The Leavenworth weekly times., 1878-07-25
WHERE Do OUR STORMS COME
FROM

EDITOR TIMEs:-1 observe that
the RtpuJlican Il Democrot OF the 18th inst,
published at Council Grove, kansas, takes
you 20 task for supporting the theory first
advanced by me some twelve years ago,
shat the snowfalls in the Rocky Noun
tains determine the amount of rainfall
here The editors OF that paper must
have been filled with east wind, !" Tor their
structures nave but the elements Of bluff,
inste sd Of arguments, assertions, opinions
for facts and wit without point. All the
tangible matter in the article, is quota
ton from Professor Snow Of the State nj
yersity, and is As follows: "In my opin-
ion the chief source of the moisture con-
densed into rain over Eastern Kansas is
The Gulf of Mexico" This is a paradox in
meteorological science as determined on this
continent as it will presently appear. The
opinion Of man with the prefix OF pro-
fessor to his name, is worthy Of all consid-
Grafton when backed by the love OF science
and we'll sustained reputation; but 9TH
erwise those seeking principles require
facts, or well sustained arguments. Asto the
tiulfhypothesis,.i 1t Is a well-known fact ,.pa-
tent TO the most superficial observer that our
rain storms in the spring and summer come
from the southwest, and more frequently
after a protracted blow from that quarter.
III the moisture they carry (which Is gener-
allv very limited) is taken up from the
Gulf of Mexico, il nust start with an east
wind and describe a segment OF circle to
reach us, involving travers oi some SIX
teen hundred miles, over the driest and
hottest region in the United States, which
would dissipate nearly every particle OF
humidity before arriving here. 1t must
also readily occur even to the editors OF
tbe Repub ioan and Democrat that storms
in the summer, never proceed west
ward, except once or twice IN \ de-
cade, and those originating on, or near the
Gull OF Mexico, are no exceptions, Tor 1t
ia known that many at least, take the oppo-
site direction, up the valley OF the Mis-
sippi.
This principle may be general, for CEN
turies ago Orientals associated the east
wind with buster and imbelity, for in
tapce, in the speech of Eliphaz. The ieman-
ite. in reproof Of Job begins: should a
wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his
belly with sast wind ?'-(Jo xv. = One
principle has been we'll established by the
United States Signal Service, that all storms
originating within their scope on this con-
tinent, take an eastern trend. This Is pc
culiarly the case with those that develop
on the great western plains, in the Rocky
Mountains, or on the Pacific Ocean. Some
of these after traversing the entire coutin-
ent, cross over the Atlantic to Europe, and
for aught We know, may circle the earth.
Thev quote further ,from the correspon-
deoce OF Prof. Snow who writes: THAT
facts do not support the theory that the
snowfall in the Rocky Mountains deter
mines the amount of rainfall here" What
facts? Do We find them in the ex.rao-din-
ary snowfall in the Rocky Mountains in
the winter of - that blocSaded the CnionPa-
ciic railroad for FIVE weeks, which was fol-
loved by q rainfall here OF 4s.2l inches
and 1851 in excess of the annual mean?
Or. in the other great fall Of "a inducing
flood here of 500 inches and 2O.I2 inches
in excess. Can We find them in the scan-
" SHOWS in the winter Of '13, which renew
Cd the CRY Of "Droughty Kansas" With
these facts before us, Mr.. Editor, corrobor-
ated by proportional rains in the interven-
ing years, and further, sustained by scierce,
We can afford to rest our case without go-
irx into philosophical explanations Of the
principles that Lie at the base Of the facts.
F. HAwN.