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Story
December 2, 1913
Fergus County Democrat
Lewistown, Fergus County, Montana
What is this article about?
Professor Charles L. Marvin, a dedicated meteorologist, is appointed chief of the U.S. Weather Bureau by President Wilson in 1913, succeeding Willis L. Moore. His career highlights include inventing weather instruments and pioneering kite use for atmospheric observations, amid initial heat waves and storms in Washington.
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ABOUT OUR NEW WEATHER MAN
PROF. MARTIN, WHO WAS APPOINTED THE CHIEF OF THE WEATHER BUREAU.
New York Sun:
Everybody will want to know something about Professor Charles L. Marvin, whom President Wilson has appointed chief of the weather bureau to succeed Willis L. Moore and who will tell the country daily what kind of weather it is going to have.
Professor Marvin has been in the weather bureau service since he was graduated from the Ohio State University at Columbus. He has devoted himself especially to devising and perfecting apparatus for observing weather conditions with a view to making accurate predictions. He is not a politician. On the few occasions when he went back to his Ohio home to vote he supported the Republicans. He did not vote in the election in which Woodrow Wilson was chosen president.
Chief Marvin is a very serious-minded man. He has spent his life in physical researches of a practical nature, making little preparation for some of the duties which are supposed to attach to his new position.
The chief of the weather bureau is often blamed for the weather. Mr. Marvin admitted on the day he took office that it would be impossible for him to bring any relief to the people of Washington, who had for several days been sizzling in the hottest spell of the summer. The heat on that day was 103 degrees in the shade. Chief Martin said the only relief he could offer was to point to a chart of the normal temperature for July 29, based on an average for several years. It was evident that the heat was more intense than the normal for that date.
On Wednesday, July 30, the second day of his administration of the weather service, Mr. Marvin had to direct the observation for the severest electrical and rain storm that has visited Washington since 1882. The storm was referred to in some quarters as merely the reception accorded by the weather to its new overseer. It was recalled that following the retirement of Chief Moore two months before there had come several days of the hottest weather of the summer until that time.
Professor Marvin entered the old signal service in 1884, the year he was graduated from college. He described his career since that time for the Sun correspondent in this fashion:
"In my college I became interested above all other studies in physical experiments and in attempts to apply the principles of physics to practical problems. The spring I was graduated from the university I saw upon the college bulletin board an advertisement for men for the signal service. It struck me right then that here was work that would certainly interest me, so I decided to take the examination. I did this soon after graduation and was appointed to a position in the service soon thereafter.
"In 1898 I became head of the instrument division of the signal service, since renamed the weather service, and held that position until I was appointed chief of the service.
"I have devoted my time chiefly to devising new models and instruments for observing the velocity of the wind, the intensity of the sunshine, the rainfall and meteorological conditions generally."
Practically all the apparatus now used by the weather stations were either devised or improved in some way by the experiments of Professor Marvin.
Professor Marvin was a pioneer in the use of kites for observing weather conditions in the atmospheric strata above the earth. He began this work in 1894, three years after the box kite was put on the market by a German inventor. The box kite he soon found to be the only type of flyer in any way adapted to the use of the weather observers.
Professor Marvin improved in many ways the original model of the box kite, thus fitting it for scientific purposes. His chief success was in producing a kite that could be flown directly overhead instead of off at an oblique angle as had been necessary with the German types.
Professor Marvin has no radical ideas about changing the entire policy of the bureau as soon as he has taken the reins of power. He has said that he realizes the ways in which he can spend the appropriations for the weather service are pretty strictly specified by law. He thinks that he can procure the highest degree of efficiency in the service by causing his assistants to give strict heed to scientific methods. What he does will be done after careful deliberation.
PROF. MARTIN, WHO WAS APPOINTED THE CHIEF OF THE WEATHER BUREAU.
New York Sun:
Everybody will want to know something about Professor Charles L. Marvin, whom President Wilson has appointed chief of the weather bureau to succeed Willis L. Moore and who will tell the country daily what kind of weather it is going to have.
Professor Marvin has been in the weather bureau service since he was graduated from the Ohio State University at Columbus. He has devoted himself especially to devising and perfecting apparatus for observing weather conditions with a view to making accurate predictions. He is not a politician. On the few occasions when he went back to his Ohio home to vote he supported the Republicans. He did not vote in the election in which Woodrow Wilson was chosen president.
Chief Marvin is a very serious-minded man. He has spent his life in physical researches of a practical nature, making little preparation for some of the duties which are supposed to attach to his new position.
The chief of the weather bureau is often blamed for the weather. Mr. Marvin admitted on the day he took office that it would be impossible for him to bring any relief to the people of Washington, who had for several days been sizzling in the hottest spell of the summer. The heat on that day was 103 degrees in the shade. Chief Martin said the only relief he could offer was to point to a chart of the normal temperature for July 29, based on an average for several years. It was evident that the heat was more intense than the normal for that date.
On Wednesday, July 30, the second day of his administration of the weather service, Mr. Marvin had to direct the observation for the severest electrical and rain storm that has visited Washington since 1882. The storm was referred to in some quarters as merely the reception accorded by the weather to its new overseer. It was recalled that following the retirement of Chief Moore two months before there had come several days of the hottest weather of the summer until that time.
Professor Marvin entered the old signal service in 1884, the year he was graduated from college. He described his career since that time for the Sun correspondent in this fashion:
"In my college I became interested above all other studies in physical experiments and in attempts to apply the principles of physics to practical problems. The spring I was graduated from the university I saw upon the college bulletin board an advertisement for men for the signal service. It struck me right then that here was work that would certainly interest me, so I decided to take the examination. I did this soon after graduation and was appointed to a position in the service soon thereafter.
"In 1898 I became head of the instrument division of the signal service, since renamed the weather service, and held that position until I was appointed chief of the service.
"I have devoted my time chiefly to devising new models and instruments for observing the velocity of the wind, the intensity of the sunshine, the rainfall and meteorological conditions generally."
Practically all the apparatus now used by the weather stations were either devised or improved in some way by the experiments of Professor Marvin.
Professor Marvin was a pioneer in the use of kites for observing weather conditions in the atmospheric strata above the earth. He began this work in 1894, three years after the box kite was put on the market by a German inventor. The box kite he soon found to be the only type of flyer in any way adapted to the use of the weather observers.
Professor Marvin improved in many ways the original model of the box kite, thus fitting it for scientific purposes. His chief success was in producing a kite that could be flown directly overhead instead of off at an oblique angle as had been necessary with the German types.
Professor Marvin has no radical ideas about changing the entire policy of the bureau as soon as he has taken the reins of power. He has said that he realizes the ways in which he can spend the appropriations for the weather service are pretty strictly specified by law. He thinks that he can procure the highest degree of efficiency in the service by causing his assistants to give strict heed to scientific methods. What he does will be done after careful deliberation.
What sub-type of article is it?
Biography
Historical Event
What themes does it cover?
Triumph
Fortune Reversal
What keywords are associated?
Weather Bureau
Professor Marvin
Appointment
Meteorological Instruments
Kite Observations
What entities or persons were involved?
Charles L. Marvin
Woodrow Wilson
Willis L. Moore
Where did it happen?
Washington
Story Details
Key Persons
Charles L. Marvin
Woodrow Wilson
Willis L. Moore
Location
Washington
Event Date
July 29, 1913
Story Details
Professor Charles L. Marvin is appointed chief of the U.S. Weather Bureau by President Wilson, succeeding Willis L. Moore. A meteorologist with a career since 1884, Marvin specializes in weather instruments and kite-based observations. He faces immediate heat and storm challenges but plans to enhance efficiency through scientific methods.