Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-10-26
SCIENTIFIC DISCUSSIONS.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOB THE
ENSUING YEAR.
Selection OF Place for the Twenty Third
Annual Meeting-Of for King
man Today.

Yesterday was busy day indeed will
the members of the Kansas Academy o
Science. They took an $50 a. m. car TO
Garfield and reached there in time to at
tend the o'clock chapel services. Chan
celIor Everest called upon the president O.
the academy, Prof Dinsmore who re
sponded in his usual able manner. At the
close be called upon Prof. Snow, actins
chancellor of the state university, vino
spoke to the students on the importance OF
the sciences. He expressed the hope that
many of the students present would take
great interest in science and their work
would be literally rewarded.
The meeting was called to order by Prof
Dinsmore and by courtesy of the officers OF
the university the students were invited tc
remain in the hall and listen to the papers
and discussions.
The first paper was read Sergeant T. B.
Jennings, "a Preliminary Study of Hot
Wind" During the past winter and
spring plan for the systematic study of
this phenomenon was formulated, ana a
joint circular was issued by the United
States signal service, United States geo.
logical survey and the Kansas weather
service in cooperation, calling for special
observations. These special observations
were charted on the signal service weather
charts. This season the charts show an
area of low borometric pressure north
west or north of Kansas usually in Mon
tana or Dakota) while the in-draught
extends as far south as Texas
causing southerly winds to flow
over Kansas and Nebraska. A
short history of the first hot winds of
the season, July 5, 6 and was given, show
ing that the temperatures were higher in
the central and northern part of Kansas
that in the southern and that the extremes
were not widespread, but were confined
to limited areas or ''sureaks." A distinc-
tinction is made between hot winds and
hot waves First-Hot winds cover only a
limited area, while hot waves cover whole
stated, and the hot waves of July 5 cited
as an example. AT Z ?. m. of that date
this wave extended from the North Platte
in Nebraska, on the SOUTH to Bismarck in
Dakota on the north, and as far west as
TT. Custer in Montana. Second-Winds
to be designated as hot must have a tenl-
perature of 50 degrees or over, while waves
to be termed hot should have a tempera-
ture OF 90 degrees and upward. The hot
wave alluded to above-at p. m.-had a
from 80 to 90 degrees, the
maximum being at Fort Sully in Dakota.
The temperatures of the hot winds of
July are instructive and are as follows:
North Platte. Neb., 100 degrees; Colby,
Kan, los, Lisbon 10s, Gibson 1O4, Dodge
City 100. Offerle 103, Englewood 10L5,
Hugoton 80; Fit. Sill. l. T., So; Fit. Elliott,
Tex, 102 and Ell Paso, Tex, 100. This
paper is simply preliminary to IA more ex-
haustive treatment of the subject at the
next annual meeting of the academy.
Prof. f. o. Marion of the state univer-
sity, exhibited an isogonic chart of the
state Of Kansas showing the curved lines
crossing the state irregularly in general
northeasterly direction, along which the
magnetic needle has, at the present time,
the same declination. He called attention
% the irregularity in the action of the
needle, which occurs in Saline and Els
counties. He also gave the rate of change
u the declination for different points in
he state, being 2 minutes IS seconds in
he northwest and north-central portion,
40 in the eastern portion, 3 Sc in the
and averaging 8 for the state
Is whole. The declination was said to
vary from 8 degrees 30 minute at the
southwest to IL degrees so minutes at the
northwest corner of the state.
Prof. Lucian |. Blake read paper on
A method of telephone communication
between ships at sea-" 1t showed a great
leal of practical work based on theories re-
ating to the transmission of sound under
water. 1t would be impossible to give
air idea of the paper but say in brief Prof
Blake seems to have accomplished what
10 other scientist has yet been able to do,
md that is to establish telephone COM
nunication between ships at sea
wen though they be ten miles from
ZACH other. 1t is said the practical
outcome of the discovery can not be over
stimated and the academy was quite en-
husiastic in applause.
Occurrence of barite and other associated
minerals in concretionary formations of
astern Kansas" by 4. II. l.. Bailey and E.
g. Slosson, read by the former.
The rocks containing these minerals are
ound upon the surface in Douglas coun-
Y, Jefferson county and probably in many
'ther localities. 1t is quite probable from
that have been made that
hese rocks exist in place on some of the
higher elevations. The minerals contained
n the rock are barytocelestite and celes-
lite. sulphates OF barium and strentium.
'phaleoite, sulphide Of zinc, is also found
u scattered patches. The complete analy-
es OF these minerals will be published.
Prof. L. +. Sayer read a paper on the
of binding Irvine in the
tate OF Kansas" 1t was discussed in the
fternoon session where a short synopsis
viii be given.
Prof. f. H. Snow read a paper on Curve
f mean daily temperature for twenty-one
ears at Lawrence, Kan"
The curve of the mean daily tempera-
ures gives in graphic form the average
of each day in the year for
wenty-one years as observed by Prof
now. Some very interesting facts are
established by this diagram. From it a
lance determines that the average coolest
ay of the year is January g. and the hot
est day July Is. 1t also appears that
here is remarkable rise in temperature
1 ten days in early April and a similar re-
larkable fall in temperature in Novem- |
err thus establishing the fact there is a
lore abrupt transition from spring to |
lmmer and from autumn to winter than |
known TO exist in some other states of |
ne union. The theory that the occasional !
arm weather of late autumn is produced /
y the collision of the November meteors |
18th the earth's atmosphere is disproved |
Y this series of observations, iuasmuch as /
he temperature of the 18th and 14th of |