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.

[takebackaustin]

Sounds like Acts 1 ,2,3 of the Pied Piper of Hamlin. Did the unpublished last act give us California as it is today? Hey, maybe they summoned a flood of illegals.

[SunkenCiv]

Yup. Always get it in writing. As one local judge said, a handshake agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. :^) That was about a theater business, not rainmaking, but, still a good point.