Evening journal., 1898-09-05
A wEATHERwIsE SENATOR.

The relative advantages Of March
and the last Wednesday of April as
times for the Inauguration of presi-
dents yesterday called out in the Sen
ate considerable of a discussion regard
ing the character OF weather that this
city experiences on those days. Mr.
Perkins had looked up the records of
the Weather Bureau to throw light on
this subject.
From 1883 to 1897, inclusive" said
Mr.. Perkins, "there have been twenty
eight Inauguration days. BY the as
sistance OF Mr.. Spofford, of the Library
of Congress, whom l have heard my
friend, the senator from Massachu
sets, eulogize as an authority, as a
man who never makes a mistake, and
by the assistance of Professor Moore,
the chief of the Weather Bureau, find
that the records show there have been
of these Inauguration days seventeen
fair and pleasant days, nine stormy
days and two days for which we have
not been able to find any record. Since
the establishment of the Weather Bu-
reau-in 1873 complete daily record
has been kept Of the meteorological
conditions in this city. AS ] stated be-
fore, l had the curiosity to have made
comparative tables between the state
OF the weather on the 4th of March and
also on the last Wednesday in April in
each year from and including March 4,
1873, to and including the last Wednes-
day in April, 1898, which was one week
ago last Wednesday,"
| CA,ffor1t, a f4nr of fbo
weather of Inauguration days follow;
17S9-April 30, New York, fair day.
1793-March 4, Philadelphia, pleasant
day.
1797-March 4, Philadelphia, serene.
1S01-Washington, mild and beauti-
full.
1SO5-No record found.
1SO9-Fine and pleasant.
1S13-Fresh, beautiful Spring day.
1S17-Beautiful weather.
1S21-Snow and rain.
1S25-No record found
1S29-Balmy Spring day.
1e33-Very cold, mercury 20 degrees
(no storm)
1SS7-Lovely, with sunshine.
1S41-Cool and pleasant.
1S45-Pouring rain. Polk took oatf
under umbrella.
1S49-Pleasant.
1S53-Cold and showing.
1S57-Cold and foggy (no storm.)
1S61-Fair and balmy.
1S65-Wind and rain, ending in sun
shine.
1S69-Gloomy and rainy.
Referring to the official records o
the Weather Bureau from 1873 to 1897
Mr.. Perkins said this recapituladol
shows that from 1873 to 1897, inclusive
there were sixteen clear, fair or partl.
cloudy days falling on March 4, ant
seventeen clear, fair or partly cloud.
j days falling on the last Wednesday Il
April in each year.
There were ten rainy, snowy o
T. threatening days falling on March
and nine rainy, snowy or threatenin
= days falling on the last Wednesday i
t April in each year.
Snow or sleet fell four times o.
y March in twenty-six years, and ono
G on the last Wednesday in April, th
y latter being more severe than any sim
lar storm on March A. Rain fell on tn
4 attn Of March during six years, and o
= the last Wednesday of April during 81
years.
The only advantage Of April owe
March in all these years seems to
that on three of the April days theI
were high winds and threatenin
- weather in place of light snow or slee
= Nov, there is the record of or
= Weather Bureau said Mr.. Perkin
- "It is an absolutely correct record. w
would gain nothing surely by changin
from the 4th Of March to the last Wee
j. nesday or the last Thursday in April
peace, prosperity, liberty and human