The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-08-26


and at the expense of the Govern
ment, and is in addition to and dis
| tinct from the distribution effected |
through the press associations and
the daily newspapers. The rural
free mail delivery system and rural
| telephone lines afford means OF
bringing within the benefits of this
system large number of farming
| communities which before 1t was i'm
practicable to reach with the daily
| forecasts. The independent rural
telephone lines are being utilized to
their fullest extent, and this plan of
distribution has been enlarged to
cover the entire telephone service Of
many States.
| OF the many warnings sent out by
the Weather Bureau those of storms
and hurricanes, issued for the benefit
of marine interests, are the most inn
portant and pecuniarily valuable.
Storm warning are displayed at near
ly 800 points along the Atlantic, Pa
cifc and Gulf coasts, and the shores
of the great lakes, including every
port and harbor of any considerable
Importance, and so nearly perfect has
this service become that scarcely
storm of marked danger to maritime
interests has occurred for years for
which ample warnings have not been
issued from twelve to twenty-four
hours in advance. The reports from
the West Indies are especially valu-
able in this connection, as they en-
able the bureau to forecast with great
accuracy the approach of those de-
structive hurricanes which, during
the period from July to October, are
liable to sweep the Gulf and Atlantic
coasts. The sailings of the immense
number of vessels engaged in our
ocean and lake traffic are largely de-
termined by these warnings, and
those displayed for single hurricane
are known to have detained in port
on our Atlantic coast vessels valued,
with their cargoes, at over $30,0O0,-
600.
An essential feature of the service
is the collection by wireless telegra-
ply of meteorological observations
from vessels at sea, and the dispatch
by the same means to vessels at sea
of weather forecasts and storm warn
ings based upon the observations
thus collected.
The warnings of those sudden and
destructive temperature changes
known as cold waves are probably of
next Importance. These warnings,
which are issued from twenty-four to
thirty-siy hours in advance. are dis
seminated throughout the threatened
regions by means of flags displayed
at regular Weather Bureau and sub
display stations, by telegraph, tele-
phone and mail service to all places
receiving the daily forecasts, and to
large number of special addresses
in addition.
Railroads regulate the size and
movement of their freight trains, ice
men prepare for harvesting, and
many plans of business and pleasure
are made on the expectation of the
conditions forecast. The warnings
issued in January, 1896, for single
cold wave of exceptional severity and
extent resulted in the saving of over
$3,500,000 in the protection of prop
erty from injury or destruction.
The commerce of our rivers Is
greatly aided and lives and property
in regions subject to overflow are
protected by the publication of the
river stages and the issue of river
and food forecasts based on reports
received from about 500 special river
and rainfall stations. On the occa-
sion OF the food OF 1897 in the Lower
Mississippi Valley, live stock and
other movable property to the esti-
mated value of about SIS, 5,000,000
were removed from the inundated re-
gions prior to the food as a result of
the warnings by the bureau a week
in advance of the occurrence.
Benefit to Travellers.
From the information as to cli-
matte conditions madek known through
the reports, invalids and tourists are
enabled to select the localities best
suited to their health and pleasure,
and manufacturers and agriculturists
the regions best adapted for the car
rying ON of their particular indus
tries. BY the recent extension of the
system of snowfall observations
throughout the mountain regions ad-
jacent to the great plains, il has been
made possible to forecast the prob
able flow in the rivers of the arid re-
gions, factor of great Importance in
irrigation.
The records of the bureau are Of
frequent use as evidence in courts of
law, for which purpose they have
been decided competent by the Su-
preme Court of the United States.
The conduct of theregular stations
of observation outside of Washington
requires the constant service of about
$40 and the business of the Central
Office at Washington of about 1856
employes.-New York Times.