Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-01-30
CAN PREDICT
THE WEATHER
Patrick Kenny at Lehigh VAL
ley Coal Docks.

AS a foreteller of atmospheric con-
ditions and an almost infallible
weather prophet is the reputation
which Patrick Kenny, of 1913 Broad
street, has won for himself at the
Lehigh Valley coal docks where he
is employed. "He tells you what the
weather will be tomorrow, and many
times what it will be for tSo or three
| days or a week or So" is the way
Mr.. Kenny Is eulogized at the coal
docks and yards. Many think he is
an inspired prognostigator.
Mr.. Kenny is a switchman at the
yards, and every morning he Is inter-
rogated by many of the employees of
the railroad on their way to work,
who stop at his office long enough to
get a line on the weather before
them. Whats it going to do today,
Paddy" is the usual and common
| query put to the LehIgh Valley ora
Gle. And they are satisfied with his
| verdict, for they declare for the last
twelve years he has been ~switchman,
hardly a mistake has been found in
his atmospherical observations. Be-
fore leaving for hime at night many
come by his little building and as
| CCi ldlu IuC SoIQiiIoh VI InC WCdlhCl
for the next day, so that they may
know whether to bring umbrellas or
| rain coats the mex morning. None
Of these men read the weather pre-
dictions in the papers. because they
are satisfied with "Paddy's."
Tuesday an EVENING NEWS re-
| representatives. visited this man, 50
famous for his prophesies, at the
place he is employed, and obtained
his observation for the following
day. The Lehigh Valley oracle free
ly gave him his prediction. Instinc-
lively skeptical. the representatives
could scarcely suppress a smile. But,
however the next day c~orroborated
his statement. Wednesdays wealth
err was just as he had predicted. so he
began making inquiries about the ex-
traordfnary human barometer. All
he questioned said they would bet
their last penny on the weather opin-
ions of the railroad weather prophet.
He nut the matter up to the mar
himself. and the prophet decided to
unfold his sec~et of foreteli'ng the
workings of the clements. He has
for more than ten years kept data
of the conditions Of the weather
when the moon rose at different
times. BY closelv comnaring his OBJ
servations and extracting those that
~corroborate each other the most
number Of times. he was able TO form
deductions for the weather when the
moon rose at those times on future
occasions. Then he also compared
memoranda concerning the changes
of the moon. and drew conclusions
fr"m that which happened the mos
number of times at the different
changes of that body. He also stud
led the winds and has learned te
tell when and which bring rain
snow. heat or cold. He has gained
bis knowledge hv careful complia,
tons and observations. for which he
has a number of large books, will
each page filed with records OF OBJ
servations wears and years ago.
Patrick Kennv hos been workins
for the Lehigh Valley Railroad fol
thirty-seven years, having started a.
a lad as water boy on the coal docks
later he was brakeman on a trair
and then conductor. During the yea
1894 his left arm had to be ampu
tated following a railroad accident
In which 1t was severely crushed
Since then he has been a switehman