El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-02
Making the Weather for FL
Paso; Just How it is Done
Washington and New Or
leans Responsible; Col.
Lane Can't Get Credit
CBy n. M. walker,

A MOTHER phantom fancy has
"A been punctured. The weather
4 - man is not an individual with
long whsskers, a cornucopia hat COW
cred with crescent moons and stars
and wearing a long roll of variesateo
design. Neither does he sit before
flfcking flame of blue, and mix hls
notions as the witches once did or Were
supposed to ao-and may be doing even
yet in Juarez.
Instead. observer N D. Lane Is "a
business man, entrenched behind
hardwood desk, in modern oillce
buildings. with letter files, type
writers. cabinets and other prosalc OF
flee eouiDment around him. The Ut
tie weather tower on top OF the SCUM
western building is only a rouSh Dual
and rafter covering for the delicate m
struments used to study weather con-
ditions in a manner as sclehtihic
the operation Of an electric power
plant. or the management of great
factory. There are no spooks OF
witches borering over the weather
tower. no mystic rites are per1oImeo
on the roof or In the dark OF the mooh'
TO bring a particular kind OF weather
at a particular time and no con1ur'ngs
a-e carried on in the local station OF
the weather bureau. the main neao-
quarters Of which are In Washlhs toIi'
the center of political as wei as at
mospheric forecasts and flarepachS-
The Local Office.
The local office of the weather bu-
reau IS located on the seventh floor OK
the Southwestern building. There, IN
as mosaic surroundings as those OF the
drafting department of the rallrcao
across the hall. the weather maps Ior
tbe Ell Paso Herald and the data Tor
tbA information of the general puDllc
regarding weather conditions IN I'll
Paso. are prepared by observer Lane.
There is no mysticism wrapped ABOUT
the office or its methods Inc
weather is watched like a new born
babe- but with the scientific accuracy
of a chemical analysis. There are in
struments in the main office of the OBJ
server and more instruments in the
sheltered station on the roof All OF
these are for the purpose of record.
ing the particular and peculiar brana
Of weather which is possessed by III
Paso each "a of the $3.50 hours lis
this good arithmetic?) in each year
barring Sundays.
The Equipment.
Against the wall. in glass case ano
suspended by brass. hooks and bands OF
brass. are the mercurial barometers
which ere used in recording the pres
sure of the air. an important element
in estina ting the weather condition,
as any deep sea or dry land sailor VIII
bear witness Only one of the two bar
onoeters is used, the extra one being
kept for checking and comparisons
each month These have dials upon
which; are marked the scales in lncheS'
tenths and hundredths. It is possiple
bv the regulation of these dials to read
inch by making eye readings At
tached 70 the barometers are thermom-
eters with the bulbs covered, to ex-
clude the temperature outside OF the
barometer The barometer readings
sre made at s a. m and s p m, 20
meridian time. which is a. m and 3
D. m. mountain or FL Paso time
The Famous Barograph.
In smaller case set upon a large
table is the Paragraph which has be-
eome prominent recently. because or
sts use in recording the altitude flights
of the aeropIane experts. This baro-
graph is an innocent appearing in
strument. encased in glass. and with
recording cylinder at one end. 1t is
known as an aneroid Paragraph be-
cause the compression and expansion
of the air. instead Of mercury. Is the
medium by which the readings. are
made An automatic record of the
pressure OF the air is made on the
seven day cylinder, by means of self
mixing needle attached to the mech
anisn of the Paragraph. The thermo-
graph is similar to the Paragraph,
except that it is used for taking the
tempera ture instead of the air pres
sure II records the low and high
tenperature for seven days.
Two Thermometers Used
The r~axiraVm and minimum Their
mometers record the high and low tenn
peratr-os rhey are mounted on a
pair OF small uprights and a cross
piece. End ere hung at an angle The
low tcnperature thermometer has al
cohol for its recording medium in
stead Of mercury. TO prevent freezing,
and it will record temperatures as low
as So degrees below zero However,
this req ding is seldon-if ever taken
an Ell Peso, outside Of the theatrical
district when a poor show is in town.
The dry and wet thermometers are for
determining the humidity of the air
by elevation. The wet thermometer Is
covered with a dampened cloth and
will sometimes show a reduction of SO
degrees. caused by the rapid evapora
ton lowering the temperature. From
this data the relative humidity of the
air is obtained, and also the dew
point.
The Triple Register.
Almost as mysterious, and equally
wonderful as the supposed mysticism