The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-03
NARROW OFF|CIALlSM.
ACTION OF THE CHIEF OF THE
WEATHER BUREAU.
United States OH3cia1 Taking a
Hand in California
Legis1ation.

O0ACe0 states Omc1a1 xak1nS q
Hand in California
Legislation.
When Assembly Bill No. 342. author
ling the University of California to
expend a small amount of money for
the purpose of examining into the
.climatology of California, it's rainfall
and water supply, was introduced it
was met by objection from Willis l..
Moore, Chief of the United States
Weather Bureau, presented through
Local Observer Barwick. AS the pro-
posed work would in no way interfere
with that of the United States Weather
Bureau, and was intended to cover
matters not heretofore touched by that
branch of the Department of -Agrl-
culture, it is difficult to understand why
an official of the United states Gov
eminent should go out of his way to
interfere with State legislation which
in no way concerns him. However, he
succeeded in raising antagonism to
bill which might, if the we'll grounded
theory of Chief Forecast Officer HAM
mon of San Francisco and other SCI
entists in regard to the Japan Current
should prove true would save to this
State hundreds of millions dollars
When the proposition was advanced
by. the Record Union" some weeks
since to institute a broad study into
the rainfall and water supply of Cali
fornia, we had every reason to expect
approval and cooperation on the part
of those in charge of the scientific bu-
reaus of the Government. In many
States examinations into the geology,
climatology, Soils roads and other mat
ters of import are conducted These
generally aid or supplement Govern
ment work, and the two operate in
harmony, as. all truly scientific minds
find 1t to their advantage to welcome
cooperation in their researches. Pure
scientific research is not richly en-
dowed in this country. Every PROPOSE
ton to aid it should be welcomed by
scientists unless they be endowed with
minds so narrow and jealous that they
fear for their own standing and posi-
ton, and would rather not have col
lateral work to go on. Indeed, this
fear may be taken as a far gauge OF
the mental capacity of one discharging
scientific or quasi-scientific duties.
We had a right to anticipate from
scientists loyal and willing support
in advocating a study of the effect or
variations of the rainfall upon the
storage and utilization of food waters,
and upon the well and artesian supply
of the State. This function is not now
discharged by the Weather Bureau.
We have heard of no Investigations
by that bureau as to the decrease in
flow of artesian wells, with practical
suggestions as to how to preserve or
increase that flow. Many ordinary
wells ceased to yield water for domestic
use and stock during last summer and
fall, and vital as is a knowledge OF
these facts to this State they are not
within the sphere of work done by
the Observers of the Weather Bureau.
nor could their work be reasonably ex-
tended to embrace this important field.
Again, this State was subjected TO
losses aggregating tens of millions OF
dollars by the drouth of 1878, much
of which could have been avoided had
the Weather Bureau been in a position
to give timely warning as to the prob
ability of such dry winter. The broad
general facts indicating the possibili-
ties of such warning have been pointed
out by students of climatology Tor
many years past, yet when advocated
at the recent Meteorological Congress at
Omaha the propositions were not re-
ceiyed with favor, and when this State
proposes to do that which many of it's
citizens believe to be vital to its in
terests, Instructions and objections are
offered from a Washington official. the
most prominent features in which OBJ
iections are narrow and jealous Off
cialism-
At the time we first advocated this
proposition we were not aware that
broad, scientific study of the climatol-
ogyof California had been undertaken
by the Agricultural Department at
Washington.
Certainly no such great study as that
made of the climatology of Dakota by
Lieutenant John P. Finley has been
published. The important possibilities
and results of such a study have long
since been pointed out by students OF
clin1atology in this State, but it has
never been undertaken by the Depart
ment of Agriculture, nor by any branch
thereof that is known to US.
We do, however. find a valuable con-
tribution to the subject in the Year
Book of the Department of Agricult-
ure for 1895, PIP. 475-4S6. under the
heading, Climate, Soil characteristics
and Irrigation Methods of California.
This study reprints the rainfall
statistics collected for more than
twenty years prior to the establish
ment of the Signal Service (Which
merged into the Weather Bureau of
to-day.
In it there also occurs later data OF
rainfall on the deserts of California.
No line of the paper touches the real
subject of the climatology of Califor-
MIA. much less its relation to the dis
position and use Of flood waters and
the relation to artesian and we'll sup
plies
Later ON the following remarkable
piece of information is published to
the world; Information that will at once
astound Californians. who will conclude
that when they thought they knew
something about the soil, characters
H. ,xI6 crnVl