Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-07-30
Mai. f. H. Bowie Dies;
Was Nation's LEADING
Weather Forecaster

Maj. Edward Hall Bowie, So, re-
gional director of the Weather Blu
reau in San Francisco for the South
west Pacific area, who has been re-
garded as the leading forecaster in
the Nation for several decades, died
last night in San Francisco, accord
ing to word received here.
Maj. Bowie, a native of Annapolis
Junction, Nd, entered the Weather
Bureau in December, 1891, and had
the longest record of service of
any one in the bureau. He was
stationed in Washington from 1909
to 1924, except for military leave
during the last war, when he served
as meterologist for the AEF.
Comdr. Francis w. Reichelderfer,
U. S. NJ, retired, chief of the Wealth
er Bureau, said Maj. Bowie was the
leading forecaster for several dec
AIDES and had taken a leading part
in the promotion of research.
Made Many Ocean Trips.
Maj. Bowie made a number of
trips on naval vessels making
meteorological studies, visiting the
Far East in the early 1905 and
again about four years ago. when
he studied weather conditions in
Japan, the Philippines and China.
He undertook to improve weather
information from these areas. In
the early 1o20's he took a trip on
the Jacques Cartier, French train
ing ship, and made meteorological
studies in various oceans.
A graduate of st. Johns College,
Annapolis, Maj. Bowie entered the
Weather Bureau as an assistant
observer in Memphis, Tenn, where
he stayed until transferred in 1896
to Montgomery, Ala.
Headed Forecast Division.
In 1898 he became an observer and
was sent to Dubuque, Iowa. Before
coming to Washington, he served as
section director in Galveston, Tex,
and as local forecaster in St. Louis,
Mo From 1909 to 1924 he was ma
tional forecaster and from 1910 to
1912 was chief of the forecast divi-
sion of the bureau. During his mill
tary leave with the AEF he was sta
toned in Paris
In 1924 he went to San Francisco
as principal meteorologist and dis
trict forecaster for the Pacific States.
For the past several years he had
given up forecasting for administra-
tive duties.
Maj. Bowie was awarded a master
Of science degree from St. John S
College in 1920 and was the author
of a number of articles.
Forecast Proved Correct.
There is a story that shortly after
he arrived in San Francisco the city
suffered a severe drought, with the
result that the water situation be-
came so serious that the city heads
called a meeting with the Chamber
of Commerce, engineers and the
Weather Bureau.
The meeting was told that there
was less than one weeks supply on
hand. Three propositions were put
forward: One, that water be hauled
in tankers from Portland. Greg
two, that wells be drilled along the
bay, and three, get rain. Maj
Bowie told them that he could not
say definitely when rain would come
but he went back to his Office, got
his maps, returned to the meeting
and promised rain within 4S hours
1t came in about "a hours and lasted
more than week.
Widow Survives.
Maj. Bowie was the son OF the
late Thomas John and Susanna An
derson Bowie He is survived by his
widow, the former Miss Florence C.
Hatch Of Oregon, ILL.,, and three
daughters, Mrs. Helen McKinstry
Prentiss. wife of Col. Louis Prentiss,
Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., Fort
Belvoir, Va; Mrs. Margaret Lowndes
Wallace of San Diego. Calf, and
Mrs. Susanna Bowie Lindquist, Ber-
kelley, Calf.
Maj. Bowie was for many years a
member of the Cosmos Club of
Washington, and was at the time
of his death a member of the Fac
ulty Club of Berkeley, and the
Family Club of San Francisco.
Funeral arrangements have not
yet been completed.