Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-11-19
TIE METEOROLOGICAL DISCO VERY

The Storm and Weather Bureau at
Washington has made an important dis
eovery, in which the people "down east"
are considerably interested. For time
as far back as the landing Of the Pilgrims
at Plymouth. this eastern section Of the
country has had the reputation of being
the place where cold. snow. ice and all
the other paraphernalia Of Winter are
manufactured. Our neighbors in other
States have become accustomed In speak
ing Of Maine to be taken with chattering
of the teeth ike that which afflicted poor
Harry Gill;" To think of this frozen coun-
try would create chill, and q visit to 1t
was considered like trip to the Arctic
regions. The distinction of Maine as
frosty State has been of the grand,
gloomy, and peculiar" sort. Nothing but
the massive rhetoric of Webster Is adap-
ted to description of it as it existed in
the popular imagination. The people of
the sunny but malarious South. always
supposed until the Maine regiments came
down amongst them in war time, and en-
lightened them about many things, that
this State was covered with icebergs, and
that here man existed who had charge
of the north wind, stuffing his hat into
hole in the North Pole to check the wind,
and Withdrawing it when he desired to
send tempest abroad. The rebels could
not stand the charge of Maine troops be.
cause the latter carried such chilling in
huence with them. The yellow fever
abandoned New Orleans when Butler
went there with his Maine regiments, re-
treating before their frosty breath, as
though December was approaching. Such
was the fame OF this section abroad as re-
garded its freezing capabilities.
And it was not only strangers who had
the idea that this region enjoyed a monop-
DIV of the ice and snow business, but until
4 very recent period those who were born
upon the soil and grew here to manhood
and old age. were inclined to believe that
we had bigger drifts. thicker ice, and keen
er frosts than any other State conld boast
of. Thousands Of our citizens have gone
West to find warmer climate and less
snow. That was the standing argument
for westward. hom during many years.
The post-office sent back only intelligence
of balmy and delightful breezes. with
little .fever and ager,'' not word OF
snow or cold to trouble man or beast. 1t
was only when the railroad and telegraph
,raversed the West that we began to learn
with great surprise in this part of the
world we were not exclusive possessors
of the figid treasures of the continent.
At first we were of the opinion that such
reports were false How could they be
true we thought when our neighbors had
been going West for years to escape our
rigorous winters and bask in the pleas
ant sunshine of the prairies, and had Civ
en- us no notice OF disappointment? Still
the railroad and telegraph persisted in
their reports, and they sent them so loud
and strong last winter, fortified by tales
of monster snow ploughs, of beleagured
trains. and by the testimony of half starved
and frozen passengers that we began to
believe them. although we then deemed
it possible that last winter was an excep
ton, that some mistake had been made by
the doorkeeper of the elements. and that
the icy sceptre would be returned to
..down east" its ancient aud righttul pos
SCISSOR.
But the statement now sent out from
the Office of ''Old Probabilities" at Wash
ington settles the case authoritatively and
forever against us. 1t is now determined
that the Rocky Mountains are the true
throne of Winter, whence he swoops
down with his icicles and slect and snow,
visiting the plains and hills of the West
first, and paying his respects to "down
east" at later day and in milder fashion.
After this announcement there will be less
chattering of teeth at the mention OF
down east" less emigration to the West
in pursuit of mild winters, and more con-
tentment in this corner of the country
with our climatic circumstances. IL is
not impossible that many of our friends
who went westward to escape the cold
and SHOWS of Maine will be coming back
TO enjoy the new-found mildness OF our
winters in this State. Had there been a
Signal Office and "Old Probabilities
when they emigrated how much trouble
they might have been spared We have
known these many years that the harbors
of Maine have remained open through the
winter; that the islands on our coasts are
so warm that sheep need little shelter
from the cold and little feeding at the
barns; that the towns and villages on the
sea-shore do not have snow enough for
good sleighing; that the country has no
more than sufficient to cover it decently
that the thermometer does not credit us
with more than fair share of frost: and
a. A III Al -.