The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-31
GARRIOTT DEFENDS
WEATHER BUREAU
Heat Records Not Meant to
Fool Public.
NO THERMOMETER ACCURATE
Humidity a Matter No Ordinary Nor
tai Can Comprehend With
out Inspiration.

ANeSiueIiS OF W dSnlflG I0ns VINO nave
been compelled to remain in town dur
ing the recent hot weather, and whose
only solace, on many occasions, has been
to watch the papers Tor an official re
port of the real temperature, as told
by trusty thermometers. have pretty
nearly lost faith in the United States
Weather Bureau. by the low tempera-
ture given out there.
Many days have been so warm that
the citizen. whose duty it has been 70
be out on the streets during the mid
die Of the day, has desperately declared
that the temperature surely must have
been more than 100 degrees. A subse-
quent review Of the papers. however.
rarely failed to place the Weather Bu-
reau statistics at about 80 degrees, and
sometimes lower
Accredited Records.
The result has invariably been that
thermometers which hang downtown.
on Pennsylvania Avenue. for instance,
and which AWAY record a higher mark.
have been accredited with the only real
and reliable method of fixing the tenn
perature Of the day.
Prof. Edward 3. Garriott. of the
Weather Bureau, was interviewed on the
subject yesterday, and gave u very sim
pie solution of the manifest uncertainty
In the public mind as to the correct
record at .he bureau.
Neither the Weather Bureau nor its
OhciaI thermometer IS, as many sup
pose, any material height above the
city. The thermometer, according 10
ProI- GarTiott, Is probably forty feet
higher than those on the city streets,
but this. ii IS said. is not great enough
10 AFFECT the mercury fn a " p ia
degree.
Prof Garriott states that no Their
mometer IS perfect, but that it has been
the purpose Of the Weather Bureau Ia
/ obtain the best instruments aVailaDle
Furthermore. the thermometer at the
bureau Is 50 placed that IL cannot be
influenced by the reflection OF heat from
the streets or roofs of houses. 1t is
IN sheltered apartment, exposed free
~ 10 the air and from this instrument
the official temperature is taxed
Prof. Garriott stated that the question
Of humidity" is one which frequently
summer but that It is so technical in
its nature that hardly one person in
ten understands what it all means when
an authority dissertates on the subject.
Keeps to the Figures.
For this reason little is given out ohi-
cially at the Weather Bureau. 1t is
NlSppSeG 10 CDHAue llSGI &c the mere
statement of temperature.
After q rain in summer time when
everyone IS disclaiming about the stIcBi-
ness of the atmosphere II is because the
air retains all the moisture II has alb
sOrbed and there Is no means Of cooling
! the atmosphere. on the contrary, when
! IL is dry, the heat may be greater but
| the moisture is eYapOrated and in that
| process the air IS really cooled Ii Is
on the same principle. Prof. GarriOti
/ said, as the cooling air OF the morning
J when the dew from the grass evapO-
/ rates and materially cOols The air
1t IS not, therefore, the purpose OF
the Weather Bureau to attempt 70
make plain TO the general public the
question OF humidity. Prof GarriOtt
/ says II is a thing which must be studied
/ thoroughly IN order 10 be understood.
! AS for the temperature. ne says, nc
I two thermometers agree any more
readily than two watches and. of course
every man IS going TO swear by his
own. He further states that il is rare
that the same temperature prevails
on all four corners of any one street
and while it may be IS degrees on one
/ side the thermometer hanging in the
shade directly opposite viii probably
show q difference Of 6 TO 8 degrees.