The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-12-20

BLOWs


sisssry of AWeatheF vanes an Inter:
sssins one-Firse Was Used
oaa Temple at Athens
tns1oo b c.
straw shows which way the
wind blows, says the proyerb. but
thatis not such an easy method Of
solving the problem It sounds.
Even though straws may be cheaply
SECURED they are not easy to carry
about or to lay ones hand upon when
Ranted When. very early in the
worIdss historyssit became desirable
10 know the direction OF the wind it
was learned by Watching the stnoke
of fires but weather vanes, very
Ike those used today, were brought
INTO requisition at least as early: as
100 B This first recorded wealth
erYate Was at Athens. on the Tenn
PIE Of the Eight Winds. 1t was a
6ronze Triton, mounted on a column
Son top OF the temple in such way.
@ Il moved with the wind Ever
since then vanes have been more
md more used. says the Philadelphia
record
he making Of weather-vanes is
coEadag quite a business, and, be-
SIDES showing whence the wind blows,
<hey are always more or less symbol
icai Of the uses to which the build
+t,,.,,, .5,,,o.z15 90
there IS different design for
about every business known Mari
ners. who need more than most peo-
ne ID know the direction OF the wind,
Ind 1t out by a little flag at the
81 masthead. and this has given
me form or the banner which is still
11e Of the most. prevalent designs.
essen forS Eanes that are made of
metal early times. however. the
sIor lsed the figure of bird.
paced at the masthead instead of a
or pennant and this may ac-
CONT for the continued use of that
snbIeE
soon as weather wisdom became
recogntzed adjunct TO the carrying
On Of commerce and al other forms
human industry tie use of vanes
Increased and now they are TO be
seeueverywhere, even in big cities,
Ehere. owing 70 cross-curents caus-
BY high buildings, they do not
q rays show the winds true direc-
tom When their use first became
universal they were generally made
81 wood. or a fat sheet Of iron. but
lcfs they are made even in their
sheapest forms, Of copper Wood and
Hru resisted so poorly the constant
exposure 10 the elements that very i
fer. t any; of the old style vanes
ere NOW TO be seen outside of some
5erfions William G. Henis. OF
SehlS who has been in the bust
neEs Of mailing weather yanes since
1850 has gathered some interesting
specimens Of these old STYLES. but the
11sstsof item are Of unknown or I'M
remembered origin. and, consequent
without great historic interest. /
zane usually indicates in some degree
she business carried on in the build
ON which 1t is displayed. In the
csszt.s OF country mansion or private
dwelling the design may embrace the
aims 81 the owner. but for such
houses simple arrow is more FIRE
ruent When you come to the barn
zard however; the vane represents
Eoastery q Fig, horse. a COW or a
sheep. Hotels and inns generally dis
EiEzz 4 horse being driven to a sullIy.
school houses long feathered quill,
ssiaznes COW. and so forth. All Of
Ehese designs, and others, such as
doEes eagles. foxes and dogs. are
IssESs in stock by the vane-maker. who
sells them not 10 the user direct. but
no the rISger. who puts them up.
alzde$of copper, except in the cases
oss such designs as arrows or fiat
lSznners, they are hollow and have the
sIRpe Of the figure they represent no
matter from what angie they are
3yieued This involves some skin in
sthcir making. and vane of small size
consists generally of as many as Is
iserarate pieces. which are shaped
.1ut OF sheet copper by the use of
sgIes and heavy and powerful steam
hammers and soldered together care
rally to prevent the entrance of
s1nnfsture After being put together
the design Is mounted and then gid