Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-03-04
How il is Produced, And How New
Changes May be Brought
TO Pass.
The Irrigation of Great Areas
Claimed to be the Chief Cause
of Difference.
Some Figures and Comparisons OF
Storms as Presented by Weather
Observer Dunn.

There seems but little doubt that our
climate Is undergoing a change. For ten
years the seasons have blended so gradual
~ that no definite line has marked the out
gong OF one or the incoming of the others
Inc winters, If we may call them Sucn,
have been mild and snowloss, save with
rare EXCEPTIONS; while our summers. that
formerly sent JOY TO our seaside and coun-
try resorts, now stand as history aud
leave sad remembrance Of what might
have been had not the season changed.
Numerous theories have been advanced
TO show reason for the change. Some
are without foundation, others have many
plausible phases. The oldest inhabitants,
looking back over their bOyhood days. tell
Us that they can bring to mind cold winters
and great snOwetOrms covering a period
OF months, when the bare ground could
not be seen and the sieighbells iingled
from November to March. All these old
fellows declare that certainly the climate
Is changing.
There are strong adnerents OF the claim
that the gulf stream pressing nearer to
cur shores has caused the difference in our
climate. They say that il the gulf stream
d1dn t warm up the British Isles they would
be as cold a. Greenland This is very
doubtful, according to scientific investiga-
lions made by Mr.. NJ. J. Thoulot. His re.
searches prove that when the stream
reaches the vicinity of Newfoundland, the
depth and volume are longer sufficient
TO exert any material action On the climate
This indicates that the old theory of the
galf stream being the only cause of the
mild climate Of the British Isles (if these
Investigations be correctl must be discard
ed and the real cause sought elsewhere
This theory can, in no sense, apply to
the change IN our climate for th9 reason
that as yet we have no tangible proof that
the guilt stream has changed its course.
and II 1t has, 1t could not, in any sense,
affect the climate or this country. Its
waters may literally wash our shores, and
yet the change would not be parceptibe
even In the coast states. For all storms
and atmospheric phenomena pass from
west to east. And the prevailing direction
OF wind being off shore, the winds would
necessarily carry any change chat might
occur into the ocean.
Again, the rotation of the earth is most
important factor to prev mt weather condi-
tons travelling to jne westward. These
facts alone are sufficient to dispel the gulf
stream theory.
Furthermore, the change in climate has
not been Of local nature, but has been as
great or greater in the central valleys and
extreme west as in this vicinity. Even the
eoutheIn states have, and are still under
going considerable change. They no
logger nave their mild winters, as in
former years. High pressure areas have
followed each other in rapid succession
into that vicinity, and caused the
temperature to remain below the freezing
point for periods equal in duration to some
OF the more northerly states.
In all the years since 1885, with but one
exception, the climate in this vicinity
has become gradually warmer. The fol-
lowing figures from the records of the
weather bureau prove this. The annual
mean temperatures show the total amount
of heat received, and are best calculated to
make the case plain, and are moreover
trustworthy: