Mexico weekly ledger., 1915-06-03
LEDGER WEATHER FLAGS ARE
WATCHED CLOSELY BY ALL
U. S. Government Spends $1,6O0, 600
A Year to Run Department
Which Controls Flags.

The one most popular topic OF con-
versation, whether you are suffering
from paucity Of subjects or not, is
the weather. Farmers, shippers, lee
urers, merchants, teachers, florists,
piclnickers, in fact everyone is at diff
ferent times, if not most always, con-
cerned with what the United States
Weather Bureau. through the Ledger
flags. has to announce for the coming
twenty-four hours. When they cam
not see the flags they always look at
the little box, at the TOT of the front
page Of the Ledger, to learn the pre-
dictions. If the person interested,
lives in the country, they will call this
Office and inquire. The prediction
reach this Office, by telegraph, every
week day by 10 a. M, from Chicago.
The United States government
spends s1,6OO.OO0 year in securing
and informing the people Of the
weather news" Everyone knows the
importance placed upon these predic-
tions. The instrument dsed in secur-
ing these predictions are primarily,
thermometer and barometer. Sim
liar instruments have been in use
many years. The thermometer. was
invented in 164s and the barometer in
1890. Modern stations are equipped
with more complex instruments Of
the same general nature and serving
the same purposes. One of these is
the thermograph. This IS a small in
strument with electric attachment and
inclosed in a box
Another of the modern instruments
is the barograph. This gives con-
tinuous reading while the thermo-
graph records automatically. The
barograph is an instrument which re-
cords the continuous air pressure.
Hills Affect Weather.
Observations from these are mark
ed on the maps. In order though, to
make the complete forecast one must
be acquainted with the topography Of
the country Mountains, hills, valleys
and rivers affect weather conditions
by changing and breaking up storms,
cold waves and other air currents.
Like all other departments, the
Weather Bureau has been investigated
by committee appointed by Con-
gress.
The service was organized in 1870,
It is costing the government $780,
600 a year to run il. The question was
raised as to whether or not It was pay
ing and a committee was appointed
to find out. They found it was one Of
the nations best investments. Before
the service began, storms along the
Pacific coast had been destroying an
almost inestimable amount Of prop
erty with the showed that the Weather
Bureau had saved seventeen million
dollors in six storms and that during
one season ON the Atlantic coast thir-
ty million dollars had been saved by
the weather reports. The great part
Of the loss Of many lives. Investiga-
ton established, was on the part Of the
shippers who would start their ship
ments not knowing the unsettled
conditions of the weather or that
storm would catch them before they
reached their market.
But today the service warns them
Of the dangers and they choose good
days for their shipping.
j, r. Llewellyn is the local United
States weather observer. From his
report filed every morning by tele-
graph to st. Louis, the official office in
that city, with reports of a like ma
ture from other places in this section
aids in making the prediction for this
and other parts Of the country.
I