Daily Los Angeles herald., 1881-08-13

THE theory has been held in sci
entific and other quarters that the
laying down Of extensive lines of
railway has modified the natural
climate Of such regions as Colorado
and New Mexico, and the change
has been principally apparent in
the greatly increased rainfall. At
tention was first called to this fact
in Colorado. The settlement of
Greeley, in that State, was CO.
lonnial experiment whose success
depended upon irrigation. Trees
were planted and railroads were
built; and, very soon, the Greeley
ties began to note a marked 1n-
crease in their abnormally small
rainfall. They ascribed it to the
.-tn46ence exerted upon the electri.
cal and rain currents by the rail-
ways which were being laid down
on every hand, and also to the tree
planting, which was from the first
zealously and successfully carried
on by the colonists. We now learn,
from q recent telegram from the
East, that scientists are consider
ing the unquestioned fact that the
rapid and continuous railway
building in New Mexico is having
. like effect there. That arid re-
xion, with the exception of small
patches here and there, hat
always seemed valHeless save
for pasturage and mining. If there
be any truth in this hypothesis
Los Angeles county ought to af
ford an admirable field for collect
Ing confirmatory statistics. w,
have had here both very extensive
railway building and tree planting
The county itself is gridironet
with failways, and. large sections
have been made to bear prolific
orange and other fruits where NJ
trees ever grew before. Is it tru
that our climate has been modifie
to any extent? Somebody, VIII
either has good memory or tn
happy habit of storing up meteore
logical data, ought to throw all th
light possible upon this mattel
There is q tradition amongst tins
portion Of the native California;
who nsEaEIGfo566 Of California b
the Americans, that the coming G
the "Gringos" had caused th
country to deterlorate both in it
rainfall and productiveness. Doubt
less these statements must b
taken with q grain of salt. If true
they would be a remarkable refu
tAtion Of the Idea, which has nov
been pretty universally accepted
that the progress of railways ant
tree planting is causing a marked
increase in the annual rains. w,
are inclined to accept this theory
although we believe that til,
change will be slowly made from
an arid country, like New Mexico
to we'll watered and well wooded
one. 1t has been established tot
clearly to admit of contradiction
that the denudation of forest
lessons the rainfall of country
The cutting down of the trees IL
the neighborhood of Trieste soor
converted the country surrounding
THAT city into desert. The plant.
Ing Of trees on an extensive scale
thereon, under governmental su
pervision, rapidly resulted in thu
complete restoration of the country
to its old time fertility. The won
derful electrical disturbances ii
the Northwestern States during
the past twenty years, which arr
reasonably certain to have result
ed from the building of railways
show that these, at least in that 10
oality, exert a powerful influence
upon temperature and rainfall. Il
may be u question as to whether
7our people would be willing to ex
change their perfect climate for ar
increased rainfall, but we shal
have little voice in the matter
The weather clerk will obey the
laws in the Pacific States which
govern him.in the Atlantic; and i
railways, in addition to giving Vi
cheap transportation, shall alst
spoil this section as o sanitarium
We shall even have to submit, ant
6nd our consolation in it's unprece
dented fertility.