Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-18
METEOROLOGICAL MIDDLE.
A Befogged Reporters Struggle with al
Incomprehensible Subject.

"A beiogged reporters struggle With an
Incomprehensible Subject.
EDS. REcoRD-UNIoN Some one signing
himself n has mailed to me a slip from
last Sundays San Francisco Call, in which
a reporter is supposed to have interviewed
Thomas Tenant, the veteran chronometer
maker and pioneer of California The re-
porter makes Mr.. Tenant say that this is
not as cold weather as he has seen here
that on December %. 1867, the mercurv
sank to 300 belolC the freezing point, which
is, as you know, $40. This would make
the actual temperature, as recorded by the
thermometer, but 10 above zero. I'm
doubtedly Mr.. Tenant desired the brilliant
reportorial interviewer to understand that
the temperature was 200; that is, 12o below
the freezing point, or 200 above zero; but
if be has been quoted correctly, then San
Francisco can boast of having had colder
weather than has ever been recorded in the
Sacramento valley.
Mr.. Tenant, so the reporter informs us.
says that from January a. 1882, to Febru-
AIRY 2lst of the same year was long and
severe spell, the mercury during all that
time never registering more than 31o-un-
doubleday another reportorial misouota-
ton. That would make thirty-nine con-
secutive days that the thermometer never
recorded temperature above the freezing
point. In all probability Mr.. Tenant en-
deavored to make the reporter understand
that during that period the lowest or mini
mum temperature never went above 80
during the day 1t must have recorded q
very much higher temperature than 80
! wonder If the reporter that interviewed
Mr.. Tenant had red hair If so, he might
be excusable for getting the temperature SO
tar below the freezing point. Read what
he makes Mr.. Tenant say: I'VE have
had just as cold weather as at present, the
mercury registering 20 below freezing
point on January %, 1864; January 10
1868; December 18th and 10, 1872, and De-
cember IA, 1873"
Now | would like to know if that re-
porter could make anyone believe that in
San Francisco, or in this State, who has
lived here as long as Mr.. Tenant has. that
the latter gentleman intended to say that
the temperature on those dates went as low
as 80 above zero, for twenty-seyen
from thirty-two leaves five If the tenn
perature. as the intellectual reporter has it,
was 20 below the freezing point
then 80 above zero would be the result
That would freeze every water pipe solid
throughout the city, except those buried
deeply in the ground. Now if he had said
that Mr.. Tenant recorded a temperature
of % above zero as the lowest, he would
probably have been correct.
In regard to that long and severe cold
spell of 1882, the Sacramento Signal Service
record shows that we had long cold spell
during the months named, to wit Jan
uary Ia to February 81, 1882. Mr.. Ten
nant is reported to have said the tempera-
ture never rose above SO during this time
Well. we will say the gentleman probably
wanted the ll!ustrious reporter 10 under
stand that the lowest temperature recorded
during each of those days were never
more than 80. If that is the true meaning
OF the interview, Sacramento was warmer
at night or early in the morning, during
most of the time, than was San Francisco,
Sacramento records show the lowest tenn
perature on January IA, 1882 was $40.
10th, 290; 16th, 32o 18th, 800; 18th, $40;
18th, $50; goth, $40; 2lst, $50; 22d, $40;
23j, 440; 24th, 430;; 25th, 33o;; 18th, 400:
27th. $50; 2Sth, So; 29tb, 34o; 30th, 800:
3lst, 42o;; February 1st, $50; I'd, $40; Sd, $50;
4th, 370; 9Th, $50; 9th 40o; 9TH, 33o; Stb
$50; oh, 400; 10Th, 4l0; 11th, $40: 12,h.
$40; 18th. $50; 14th, SO; 15lh, $50: 10Th
APO; 17tb, $40; 18th, $50; 10Th, 80, Goth
SIC; Dist. 800.
Out of these SO days, at Sacramento the
lowest temperature was below the freezing
point on but three occasions, those being
29' on the 18th, or 80 below the freezing
point; and 80. on the 10Th and Goth of
February, which was but 10 below the
freezing point. There being under certain
conditions of the weather difference of
from 80 to 50 between thermometers ex-
posed at forty to sixty feet and those only
few Ieet above me ground, aud allowing 4O
colder near the earth's surface, that would
give Sacramento out of the 80 DAYS men,
toned above 81 days on which the lowest
temperature was below 800, but not consec-
utive. The lowest would be 25o-on the
10Th Of january. With that reduction
from the Signal Service records for the 50
days 1t would then leave us much warmer
weather than the reporter would lead us to
believe had occurred at San Francisco.
DR.. Lngan's lowest temperature in De-
cember, 1867, was 2So. The Call says at
San Francisco it was 12o. DIR. Logan's
lowest temperature for January, 1864, was
34'; for January, 1868, 500; for December.
1872, 1t was 260. The Signal Office lowest
temperature for December. 1873, was 24o.
For all those dates from 1864 to 1873. the
CAL reporter says it was but 50 above zero,
or q below the freezing point According
to the above comparison it would be adj
yisable for weakly people and eonsumptives
to come to Sacramento during the passage
OF polar wave along the Pacific slope TO
enable them to keep warm and comfort
able. Respectfully, J. a. BARwIcK.