Evening star., 1927-07-24
Girl FORECASTER
FOLLOWS FATHER
Hiss of 20 Reports on Wealth
er in Cape May, N. j.,
Area.
Sperial pjsrs,eA to The star.

SpeclSl DtSreseA ta The star,
CAFE NAY. y. j.. July cs,--"The
Mercury Maid" cs Cape May, \. j.
this title belongs ~ Miss Dolores Dor
man, % wears old, who daily reads the
usicial tAertucneeevs and harcmeters
there IN her capacity as United
States weather prrI het. She is the
Youngest IN sAe service. and one or
the Two w,>nea IN the country 70 hold
such \ position. The other feminine
for~caster Is in Colorado,
Little Fair and Warmer" as Miss
pcrman's friends stil call her, ~.
ceived her appointment July ] from
Charles +. Marvin. chief OF the
United States Weather Bureau, un-
der the recommendation Of George S.
Bliss, chief observer Of Philadelphia.
Father In Service.
"My father was in the service as an
observer for more than 40 years, she
smil!ngly explained in an interview
az her home at S22 Washington
street. and we travelled all over the
country with him. wherever he was
sent
II can't say ] ever took any scien.
tifc interest in weather forecasts
when was a child. although my
brother Kari and .used 70 play with
his instruments whenever we got q
chance. Once Karl broke a special
thermometer and we both were Sc
verely punished. / was born in Ell
kins, W. Va, where father was
weather prophet at the time. From.
there we went to Germany. fathers
and mothers birthplace, and re-
inained fve years. Since then we
travelled from Washington to Cleve-
land, Ohio; to Northead, Warh.: Port.
land. Greg; Modeana, Utah. back to
Ohio. then to Palestine, Tex. from
where we came to Cape May in 1919.
Duty Is Fascinating.
'In March, 1925, my father con-
tracted a heavy cold while taking OBJ
servations in bad weather in Cape
May. After his death, Mr.. Bliss of
Philadelphia came down to look over
the instruments and find a suitable
applicant for the position. At the
time l was not free to take 1t, so he
gave Karl few lessons and later pro-
cured him the appointment. Karl
kept the records tor a year, but
wanted to do something else this year,
so as | wanted the job, wrote Mr..
Bliss again. guess that explains
me. doesn't It?
You know. there's something quite
fascinating in the realization that so
many people depend on you for
weather reports" continued Miss Dor.
man as she led the way to the rear
Of the yard, where stands her observa-
tory. Climbing the steps. she opened
the side Of the wooden structure and
displayed an array Of thermometers.
Explains Her Work.
81 read the MAXIMUM thermometer,
the minimum and the two exposed
Thermometers, from which I figure
the dew point and the humidity, and
at the end of the week I remove the
chart of this thermograph. which re
cords the daily temperature. Then /
also measure the rainfall and observe
the clouds every two hours. used
to observe the winds, too, from my
weather vane up there (she pointed
to the top Of the house,, "but I am
not required to do that any more.
The weather forecast from Wash
ington comes in at IL am. by tele-
graph. This / copy, adding my own
local observations, and then deliver 19
copies to hotels, fishing piers, the post
Office and local points around here and
mail the rest to 81 surrounding local
tiles in New Jersey. At 500 pm.
take moro observations and telegraph
IN code to Philadelphia. also report
the fogs and thunderstorms. At the
end of the month send q report to
Washington.
Grant Queerest Requests.
''You know" reminisced Miss Dor
man, I'VE grant the queerest requests
to people here. My father often had
10 look back 20 years to find out the
weather for the particular date. The
people never give any specific reason
as to why they want to know that.
Idle curiosity, I suppose. Then pros
pective residents come in and ask con.
fidenttally how the weather in Win
ter is down here. I really am great
help 10 the real estate business in
that capacity, for always boost Cape
May. Sometimes / have to decide for
would-be picnickers whether or not the
day Is propitious. Oh. ] must show
you my new barometer" she broke
off. and in her office she displayed 1t
with the pride of the craftsman in his
tools.
my instruments belong to the Gov
ernment," she added. I'VE got new
ones after father died"
Miss Dorman scarcely looks her 20
years. She is of medium height, slim,
with fair curly bobbed hair, blue eyes
and a generous supply Of tiny freck-
les. She received the major part OF
her education at st. Mary's School,
Cape May. where she was graduated
in 1879. She admits to keeping house
in her spare time, but says that
mother does the cooking"