The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-18

from TIE western mountain section The
latter are shown to BE subject to --ioIeat
changes II the amount ef their flow, car
ryiUg large feeds at some seasons. which
can only be saved for use by the cSnstruc-
tiCn OF large storage reservoirs. and being
quite dry al others
On the other hand. the streams which
drain the sa1d-h:U region furnish ex-
aupleS CT remarkable uniformity OF now
The explanation OF this condition Is 20
be found in the amount of water which.
failing II the form 81 rain, sinks into the
porous soil and gradually feeds the stream
through countless springs.
Gle Of the most conspicuous of these
streams Of even few is the Niob9ara
River. The records Of I've years EduZings
Of this stream show the interesting fact
that its maximum discharge for this
period VAS only Two ard half times the
minimum OF 623 cubic Ieet per second
The Platte. On the other hand. IA most CT
its course, IS an eEa-npla OF q calculating
stream At . distance Of about ninety
FIVE niles from its mouth, however, it
receives the waters OF the Loup River, a
/ stream which drains the sand-hiII area
furnishing a constant 7Ow Of from 1.5GG
10 $500 cubic feet per second. This &C
ccssion changes largely the character IF
the Platte and makes its waters valuable
for power rs some OF the IarEes cities
Omaha are situated near this portion of
the river, various plans are being con
siGered Tor the development OF the power
thus available
sIr- Henry a. Beach. Of the certificate
division Of the Pension once. has return
ed to his desk after an absence of sew
eral weeks on account of a very painful
Illness. Mr.. Beach has been confined to
his homo at Falls Church, Va. with a
carbuneie. which was not only exceeding
( y painful, but very dangerous: there
fore. he is being congratulated by his
/ many Triends Upon his narrow escape
/ from the mere serious consequences that
might have resulted from the maiady.
+ sterdsy morning Commissioner Il. Clay
Evans and his official STAFF, most of whom
! have served with Iin during the pass i've
years, assembled IN the great court OF the
+ Pension Office where a photograph vas
+ ta.sen CT the group. Surrounding the
. Commissioner we're Deputy Commission
! rs Davenport and Kelley. Chief Clerk
Raj Assistant Chief Clerk Brooks. and
the chiefs and assistant chiefs Of the vari-
Gus divisions Il vas q representative
+ body OF the workers OF the bureau
It is much mere diHeult to measure
accurately the volume Of water lowing
+ past any given point of a stream than is
generally supposed The reason is that
this 1oE Is constantly changing The sur
/ face OF tas later is continually rising and
! falling. \ rise or fail OF a foot PEI. hour
! IS not uncommon. The velocity measure
ments from which the volume flowing per
! second is computed must therefore be
made quickly to Be Of much value, ana
/ consequently only q few can be taken. -
) TIE velocity changes from the surface .
/ the bed. II is necessary to know or TO as
sumo the law Of this change in order
+ 20 hold the current meter at the proper
depth 4 IS usually assumed that the
+ mean velocity in a vertical is found at
! six-tenths OF the depth below The sur
] face and velocity is measured ct this
: depth It's position varies. however. from
! 5ne-hah 10 three-fourth depth below the
I surface
The United States Geological Survey
! through Prof. z. c. Murphy. of Cornell
/ University. IS making a study of this law
/ Of change OF velocity with depth. or YER
! teal velocity curves. at four of the New
/ York state gaUging stations The velocity
is measured with current meters az nu-
meToGs points from near the bottom to
/ close to the surface, IN verttcaIs from ten
/ TO thirty feet apart, across the stream.
( These are plotted on squared paper and
mean curves drawn which show graph
caIly this law for each vertical They
show the velocity al all depths. and the
position Of the mean and greatest veioc-
ity- A study OF these curves viii shor;
the depth TO mean velocity in other
streams Of similar conditions. and thus
( the photographer viii be able to measure
discharge more accurately. because he
viii know more nearly the depth to mean
/ velocity and the proper distance below
the surface to hold the current meter.
There are many pleasant and accom-
plished people in the corps Of the Smith
gonian Institution and the National Mu-
scum No one, however. has a frner hold
On the regard OF the people who go to the
51stitution than has Miss Nelson. assist
ant 10 Librarian Adler. Miss Nelson is a
Dane by birth, and was well educated in
the old country aid continued studies in
the new She is fine linguist and has
literary ability OF high order.