Rock Island daily Argus., 1893-08-03
WEATHER AND WATER.
The Forecasts Ordered to be Made by OBJ
server Walz


Yesterday Observer f. j. Walz. of
the weather bureau at Davenport,
received the following letter, made
circular. perhaps, to half dozen
other places in the country:
United States Department of Agri-
culture, Weathey Bureau. Washing
ton. ID. c., July 81, 1898. Observer,
Davenport, Ia, Sir:-I am directed
by the chief of the weather bureau
to inform you that YOU will be as
early as practicable, if you have not
already been, furnished with the
available data concerning the stages
OF the rivers in your vicinity, and
that You will be expected to make
such a study of this data as will en-
able You TO make an accurate fore
cast of future river stages or changes
i'll the territory hereinafter assigned
YOU. You are also directed to recon-
mend such a system of river and
rainfall reports with your station as
the center as will best enable YOU to
make these forecasts, and such a Sys-
tenn of distribution of the reports and
forecasts as will best serve all the
interests in your vicinity affected by
the state of the rivers. You will for
ward suggestions as to the tele-
graphic reports desired by you be-
fore beginning your forecasts.
The territory under your charge
will be the Mississippi river from St.
Paul to Davenport. Very respec. =
fully, H. II. c. DUNwooDY,
Assistant Chief of Weather Bureau.
Advantages of Location.
This action is in conformity with
the course heretofore reported by
THE ARGUS as likely to occur. The
Democrat referring to the added du-
ties to the weather service corps in
that city. says:
1t will be noticed that this is to be
the only Office of this kind above St.
Louis. The territory of the Daven-
port river prophet, while nominally
extending from this city to St. Paul,
will actually include Muscatine also,
as that city is already q subordinate
station of this office, and is making
reports to it.
1t is the proper thing that the fore
casting station for this part of the
river should be located in this city.
The important weather bureau office
already here determines its location
on this rather than the other side of
the river, but the fact that the oppo-
site city is the home and office head
quarters OF Mai. A. Mackenzie. chief
OF the Improvement work on the up
per Mississippi, is potent reason
for locating it at this point. The
United States already has greater in
terests here than it has at any other
place on the river. and it is proper
that such government post be add
ed to them. The steamboat and raft
ing business of the upper river CEN
ters here rather than any place short
OF saltwater or West Newton. and
great number of the boats that are
primarily interested in the stage of
the river are owned here and
close in this vicinity. The lumber
interests. all primarily dependent
upon the river, are very strong here;
in the tri-cities outnumbering SINH
lar interests at any othe~ place along
the Mississippi between St. Louis and
Minneapolis. This is to be the out
let of the Hennepin canal, fact that
will presently greatly augment the
Importance of this point as place
for water shipments. Aside from all
these reasons. this is the most i'm
portant point in many other particu-
lars between the cities of St. Louis
and st. Paul.
The Information to be Given.