The Washington herald., 1914-03-04

MIR. HARRINGTON
REGAINING Mind.
Memory Of Noted Astronomer
Slowly Clearing After
Disappearance.
WIFE WRITES Of CASE
Former Director of Weather Bureau
Believed to Have Been Hit
by Lightning.
WIFE WRITES OF CASE

In the little Pennsylvania town Of Lans-
dale, the passage of time slowly is clear
ing a baffing haze from the remarkable
mind Of a once-famous American astron-
omer and educator whose disappearance
more than fifteen years ago and subse-
quent reappearance minus his memory
attracted national attention. Prof. Mark
walrod Harrington, former member of
the faculty OF the University Of Michi-
gan. who from 1891 until 1886 was director
of the United States Weather Bureau
at Washington.
Like a voice from the past is the fol-
lowing letter from Mrs. Mark w. Har-
rington. postmarked Lansdale, Pa. and
sent to McCurdy c. LIE Beau, 6e Taylor
avenue, Detroit, who knew Prof. Har-
rington through the transaction of some
insurance business:
''Lansdaie. Pennsylvania,
February "a. 1914
Dear Sir: In my previous letter TO you
] asked about the financial relations with
Mr.. Harrington, because found a cheque
dated later than / supposed the insur-
ance lasted. Mr.. Harrington Is not well,
but seems to me improved as to his
memory. which was at no time quite
gone Either he was struck by lightning.
Il wrote this time to tell you about
him. Very truly yours.
(Signed) MRS. ROSE HARRINGTON"
Ha. Had Strange Career.
Both interesting and somewhat unfor-
tunate was the career Of Prof. Harring-
ton. Born at Sycamore, Ill. in 1S4s, he
was educated at Evanston, ILL.,. gradual
ed from the University OF Michigan in
1858, and was a member of the university
faculty from 1868 to 1876, with an interval
in lS70-lS71. when, a member OF the
United States Coast and Geodetic Survey,
he visited Alaska.
Prof. Harrington studied at the Uni
versity Of Leipzig in 1S76-lS17, and in the
latter year proceeded to China as pro-
fessor in astronomy in the cadet school
of the Tsung-li-Yamen. or foreign office,
I'm Pekin. Ill health caused his return to
the United States in 1873, and for year
he was professor in the Louisiana State
University. In 1879 he was appointed
professor of astronomy and director of
the observatory at his alma mater. a po-
sition he held until 1891. when he became
director of the United States Weather
Bureau at Washington.
There was a change Of administration.
and in 1896 Prof. Harrington resigned
from his position as head OF the Weather
Bureau to become president OF the Wash
ington State University. In 1897 he re-
tired to private life.
Drops Out of sight.
Then came Prof Harringtons disap-
pearance. He seemed to have dropped
out cf existence. The countrywide
search made by his wife and the au-
thorities resulted in nothing. Several
years passed and the professor still was
unheard from. when a man who re-
sembled the professor was located in a
sanatoriUm in New Jersey. but this in
dividual remembered nothing OF his past
Mrs. Harrington identified the man as
her husband. This was about ten years
ago. Since then the HarringtOns seemed
to drop on: of sight. and few persons
today who knew the professor when he
was in Michigan, now know where the
noted scientist Is living.
Prof. Harrington is the author of
numerous scientific articles. pamphlets,
and works. and until 1892 was editor OF
the American Meteorological Journal,
which he founded in 1854.