The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-17
MS OFFICE

full conduct Of the business. and are unde.
niable collectors and retainers Of dust,
While It is desirable that wind and sun
shine instruments Of the office are at a
height uninterrupted by other tall buildings,
1t Is still not incompatible with sattsfac-
tory results to locate the local Weather
Bureau in a modern sky-scraper. with all
its cleanliness and conveniences.
PRINTING PLANT IN THE
st. LOUIS BUREAU.
The st. Louis Weather Bureau occupies
six rooms on the top floor of the Federal
building, and the office force, including the
Chief, comprises seven men.
One room is given over to printing
press, as the bureau does Its own printing
Of permanent record sheets.
Uncle Sam spends annually d-a0gooo m
telling his people who trade on land and
sea and those who farm and plant what
weather they needs must prepare to lace
from day to day.
Though there are 100 regular stations.
territory, observations at many tntermedi-
ate points are necessary before the cli-
matology of the United States can be prop
erly studied.
To meet this need the United States
Weather Bureau established a Climate ana
Crop Service. divided into forty-fve local
sections, eech section covering a single
otdtcs aLA v "
observing station. where Information Is col
lected from more than 500 voluntary sta
lions on temperature and rainfall observa-
tons.
The volunteer weather observers arc sup
piled by the Government with instruments
and this gives the weather crank" who
has always existed and must always exist.
q chance to prosecute his work more scien-
tiically thai barking to the call OF the
frogs for rain or trusting to a straw to m
dicate which way the wind blows, and at
tho same time serve the Government In it,
climatic report Of various sections OF the
country.
There are in Missouri alone 100 volunteer
weather observers. Their reports sent in to
the st. Louis bureau meet with all due re-
spect as to their value and arc forwarded
to Washington.
The United States have established eight
stations in the West Indies,
with Canada, Mexico and Europe there 10
daily communication. completing q vast sys-
tenn Of weather reports Of the greatest value
to the welfare and prosperity OF thousands;
for the Weather Bureau means something
more than q convenient source OF informa-
ton for the woman who wants TO wear her
Easter hat without fear Of It's being ruined
by a shower.
OLDEST RESIDENT
Is NEVER IGNORED.
III WA11pNOAlU 4hpCS
of When the frost is on the pumpkin" but
the farmer keeps his weather eye" out for
the forecasts OF the Weather Bureau for
there are products Of his lands for which
frost il not 50 good as for the pumpkin.
practical n poetic are wide apart In
farming.
The weather crank who has kept q rec
ord all Of his life, the "oldest resident Of
rural district or town, is not ignored by
Uncle Sam, though his associates may have
dubbed him crank"
His records assist in making up the data
needed for the study Of the relation between
climate and agriculture. forestry n In
Throughout tho cotton. corn. wheat. sugar
and rice producing sections designated CEN
receive telegraphic reports OF rainfall
and daily extremes Of temperature 70: pub
licadon in bulletin form. each local center
reports from all tho others.
Down to the village store or railroad sta
ton the farmer meanders to find out what
doing In the weather line around him., and