Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1904 — PREDICTIONS SAVE MILLIONS. [ARTICLE]

PREDICTIONS SAVE MILLIONS.

River and Flood Service, Whose Head Is Dr. Frankcnfeld. Witli the menace of the spring floods upon them, hundreds of thousands of people living in the territories likely to be affected, are now watching anxiously for warnings from the river and flood service of the United States weather bureau. They recall, with feelings of apprehension, the appalling floods of last year, when the Ohio, the Kansas, the upper nnd lower Mississippi, the lower Missouri and their tributiA-ies swept away in mighty rushes $40,000,000 worth of property. They recall how the -vast plains of southwestern Arkansas, northwestern Louisiana and the great tract of country through which the Mississippi pusses were covered for 9,000 square miles with a mighty body of turbulent water carrying all before it. Yet despite all the losses, millions of dollars in property nnd thousands of lives were saved by the timely warnings of the weather bureau, whose river and flood service is directed by Dr. H. C. Ftr.nkcnfeld. There are 375 places of observation from which reports nre sent to him, and upon the information submitted he bases his predictions. The amount of rainfall and the extent of the watershed, together with the capacity of the streams to carry off the flood water arc the factors entering into the prophecy. As soon as it appears that a flood is imminent in any particular district the forecaster in charge immediately issues warnings to all Who are interested, gives the stage of water expected, and the time for its arrival in various„places. Warnings nre also distributed by telephones and telegraph.