The Indianapolis journal., 1898-11-23
WEATHER BUREAU REPORT.
It's Operations i'm the Past Fiscal Year
Detailed by Chief Moore.

Det01le0 Dy ChheI moore.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.-The doings of
the weather bureau during the past fiscal
year are set forth in some detail in a report
recently submitted by Chief Willis L.
Moore to Secretary Wilson. The most
prominent event chronicled in Mr.. Moore's
report is the extension of the bureaus field
of operations to include all of the West
Indies and the shores of the Gulf of Mexico.
The brilliant work already accomplished
by this service under the manifold disad-
vantages incident to it's conduct and man
agement on foreign soil and under tropical
sun, the report says. has dispelled any doubt
that may have existed as to the wisdom of
its installation.
The weather service has also been ex-
tended in our country by the establishment
of a climate and crop center in Alaska and
new observing stations in Montana. ldaho,
California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado. Texas
Mississippi Georgia, Kentucky, West Vir-
ginia and Michigan. These additional sta
tions will assist quite materially in the de-
velopment of agricultural and industrial in
terests in the immediate localities wherein
they are located.
In regard to aerial observations and kite
experiments Professor Moore remarks:
Kite work was prosecuted uninterruptedly
throughout the year. The larger portion of
the time was devoted to the perfection of
suitable for use in the hands of observers
of only average skill and experience. Six
teen stations had been equipped by the first
week in June and 27S aScensC IS, in all of
which the elevation attained exceeded 1000
feet, were made during the remainder of the
month. There are many natural obstacles
in the way of successful kite flying The de-
struction of kite wire by electrical dis
charges in the neighborhood of an area Of
thunderstorms gave some trouble, although
the kites generally escaped in remarkable
manner. In one case, with 12.0O0 feet of line
out, the kite was struck by lightning, fusing
the wire and setting the kite adrift Both the
kite and the instrument that 1t carried were
discovered the second day afterWard, twenty
and the clock in the instrument was still
running" 1t is yet too early, the report
concludes, to express an opinion as to the
value in practical weather forecasts of the
observations secured by kites.
Forecasts of severe atmospheric disturb
ances, including floods in rivers, frosts and
freezing weather in Florida, California and
the truck growing regions of the gulf and
South Atlantic States, were promptly and
accurately made. There were no unusually
disastrous storms during the year and few
cold waves, although unusually cold weather
prevailed in the fruit region of California.
There was five floods during the year, the
floods in Ohio and Indiana in the latter part
of March of this year being the most de-
structive. over % 0,OO0 forecasts were dis
tributed during the year exclusive of those
printed in the daily papers; Ohio received
next greatest, 2,033 400, followed by Michigan.
L. $50 coo: Illinois. L. ass 000; Missouri 13g2 SEQ
and Pennsylvania 1,219,200
"A me Vi new NOIA ICtSiltly uuQtTtdk6n Dy
the bureau is the collection through the CO.
operation of agents and adjusters of farm
ers' mutual insurance associations and many
private persons OF statistics of loss of farm
property including stock in the fields by
lightning. The farmers mutual insurance
associations, of which there has been a large
increase in some States within recent wears
insure a large amount of isolated farm prop
erty One of the most prolific causes of
damage is lightning. The number of light
ming strokes fluctuated within rather large
limits year by year: thus in Michigan there
was Bio cases one year and l,5O9 the follow
lected will in the course of time. enable
those interested to determine the relative
frequency Of lightning stroke throughout the
limited States