The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-01-29

OS ton, d. C. The story
II goes back to the SOS,
not long after young
Marvin had passed a civil service ex-
animation and secured an appointment
rs Junior professor"-an odd title
designating a position in the signal
corps, which In those days carried on
weather forecasting and related work
known to science as meteorOlogy. 1t
was the famous discoverer of unknown
land north of Greenland, Maj. Gen.
A. w. Greeley, U. S. A, who dis
cerned, while head of the signal corps,
after his return from the North, that
Marvin possessed exceptional ability
In mechanical engineering. He fore
saw the great service which the young
man might render to his country in
the weather forecasting organization,
and opened the door of opportunity.
81 told you So" the venerable gen.
eral says in effect, when folks talk
about the record Marvin has made in
the thirty and more years he has been
working for the government. Il am
proud to take a good deal Of credit
for having started him on a path
which has led to wonderful achieve
ments."
If it seems far cry from mechan-
ical engineering to weather forecast
Ing, let the reader remember that S5
to 80 per cent of the day-to-day fore
casts of the weather bureau are ac-
curate and that this remarkable record
has been possible because of the in
creasing skill of the forecasters, sup
plemented by one of the most extra
ordinary collections of scientific ap-
paratus and instruments to be found
anywhere in the world. Among the
inventors of these meteorological in
struments Mr.. Marvin stands first.
Had Mr.. Marvin spent his life in
private employment and made as
many fundamental inventions for some
chosen industry as he has while In
government service, he would have
been rewarded many times over what
Uncle Sam has paid him. When he
became chief Of the weather bureau
in 1913. after 20 years of service in
subordinate positions, his salary was
placed at 5000. There 1t has re-
manned, regardless Of H. c. L., and
his invaluable contributions to a gov
eminent service which annually saves
the farmers, through its timely warn
ings, hundreds of thousands of dollars
loss In live stock and crops; service
which also acts as the trusted lookout
for numberless shippers on land and
water, warning them of approaching
storm, cold or heat; a service perform
ing score Of other important tasks
touching the nations daily life. One
Of the most remarkable facts about
the weather bureau is that in recent
years not a single great storm has
occurred in this country which has
not been adequately heralded by the
governments fOrecasters.
Mr.. Marvin's contributions to his
chosen science have received gratifv-
ing recognition in the scientific world.
When the Office of chief of the wealth.
er bureau became vacant in 1913, Pres
ident Wilson asked the national acad-
envy Of science to submit a list of men
It would recommend for appointment.
Mr.. Marvin's name was one of four
submitted. His appointment as chief
came as well-merited reward.
Everybody has heard of box kites
but few know that an improved tyne
Of box kite which will 90 I'D a mile
or more was devised by Marvin and
built to carry what is called a kite
meteorograph, which is also a Marvin
invention. This little instrument
weighing about one and half pounds.
records the atmospheric pressure. tenn.
perature. the humidity, and the We
locity Of the wind. Large numbers of
these kite meteorographs are In use by
the weather bureau. Incidentally. the
Keeling apparatus by which each kites
10000 or $4,000 feet of steel wire is
wound up automatically is also Mar
wins invention.
Ever hear of Marvin's pyrheliom-
eter? It's mighty important in
strument for measuring one Of the
forces fundamental to all life-the
amount of heat received from the sun
on which plant and animal processes