Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-09-13
Washinaton STANDARD
OLYMPIA, WASH.
FRIDAY EVENING. SEPTEMBER 3. 1895.
The Weather Service.

the Council Chamber, which was rep
resentative in its personnel, although
limited in number, probably by the
first inclement weather of the season
which Tell that night. The object was
to confer with Mr.. rague, OF Portland,
Superintendent OF this division Of the
weather service, regarding contem-
plated change in our local station.
Mr.. Pague opened the discussion by
stating that for many years the gov.
eminent had maintained a tirst-class
station here, at an annual expense Of
81 500, but that several years ago, for
reasons satisfactory to the head of the
weather bureau, it was removed and
permanently located" Gas the Olym
plan would say) at Seattle, and this
city was accorded an abbreviated ser
vice, costing SIS per month. He had
been instructed by the bureau to ascer-
tain from our people what advantages
had been subserved by the service so
far, and whether those interests could
not be maintained by merely daily
representations of the weather and
display of signal flags by direction
from the Portland Office.
In reply to queries, Mr. Pague said
that the service was maintained by
the government to establish scien.
tifc record of the climatology OF the
whole country, for the benefit of the
whole people; that the service nc
corded Washington was equal to that
of many Of the most densely populated
States, and we now have stations at
Neah Bay, Seattle, Spokane and Walla
Walla, and these were aided by reports
from voluntary" observers at many
other points. who were supplied with
rudimentary instruments by the gov
eminent ON condition that the OBJ
server should serve without pay. The
intimation was quite plain that the
service here would be reduced to that
grade, unless our citizens could show
some good reasons why it should not
be done, and if it was demonstrated
that an increased service would benefit
local interests or promote the primary
object, q thorough understanding oil
the climatic conditions of the whole
country. the service would be at once
increased.
Several gentlemen endeavored to
show that Olympia was a point which
from its location would afford excel.
lent data for comprehensive study oil
the subject. Situated about equi-dis
tant from the stations at Neah Bay
and Portland, and equally remote from
the points of observation in Eastern
Washington, at the head of a vast in
land sea, with weather records com
plete for the past II years, useful a
least for determination by comparison
the truth or falsity OF weather cycles
. theory in which many of our old set
tiers have an implicit belief, it doei
seem that Olympia, the capital of the
State, known to every school boy Of
intelligent adult in the land, must be
point where inquiry would be directed
for data upon which to base just esti
mate OF our claim for equable ant
salubrious climate, as we'll as for form
ing a true conception of condition.
which influence business men in select
ing place for investment of capita
to develop latent resources, OF which
record such as is kept at a firet-clas'
weather station is the most infallible
index. 1t WAS contended that if the
object OF the service was to reduce te
scientific deduction the observations
taken simultaneously all over the
country, that the now new, sparsely
settled and comparatively unknown
portions of our vast national domain
were entitled to more consideration
than the densely settled States, where
these conditions have been the subject
of study for several generations. 1t was
likewise an expressed belief that, il
these meteorological reports, like the
mail service, were intended to afford
the greatest service to the largest num-
Der, that bulletins from all parts oil
our budding State, made the more
complete by a generous outlay OF the
appropriation for that specific purpose
would be by far the most efficacious
means OF securing the object.
This position, We believe, cannot
DO successfully controverted. The
weather service is of very little use in
the older States, except it be on the
Atlantic seaboard to give warnings to
the maritime fleet. Most of the oh.
jects which may be subserved in a new
country have already been attained
there, and the weather bureaus prov.
ince seems there to be limited to the
grand object, which as yet only exists
in . meshwork of theories, to 80 mas
ter knowledge of the changes that
precede wind, rain, heat or cold, as to
understand the exact conditions which
produce them, and in the course Of
time to unerringly foretell, if not in
some degree control, the disastrous re-
suits of natural cause.
The meeting partook more OF the
informal nature of talk than o.
speech-making, and at its close, 6
proffer was made by the citizens thai
they would use their earnest endeavors
to induce the State to afford some aiC
In publication OF the reports OF the