Milford chronicle., 1924-02-29
UNCLE TED'S BEDTIME
STORIES
"What's the Weather For TOdays"

JACK hadn't slept half of the night
because Uncle Ted had promised the
night before that if the weather re-
port was fair for the coming "a hours
he would take Jack and Ruth for a
long sleigh ride into the country. The
day had arrived with threatening
skies and Jack had run for the morn
ing paper to see what it said about
the weather.
whats it say?" called down Uncle
Ted who heard Jack at the front
door.
ut says, Fair and colder, with
strong northerly winds.'"
That's fine, Jack, because it means
a real day for our sleigh ride"
So it was that the three chums af-
ter warm breakfast got into the
sleigh, and with several hot bricks at
their feet started for the country. It
was a glorious day! It was such
fine day that Uncle Ted surprised the
kiddies by driving them way out to
grandfather's house where they had
a wonderful, big dinner And they
sure were hungry! That night, after
dry clothes and warm supper, Tn
Gle Ted said:
Il was thinking this morning when
you looked at the paper, Jack, about
the weather, how lucky we are. We
get all the weather report for two
cents and it costs Uncle Sam almost
| $2,OO0,000 year to find out about the
weather and send the information to
all of us. OF course, they don't al
ways get it right, but generally you
can tell by what the United States
Weather Bureau says"
"How do they get this information?"
asked Jack.
"In the first place, Jack, the wealth
er bureau is made up of men who
have practically devoted their lives to
the study of this subject. Charles F.
Marvin, is chief of the bureau. Under
him there is an assistant chief, a
chief clerk, forecaster and those in
charge of the River and Flood divis-
ion. These are only the heads of the
Office at Washington. Of course, in ad
ditiOn to these men there are many
assistants and men in the field who
send the information from far away.
You see, twice every day reports are
sent into Washington from $50 land |
stations throughout the United States |
anu IL JILL CO DbelJAOAo III AO4 C4s5AA SCuA4
tries, as well as from $50 ships at sea.
From these reports the experts in the
office at Washington figure out what
the weather is going to be for the
next SO to 48 hours. Following the
morning observations more than O.
300 distributing points receive the in
formation by telegraph and from
these points the news is again sent
out by mail, telephone, radio and tel
egraph. Through the great Naval Ra-
dio station at Arlington, Virginia, the
weather reports are sent out each
day. This report reaches thousands OF
people, whether they get the news
the other channels OF not.
Now let us think of the men who
20 to sea IN ships and what it means
% them to be warned of the dangers
)f certain kinds of weather. This is
mother great service rendered by the
Bureau. Along, not only TIE I
Atlantic and Pacific coasts, but the
5ulf of Mexico and all of the shores q
If the Great Lakes as well, WARNINGS
ire displayed in the form OF hags IN
he dav time and lights at night. Thls
s done at almost 400 points"
"Aren't the ships wOrned by radlO 4
low"? asked Jack.
eyes, indeed, Jack. All information
'egarding the weather, OF coInlns~E F.
,torns. hurricanes and the like is
ent out through the naval radio sCa-
ions to ships at sea. There hasn't
,een a storm for long time thaI . :
,asn't been announced far in ad- a
-ance bv radio so that if a ship wants
n it can steer out of its course ana
void the storm altogether in many 81
ases. You see, many times shlps aI9
oaded with valuable cargoes anu 7
eady to set sail when these waIH % Il
ngs are issued. By delaying tueII "
ailing time many lives ana nuon
money are saved. L., e,ro- q
"Think how much the weather Ioie-
asts mean to railroads in the snip
inc of certain kinds of perlshap!e
oodsI And 1 can give you much
etter illustration. You both ike ice
ream on hot days don't youF
scVo, know we do" answered kuln'
"rTben suppose for a week 1t mas
een real cool and the weather man
ave- he sees a hot wave coming Wltn-
: tbe next "a or AZ hours. How 90
ou suppose there is enough ice
ream to go around when eVeryDouy
-onts to buy it? Because the ice
reano man watches the weather re-
ort and prepares to make a big lot Oh
% cream insteal of little bit. Then
,ere is the farmer who must know
10 weather as far in advance as pos
HE to get the best from his crops
here is hardly any line of business
III can think of that isn't benehteu
' this splendid service from Wash-
gtOn. T.. ,,ood1o
Ie River and Flood Service. Ihls
,rvice was established to warn
ose who live in the vicinity OF the
vers of the United States, and there
q about 900 stations throughout
e country to register the rain fall
ID gage the rise of water in the r!V-
8 so that proper warnings can be
sned. The Weather Bureau estimates
at in the year 1929 property val
d at more than $S,000,000 was saw
by the Weather Bureau through
arning issued of floods to come.
fI have only mentioned some OF the
,rk done by this bureau but 1t is
ough to show you that this WORK
mands our respect because Of the
IIA - L.. oooOyon1icbn6 cO mich