The record-union., 1891-09-16
STATE WEATHER SERVICE.
Tho People Should Render Every As
SiStance Possible.

We were pleased to commend earnestly
the effort for the establishment of i State
Weather Service by the last Legislature.
1t was shown that Sergeant Barwick was
ready to direct such service without
compensation, and the United States Gov
ernment would furnish the blanks and
franked envelopes for the transmission of
reports, and that, in fact, the State could
have the service at a very little expendi-
ture for work and printing. The Legis-
lature seemed, however, to have some
thing more profitable in mind than
weather studies and declined to provide
for the service. This did not discourage
Sergeant Barwick-in fact we have yet To
see what will discourage him. He ar
ranged crop report service under the
auspices of the Agricultural Society, and
now comes along the State Weather Serv-
ice by way of Washington.
Our readers know, of course, that the
weather service is now part of the De-
partment of Agriculture, not of war.
The chief of the new service is Professor
Mark Harrington, and he has provided a
State Service for California, and appointed
Sergeant Barwick director thereof, with
the title of Weather Bureau Director, and
with headquarters at Sacramento. There
are some fifty voluntary observers who
have been for years past sending their
reports direct to the Chief Office at Wash
hereafter forward their reports to Mr..
BarWick.
We are authorized to announce that
anyone in any county who desires to help
the Director of the State Service to make
this service equal to the best in the
Union, and who will apply to Sergeant
BarWlck at Sacramento, Will be furnished
with blanks and franked envelopes for
sending their reports. Those who have
no instruments can become crop corre-
spondents, reporting the conditions, ETC.,
of crops at the end Of each month and the
effects the weather has had upon all
growing crops. Of course any person in
the State who has his own instruments
and would like to have his records pub
lished can do so by sending them to Ser
geant Barwick, who will send them
forms and envelopes and book of in
structions.
In places that are fifty miles from points
where observations are taken, observers
will be furnished with a set of instru-
ments consisting of one maximum, one
minimum thermometer and one rain
gauge and measuring sticks, by giving a
personal bond for the proper care of the
instruments that may be placed in their
possession.
The Weather Bureau will also endeavor
to distribute more widely than has been
possible heretofore, weather forecasts,
publish Genealogical data which shall
be of value TO the several States and Ter
| rltories. Any towns or villages desiring
the forecasts sent them, by telegraph free
of cost, can have them either by tele-
graph or telephone, providing they will
| buy a set Of flags, four in number, and
hoist them as would be designated by the
weather forecasts as sent out from San
Francisco by Lieutenant Finley, the fore
cast officer. Parties can learn more in
regard to this matter by addressing either
Lieutenant Finley at San Francisco, or
Sergeant Barwick at Sacramento.
The foregoing gives an outline of the
movement to extend the weather service
and to render its work more directly val
liable to the people. We trust this will
| attract the attention of our readers and
| win their cooperation. We have made
wonderful progress in this direction dur
ing the last few years, and there seems
reason to believe that we are but at the
beginning of an undertaking of the mat
ters involved, which will be wonderfully
satisfactory and practically profitable
Pacific Rural Press.