Judge Dismisses Rainmaking Suits

A judge's decision yesterday ruled out move than 110 suits filed against Wallace E. Howell '36, Research Meteorologist, and against New York City. The suits totaled $1,000,000 for damages allegedly caused by Howell's rainmaking.

State Supreme Court Justice Samuel H. Hofstadter granted a motion by the city to vacate the service of the summonses in the suits, on the ground that the city of New York was not named in the summons title.

Howell flew over upstate areas in 1950 seeding rain clouds with day ice and chemicals in an effort to cause them to precipitate and fill the city's empty reservoirs.

The Plaintiffs, which include communities, individuals, and resort establishments in four countries, charged that Howell "trespassed" on their lands "by 'artificially causing rain to fall."

They asserted that he conducted his rainmaking activities in "so reckless and negligent a manner that excessive rains" caused "damage to the real and personal property owned by the plaintiffs."

Howell commented "Making rain is one thing, but stopping it is not as easy."