Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-01
THE WEATHER BUREAU.
1t IL Now Under the Charge OF the Secretary
of Agriculture.

| 1t In Now Under the Charge OF the Secretary
| of Agriculture.
| SKETCH OF THE CAREER OF THE NEW CHIEF
ADDITIONAL OFFICERS TO BE APPOINTED
! SCOPE AND INFLUENCE OF THE BUREAU TO BE
| wIDESED-sEcRETARY RUsK's OFFICIAL ORDER.
1t is probable that until Prof Harrington.
the new chief of the newly reconstructed
weather bureau, arrives in this city Mai. Dun
! woody. who is one Of the four army officers de-
tailed to duty with the bureau, will remain in
| charge. Gen. Greedy. who has been at the head
Of the weather bureau in addition to his duties
as chief Of the signal service of the army, today
| severed his connection with the former work
| and will hereafter devote himself to the signal
service entirely.
THE NEW CHIEF.
The appointment of Prof. Mark W. Harring-
ton of Ann Arbor Mich. as the civilian head
| of the weather bureau was announced in yes
terday's STAR, and the news was received with
considerable satisfaction by those who knew
Prof. Harrington and the good work that he
has done. Prof. Harrington, who has been for
the past twelve years professor of astronomy
In the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor,
and editor of the American Meteorological Jour
MAJ. is a man of about forty-three years of age.
He is accomplished student of meteorology
and climatic problems.
he graduated in 1868 at the University of
Michigan. In 1871 he acting astronom-
ical aid of the United States coast survey on
the coast OF Alaska After this he returned to
the University OF Michigan, acting as instructor
In the biological department.
In 1876 Prof Harrington went to Germany to
pursue his studies. remaining IN Europe about
two years. 1t was while i'll Europe that he
offered the position of professor OF astronomy
and mathematics in the school of the Chinese
Mt 1ca ut pal Gin md TOR nft ta
observatory there he introduced into China
the first large telescope which had been in
that country. In 1878 he accepted the pro-
fessorship of biological science in the Louisiana
state University. He returned to Ann Arbor
In 1879, taking the position which lie has held up
to the present date. Besides editing the Amer
tcdn Meteorological journal Prof. Harrington
has published several papers and pamphlets on
scientific subjects and compiled an almanac
Tor the Chinese government.
GREATER SCOPE AND INFLUENCE.
The transfer of the weather bureau from the
War Department to the Department of Agricul-
ture Is likely to result in a material widening of
the scope and influence of the work of the bu-
reau. Beginning with today. the first of the
new fiscal year. the chief of the weather bu-
reau, under the direction of Secretary Rusk.
will have charge of the forecasting Of weather,
the issue of storm warnings. the display of
weather and Hood signals for the benefit of
commerce anu ndV1RttlDn. me
gauglng and reporting of rivers. the mantle
nance and operation of seacoast telegraph
lines, and the collection and transmission of
marine intelligence for the benefit of commerce
and navigation. the reporting of temperature
and rainfall conditions for the cotton interests,
the display OF frost and cOld-wave signals, the
distribution of meteorological information in
the Interests of agriculture and commerce, and
the taking of such meteorological observations
as may be necessary to establish and record the
climatic conditions of the United States, or as
are essential for the proper execution OF the
foregoing duties.
NEW OFFICERS TO BE APPOINTED.
The duty will devolve upon the new chief Of
appointing chief clerk an assistant and four
professors. As soon this is done and the
new men get to work the complete severance
of the weather bureau from the War Depart
ment will have been consummated. Gen.
Greedy yesterday issued final order to the
men under him.
In the weather bureau in this city there are
$50 places to fill under the new law, with 163
men occupying places under the old law Some
OF them have been cared for by transfers. but
few have to be dropDed
There are about 100 stations that report twice
a day by telegraph. All of these generally have
an assistant and in some of the more important
stations IN the large cities there six seven
men employed. Necessarily they have been
enlisted men, but they have been from time to
time discharged. in anticipation of this trans
fer. and all those who were not so discharged
from the army were discharged yesterday. The
same men. though, civilians will continue
in the line of their duties under the new chief
OF the weather bureau and there will be no
interruption in the daily reports or the efh-
cheney of the work.
SECRETARY RUsKs OFFICIAL ORDER.
Secretary Rusk has issued the following Off
cial order with reference to the transfer of the
weather bureau: BY virtue of an the of Con-
Sress entitled IAN act to increase the efficiency
of the signal corps of the army and to transfer
the weather service to the Department of Agri-
culture" approved October l. 1890, the civilian
duties heretofore performed by tic signal corps
of the army this day devolve upon tine bureau
known as the weather bureau, established in
and attached to the United States Department
of Agriculture. BY virtue Of said act / hereby
assume charge and control of said bureau as "a
part of the Department Of Agriculture. The
President has appointed Prof. Mark ". Har-
rington of Michigan chief of said bureau in
pursuance of the authority conferred by section
4 OF said act and he has accepted such position
and duly qualified. and his authority as such
takes effect ana will be recognized from and
after this date.
1t is hereby ordered that the enlisted force of
the signal corps who were yesterday honorably
discharged from such service. BY virtue of sec
ton ) of the act before mentioned the civilian
corps elect.ng to remain. with the weather bu-
reau. are. excepting those whose appointments
expire by limitation hereby transferred to the
weather bureau OF the Department OF Agricul-
ture.
The positions and duties of the members Of
the force hereby transferred shall, until other
wise ordered continue to be the same as held
and performed by them on the 3Oth day of June,
1891, and the compensation to be paid each and
all Of the force thus transferred shall remain
the same as received by them and each of them
in the signal service on that date. except as
otherwise provided by the act Of Congress
making appropriations for the Department of
Agriculture. approved March 4. 1881.
All members of the enlisted force Of the sig
nal corps and all civilian employees electing to
remain with the weather bureau of the De-
partment of Agriculture will promptly notify
the Secretary of Agriculture of their election.
and will. in their letter of notification desig-
nate the position held by them and the rate Of
compensation received by them during the past
fiscal year.