The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-20
ALARMING PREDICTIONS
BASED on REMARKABLE WEATHER
CONDITIONS IN TWO CITIES.
Warnings That, Fortunately, There
of CasuaIties-Storm in the south.

Either remarkable weather conditions ex-
listed at Columbus o., and Chicago on Fri
day and Saturday or the forecasters had
bad cases of scares. AT both places the
people were warned to expect awful storms.
Happily, the predictions of the alarlnists
were not fulfilled. Friday morning the fol-
lowing dispatch was sent from Columbus:
Cyclone conditions exist here. There are
indications of severe storms. The newspa-
pers have bulletined this information re-
ceived from the local Weather Bureau"
This was the last heard from Columbus,
and it is supposed the storm did not come.
Yesterday Chicago kept the rest Of the
country in suspense for six or eight hours
by sending broadcast the following alarm
ing dispatch:
THE United States Weather Bureau here
announced at p. m to-day that all con-
dltlonS were favorable for destructive
storm in the region of which Chicago is the
center. The storm may strike at any point
III CLe nendcso leIIlto[y anu may GSldy &c -;
so widespread as to infiict great damage IN
any locality from Madison Wis, TO La1ay-
cite, Ind. The conditions which l state
said Professor Garriott, apply to southern
Wisconsin, eastern Iowa, northern Illinois
and Indiana and southern Michigan. The
storm will be sufficiently severe from pres
ent Indications, for tremendous casualties
and great loss of life and property.
The government barometer here at 2:l5
this afternoon stood 2y.IU. InlS Is d lower
point than was recorded at ST. Louis just
previous to the disastrous cyclone OF last
year. The record at ST. Louis just as the
storm broke was 29.3 3d.
When Local Forcaster Wappenhans was
shown the above dispatch last evening, he
refused to discuss it. except III general
way He said if the conditions were as
reported they were abnormal and justified
the predictions. He proceeded to scan the
weather chart for some indication OF an
approaching storm in this locality. The
map, which lay before him had been made
at { o'clock in the morning. 1t showed a
cOnSidera BILE barometriCal depression in the
region of Nebraska. There were round
black spots her and there that Indicated
cloudy weather and some black ana Wnlle
dots that indicated clouds and sunshine.
But there were no alarming conditions on
the chart. The forecast officer then glanced
at the barometer above his desk. The zig
gag lines on the endless roll OF paper that
unwindS itself in a glass case indicated I'M
certain barometrical conditions, but there
was nothing to cause alarm. MY predlc-
lions were made at o'clock this morning
said Mr.. Wappenhans, land / have had no
reports since then. ] could only base
prediction the condition of the barom-
eter which at o'clock this afternoon regis
tered 1896 here. There is nothing alarming
about that. Had my barometer shown the
same depression at o'clock as reported
from Chicago / should have been alarmed
and would have begun wiring other sta
tons as the Chicago officer has evidently
done. The government barometer at chi
cago must have fallen over an inch in
tWenty-SeVen hours
Last night the Associated Press sent
notice to newspapers asking them to XIII
the storm dispatch from Chicago, an lndl-
cation that Mr.. CARROTS alarm was not
wholly warranted.