Evening star., 1907-08-05
FAVORED WITH COOL BREEZE
WEATHER BUREAU SPECIALLY
KIND TO WASHINGTON.
Quotations From Mercury Column
Put City in the Summer Re-
sort Section.

Cool weather. though blown in by south
wind. puts stay-at- home Washingtonians In
a position to dispense with envy OF their
friends at seashore and mountain. for the
variety OF ozone yesterday. and especially
today. Is just as good as that supplied 10
visitors at favorite summer resorts.
Last night was like one IN early autumn
and perfect for sleeping. and this morning
the temperature kept down to point where
It was most comfortable. softening resent
ment against the weather men for the pro-
lonsed broiling with which they recently
afflicted the city.
At o'clock this morning the mercury at
the weather bureau registered only 81 de-
grees. 1t mounted TO 72 at O'Clock and
to IS at 10 o'clock. By IL O'Clock 1t had
reached 76. where 1t remained stationary
until after I O'clock
For early August this cool wave is un-
usual. but for that reason all the more
welcome. Its arrival Is explained at the
weather bureau as fortuttous arrange
ment OF the "highs and fows." or cyclones
and anti-cyclones." with storms doing some
pushing to help the goodFwork along. But
the reason Is immateriaE since 1t cannot be
Influenced by the rainmakers: the result Is
what Is welcomed.
There will be little change in the condi-
tions for the next thirtystx hours. the
weather bureau promises. but what is In
store for Washington after that period shall
elapse the officials in charge Of climatic
conditions refuse to foretell.
Weather Bureau Statistics.
Although Washington does not come
within the zone Of greatest thunderstorm
frequency, according to an interesting
chart recently compiled by the weather bu-
reau the capital is included In the region Of
greatest danger from lightning stroke. The
weather bureau investigation showed that
an average Of 800 persons are killed by
lightning in this country each year-One
person In every 10000 1t Is computed
that any one Is ten times more likely to be
scalded Or burned to death and four times
more likely to be filled with lead by some
avenger Of real or fancied wrongs.
Weather bureau statistics show that all
OF Florida, except the SouthernmOst tip. the
lower edge Of Georgia and the northeast
corner Of Alabama constitute the zone OF
greatest frequency of thunderstorms. an
average Of forty-tive such visitations being
chronicled for each year.
Of Next Greatest Frequency.
The zone of next greatest frequency in
cludes more northern parts of Georgia and
Alabama. where the annual average is
forty storms. Thirty-five year are ex-
perienced In somewhat irregular belt
north of this, and including still more
northern paru of the same states as well
as the whole Of Mississippi and Louisiana.
nearly all OF Tennessee, the adjacent cor
ners of Illinois and Kentucky, the southern
part of Arkansas. the eastern central part
of Texas. central Illinois and adjacent sec
tions of Indiana, Iowa and Missouri The
region from the Virginia capes to Connect
cut escapes with an average of twenty-five
such convulsions. while Boston is visited by
only twenty. On the Pacific slope there
are practically no such storms.
Over five deaths in each 10000 square
miles OF the territory occur each year in
all of that stretch Of the country in which
are included the District Of Columbia. Vir-
ginia, the greater part OF Maryland. south
Rhode Island. Connecticut. New York. New
Jersey, Pennsylvania. Delaware. West Vir-
ginia, Ohio. Kentucky. Indiana and eastern
Illinois.
Danger in Vocation.
Danger from thunderbolts Is also largely
matter of occupation. Four times more
persons OF outdoor pursuits than Of indoor
occupations are struck. Men, like animals.
are more apt to be struck when collected
in groups Than when alone. Out Of every
three persons struck one survives and
probably more than half would recover II
means were employed to induce artificial
respiration, as in cases of drowning. More
than half the persons killed by lightning
are struck while standing under trees. and
in certain parts of the United States barbed
wire fences are equally dangerous.
The most dangerous buildings during
thunderstorms are barns. sheds and ware
houses. Churches and schools appear to be
safer than dwellings, stores and office build
ings. Wooden roofs are struck more often
than those of slate. while those Of metal
are most seldom struck. More than twice
as many cattle as sheep are struck more
sheep than horses. more horses than pigs
or,6 YN1o thnv, loo