New-York tribune., 1871-07-26
THE CLIMATE OF MINNESOTA.
ITS EFFECT ON INvALIDs.

ST. PAUL. Minn. July 1S.-I shall not in
this letter go into rapurOus extrvagances as many do
in gard to the hcat-resOrng properties OF Mime
climate for after all here, elsewhere, find that
great claimed for 1t than the actual facts
warrant The truth isand put that down one of the
known quantities Of the Minnesota equaton-that this
climate has almost altogether changed since the settle
ment OF State. longer the Minnesota OF IL
years ago The clearing of the forests and the cuya
ton OF II acres Of the ground with other causes,
have revoluionized its character This hear asserted
on all sides taking special pains in the nvestiga-
ton OF this matterseekng all the facts can accumu-
late aud conyersng the subject with all the inte
gent persons-especially the long residents-whom 1
meet The unanimous verdict is that Minnesota Of 1871 Is
not the Minnesota have not the least doubt that
great deal Of the former efficacy of the climate ngers
vet i'm this beautiful sectiOn and would not discourage
single person from testing the fact by far residence
here II their lungs diseased or threatened
great many fabulous stories afoat in the East on
this topic. My advice is don't believe word of them
IL they date less than Is years back think tile follow
ing s so far able TO report from the information
have able to gather here the spot about
fair estimate of the value of the tonic and other prop
critics of this high latitude and the elevation OF 1lO0 feet
above the level Of the and Loco feet above the Gulf
Between and 10 per cent only of those who here
In the early stages Of decided consumption get well
The State is filed to-day with invalids of this sort am
one myself aud hence been very careful In pur
suit Of facts am preparing list OF cases reported to
me- far possible by the persons themselves and
when reach so OF 100 shall carefully tabulate them and
cause them to be printed
OF course the three facts OF cold moisture and sudden
changes enter into any solution of the climate problem
/ shall surprise your Northern readers suppose, when
1 say that but one-fourth much falls a-days
in Minnesota as falls in New-Engand; that the average
number OF days OF good navigation the Mississippi
for 20 years past has been about 23 out Of te 365
whereas the Erie Canal affords but 20O that the popular
notion abroad that the thermometer ranges all Winter
from about 40 degrees below is mstakeOnce
in the last five years only has it been 40 belowfor
though the temperature during the Winter months
is lower than IN places OF the United States st
after ALL the weather is not so severe as In Vermont
On the first day OF last December the thermometer stood
but one degree lower here than at Chicago and New
York, exactly the at Boston. Once in while
here the wind draws itself ones like steel
knife, but this seldom happens On those days no sane
person has any business out OF the house. But the
average days OF Winter are, far can learn no
wise colder than In other civilized places of The country
sofa are not extremely cold, shall now show that they
ore not extremely dry but only comparatively SO pul
then not very heavily. or this Is months, fonI
three Januarys and one Decemberwere literally AZ r''i m
less. In 1851 rain fell for 10 weeks But II WIN p
noticed that these facts cover small period onS au
with rain-gauges show that the ayerage yearly nini",
according 10 notes kept FOR 10 years az toTt
% inches for 30 years II has been 20 inches othe
Kept ny another person, show "tOta wafer ,a 9i
and snow In 1866, "a inches in 1867 S3 inches IN lsS ot
inches; In 1869, S7i inches The average humidity aums
the Winter OF 1865 90 December 10 per eeht 39
ary 81 per cent; February, 50 per cent mean huiS
81 per cent Thus IL will be seen that tht athlSpieI
only comparatively dry, and that the annual ra'i"
seems To be on the Increase.
Lastly, changes are requent Since have been
here have worn Winter clothes day, summer ones
the next. In Winter they not apt to have sudden
thsws, but they do sometimes occur Minnesota is no
longer the border OF civilization IL Is the center VIII
nvalds most do congregate. But what WISH 70 naAe
plain is that people can and die of consumption mere
and people who have been born and bred befe nave H.
st the percentage Of five or ten 10 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
IN the early stages, IL of eOuree encolaSlhs' i.-