The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-25

those OF water deviate from their general
! direction and become more and more SER
| pentne. Other distracting elements also
| ensue. wherefore, in order to learn the
| true conditions Of the air above us we
| must hereafter rely upon observations in
the main currents far above the disturb
Ing mountains and valleys. Weather
| changes are felt In the upper air con-
siderably in advance of their appearance
against the ground or sea.
Mountain Station is Unique.
The Mount Weather Research OBSERVE
tory. now nearly completed and ready for
business, is an institution unique in the
western hemisphere. II occupies n high
crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the
upper corner OF Virginia, very near the
West Virginia line. and overlooks not
only the beautiful Loudoun valley on the
east, but the superb Shenandoah upon the
west. The reservation is reached after
n climb Of the mountain from Bluemont
Va. sThe main building, built of rough
stone, quarred in the neighboring noun
tains. has been designed with due-but
comfort and beauty.
1t Is surrounded by n deep pIaZza and
the visitor passing In through the. main
entrance finds himself In a gorgeous re-
ception room of foyer, containing office
desks, meteorological instruments of va
rlous sorts. snug willow rockers and n
comfortable fireplace of rough stone. An
unusually home-like appearance has been
given to the institution TO counterfeit the
loneliness OF It's corps OF employees, who
are isolated from their fellow mortals by
several miles of steep mountain road
The instrument equipment includes de-
fFts IuE tNn .hrn- %trx.~
the suns heat by the atmosphere and
the. dissipation OF both the suns light
and neat; for analysing sunbeams and
measuring the electricity In the atmos-
phere; also for studying the relations to
the atmosphere of the magnetism of the
earth, the temperature of the soil and
even the motions of the earth Tho
forces last named will be measured he
setsmographs, or earthquake records.
All Of these phenomena have been found
70 have a more or less intimate connec-
ton with the weather.
One OF the most interesting OF the In
struments installed IS the b6lometer. in
vented by Prof. s. r. Langley. secretary
OF the Smithsonian. Tor the measurement
OF, the radiation of the SUMS heat. II has
recently reached such perfection that ii
difference In radiation Of nllllonth OF
4 degree centrigrade can be detected Us
It.. a year ago it was reported that This
Interesting instrument had determined Il
falling off in the SUMS radiation Of 10
per cent. during a period 81 which We
suffered unusually severe cold. and Il ain
be OF Interest TO know whether the pres
ent warm winter has been accompanied
by rise In Old Soils temperature.
The Kite Tower.
Adjacent @ The main observatory bpitd
ing arh two magnetic obaergaiosiSs.
kAown as the 'absoilte' ana agnriaeian''
| building. respectively Here tic ,nyate-
| lipus relationship NJ magnetic storms,
eertn eilrrahia ANA Eaeh uttencmenn, %
1 sun spots Tho r77rnrsibofeaiig aiftEts,-
| phe}le electricity ana wp4thsr In genera
VIII be carefully sisldied
4 The 'hita h0use.@ another InteyaKtin>
adjunct Is Il st!neled. fytsndfleai gfsUa-
| tnfe-a for n pusch windmill log
\ ilatfeiied m Gna Ni9c. where nppea tso
pairs OF dhQt2, one aGDYe tiie 0ihes DDt
/ on Nhe fn2f eEIHdg II tubs ibt9pRii 8aiea
1 VIII ne pt5FGd tiie .ylFe cHLl@ isGiattg fise
| large i'oT Kites - W Ues4iiie e%pl9riut,
4 Inc him0apRrrs m l@pTis fcibW iBi0ze
4 visited w tSlloOb4 istsiGf Oh tasY.s IS
| q large rect R0fRgRD,s tho tiles Tia
| lnrSsHt pI l9e HffEs.sf bgrraS i51E ssitf&
meHaprlgG ttYGa ati oasv b9f ffrE sstte
/ ny SIX ana oueril5f teei nligil asa tjrsftg,
| two inehes deep. ilas s9lf8 teegrdi4g M
] EtrumnntH atlaeiter. spfed ~ pcsx3it ~
neeriy y InNe auc gqaltt3 pfDl54Sl% IS
.htah an elevation h + ey4Y stia.tlea ~ III,
independent ki,e III an5 pattern
u JoliS Hl-fifEFli WATEs8sy