The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-25
IMPORTANT WORK OF
 THE WEATHER BUREAU
BY SIDNEY EsPEY

Washington, September 24.-(Special) j. To the average suburban resident the
 daily weather forecasts mean very little except to those who are susceptible tc
 colds and generally read the forecasts tc determine whether or not it will be nee
 essary to wear rubbers or take theil
 umbrellas with them. But to the rural residents these forecasts mean much, and
 as a matter of fact, are really intended
 for them.
 Of course, 1t is a common saying al
 most everywhere, that the weather bu- reau Is always wrong, and if it predicts sunshine you can count on 1t raining or showing, but as matter of fact these criticisms are more for jest than anything else, and if the truth were known the socalled Miseacres of the rural districts follow the forecasts with implicit conf dence. These wise ones have too often profited from the special storm warn ings issued by the weather bureau by
 taking time by the forerock and saving
 crops or stock which would otherwise
 have been ruined, not to place credence in the weather bureau bulletins and fore casts.
 Although the weather bureau has va rious functions to perform, from meas uring rainfall and humidity to recording earthuuakes thousands of miles away by far its most important work is the is- suance of the daily forecasts of the weather for every state in the union, as well as special warnings of storms or hurricanes, of frost, sudden cold waves heavy snows and floods whenever cir cumstances warrant them.
 The main office of the weather bureau lAae f1xav nvl mile from the White House. The opera tions of the bureau are based entirely on observations of the weather taken al the same moment of time at about 2Oc observatories throughout the United States. and telegraphed daily to the cen tral office in Washington and to many important cities throughout the country
 These observations, comprising barome- tric pressure temperature, precipitations, winds and clouds, are entered upon out line charts of the United States by means of suitable symbols. forming the "daily weather map" from which the forecasts are made. These are the maps we see in the city hanging about offices, hotels and other public places and which we pay lit- tie attention to-.
 what Is considered to be the most inn portant and which receives the widest distribution is what is known as the morning forecast.
 If cannot be given to the public before 10 o'clock in the morning. since it is based on the a. m. observation, and in view of the fact that it requires about two hours for transmission and for the prepa- ration of the charts. The morning fore cast covers the period ending at D. m.
 of the following day.
 Next in importance are the special warnings, which are constantly being heralded throughout the country telling of the approach of some unexpected change in the weather. which if it caught the farmer or stock raiser unawares would prove most costly. These warn ings are usually issued from "A to 36 hours in advance, though flood warnings for i'm portant cities near the lower courses oi the larger rivers are sometimes issued week or more in advance. Every possi- ble means is taken to distribute the fore casts as psomptly and as widely as pos
 sible. They are first telegraphed to about 93oo principal distributing points, from where they are further disseminated by telegraph, telephone and mall. In the case of mail the bureau has at it's com | mand post cards, rural free delivery | slips, weather maps and oaliy hewspa' 1 pers.
 | Principally for the purpose of receiving weather warnings at the earliest possi- ble moment many agriculturists have in- stalled telephones in their homes. Last year there were more than 2000 telephone companies cooperating with the weather bureau in the distribution of the weather forecasts.
 The weather warnings of the bureau