Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-03-18
The Weather Bureau and it's Work.

[The following sketch Of the organiza-
ton and workings Of the weather Blu
rean'' is published by permission Of the
author, Mrs. f. w. Daniels, our local
signal officer. The paper was read at
the Literary exercises held two weeks
ago, and attracted such marked attention
that we felt impelled to ask of Mrs. Dam
iels copy Of it for publication. The
reader will find in it much information
concerning the signal service that ougot
to interest him
The weather Bureau was organized
by an act Of congress in 1869. 1t was
then called the "Signal Service" it's first
chief being Gen. Albert J. Myer, a sur
geon in the army during the war. and the
author Of "Myer's Manual of Signals"
which was used in communicating with
the troops in the field and with yes
sells at sea during the war. At the death
Of Gen. Mver, Gen. w. B. Hazen be-
came chief, and at his death Gen. A. w.
Greedy, the famous Arctic explorer, was
placed at it's head, and remained in that
position until the Bureau was trans
ferred from the war department to the
department of Agriculture, and renamed
"Weather Bureau," when Prof. Mark
w. Harrington became chief. He was
succeeded in 1895 by Prof. Willis l..
Moore, the present chief Of the Bureau.
Observations are taken twice daily, at
Sam, and s p. M, Washington time,
at about two hundred stations through
out the United States, and are sent by
telegraph to Washington and several
other large cities from which forecasts
are issued. This chain Of stations ex
tends from the Atlantic to the Pacific
and from Point Jupiter IN tn. South to
Through the courtesy Of the Canadian
government EGnIon'o" III the north.
The data sent IN These ntsSage~ consist
OF the reading q the btrntutter. lie wei
and dry bulb and maximum and mlni-
mum thermometers, the state Of weather,
whether clear, partly cloudy or cloudy,
the direction and velocity of the wind
and the amount of precipitation, if any.
For the sake of economy this informa-
ton is sent in cipher and rarely exceeds
eight words.
These reports are received at the
different forecast Offices in from fifteen
to thirty minutes after they are taken,
where the data are translated and en-
tered upon series of skeleton maps
opposite the names of the respective
places from which they are sent. Lines,
called 1sobars and Isotherms, are drawn
through places having the same pressure
and temperature, and from these maps
the forecaster is able to make his pre-
diction for the next twenty-four or
thirty six hours and. by the aid of the
telegraph and telephone, to put it before
the public in about one hour after the
reports are received.
Besides the regular reporting stations
there are some two thousand voluntary
observers throughout the country, who
make observations of the weather con-
ditions and forward their reports to the
chief officer at the end: of each month.
Since its organization the ''Weather
Bureau" has daily increased in value to
nearly all business interests throughout
the country. and it is today one Of the
most important bureaus of the govern
ment, and it is conceded by all foreign
nations that the Yankees have firmer
grip upon the weather than any other.
nation. At all the principal cities of the
seacoast and great lakes, signals are dis.
played (aags being used by day, and col
ered lanterns by mighty warning vessels
of the approach of a storm, and, while
it's officers do not claim for the forecasts
mfallibility. these warnings are more
and more needed each year by the mas
ters of vessels.
In the storm which swept the Atlantic
coast from the 23d to the 26th of October
last, it is estimated that over seven mil
lions dollars worth Of maritime property
and fully one thousand lives were saved
by the timely warnings of the approach
of the storm sent out by the Bureau,
while nearly one hundred thousand dol
lars worth of cotton was saved from
damage by high tides.
BY its river and food service the Bu-
reau is greatly aiding the southern
states, while in California it pays for it.
self many times over by its timely warm
lngs. of frost in winter and hot Northers
in summer, and also Of rains. 1t is said
hat the prediction, thirty-six hours
ahead, of one light rain in the Cajon
Valley, was the means Of saving fifteen
thousand dollars worth Of drying raisins. |
Sealry every large. citrus orchard is
low provided with the means of pre-.
renting or diminishing injury from
rost, and it is estimated that the value |
If fruit saved by this means. owing to |
he timely warnings Of the Bureau, dur
ny the freezing weather of December,
will reach fully one million dollars.
Thus it will be seen that the Bureau is |
Icing good work, and we may readily
excuse the failure of 4 predicted storm
o materialiZe once in awhile, when we