Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-09-20
WEATHER SERVICE.
PETITION OF CITIZENS FOR RE-
TENTION OF LOCAL STATION
with a Suggestion as TO the Value
Of Service I'm "a New Country Under
Abnormal Conditions for Securing
the High Results Contemplated by
Its Projectors.

Its Projectors.
OLYMPIA, WASH, Sept. Is, 1895.
Hon J. Sterling Morton, Secretary of
Agriculture:
SIR: At meeting OF the Mayor,
Board OF Trade and citizens of Olym-
pis, assembled at the instance OF B. S.
Pague of the weather bureau, to con-
slider the matter of the weather signal
station at this place, the undersigned
were appointed committee to repre-.
sent to you the needs and wishes of
the citizens, and the reasons why the
service here should not only be re-
tanned, but increased and extended.
Olympia is eminently fitted for an
observing station from its geographical
situation. At the head of Puget
Sound. and the farthest inland port,
and least affected by the ocean and
coast range mountains, it is at the
center OF the Puget Sound basin. An
extensive nearly level plain extends
from this point, east, west and south
in the counties of Thurston, Chehalis
and Mason, which has distinctive
climate of its own, differing in many
respects from that of the coast and
lower Sound, on the north, and that of
the Columbia river on the south.
This region is being planted in Or
chards. During the last five years,
not less than half a million prune
trees alone have been set ont, and they
are now just coming into bearing
The scientific study of the climatic
conditions affecting this region, the
frosts, storms, rains, etc, would be OF
incalculable benefit to the extensive
and important branch of agriculture
so rapidly growing.
Moreover the observations have been
kept up here for many years, and for
purposes of comparison and accurate
study, it would seem that they should
be continued by reliable government
observers.
1t seems, likewise, that from Mr..
Pague's statement of the objects of the
meteorological service of the country
by long-continued and close observa-
tions OF the climatic conditions, to ar
rive ut deductions which will greatly aid
in modification and thorough under
standing OF apparent laws governing
cause and effect, an adequate ser
vice in the newer States where the
climate is so radically different from
that of the Atlantic seaboard, would
be OF immense benefit in formulating
data that may in the course of time,
verify or reject much that is now only
supported by theory. That our eli.
mate is SO different from many other
portions of our national domain, is
probably owing to causes that but
need diligent observation and careful
study to solve. What effect the con.
tour OF the land surface as we'll rs the
ocean currents may have upon the
evenness of temperature and the equa.
bility of other climatic conditions,
would be, it seems to the committee, q
matter of great importance in dis
closing those hidden secrets which the
great work of the weather bureau is
primarily intended to promote. All
this information would be of the most
absorbing interest to the many thous-
ands whose eyes are turned westward
in the hope OF the discovery of land
OF rare promise that has already
aroused hopes of wonderful develop
ment. This benefit, of itself, it
seems to US, would go very far towards
compromising for the cost of service
which depends upon just such results
for its maintenance.
Olympia too is the capital OF the
State, the point where a first class
station ought to be maintained, il it is
desirable that the State government
and Legislature should aid in the
building up of the weather service of
the State. The reports could be most
readily printed here by the State
printer. And inquirers from beyond
the State usually write to the capital
for the information they seek.
Very respectfully.
JNo. MILLER MURPHY,
N. H. OwINGs,
HAZARD STEVENS,
Committee.