56 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



about 30 miles east of the mouth of the Sabine Eiver, moving thence 

 in^Yarcl about 80 miles to nortliAvestern Louisiana, where it was dissi- 

 pated. It passed over Lake Charles and Gerstner Field, La., develop- 

 ing considerable violence, the wind attaining a velocity of about 100 

 miles an hour. Thirty-four deaths were reported as being due to the 

 storm and the number of persons injured as more than twice that 

 number. The damage to property was roughly estimated at $5,000,- 

 000. Hurricane warnings in advance of the storm were ordered for 

 the Louisiana and Texas coasts from Galveston east. 



SPECIAL METEOROLOGICAL STATIONS. 



As an aid to the forecast service in Alaska arrangements were 

 made for the establishment of three special meteorological stations at 

 Atka, Akiak, and Noorvik, Alaska, to report twice daily by radio. 



HIGHWAYS WEATHER SERVICE. 



A new project, designated " HighAvays weather service," was for- 

 mally authorized during the year. In the carrying out of this project 

 certain central stations receive reports of the conditions of the roads 

 in the surrounding region or over certain main highways, and pub- 

 lish the same on their bulletins and in the press. In cases where the 

 stations are centers of a corn-and-wheat or cotton-region service the 

 reports of road conditions are obtained by telegraph without addi- 

 tional expense by the addition of a word indicating the conditions of 

 the road to the daily report from the substations. In other instances 

 they are obtained by mail by means of franked postal cards furnished 

 to persons who are willing to cooperate with the Bureau in this serv- 

 ice. Projects were in operation during the past Avinter at some 15 

 stations in 11 States, but at all but four of these it Avas a winter 

 service only and was discontinued in the spring, to be resumed the 

 coming winter. Although still in a tentative stage the service has 

 great possibilities and is likely to be largely extended in the future. 

 It has proved very popular Avhere it has been in operation, the official 

 in charge at one station stating that he has as many calls for road 

 data during the day as for the Aveather forecasts. 



RIVER AND FLOOD WARNINGS. 



The flood service of the Weather Bureau functioned properly, not 

 only as to the issue of timely notices of the coming of floods but also 

 in the daily statement of river conditions throughout the country. 



The floods of the year were largely local and much less severe than 

 in many previous years. 



During threatening conditions Avhich obtained for a time along the 

 Mississippi River from Keokuk, loAva, soutliAvard to Louisiana, 

 Mo., information Avas furnished that proved to be of great practical 

 utility in the organized effort to strengthen the levees along that 

 section of the stream. 



In the drainage investigations of the department and in many 

 private enterprises in connection with river improA^ements the river 

 and flood service has contributed valuable information both to agri- 

 cultural and commercial interests along the great rivers of the country. 



