The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-01-09
WEATHER CRANKS' LETTERS.
ONE OF THEM TELLS ABOUT CUMULUs,
6IMBUs, And FLOOD TIDE.

HAMbC6f hND TLOoAS SkSSs
ssre Men 9siss Mad Over Queer Theories-
Pref. Californian who Planned
. balloon to Rrins Down Rnin mt WIN.
II the statements OF three men whose repu-
tation for ~veracity stands very high can be be-
lieved. there are no cranks who are 30 obstrep-
erous and 30 wild in their delusions as weath-
or cranks. The three men referred to are the
weather sharp who sits in tho observatory OF
tho Signal Service Bureau on top OF the Eduitp-
BILE building, Lieut.. Cottman OF the Unitbd
States Navy. who has charge OF the Hydro
graphic Department in the Maritime Exchange,
and Prof. Draper. the genial old meteorologist
OF tho arsenal In Central Park. According to
them there are very few persons, even among
those who arc usually considered sane, who
have not decisions on the subject ofthe weather.
Not q day passes but that some OF these cranks
show up and try to impress their ideas upon
them. A BUN reporter first became aware of
this state Of things when he noticed the wearied
and resigned air with which they glanced over
the following letter:
To TN EDITOR OF THE suS-Sir: Why Is II that with
the advances and improvements in the means of invcs.
tigation Of the science of mcteoroloQy. no note what.
ever IL taken Tor has been as far as I have been able to
ascertain, either In scientific works or by the Weather
Bureau) Of the, influence of tides upon electric stormsr
Any 'old salt' along the coast knows land from twenty
I'VE years OF recorded observations and study, SO do ~
that the flood tide 10 affects the cumulii as to precipitate
disastrous resultA increasing and intensifyirg lis power
under certain conditions in every particle OF vapor until
the turn OF tho tide" Il E, to ebb). Then we ind the
nimbus becoming oumulus the cumulus stratus and
the stratus cirrostratus, &C.; and all tho danger
sns c .s.n Sa. 20 q di1 m;sS , thai tho sI., there may be rain
E i,sr y; t force ,a :ra .bangy dis ~ Ps1. "a, ana A., Same, pass !s q
vance gradually inland, changing the structure and dis:
in.eErating the elsciris combinations Of every mass q
vQn0R AM again WIFI N n nDfirA In avnF IA II an n fhiG
unswerying and unaltsraSie law Of nature. which one
lions; for il makes a dinerencs Of not onrlHS TX ! hours
[hde changeh but the effect q the change q tide win
sS.s: .sSaf ;s.s ss'! : ds sss s.s.! ssS " MI, 'ss ely sui iSs n.
sSSidsrs rsnss q ptiobsteiliti.: IN The %in.srIer do ! not ask !
Why no note is taken scientifically or otherwise of a law
Jan. 8. and a Sun reporter at once set out to
find an answer. He first visited the nnemo-
fien vas so az 3 d %an w vi tha s doMn s sse teie Snsesp;
reports Of the weather IN different parts Of the
country with ono eye on his book and the other
York and Its SURROUNDINGS through the loop.
n Sosld T bpssE f. un EyeF E;s 9 IaSers in b q s While they hey
such questions as these.
tb %i5sn IT. this MoH yiGw ;rI Just t loy Gay,, b. IL I sh %"n!i
n nish & ?s Ss and Is # should he fGi not . shinf you up do aide se ct
anything when 1t rains or is ioggy,"
"utu IL yOunp Hull uuu Ietu IU6 l6UIGI no
y! The troubl ~ with thu the writer of this is that
dea Pss Exist, stl III Ills c rsmarR abou %pS %ba 1ao !sp wh ola
amusing, from the fact that any old salt along
Weather. vMs iUa:' He hai thinks he knows sG a great deal deal n
with my experience o., old suits l find that their
stop To sSas Il rsa lily samsgs; Il OF Ys Old ih s"Its
and other cranks, we could attend to nothing
else. We are Just overwhelmed with letters Of
full of wonderful theories and discoveries. but
not one OF them containing anything of prac-
The trouble with all these persons is that
they go OF half cooked, and while they think
they have made some valuable discovery, they
foundation facts. 1 have many times wondered
what the poor men in charge Of the Signal Ser
ters that are sent them; All tie letters that
onss. .sS4ssqds sdd%Fs to- &sstin sss se %Rsrs. & III It f It
one is c9mpelledS to take Up a letter Ike this
the insane asylums Of tho country. would be
crowd soWde NTH With men mInG Th heb hi ia,t failed d in nI the at at
come here and poster me with questions that l
feel q as though a ride to 81 the ground floor BY
ment. At tho same time l am compelled to be
civil to them. because they'd make al sorts Of
'.c%! Have you 10 amy ans & ae the iet S.,1se re &c ! Sadn By you
In this way ?'
No" he replied. IT send them right on to
Of here the better 1 feeI. The answer is re.
turned to me. and mail 1t to the inquirer. As
are never considered in making up the weather
reports. They have no effect at all upon the
s Tsssnssi M Ssas ,h tn this sr 1stt iSa9 sSs sien fHr s the
it. AS it is, l don't believe that, the question
reason that 1t is we'll known by all scientists
that the tides and the weather are due to en-
Lieut., Cottman is a jolly. middle-aged man,
easily be mistaken for one Of the i produce SiHne
o outt 81 his wa ilttls st den eohi He smiled do as he read IN ana
That IL one Of about 2is that we have re,
amusing what a fot OF weather cranks there
are; Lyou want an answer to it, will send 1t
f. Ss ,hS Hy aHs 1sps abS Of the e. nay az iS SSmm 96inss
has nothing else to do but to find answers to
weeks you will probably, receive an answer. /
can always toll when the mar, who answers
feel then that, 1t is time, for him totake a rest.
II this office had not shut down on weather
been worth living. We don't stop 70 read the
letters now any more, but send them right
"Thers was one fsliow who used to come
one 81 tho old salts mentioned in, this letter.
Ho always had some new idea which he wanted
the Government to adopt at once. He said he
was an old sea Captain. but be was such an in:
feEnal liar that It is a question IN my mind
here every day regularly. and il l would allow
him, he would keep me busy for hours. One Of
his ideas was that he was the first man to
think Of double head lights, apd wanted the
book several years old and showed him where
the thing had been used long ago; Then he
ment to publish. He said he had made it.
published some ten years ago and showed him
inst where he had gotten his chart from;
not have him around here any more.
that should myself have BECOME insane.
Mass, who cot an idea which could be out int;
about ten words. but which he wrote, out to the
the Goyernpent g cable its pilot chart 70 Eng
soon as the Government got out is chart to
send 1t by special cable to the principal ports
In Great Britain. We have shut down upon
personal visits from weather theorists now and
"You don't think that there Is anything In