The Globe-republican., 1908-04-23
BRIDE BY PROXY
Weather Bureau Officer at
Dodne City took the part
of CoIOred Bride
IN A MARRIAGE BY WIRE
Remarkable Water Spout that Was
Witnessed Here in TT. Some
Interesting Records

er Bureau that has been Ia operation fol
any considerable period Of time whict
could not furnish particularly interesting
matter in the narration OF its most re.
markable storms, meteorological phenom
ena, and the personal experiences of thu
observers, incident to their duties ss gov
ernent officials. Each station mign
perhaps require volume Of many folios
were the most thrilling and stating
events connected with Its history related
The newspapers Of the country, daily
and weekly, have for the past 3S years
found the Weather Bureau offices, pro-
life sources Of information, the official:
frequently supplying columns to the pen.
Gil pushers, who often, when hard pres
sed for an interesting story, or a space
filler entered the sanctum of the observer
with foriorn expression and left wear.
ing smile of considerable dimensions.
Apart from their regular duties as
chrOnicers of weather conditions, Wealth
er Bureau officials throughout the coun-
try have been called upon to act In vari-
Gus capacities as lawyers, physicians,
witnesses in criminal and civil cases, 4Lh
of JLly Orators,aad on oae occasion were
the bride aud groom 10y proxy in a
marriage ceremony.
A perusal OF the daily journal of the
Dodge City Office reveals some wonder
full phenomena and unusual happenings.
The most notable event perhaps, not ex-
actly of a meteorological nature, how
ever, was the marriage by wire
of colored couple 10 the offi,e, which
was at that time located In the Hoover
on Front street. The Journal
Of February 4lh, 1884, in addition to its
record of the weather conditions for that
day contains the following: - i
"Mr. q. Ewing and Miss NJ. G. A.
Greer, both colorad, were united 10 mar
rage by wire at this Office at 3 p. M,
Rev. A P. George. officiating. The
groom at the time of the ceremony was
1t Camp Supply. l. Il. The questions
md responses were satisfactorily con-
1ucted by Sergt. Lanouette and Pvt.
Carr"
Mr.. Lanouette was in charge OF the
Dodge City office at that time The
yroom who was soldier and unable TO
,ome to Dodge wanted the bride to be
married at Camp Supply, but she, some
what mistrustful, perhaps, refused to go
Until she was married.3 So the rather in
requent occurrence Of a marriage by wire
vas performed. This is, as far as the
writer knows, the only instance or a
ceremony of this kind In Weather Blu.
eau Office
One of the most remarkable, most un-
lsual and most interesting phenomena
'ver observed here, appears to have
,een the Waterspout Of April %, 1877, OF
which the official In charge gives the
olowing description:
"At about $50 p. m. The attention OF
everal persons was attracted by strong
shirlwind seen approaching the river
rom the southwest, about half mile
rom the city, bringing with it a cloud of
lust, unusually large and dense. The
loud over the whirl had rapid whirl-
ng motion, not frequently witnessed. As
be whirl reached the river, dense
loud of spray arose and almost immedi-
tely spout Of water was formed which |
apidly increased In height, shooting up
Yards with snakelike melton. The phe-
omena was witnessed by nearly all the
eople 10 town, but there is great d.
ersity of opinion In regard to the d.
nensions Of the spout, some estimating
at 400 feet aAd some ct 600 feet In
eight, but the general estimate is 600 |
eet, with diameter OF 8 feet a. the bas.
nd tapering to point. A dense cloud |
{ dust aud spray having diameter OF |
bout twenty feet extended about 40
oct up the spout.
"The spout traversed the entire width |
the river diagonally from the south.
rest to the northeast passing over sever
] ANAL banks or islands. Rotating and |
luctuating in spiral form 1t travelled |
lstance Of about half, mile before It
truck the north bank Of the river where |
be column broke at the base, the lower
art sinking, the upper frightening and
rowing smaller until II finally disap.
cared, apparently 10 spray. The sky at
10 time Of this unusual but beautiful
henomena, was covered with heavy
amulus and eumulO -stratus clouds, nov
NJ 10 various direClioas, the lever stra-
frsn The southwest and the upper |
rea the northeast. A loud rearing
pane was heard during the display. a
~ rain began atD;sO pm. and ID Eve
lisatss was rsinIng hara. At E;lS D. ~