Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1894-07-24
SILVER CITY. new mEXI0O.
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Continued from First Page)
q the six towns OF which we have
n sports, its mean temperature
being 729 deg. Fahrenheit, hav-
ing less %rninfall than the two cities
that are recorded as cooler.
June Is by far its most disagree
able month, doubtless, because the
rainy season, which begins in the
middle Of July and lasts to the
end Of August, has not yet set in.
In the autumn of 1892 Silver
City had less rain than any of the
towns enumerated save S@ocorro,
and, with a mean temperature of
56.1 degs., continues TO rank as
the third coolest city.
In the winter Of 1929 we find
that with a precipitation less than
that Of Las Cruces IL ranks next
to that place in warmth, or, in
other words, though a little colder,
it is also dryer. It is but fair to
say, however, that the records Of a
number Of years show hat the
precipitation at Las Cruces is, if
ANYTHING. a little less than IL is nj
Silver City.
Coming to the spring Of 1893,
we find that Silver City leads in
precipitation; but all Of the rain
and snow fell in the space of FIVE
days, the remaining eighty-seven
being clear.
As to temperature we find that,
as in the summer and autumn, it is
the third coolest Of the group.
From what we have seen, then,
it is apparent that Silver City pos
sesses advantages of temperature
for the four seasons superior to
the other places considered.
Though cool in winter it is not
too cold for the invalid to venture
out, and though warm during
portions of the summer (June) it
is pleasant in the shade, and the
nights are always cool. Sunstroke
is unknown in New Mexico. The
dryness of the climate prevents
excessive perspiration, a specie of
annoyance so common in other
countries, the skin being always
dry except after unusual exercise.
This feature, the dryness of the
climate, is apparentto the stranger
at every turn. He sees it in the
uncrumbled adobe walls built by
Apache and Pueblo Indians over
two hundred years ago, and in the
perfectly preserved household
articles left by Cliff-Dwellers in
prehistoric times. He feels it in
the dryuess of his lips in winter,
aud the stiffness Of his starched
collar in June. He notices that if
his ink bottle is not corked he is
writing from a paste instead of a
fluid, that his leather goods need
an unusual amount Of oiling, and
his newspaper is brittle and easily
torn. The absence of dew permits
campiug-out more than half the
year, a shelter being unnecessary
during the summer months &c
those who have a blanket in which
to wrap themselves.
Atmospheric moisture is due il
part to vapor brought by tn,
winds from distant bodies o.
water, but chiefly TO that drawn ~
by the sun from the damp soil OF
the standing or running water Of &
given locality. We have seen al
ready that the winds have beer
deprived Of most Of their moisture
before reaching New Mexico, anC
can therefore contribute but littl,
to its humidity. Examining the
topography of the country We
find no lakes or standing pools
about Silver City, while the near
est river, the Gila, is thirty-fvo
miles away.
Accurate figures for COMPARING
prominent places for the sam,
year T difficult TO obtain, but tn,
following viii show the advantage.
in humidity possessed by Silve
City over the two great resorts OF
the eastern and western coasts o
the United States acksonyill
and San Diego:
Mean relative humidity for thu
year ending July l, 1881;
Silver City, n
nalta re- n nss-.--., ,-...-..... Z
eAA hlttoL lAi s.s+sst t.s+ s...s..sss
J~nekhonglle, .......
80. Paul. Nlnu .....- I
San Antonio, IeNa8....-.............
.11tyy1 ''.ss''''ss' ,