Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-01-31
THEWEATHERS SHARP
A FORECASTER MUST BE A MANY
SIDED SORT OF MAN.
IL Requires Mach Education and
Training and ~ wide Acquaintance
with ScientiBc Subjects to Serve
Uncle Sam In That Capacity.

With ScientiGc Subjects to Serve
Uncle Sam In That Capacity.
A weather bureau man serving on
station, whether he ranks as local fore
cast official, section director or observ-
er or revels I'm the three combined. to
be a credit TO the service must be
man OF education and training and. in
addition to being. like Benjamin
Franklin, philosopher. phianthro-
pist and printer" should be Stats
tician. a geologist aud n farmer. He
must be able to prophesy of weather
events to come and keep an accurate
and comprehensive record OF those
past. He should be an electrician, too.
and an astronomer. unaided by any
star gazing paraphernalia with which
to sweep the heavens for lost comets.
That a weather observer should be a
philosopher is almost too evident to
discuss, as the science he represents is
based on natural laws. many OF which
yet remain to be discovered. and the
weather bureau Of today, with it's re-
markable achievements. would not be
In existence had not thinking men
turned into account their knowledge
Of physics and applied ii to the various
atmospheric changes until now the
art of observing, fOrecasting and tabu-
lating weather conditions follows in
Importance close on the heels of the
science from which it sprang.
1t would not seem that philanthropy
could enter into an occupation where
cold bloOded calculations, facts and
figures play so important part, but il
should be remembered that an Observ-
er is at all times ready to brave every
climate for the benefit of mankind
and science; that his stations are scat
tered from the edge of the arctic circle
In Alaska to the tropical jungles OF
South America; that he should be
equally competent to foretell change
Of weather TO the weary gold seeker on
the Yukon. herald an approaching cold
wave from his bleak post In the far
northwest or recognize the ncipient
symptoms of n West India hurricane
as it coils for n spring at our com
merce in southern waters.
Although a printer is furnished TO
weather bureau stations whose publ
cations are printed. yet there will often
arise occasions when a knowledge of
typesetting would greatly increase the
value Of an observer and prevent many
q temporary break I'm the records Of
his station.
Statistics play no small part in a
weather observers work. and In order
TO compile useful data from which 10
deduce important facts in the future it
is obvious that much depends upon
records being intelligently as well as
accurately kept. 1t is popular belief
among some that one day is the exact
counterpart of some other; that back
in some period OF the worlds history
the atmosphere varied in pressure, the
temperature rose and fell. the winds
backed and veered and the clouds
formed, changed their shape and melt
ed away, each in their turn. with un-
varying regularity, again and again, To
be repeated In regular cycles as the
unceasing mill of time grinds out the
years. While many facts tend to prove
the fallacy of this theory, climatic rec
ords do not yet extend far enough
back to positively controvert it. and il
rests with the weather observer in the
future, with his accumulated data of
centuries, to establish the truth
The relation between climates and
crops is so close that n knowledge OF
the latter is Indispensable TO the prop
er performance Of an observers duties,
and he should also be geologlst enough
to study the soil In his state or terri
tory with a view TO determine its spe-
cial adaptabllity TO the various prod
ucts. The success of the pioneer. the
enjoyment of the tourist and the re-
covery of the health seeker depend not
only upon the climate of place, but
upon its productions as we'll. The ND
TO date farmer is no longer creature
or mere Drawn and muscle. He relies
as much upon the science of his Occu-
| patton for success as he does upon the
sweat OF his brow, and the official who
| represents the climate and crop service
or the weather bureau should be alive
| 10 all his needs and an unfailng source
for any information he may REQUIRE.
Many OF the most important records
OF the weather bureau are now made
by self registering machines which do
their work with the aid of electric con-
facts, and, while ii is not necessary to
be an Edison or a Tesla in order to
understand the few principles of cleo
tr1city involved, an observer should at
least be master enough of the science
OF this subtle fluid to account for and
remedy any defects in the workings of
his INSTRUMENTATION Weather Re
view.
Let Xnur nor