The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-06-05
Weather Bureaus Origin

In a letter TO the Scientific Amer
lean. Cleveland Able. founder OF the
United States weather bureau. calls
attention TO the fact that its origin
is matter In which the central
west figured prominently. Indeed.
IL Is 10 the central west. and liz
particular TO the Cincinnati cham
Der OF commerce, that DR. Able
| owed the support by means OF which
he demonstrated that with the aid
OF reports on weather conditions
! from various parts Of the country il
was possible 10 forecast with some
degree<cf accuracy the weather for
the next day or two. or more. He
! says that an article which William
| Ferrel wrote for the Mathematical
Monthly in 1857 or 1858 brought 10
| him the realization that Ferrel had
overcome many OF the hidden diff
culties OF the theories OF storms and
| winds During the next six years
Able was engaged In astronomical
work in this country and Europe.
but he continued 10 think on the
i problem. In an address delivered
at Cincinnati May 1. 1868. he point
ed out the possibilities OF com
| prehensive system OF weather re-
| porting. emphasizing the effect on
the welfare OF man and the benefit
TO astronomy
John A. Gano, then president Of
the Cincinnati chamber OF COM
merce. was impressed with the idea.
A committee from the chamber met
DR.. Able and suggested that he see
what he could do 10 benefit the peo-
| pie In the vicinity of Cincinnati.
With this support. he arranged with
40 voluntary meteorological cores.
pondents 10 send him information
about the weather Shortly after
this, on his return from viewing
the great eclipse Of 1859. he stopped
at Chicago and endeavored 10 OBJ
tain the support OF the Chicago
board OF trade in the interests OF
the lake district. but the invitation
was declined. On Aug. Is, 1859, a
Chicago paper printed an editorial
commenting the scientific basis OF
the work. Dr. Able issued his first
weather bulletin in Cincinnati on
Sept. 1, 1859. II was written In his
own hand and posted In a promi-
nent place in the hall OF the cham
Der OF commerce. n contained a
few observations telegraphed from
distant points and announced prob
abilities" for the next day. Unfor.
tunately, Or. Able misspelled Tues
day, and n prominent packer named
| Davis wrote below the "probabili-
ties" "A bad spell Of weather for
old Probs.' DIR. Able is still con.
nected with the weather bureau in
Washington. and this name still
sticks 10 him.
The Cincinnati bureau received
daily report from the Smithsonian
observer, Prof Increase Allen Lap.
ham, then at Milwaukee, who met
William Hopper and John A. Gano.
Of Cincinnati, Mt the meeting OF the
national board OF trade in Rich.
mond, Va. Out OF this meeting
grew a plan 10 induce the federal
government 10 take over the entire
project. The national board Of trade
indorsed the idea, and the law was
passed. On Feb. Q. 1870. the secre-
tary OF war was authorized 10 carry
out the new project on n large scale.
The Western Union Telegraph Co.
offered free reports on the weather
TO the government such as II had
been giving 10 the Smithsonian insti.
tuition and the newspapers At first,
the forecasts were made from the or
iginal observatory at Cincinnati. The
army signal service then centered the
service In Washington. and DR. Able
became associated with IL Jan. 3,
1871, and instead OF weather prob
abilities" the government began TO
Issue weather forecasts"