The Ordway new era., 1905-08-18
the WEATHER BUREAU
nrhlE. ALlEeArIoNs oF oHAF1.
proses.e, Moore. Chief Of the sursau'
Makes a Vigorous statement :"
REGARD to Late chan0ss-

| REGARD to late Sus"bS
Washington, d. c.. Aus. ls.-froi'
w,u,s l.. Moore, chief OF the United
States Weather Bureau. has issued .
signed statement denying allegations
Of graft in the management OF tne
weather station in the Blue Ridge
mountains. near Bluemont. virginia
aisclaiming the existence OF any irres-
ularities In the administration OF MS
otace and offering fun opportunity FOR
the investigation OF any specine
charges by any responsible person.
Professor Moore says that NO secret
service men are at work in the bureau
and scores "a few incompetent or DIS
honorable employees" dismissed from
the service and endeavoring to Sc
rretly reform the institution. Inc
statement says:
"A few days ago statement was
published In Washington TO the enect
that IL was reported unofficially that
the secret service had dispatched
kr.nts to the mountain station mount
Weather OF the United States Weather
Bureau). where the sleuths for the
past two days have been nosins
around.
According 10 the report. these
sleuths discovered that the weather
bureau was paying IS per day for IN
skilled labor, which is twice the
amount paid laborers IN the city OF
washington. and that there is com
plalnt on the part OF the employers
adjacent. who only pay IS cents to 81.
Now, It is a fact that the weather
bureau has never paid 50 day TO any
laborer employed at Mount Weather.
or at any other place. and II the re-
norter who wrote the statement had
taken the trouble to ask for the pTiv!-
lege OF examining the pay rolls OF the
weather bureau. which would have
been freely placed at his disposal no
would have saved his readers the op-
portunlty OF reading secretly secured
scandal. instead OF openly procured
news.
Il would like to have the entire pay
roll OF Mount Weather. or Of any other
portion of the weather bureau. pub
lished. so that the public may know
whether there is an eXtravagant man
ageAent inside OF the bureau. or mall.
cious Justification on the outside.
Il do not doubt that | have dis.
turbed the labor market in the vicinity
OF Mount Weather. and | am proud OF
the fact. for / was told OF men work
ing from sunrise TO sunset for so cents
per day and board. or 20 cents per day
and they board themselves. believe
that such hours OF labor and such
wages do not contribute TO the better
ment OF American citizenship. or the
welfare Of the state. and so far as
have the power as the chief OF n large
government bureau | shall ever strive
10 alter such conditions.
"on the approval OF Secretary VII.
son. who believes In reasonable hours
OF labor annd fair wage scale. es.
tablished wage OF 50 per day for
stone masons. $3.50 for carpenters and
sl.s0 for day laborers. II the sleuths
who are reported to have been 'nosing
around Mount Weather had been q
little more vigilant. they would have
discovered that |. with the sanction OF
Secretary Wilson. established an eight
hour day. and that from fifty TO sixty
had been for some time receiving the
auNaHlhEss VI huCu u sCaIe anu suCu
hours of labor.
These wages are not high or equal
TO the prevailing rates In cities. and
surely they are not extravagant. Had
We been employing these people In
places where the cost OF living was
high, the wages would have been pro
portionately greater. II this Is evi
dence OF extravaganza and bad man.
agement It may as well be told now
that the wage scale OF each and every
class OF skilled and unskiped labor
In the weather bureau has been materi
ally increased during the past eight
years by Secretary Wilson. on my rec
ommendatlon.
II believe that wherever government,
officials in any measure have beer
recreant TO their trusts. their record.
should be inquired into and they helc
10 a strict accountability. And I alst
believe that the greatest enemies o
graft are the representatives OF tn,
American press. who should be giveI
free access to the files and records o
every public Office