PROCEEDINGS OF THE OHIO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 271 



and navigation, but at times it is an agency of great beneficence 

 and accomplishes great saving of life by means of its ample 

 warnings of storms, floods, hurricanes and impending danger 

 from atmospheric causes. 



A long time might be occupied in reciting examples and 

 instances illustrating our daily work, but I will ask you to allow 

 me time to mention only one or two. 



On one occasion our official at Denver saw in advance that 

 unusual flood conditions were certain to occur on the lower 

 Colorado River. This conclusion was reached from a careful 

 analysis of the following contributory conditions : The amount 

 of snow over the mountains and regions constituting the head 

 waters of the main river and its tributaries ; the stages of these 

 rivers at various points and their known rates of discharge; the 

 current and prospective weather conditions and other minor 

 factors bearing on the ultimate result. Accordingly, flood warn- 

 ings were disseminated to the efifect that on a certain date, then 

 some ten days ahead, the Colorado River at Yuma, Ariz., would 

 reach a crest stage of 30 feet. Corresponding warnings were 

 sent to Needles, Cal. The tracks of the Santa Fe transcontinental 

 railway cross the Colorado River at this point on a great modern 

 steel bridge, and the receipt of such an alarming warning was 

 attended with more or less of incredulity, especially as little or 

 no tangible evidence in justification thereof was apparent. Never- 

 theless, the railway company and others concerned took necessary 

 precautions. Rising steadily day after day, the great river on 

 the date specified attained a stage at Yuma of 29.6 feet, just .4 

 of a foot higher than predicted. Because of the advance warnings 

 and its preparedness the railway company at Needles was able to 

 make a desperate fight against the flood and just succeeded in 

 averting tremendous damage and loss. 



Another illustration of how meteorology is being applied in 

 the saving of life and to the benefit of commerce may be drawn 

 from numerous incidents connected with great storms of the 

 past summer. During the latter part of September a West 

 Indian hurricane of unusual intensity traversed the waters of the 

 Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico and passed inland in the 



