The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-25
TATE WEATHER SERVICE
|out Twenty Volunteer Observers
Have offered Their Services
Up to Date.
NO Bulletins by Wire From
Washington Every Twenty
-Four Hours.
10 Weather Flags to Fly From tha Stan
On tho Montana National lsank
Buildlng.

observer Hobbs, in charge Of the Helena
knal office, expects that the state weather
rvice will be in active operation in about
rec weeks. 1t will corporate with tho
ktional weather bureau Of the agricultural
5partment, by dissemination Of the fore
sts and warnings Of the weather bureau.
blunteer observers have bsen secured at
. following points: Blackioot agency. Fort
sinaboine, Fort Bufori. Chotsnu, Great
ILLS, Columbia Falls, Drummond, Butte,
pulder, Fort Logan, Martinsdale, Castle,
trginia City, Horr, Glendivs, Custer
alton, Powderville. Mr.. Hobbs is also
dcavoring to get obssrversin Yellowstone
unity and in the northern part OF Dawson
unity, about Glasgow. He would like to
I've an observer at Philbrook, Fergus
unity. Prof. Traphngen,l LOT the College Of
o~ntana, will probably be the observer a.
ssr Lodge. A system Of weekly weather
op bulletins will be 4 leading fenturs OF
. state work during ths growing season,
hich will be valuable alike to the COM
erce and agriculture Of the state. Each
bserver 10 furnished a set Of instruments
mprising sslf-registerin2 maximum and
inimum thermometers, rain
luge, measuring stick and an
strument shelter Of lattice
ork for. tho thermometers. Considering
at the work is at present wholly volun-
nv, there will be no pay attached to the
akinq Of observations, and the instru-
ents will have to be purchased from the
pvernmsnt by private funds, or by an p
Eopriation Of city and town councils. In
bme places the money necessary to pro-
lire the ret Of instruments il raised by
Inscription. The expense of the instru-
snts is trifling in comparison to the ad-
antage to be derived, being about $40 for
he set. II takes about ten nlinutes each
Fening to make the observations. The
ork is light, and there should be no diff
Atty in securing intelligent observers.
Another feature of the work which MIR.
[obbs hopes to have in operation very soon
a set Of temperature flags for Helena,
reat Falls and Deer Lodge. Later on
ther sets may be secured for other cities in
he state. The flags are four feet square,
nd can be seen from a great distance,
specially in q clear atmosphere such al
Montana enjoys. These indicators will be
isplayed at high points, SO they may be
ben for miles around. In Helena tho flags
I'LL be displayed from the staff
n the tower of the Mountains
Iational bank building. A cold wave flag
omos with the set but the observer hopes
s will not h We to use this piece OF bunt-
hg very oft Under the plan OF tha
q 49,. a.-;, oa :, ~ cov,%n ~ ~ q taH khnrn
re to be two weather bulletins from Wash
hpton every twenty-four hours, one in the
vening and one in the morning. The
orn1er il is expected will be received about
b y. M, and will be furnished to the morn.
he papers. The display of the weather
ags will be governed by the forecast re-
3eivod from Washington in the morning BY
tate will also form a part of the service
md will be distributed in public places
rho national weather bureau may, however,
decide upon only n bulletin in twenty
our hours. Since the transfer of the serv-
cs from the wal department to the aRri-
cultural department. about three months
kgo, the stations throughout the country
have been improved in various ways and tn
change seems to have been beneficial to the
Sofvice. Al 10 usual the department pays
more attention to the east than to the west
Il the Board Of Trade and other organized
commercial bodies would lend their ala te
The state weather service, and make i
known at Washington that they take some
interest in the matter, there il good reason
10 believe that the department will pay
moro attention to Montana than 1t Ia nov
{loing. .,D
Tho advantages to bo derived from
state weather service are briefly summar-
lied AZ follows: 1t will be the means of Sc
buriag better forecasts by having local dat'
TO study in connection with storm move
nents. 1T brings the benefits Of tn
weather bureau into every county Of = state
by having the flag system Of display +
warn ths people Of coming weather changes
|lt will give to every county standards o
Temperature, rainfall, etc., sources of use.
|ful information at all times. 1t place
within reach of all means of accurate OBJ
set~vations, which in the course of year
must prove of great value. 1t brings tn
science and methods of tho weather bureau
into the schools OF the state, teaching pupil
the application Of science. 1t leads to
collection of rainfall statistics tina
is invaluable to engineers IN the drainin
of cities and towns, and to a correct know
ladge of rainfall over certain water sheds O
"a state. 1t leads to obtaining aoourat
meteorological statistics for legal cases, an
will lead toa better practice of medicin
when physicians can study disease wit
reliable II accurate meteorological 1act
by their side, and for sanitary purpose
such records are invaluable in applying pre-
ventive remedies for the public good.
The observer in charge OF tho Helen
station thinks that ~ the ublic becom
more familiar with the service it will b
better appreciated. One man in Helen
was keen enough to see its value in busl
ness. He wanted to secure thu privilege
Mt the race track during the late fair wee
and their value to him depended largely o
good weather during that period. He wen
to Mr.. Hobbs, who studied the weathe
records for tho corresponding week
running back for ten years. Th
prediction wa that the weathe
during the racing week would be good. O
this advice the gentleman acted and bid !
the privileges. During tho week there wa
one shower, hardly enough to lay the dus'
Tho observer has furnished predictions fl
n number Of people who went to HIM befol
starting out on hunting and fishing trip
The closer people look into the service, M
Hobbs thinks, the more will they see what
benefit it is.
Miss Mitchell invites every one to call at h
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