The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-07-28
a SILLY SCIENTIST.
Seattle Pos. -Intelligencer

Seattle Pos .-Inlelligencer.
The terrific heat which has beea pre-
vail.ng In the East has beea the rcsul;
Of making the silly seaser IN ,he
newspaper world unusually silly, Thus
a New York yellow journal has a
lengthy article by an alleged scientific
writer. undertaking to give an lxp'ana-
ton Of the abnormal hea; on the ,heo..
that the earth IS a satellite u variable
star He says. only on the assump-
ton that the source OF the terrible heat
is directly the sun and due 70 IA extra
ordinary increase in its effective radia-
tion can the Widespread and long-con-
tinued nature OF the present rleteorolo-
sioal disaster be satisfactorily explain
ed" He proceeds with the assertion
that there has been a sudden thinning
Of the blanket OF vapor which surrounds
the sun. and iha, the heat thus leaps
through The thlnned shell and strikes
the earth and other nearby planets as
with a breath Of fire.
This theory is based upon the totally
unfounded assumption that all Of the
earth's surface is at the present time
being visited by abnormal and unpre-
cedented heat. This assumption Is made
because Of the Fact hat a portion Of the
United States and limited portion OF
Eurooe is at present undergoing an 4x-
,raoriinarily nigh summer temqera-
ure. To prove that the theory has a |
reasonable foundation II would be neces-
sarv first 10 show that no part ot he
zarths surface, in either hemisphere is
free from the terrible visitation. As a
matter Of fact, the heat wave at the pres
ent time is covering but very limited
portion Of the earth's surface. In the
United states, even, (. is confined simply
TO the region east Of the Rocky noun
,ains; ami is !arge effects are seen only
in The region east # the grea, plateau.
So Far as the Pacific coas; states are
concerned, and particularly is this true
Of the State Of Washington there has
been 10 abnormal summer heat On the
contrary, the complain; is universal tina:
the summer has been unpleasaa,ly cool |
While the Atlantic seaboard and the
Middle West have been sweltering IN
s.r more than tropical heat in the re-
gi1n bordering upon Puge; sound there
nave been few evenings when fires were
75, required for comfort. There has not
been a single day 50 far this summer
70 Seattle when there has been the
.ughres, discomfort from nigh tempe
-a,urs; not nigh, when blankets have
-oi been required There has been no
unusual precipitation Of moisture on ac-
count Of this GOODNESS, and the days
when there have been no clouds to inter-
,sp, the direct rays Of the sun have been
10 warmer in fact not as warm as is
usual a: this season Of the year Nei-
her is there any record Of abnormal
in any part Of Europe, save
n the west and a few central portions.
All Of this shows that the alleged
scientific theory II Mr.. Garrett P. Ser
.iss has not the slightest foundation.
We're It true. the whole world would be
from abnormal heat. In fact
ess than half Of the territory Of the
'nited States on this continent has been
10 afflicted. In the language Of the
treet. # would seem that Mr.. Garrett
, seryiss. alleged scientist had another
.u-ss coming.