The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-11-18
C. F. MARVIN, UNITED STATES WEATHER
MAN, FORECASTS RIGHT 90 PER CENT OF
The TIMES SCIENTIST AND INVENTOR

Siopn VI exceptional precision. which
makes a continuous record of atmos.
puerto pressures so that one can tell ar
glance now much the barometer Ia 6
risen and fallen during a given period
NO weather forecasting can be done
"ihout koWledge of changes in baro-
metric pressures.
"A study of the clouds. their char.
dcter and movements is another imnor-
,dht phase OF the work at the weather
eau. 10 carry it on better, Mr..
nai'lh devised a nephoscope by
"nich an observer views clouded CON
olLons or the sky, and by means of
scales and sighting arrangements de.
.er!hlnes the motion of clouds and
thelr apparent velocity.
VI all the varied services under Mar
WINS supervision, first in importance
is the work of the forecastins diyis-
ION, which receives and charts twice
dally Geographic reports of prevailing
weather conditions and issues state.
ments of impending weather changes
IN the case of severe disturbances.
warnings are issued along the lakes
ana sea coasts. The frost and cold
wave warnings are invaluable to
many interests, including the trucker
! ana lfult grower, especially in the
spring when tender vegetation needs
protection.
Value of Storm Predictions.
| Inc aim of the weather bureau. a :
guided IN its charging program bv Mr.
Marvin. has been to serve wherever
us ldcllltleS and a special need made
service practicable. The variety of
apeclal uses OF the storm warnings
|
tlcal value of the forecasters' service
In advance of a predicted storm rice
| planters flood their crops to prevent
the straw from being broken bv the
winds. Agents of marine insurance
companies stop insuring cargoes aft.
er storm has been predicted Fish.
erman take steps to protect their boats
| ana nets. Lumbermen make their
standing booms secure and regulate
! thelr log towing. At lake ports YES.
sells load hurriedly if they can get off
| two to five hours in advance of Off
shore winds. If snow is expected
|, Shippers must start II to IS hours in
advance.
/ Not only on the farms and on the
wafer Is the service of the weather
bureau Falua Bile, but cities also arc
constantly dependent upon it, Will
notice OF an approaching cold wave
greenhouses are closed and their boil
ers fired Preparations are made a
once by heating and lighting plants i,
all cities. whether gas, electric, steam
or hot water. Fire plugs. eXposec
mains, and general plumbing are pro
tected. Large stock yards drain thei
machines. Gasoline engines are drain
ed. Work in concrete is stopped
Street railway companies arrange fo
more heat in their cars. Natural ga
companies turn larger amount of ga,
INTO their lines to provide for increas
eu consumption. Dredging OF SANE
and gravel ceases, and iron ore il
piles for shipment is placed in tn,
holds Of vessels to prevent the we
mass from freezing.
The division of agricultural meteor
ology, another branch of the bureau
superVlSes the work of about 400 spe
clal observers maintained in connec
tlon with the corn, wheat, cotton, sug
ar. rice, tobacco, fruit. and other in
dustries. 1t has charge of the distri
button OF the special warnings ISSUED
for the benefit of certain crops anc
publishes data showing weather con
ditions throughout the country anG
the effect of these conditions on Ger
! tain important crops.
Histories of Climates,
When a new industry is propOsed
! for certain section of the country o,
the introduction of a plant new to a
| region is contemplated, a history of
the climate of that region is most i'm,
| portant. Information of this charaCte
regarding every section of the coun-
try is compiled by the characterised
division of the bureau. 1t has super
vision of about 4.200 co-operators and
about AZ special stations. From these
are collected records of daily observa-
tons of temperature, rainfall, etc,
forming the basis Of a climate history
of the utmost importance to future
agricultural and industrial develop
ment.
The bureau maintains throughout
the United States, in the West Indies.
Alaska and Hawaii about 200 mete.
geological stations employing from
one to IS persons especially trained
IN gathering data on which the fore
casters, located at five points in the
United States, base their daily predic-
tons, which combined cover the en-
tire country. Mr.. Marvin, while not
specializing in forecasting himself.
feels that these men at the observa-
ton stations and the forecasters de-