The record-union., 1897-10-04
SECRETARY WILSON'S POLICY.
1T is TO EXTEND THE OPERA
TIONS OF HIS DEPARTMENT.
Will Use the Fund of Meteorologi-
cal Information for Mariners
of the Great Lakes.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3.-It is the pol
icy of Secretary James Wilson to ex-
tend the operations of the Department
of Agriculture on all useful lines au
thorized by law The Secretary, after
a consultation with the Chief of the
Weather Bureau, decided to make use
of some of the great fund of meteor
illogical information contained in the
Weather Bureau by having a monthly
marine meteorological chart issued for
the benefit of the mariners of the great
lakes.
He was Of the opinion that by a study
of the records of the past storms much
useful information might be collected
and published showing a month in ad-
vance what the mariner might reason
ably expect The first of this series
of monthly charts was mailed from the
central office of the Weather Bureau
yesterday. 1t gives information rela-
tive to the present month of October
1t shows the principal tracks pursued
by storms in crossing the lake region.
The track of greatest frequency is east
ward across the center of Lake Supe-
rior The storm track next in import
ance is a line drawn from Milwaukee;
northeast to Alpena. The next in order
of frequency is a line drawn from the
southern point of Lake Michigan north
east to Port Huron; and the least fire.
quented of the four storm tracks is rep
resented by a line drawn from Port
Arthur southeast to Petoskey, Mich. In
other words. if, during the coming
month, a mariner notices by the daily
reports a storm center in the region
of any one of these tracks, he can very
accurately determine what will be its
future course and steer accordingly.
The chart shows the normal wind direc-
tion for the coming month at each one
of the Weather Bureau stations and
the number of stormy days that may
be expected on different portions of the
several lakes, as determined by the rec
ords of the past twenty-seven years.
The text printed on the back of the
chart shows the location of all the dan
ger signals of the Weather Bureau,
about 125 in number, and much infor-
nation useful to vessel masters. A
technical cyclone storm is shown in one
corner of the chart, with the converg
ing of the winds toward the center,
and a wind barometer table of the lake
region is included in the text.
A little study of the diagram of the
storm center in connection with the
wind barometer table will enable Cap
tains who have left port to determine
the probable course of storm centers
last noted on the Weather Bureau
charts on shore.
On the average five storms pass di-
10 al in
Der. a majority of which, however can
be safely weathered by the larger craft
Occasionally an October storm of un-
usual severity sweeps over the lakes,
endangering the safety of the strong
est vessels. In the last twenty years
not more than a half dozen such storms
have occurred in the month above
named. The storm of October %, "a,
1881 was probably one of the most
widespread and severe for the season
that has occurred within recent years.
October is a month of transition from
warm to cold-generally one of the most
pleasant in the year. The change to
winter conditions is noticeable on Lake
Superior. where light snowstorms may
occur at any time after the 18th. Snow
falls in the vicinity of Marquette a lit
tie earlier than at other points to the
westward. 1t has been observed as
early as September 18TH both at Mar
auette and Sault Ste. Marie. On lower
Lake Michigan snow has fallen as ear
" as October 9th, but the average date
for snow there is about month later.
The average date of snow at the east
ern end of Lake Erie, that is October
2Sth. is about ten days earlier than at
the western end.