Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-03
ANOTHER PROGRESSIVE STEP
THE BIRMINGHAM WEATHER SERVICE
Is to Be Enlarged and Improved Is Con- templated-State Forecaster chaffee
 on the Subject


 in the Age-Herald, by instructions from Prof. Mark w. Harrington, chief of the nationl weather bureau. at Washington. These instructions were given by the chief of the bureau at the request of several of the prominent and influential business men of this city and the Com mercial club, urging that the business and importance of Birmingham entitled it to more consideration from the bureau than it had heretofore received, and any steps taken by the bureau in that di- rection would meet with reciprocation and the hearty appreciation of the Bls- mingham people.
 MT. Chaffee arrived Monday and at once proceeded to look over the field to determine what recommendations 10 make to the chief of the bureau that could be best carried out with the funds at present avaala ble to the best adVant- age of Brmingham's business interests. He saw MT N. F. Thompson, the we'll known secretary of the Commercial club. who it seems was, and is the prime mover in obtaining the weather bureau station in this city. MT. Chaffee also met many other business men who had taken an interest in the matter and briefly out lined to them what it was possible for the bureau to do. All expressed them selves as highly pleased with the acton taken by the chief of the bureau, anu were so well pleased with the proposi- ticns presented by MT. Chaffee that they decided that rather than attempt to dictate to the bureau what should be done, they felt assured .tsn the bureau would do all Tn is power to extend it's service in this city, and that what MT. Chaffee recommended would be all that could be asked ol the bureau with the funds now avaliaple;
 MT. Thompson, in behalf ot the Com nnercial club addressed the following let ter to Mir Chaffee: .oo-
 Birmingham, Ala. July 2 1S9o r. P. Chaffee, Esq, Local Forecast Oln- cial Weather Bureau, City
 Dear Sir: Interference to the extension of the weather bureau in this city, as outlined by you, I beg to say that the same will have the approval of the Com lnercial club of Birmingham, which or course means the approval of the busi- ness men of our city. If the department will but give us what they can at this time with the increasing importance or this city and it's tributary territory, we feel satisfied that we shall have in time the fullest service granted to any city in the south
 Appreciating your service in this mat ter, and trusting that you will kindly ald all you can in this direction, am yours truly, N. F. THOMPSON,
 Secretary.
 An Age-Herald reporter saw MT. Chaf- fee at the Florence yesterday afternoon and questioned him in regard to the es- tablishment of the bureau. it's extent and who would likely be appointed as observer here MT. Chaffee said: "While I am here only to determine and recommend, what further action may be taken in the matter will be determined entirely by the chief of the bureau.
 "It has always been the policy of the present administration of the bureau to extend it's benefits to the business inter- ests of the country in every possible way as fast as the requirements justi- fled and the funds available permitted. In view of which policy and the impor- tance of this territory Birmingham will receive as much benefit from the weather bureau as would be possible for the chief to extend at this time.
 '"The extent of this bureau will proba- bly be to give to Birmingham a daily telegraphie service of the weather reports of a number of surrounding stations, the keeping of daily weather record at this place, report of which will be furnished all newspapers for pubica- ton, and will also be published in the climatological reports of the state weather service by which the tempera- ture and the rainfall, conditions, winds direction, etc., of this section can be de- termined.
 This information, aside from it's purely scientific value to the bureau, is of the utmost value to the various business interests which Birmingham already has. and is desirous of attracting. For en- gineers to determine the water power of streams it is necessary to have an " chemistry of the atmosphere plays an important part in the industries of all kinds.
 AS to who will probably be appointed hera, should this bureau be established, l do not wish to anticipate my report in this matter. but feel it only fitting and just to say that Messrs. Ben M. Jacobs &s Bros have rendered most faithful ser vice as voluntary observers for the bu- reau at this place, and have gone to con e.;1 1a,-,h ayr fn Themselves this public-spirited work
 The bureau could have selected no bet ter man for this mission than Mir Chaf- fee While guarded in his conversations, especially to newspaper men, few men could have become quickly acquainted with what was desired by the citizens of this place, and fewer still could so quick ly and thoroughly explain satisfactorily the purpose Of his mission. - MT. Chaffee has been in Montgomery for some time, and has devoted every minute to the upbuilding of the bureau under his department in that city. So much has the service in Montgomery un- der his direction and prognostication become useful that the merchants of that city never place an advertisement in the paper for any speciality without first consulting MT. Chaffee as to the probabilitysof the state of the weather on that day. Last summer when the de- partment at Washington had occasion to do some special work, MT. Chaffee was sent TOT ana fenlalHeu at W aSninS ton nearly two months at work on the com pilations.
 During the Southern exposition last fan in Montgomery MT Chaffee had on exhibition from the Washington depart ment many of the fine instruments which had been used at the Worlds fair and from early morning until late at night described their workings and ad- vantages to the farmers and others who took some interest in this wondo Sful branch of the agricultural department MT. Chaffee leaves for Montgomery this morning, from whence he will make his report to. the department at Washing ton in regard to the bureau at Birming- ham,