The Topeka state journal., 1902-01-20
Earth Covered With Welcome
Mantle of White.
Boon to the Wheat Fields of
Kansas.
STORM WAS GENERAL.
Has Been More Severe in East.
ern Portion.
The Drouth Conditions Are Very
Much Relieved.

The reports received at the railroad
offices and the conditions reported at
the weather bureau indicate that the
snow storm, which CON menced in To-
peka early this morning, has been gen.
eral over Kansas.
Reports received at the Rock Island
general offices at noon today indicate
that the snow storm was general over
the Rock Island lines. From one to
one and one-half inches of snow is re-
ported on the Horton division between
Topeka and st. Joseph. At Fairbury,
Neb., two inches of snow are reported.
A strong northwest wind is reported on
the Western division west of Phillips
burg, with no snow. Snow, sleet and
division, and it is clear at Caldwell
The Santa Fe reports the storm to be
general on the Eastern division OF the
road.
for snow mixed with rain, extending
as far west as Newton. AS was the
case in Topeka, this snow and rain
changed to steady fall of snow.
The snow extended as far east as
Lexington, Mo. over the whole state
of Kansas cloudy and cool weather pre-
walls, as far as reports have been re-
ceived by the Santa Fe.
Observer T. B. Jennings said this
morning: THE clouds came in from
the west, so the snowfall is likely to be
wet snow and will not drift. 1t is prob
able that a crust will form on the
snow before tomorrow, and the high
northwest winds expected Tuesday will
cause no drifting if that crust forms.
I can not state how extensive the cold
weather is, but expect that the tenn
perature will be low enough to keep
the snow on the ground a few days
This snow will do the winter wheat
crop of Kansas a great deal of good,
but will not replenish the stock water.
The wheat roots are in good condition,
and any water, even to a very small
amount, will do a great deal of good"
The snow fall up to 1880 o'clock this
morning measured two inches in the
government guage. The sleet which fell
during the night measured hundredths
of an inch in moisture and was less
than a quarter of an inch in depth.
The forecast sent out this morning
was rain or snow tonight. Tuesday
fair and colder weather southeast por-
ton High northwest winds.' The wind
this morning was east blowing miles
an hour. There has been a low barOm-
eter in the southwest and coming in
from the mountains it has brought the
snow storm to Kansas. Sunday the
minimum 25. The wind was east Sun
day. blowing six miles an hour but
during the night was south and SOUTH
east.
Observer Jennings says that the
ground is in excellent condition in all
sections of Kansas and that with this
snow the prospects for the wheat crop
are excellent. The rainfall for 1901 was
3.9S inches below normal, the average
rainfall for the state being 22.15 inches
which is the lowest on the record of the
weather bureau with the exception of
three years. The normal rainfall for the
state is 26.13 inches. The rainfall for
1901 as compiled by Observer Jennings
shows that the rainfall in the eastern
division was from to II inches below
normal, the middle division was much
nearer normal and in the western di-
vision IL counties out OF 81 had nor
NAL or excess rainfall. The following
table shows the rainfall for the year,
the minus sign meaning that much be-
low normal:
son, 10; Leavenworth, 10; Jefferson,
S; Wyandotte -12; Douglass, -6;
johnson, IL; Franklin. 10; Miami,
10; Bourbon, -12; Neosho, $; Craw-
ford. -12; Labette, 10; Cherokee, -12;
St;n1s Hemaha. .6; Marshall 4; Brown 10;
8; Jackson, s; Shawnee, s; Usage,
5; Wabaunsee, -6; Norris, -6; Lyon.
5; Chase. 6; Coffey. IA; Greenwood.
MS; 116;;, Woodson' %; Elk ~; WILSON g;
Middle division-Washingto -S;Clay,
S; Cowley, 4; Republic, S; Cloud,
S; Ottawa, 4; Saline, 4; MCPHERSON,
g; Jewell, g; Mitchell, -6; Lincoln,
A; Ellsworth, 2; Rice, normal Reno,
normal; Kingman, 4; Harper, 8;
smith, =, OSBORN, - russell, nor
NAL; Stafford, normal; Barton, 2; Pratt
a; Barber, -6; Phillips, normal; Rocks,
normal; Ellis, ?; Rush, normal; Paw
nee. normal; Edwards, 2; Kiowa, a;
Comanche -6.
Western division-Norton, normal;
Graham, normal; Trego, 2; Ness, nor
NAL; Hodgeman, 2; Ford, --4; Clark,
e; Decatur, normal; Sheridan, a;
Cove, 2; Lane normal; F'inney, nor
NAL; Gray, 2; Mead, g; Rawlins nor
NAL; Thomas. ?; Logan, 2; Scott, nor
NAL; Haskell, p; Seward, q; Chey-
enne, normal; Sherman, normal; Wal
lace, 2; Greeley, 2; Wichita 2; Hamil-
ton, normal; Kearney, 2; Stanton, 2;
Grant, ?; Stevens, -; Morton. q.
The ground is in excellent condition
FOR the wheat, despite the summers
drouth, on account of a heavy precipi-
tation in September and October. In
January, 1901, the monthly precipitation
was .35 below normal, in February 10
above normal, in March % above nor
two inches below normal, in June 1.S7
below normal in July 1.47 below nor
NAL, in August .33 below normal in
September .58 above normal, in October
.79 above normal in November 20 be-
low normal and in December .25 below
normal.
The annual rainfalls since 1887 have
been recorded by the weather bureau
as follows: For 1887, 23.07; 1888, Iii;
for 1889. 29.47; 1890, 20.65; 1891, 80 go:
1892, 29. .06; 1893, 20.12; 1894, 20.72; 1885,
81 SO; 1895, % %; 1897, PASS; 1898 81 35;
1899, 2S.01: 1900, 1855; 1901, 22.15.
The hourly temperatures recorded by
the weather bureau today were as fol-