Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-08-21
WEATHER PROPHETS.

| WEATHER PROPHETS.
The Science Of ssHish.. and Iowa
Cheap Way to Achieve Reputation as a
MeteOrOlogist.
| To the Editor Of THE EVENING STAR:
4 The cheapest way to obtain the reputation of
| "meteorologist seems to be to publish some
| sensational advanced weather report. No mat
| ter how absurd, 1t will not fail to attract even
! respectful attention. The number of persons
ambitious for the honor (s) Of weather prophet,
is surprising. The absurdities and failures Of
one of this class do not seem to deter others
| from following in the same track, and they all,
in some form or other, possess the idea that the
| weather is, in some way, a great mathematical
| problem; that the changes of the future are to
be computed by the changes of the past. These
prophets CD apparently know nothing of the
| factors which produce the changes of the
| weather, for If they did they would not ATTEMPT
The alI-importaut factors, which they. one
and all, ignore, are, first, the heat power Of the
sun; second. the varied surface Of the earth.
The one acting on the other produces the factors
| we term high and low barometer; on the map
| tor short designated High" and "Low" These
primary and secondary factors the cause
and the changes wrought, which term the
| weather, are the erect Now 1t would seem that
| If person were wise enough to know ANYTHING
| about q subject, he would know where as in
this case 1t is now possible to know, the cause as
well as the effect, and knowing the cause he
1
| mere effect.
| The Weather map shows the conditions of the
atmosphere on the same principle that the
| geography shows the topography of the surface
of the earth. If person knows the geography
| of the earth he knows the relation OF the hills
valleys and water-cOurSes. He can locate them
| and If q section of country is overlooked he
| knows more about it than the mere effect. He
knows what river has produced it and from
| what direction 1t has come and in what direc-
ton it will flow; he knows the cause as we'll as
| the effect.
| IT,,
as much about the changes OF the weather-the
cause as well as the effect, as We do in the line
In the weather all the changes are wrought
| by the factors above mentioned; the weather
map, day by day. reveals the conditions of
we can, sometimes even for three or four days
in advance. have a fair idea of what the
weather will be; then, at another time when
| the conditions are unfavorabie, it may be more
| difficult to say what the weather will be for
| only day in advance.
the weather independent of this map; indeed,
| there is no way to understand the science OF
| the map we were ignorant of the beautiful laws
that govern our meteorological system.
Where the High is there will be certain
kind OF weather, while the Low and the Dor
der lines between will have their peculiar
weather. There is no possible chance to have
"High" weather with '.Low'' influence, or the
reverse. Therefore the student OF the weather
map challenges all the weather prophets
singly or collectively-all that ever lived or may
|
"Lows"-tell where the next Lows will enter
the territory of the United States,-map out the
| tracks over the country,-give the intensity,
size and outlines of centers, together with the
| speed and divers changes that from hour 10
hour occur, aud which are the cause of the effect
| Wnlch Is revealed to us. II these weather
! prophets % can discover any mathematics or
| evidence from nautical or other almanac by
which they can fOretell the nature of the cause
which produces the effect, and to which the
eject is subordi Innate, then indeed they will dis
cover cove, the greatest thing yet known to man, but
no hQh hot a
| tinue their present foolish practice tor the
world is getting beyond them and day by day
| the great weather map is published and reveals
| their ignorance OF natural laws.
Inc pest thing they can 90 is to study this
map,-iet them study it well; indeed let all
the people study it, and there will be more
| sush pretenders or regard for them. But the
| map will grow in favor, and more and more Its
| beauties will he revealed to man. and more and
| more will man thereby comprehend the wise
meteorological laws that govern the universe,
and by this knowledge become entitled to the
honor Ut being "meteorologist." I. T.. n.
Through Virginia i'm q Buggy.
| A WASHINGTON MAN TAKING A LONG DRIVE
IN THE MOUNTAINS.
Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR
| BACK CREEK VALLEY, VA, August 15.
One day last week your correspondent started
| from Washington city with his horse and light
buggy on three weeks drive among the
mountains of Old Virginia. The road from
Washington to Leesburg very rough in
deed, by the route taken, being the old
Alexandria pike. From Leesburg to Win
chester, via Hamilton and Round Hill.
| crossing the Blue Ridge at Suckers Gap the
road was very good. After nearing the Blue
Ridge mountains the scenery is grand and in
teresting-being that OF ever changing noun
tain and valley-the latter in high state of
cultivation, the former well wooded and pic
tureSque. The air in these mountains is pure
and bracng without a faint OF malaria. The
nights are always cool and invigorating.
We are enjoying delightful drives every day
over the highest mountains in this part of the
country, whence we get magnificent views OF
the country far and wide. On Sunday we drove
up to Rock Enon where we found many Wash
ingtonians. Mineral springs of various kinds
are found in abundance all through this
section of Virginia. About fifteen mile to the
westward-n West Virginia-there is place
known as the Ice mountain where, 1t is said, ice
may be found the year round on near the
surface in the gorges and amongst The loose
rocks. A small party went over from here YES
terday to visit this wonderful natural ice-house
They failed, however, to find reritabe ice, but
they did lind very cold currents OF air-ailnOst
| ice cold-coming up from every fissure of the
rocks. and by taking up such rocks as they could
handle, which were only partially imbedded
they found the under sides to be very cold-so
cold indeed as to make their fingers ache very
much as ones fingers do after handling ice. No
satisfactory theory has been assigned for the
existence OF this cold spot, and therefore shall
make no effort to account for it.
When you go to the country for the purpose
OF having good time, just take your horse and
buggy, spend ali the time possible rambling
about and over the roads whence the most
pleasing scenery may be viewed, thus getting
the full benefit OF the best air and at
the same time the pleasures derived from the
ever changing beauties OF the mountains and
valleys before you. Already l feel greatly
benefited with but one weeks rambling I
expect to remain some two weeks longer and
then put on my working Office harness. and
again begin to swelter in The good city OF WASH
ington. NJ