The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-12-08
LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECASTS.
An Interesting Document Issued by
the Department.


The observation of the phenomena Of
nature has engaged mans attention
from remote antiquity. His early efforts
10 interpret the wonders OF the heaV-
ems, and especially the intricate and
apparently arbitrary changes in the at
mosphere, resulted in the acceptance
of the supernatural rather than the
true explanation of things. Thus arose
the first crude sciences, the Oldest OF
strology-assumed causual
connection between the stars and con-
functions of the planets and mans
actions, beth individual and collective.
Although these first efforts to under
stand nature were honest, the appar-
entity natural love of man for the mys-
terious, and the mental slavery result
ing therefrom, ultimately formed Sc
rious hindrance to the growth OF real
knowledge concerning the phenomena
of nature, the baneful effects Of which
rave hardly yet been overcome in
scme lines Of thought.
One science, Mcteorology, the science
of the weather, which has made its
chief advancement only during the last
fifty years, is still retarded in its prog
;ess by the trammels Of superstition.
We still have grounding experts,
weather sharps, and long range fore
casts, people who pretend to believe
that they have an infallible system OF
predicting the weather, storms, fooas
or droughts for months or even years
ahead, and who foist their predlctloGs
upon the public for the benefit OF their
own pockets. Like the charlatans VINO
hot long ago swindlci. some people
with a process of obtaining gold from
sca-water, these weather fakes also
keep their methods secret. and strange
to say they fird some people willing to
believe their prcposterous claims. the
publication OF which is calculated to be
positively injurious to agricultural,
commercial and other industrial inter-
ests.
The Weather Bureau. department
of the National Government whose ser
vices arc for all. bases its forecasts
iron actual instrumental observation
cf weather conditions throughout the
United States. and is scientifically in
vestigating the laws controlling at
wospheric phenomena. It's forecasts are
icr a definite time and place, and are
issued for only two or three days in ad-
vance. rarely more. because the expert
forecasters of the bureau understand
the futility Of attempting long range
forecasts in the present status O! the
science Though occasionally missing
forecast. the Weather Bureau rarely
fails to give timely warning Of radical
weather changes which are OF practlcal
importance to the interests or Inc
country.
II sDeaking well for the people OF
North Carolina that the press IN tniS
State so generally refrains from dis
SC minating harmful long range weather
forecasts. Misstatements by private
weather forecasters should be entirely
suppressed; weather forecasts in alma
rscs, etc. are worthless. AS a true
knowledge of meteorological phenom-
ena is of great importance to man in
all the activities of life, people should
rather place their faith in the Weather
bureau. the operation Of which can
rot fail to be of greater and greater:
benefits to the people as the science OF
meteorology advances.-C. f. Won her
mann, Weather Bureau.