

[SaveFerris]

Don’t use watercolors

[gloryblaze]

I think every old west TV series had a program about a rain maker and/or a water witcher, and always, somehow, viewers were left with the same question mark.

[Hot Tabasco]

That’s what got the McCoy’s so pissed off.....

[SunkenCiv]

Lead in the moonshine was what pissed off both of ‘em. ;^)

https://search.brave.com/videos?q=family%20feud%20hatfields%20mccoys

[SunkenCiv]

Heh... water witching was still used around here up until about 30 years ago, but it is almost sure to work, stick a pipe in anywhere in this part of Michigan and water will flow out. We got us a lot of water.

[SunkenCiv]

The problem there is, if you use oil paints, it rains oil. Tempera, it rains yolks.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I wasn’t quite sure, but I thought you might make something like that.

Anyway, it was a good and short documentary about an obscure topic. Thanks.

[SaveFerris]

I’ll use latex........

[SunkenCiv]

In the decades-old version I read, the brothers were on that tower, keeping their chemicals burning during the downpours. Also that they’d promised to fill the reservoir to overflowing. After his death, his workshop was found to have some archival rainfall data for various areas he’d served.

[SunkenCiv]

Makes it simpler to bounce back from adversity.

[Hot Tabasco]

stick a pipe in anywhere in this part of Michigan and water will flow out. We got us a lot of water.

I grew up in northern Michigan and where my step dad built our house, we had our own well. But it was that damn iron water.

What's funny is that they tell us you should drink 8 cups of water per day. Our well water sucked and the only water I ever drank was from the school drinking fountain.

[TChad]

Interesting post. He deserved to be paid.