Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-16
EVERYBODY SEEMS SATISFIED
MERCURY IN THERMOMETER
90 THIS MORNING.
Fine, Bracing Weather Pleasing t.
Humanity-No Stock Taken in
st. Swithin Legend.

The temperature was just thirty de-
grees above the freezing point in Wash
ington this morning.
The foregoing cooling announcement
was made by Forecaster Garriott. and to
! heat-ridden humanity 1t sounded good.
The sixty-two point was described as
| the happy medium between the formation
OF ice and prostration by heat-half way
| between thirty-two and ninety-four.
! The freezing point. it was explained, is
thirty-two degrees. The minimum read
| ing at the weather bureau this morning
announcement Prof. Garriott added that
the District is booked for another day
| and night of fine, bracing weather
| But it will begin to warm up to-
| morrow and the temperature Saturday
| and Sunday will be somewhat higher than
! it Ia today" he said. There is no very
severe heat in sight yet. Showers are
reported today from the section between
the Mississippi river and the Rockies,
! and it is materially warming up out that
way. but the western warmness will not
reach here until Saturday or Sunday"
Takes No Stock in Legend.
One of the weather prophets was re-
| minded that yesterday was St. Swithin's
will be forty more days of drought. He
replied that the story of st. Swithin and
| the rain was a legend, pure and simple,
of the grounding variety, and that there
can be no truth in it.
THE st. Swithin yarn comes from
Italy, he said, where they have saint
for every day in the year and others to
fit any variety of legends and supersti-
tons about the weather and other things.
The legend of st. Swithtn may be inter-
| esting, but 1t is not based on any me-
| neurological ground, but Is largely like the
sdn and moon legends Of the American
| Indians"
St Swithin has been described as a ven
cradle old man with long, flowing white
hair and beard, who had the habit OF
gazing deeply into the heavens and
| studying the stars" 1t was also related
that he made the first weather predic-
tons and was, therefore. the original
weather man or prophet. In his day and
time, it Is said, his people saw signs in
pretty nearly everything. from variable
wind or a lopsided crow flying toward the
east to blazing comet in the-skies or the
phenomenon of the eclipse of the sun.
The legend states that should the
weather be dry on st. Swithin's day forty
days of drought will follow sure, while If
it rains on that day four weeks of precip-
itation may be expected.
Long Range Forecasts.
Prof. Garriott has been commended for
the accuracy of the long-range forecasts
recently instituted by the weather bu-
reau. 1t is said they have been verified
Ito the letter" These forecasts were in
augurated about two months ago. but
they had been the subject of experimental
ton for some time previous to that. The
accuracy of the long-range predictions
has called forth commentator from Prof.
Willis L. Moore, chief of the weather bu-
reau, and other scientists.
The heat and oppressiveness which lin
gered in the atmosphere yesterday re-
suited In two cases of heat prostration IN
the afternoon. William Hamilton. coli
ored ten years old, 235 Willow Tree alley
southwest. was overcome by heat about 2
pm. and taken to Emergency Hospital.
Wesley Reach. thirty years old. 1889 U
street northwest became i'll at 18th and
streets northwest about 2.3O pm. and
was taken home by Sergt. Dunnigan OF
the eighth precinct. physician who
treated him said the sickness was caused
by the heat.