Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-03-04

try, o. pass in from the North Pacific
Ocean. Others, again, develop in the ex-
treme southwest or come In from the
South Pacific. Very few cross directly
over the central mountain districts. The
storms that move across the mountain
range, by the time they reach the eastern
side, are almost entirely without precipi
tation. All the moisture they start with
(which must be considerable to give them
energy enough to cross the mountains at
alb has been deposited on The west side,
In consequence of the warm, moist air
meeting with the colder upper currents
For the winds are forced to a much great.
er hight than would otherwise be the case.
Therefore, by the time they reach the
east side OF the mountain they ere
dry. This accounts for the arid
lands OF the west. IN nine out of
every ten stormsI find the movement of the
storm centers tows I'd the central plains Oh
the east shore slope Of the Rocky Noun
tains, whether they come from the NORTH,
west or southwest. They linger in that
neighb0rhood, apparently with but little
energy at first. Finally they develop and
take a nort0easterly course across the
country.
Storms, like a current OF electricity, fol
low course of the least atmospheric re-
sistance. OF this we are fully aware.
Then why should most of the disturbances
move into and over a country who're the
air Is dry, and tie greatest possible resist
ance is encountered, instead Of moving off
in q natural path? Because the land that
was once an arid desertis to-day skilfuily
manipulated In a scientific way, so that
4, 300, 900 acres Of land in Colorado, Ne
braska, Wyoming and Utah are under u
state OF cultivation by artificial means.
Irrigation has done for the central plains
what nature has failed to do. 1t is this
great spreading of water over such a vast
terrltory-thls putting Of an Oacis IN the
desnrt-that has been the attraction to
dl&w and assist In the development OF
storms IN that vicinity. Thus they
have been brought from soIth,
erty into more northerly course,
leaving the great lakes the next nourisl-
ing place In a natural course. Thus the
storm centres that In former years passed
eastward over the central or southern
states then up the Atlantic, find much
easier course over the lakes and down the
st Lawrence valley. The high pressure
areas then sweep to the south behind the
storm, causing ''northers" in Texas and
colder weather during the winter months
In all the southern states. What remains
of such cold waves after the centres of
high pressure get to a position where we
can get that portion of the wave which is
due US is hardly perceptible | cite, for
instance, the year 1880, where twenty-nine
storms crossed the county, twenty-eight
of which passed to the north or this city
and but one to the the south. This of
itself accounts for our warm winter of thai
year.
Now, we AJAX, is this state of affairs to
be permanent? | am inclined to believe
that if the theory advanced is correct and
is really the cause of the change-and it
seems in every way plausible-then the
change has come to stay. SO long as New
Mexico. Ar z)na and Texas are left with
out irrigation. Just so soon as these
states are irrigated the storms that come
IN or develop III the southwest will TO-
low course, which is the Gulf of Mexico,
thence across the Gulf or Southern States
and off the Atlantic coast, drawing d0wn
the cold wave as III former years and
bringing our climate into its natural sea
sons.-E. B. Dunn in N. Y World