Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-05
"FITZ" Is A DANDY.
How the Government weather Prog
nosticator at Davenport sizes Up
Things Before They Come--Novem-

How the Government Weather Prog
nosticator at Davenport sizes Up
Things Before They Come .Novem-
Der.
The Davenport Times has witty and
interesting article on Observer Fitzgerald,
the government signal service officer at
Davenport. "Fiiz" is a great genius,
and the Times man does him justice in
the following, which also affords an idea
of November's remarkable weather:
The monthly report of the efficient
weather service of this city, under the
direction of Observer Fitzgerald, is quite
interesting. 1t is elaborate, complete in
all details, and just that kind of report
which could be expected from its author.
Mr.. Fitzgerald is one of that class of
men so devoted to his business that what
are hard. wire-twisted but useful facts to
the ordinary laymen. are to him the en-.
chantments of poetic vision and verse.
The rills which have flown over and down
Parnsssus since the original patentee of
the weather business in classic gone.bys.
"wooed a goddess and clssped cloud"
are to him the rythm of aqueous precipi-
tation holding sweet converse with an OBJ
durate rain gauge. A blizzard is a poly.
syllable, sweet tempest OF harmonious
sounds swept from the fingers of 0ssian.
A statement of dew fall lures him like a
verse of Tennyson-to tell the details
even to the fraction OF milimetre
daily. When it comes to record
ing the velocity of the wind, this
poet observer will be found far
from the cave of Eolus. A thunder
storm is STRONG as the dark eye in WON
an" and he does not wonder that Amelie
Rives always brings her lovers to con.
clude their loves Just when the winds of
heaven start on picnic. As for clear
day, when sky and earth meet and kiss
and vow TO behave themselves, Wads>
worth alone could adequately share FitZ-
gerald's idea of the calm in nature.
To US this mental anomaly is hard to
understand. Here is a man who looks
out from his tower on Second street like
necromancer at the middle Ages. He
is very Gradgrind at figures He ham
dies them by cords. Its details LOOK as
dry as ashes; his instruments are sly yet
conscientious imps, detectives of air, at
mosphere, ram fall. dew fall. tempera-
ture, wind, snow, blizzard and doldrums
vet all of these mechanical minute he
invests with the enthusiasm OF a borr
versifier. He apparently drops dowI
to things mortal, and consequently i'm
perfect, when he treats of mean things
such as mean temperature" meal
barometer" mean humidity" and theI
! he is sure to give them "Fitz"
. When we part with the observer snC
condense his report for the month of No
vember many i'm portant facts are found
, Two thunderstorms occurred on the Q
and 9Th of November which are unusus
At that season. The highest temperatur
occurred on Nov l. lowest temperatur
| on Nov. II. Highest barometer on Nov
20; lowest barometer Nov g. Pertsp
the most interesting item OF the report
: found in the following which gives sue
= ciuctly the weather conditions for Nc
0 vember at Davenport as shown by obsel
. vations for the past sixteen years
f Changes of mean temperature in "a hour
;. exceeding 10o, occur one day in 8. POI
sible range of maxima temperatures be
tween 90 -, 1885, and TO- ., 1875. Po
sible range of minims temperatures b,
: tween 81 e. 1874. and 80, 1875. Pc
e sible monthly temperature between AZ :
1878, and 81 >, 1886, Clear DAYS de
il than one.third clouds, one day in
Rain Ton snow, one day in 4; averagir
"a II inches daily. Cloudy (includir
,s raihy) days, one day in 8. Wind. hour
. mean velocity of miles; most frequel
- direction W, (69 per cent?
. Considering that November was an e
y ceptionslly temperate month, the sbo'
= memoranda will be worth considering.