The Wizard of Sun City: The Strange True Story of Charles Hatfield, the Rainmaker Who Drowned a City's Dreams.THE WIZARD OF SUN CITY The Stragne True Story of Charles Hatfield Charles Mallory Hatfield (c. 1875-1958) was a US "rainmaker". He was born in Fort Scott, Kansas in 1875 or 1876. His family moved to southern California in the 1880's. As an adult, he became a salesman for the New Home Sewing Machine Company. , the Rainmaker Rainmaker An employee of a brokerage firm who brings a large amount of wealthy individuals or corporations to the brokerage firm's client base. Notes: Rainmakers are usually compensated very well for their efforts (or connections). Who Drowned a City's Dreams GARRY JENKINS As the U.S. border pushed westward in the early 1900s, farmers in the arid lands being opened sought relief from frequent droughts by enlisting rainmakers. On the whole, the people offering their services were con men. However, Charles Hatfield seemed to have real success. He constructed tall towers, atop which he burned gallons of 27 secret chemicals, seeding whatever clouds existed and apparently stimulating some rain to fall. Whether he was truly successful at making rain or just lucky, he became a hero from Detroit to southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, . However, in January 1916, Hatfield's rainmaking rainmaking, production of rain by artificial means now generally disregarded, though it is probable that rainmaking hastens or increases rainfall from clouds suitable for natural rainfall. appeared to have worked a little too well, as San Diego experienced the worst flood in its history. Rightly or wrongly, Hatfield was blamed. This engaging narrative reveals the little-known story of a man who appeared to control the weather in a way meteorologists Atmospheric scientists
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