Helena weekly herald., 1889-03-28
THE ARID REGION.
General Greely's Report as to the
Rainfall on the Pacific slope
and Territories.

| and Territories.
WASHINGTON, March 24-In pursuance
to a resolution introduced by Senator
Mitchell, there has been printed a letter
from Gen. Greedy, of the Signal Service
upon the rainfall of the Pacific slope and
the Western States and Territories. Ac-
companying Gen. Greely's letter is paper
by Lieut.. Classford, of the Signal Service
discussing the causes of wet and dry sea-
sons, abundance and deficiency in different
portions, summer rainy season in Arizona
ETC., fortified with charts and tables ex-
haustive of the subject. These tables
cover observations from 661 stations of an
average length of seven years and three
months, and the charts show separately the
maximum, minimum and mean rainfall for
every month and year.
The terms of the resolution made it
Gen. Greely's duty "to express his views
upon the Importance and value of these
charts, and also to express his opinion on
the question of recurring drouth in Texas
and iu relation to the question of increas-
ing or decreasing the rainfall.
Of the arid sub-humid regions of the
United States pursuant to his instructions,
Gen. Greedy discusses the matter at great
length. He says:
One great result which must rebound to
the benefit of the trans Mississippi and
trans Missouri country by the publication
of these officials data will be the dispelling
of the erroneous and injurious impressions
which so long prevailed regarding this ex-
tensive region. Early in this century this
territory was viewed as hardly suited for
civilized man, its enormous and vast
mountains being reported arid and the
desert region unsuited for cultivation and
in many places even unfit for pasturage.
Adventure, exploration and immigration
have passed the frontier westward until
the myths of the Great American Desert to
the north of the rainless staked plains have
practically disappeared. It is none the less
true, however, that the latest and most re-
liable American text book of meteorology
of this country speaks of the areas
between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and
the Rocky Mountains, including portions
of Utah, New Mexico and California, as
region which is almost entirely destitute of
rain, and that further, on the east side of
the Rocky Mountains, the country is barren
and almost without rain.
Another great value of charts is being
brought to the general attention and con-
sideration of the very extensive areas of
the country in what has been kn,wn as
the arid region, where late and careful OBJ
servations have shown the rain fall to be
far greater than has been usually attrib-
uted, and thus transfer these areas to sub
humed districts. The Chief Signal officer
puts it forward as his opinion that when
Idaho, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and
Arizona shall have been covered with rain
as completely as New York or the New
England States. the final outcome of OBJ
servation will indicate an actual average of
rainfall for this arid region, and it is not
understated by the census charts, from
twenty to forty, and by others from ten to
fifteen per cent. General Greedy notes the
observations at sixteen stations and they
indicate an increase in the rainfall, while
eight show decrease. These stations are
located in Texas, Nevada, New Mexico,
Indian Territory, California, Arizona and
Kansas.
In conclusion he says: The chief signal
officer does not hesitate to express the opin-
ion that the trans Mississippi and trans
Missouri are slightly increasing as whole,
though in certain localities, it may be
slightly decreasing from the causes set
forth above, and it seems most proper for
him to put forth his strong conviction, even
if it may not be certainty, when, as in this
case, it will tend to reassure the agricul-
tural population in the lately drouth.
stricken districts of the West. There ap.
pears no possible reason to believe that the
scanty rainfall Of the past year or two will
not be followed by increasing precipitation
in the next few years, which will maintain
the annual rainfall of these sections at the
average or even an increase of it. It is
believed that the interests of the country
will be subserved by the publication of a
large edition of rainfall charts and tables
wing this report