Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-10
THE WEATHER BUREAU
MR.. MOORE TALKS ABOUT THE
CHARGES AGAINST IT.

Mr.. Willis L. Moore, chief of the weather
bureau, in talking with a Star reporter to-
day, spoke as follows in regard to the vari-
Gus charges that have been made against
his bureau, particularly in regard to Mount
Weather, in Virginia:
Il do not doubt that l have disturbed the
labor market in the vicinity of Mount
Weather, and l proud of the fact, for
was told of men working from sunrise to
sunset for 80 cents per day and board, or 10
cents per day and board themselves. l be-
lieve that such hours of labor and such
wage do not contribute to the betterment
of American citizenship or to the welfare of
the state, and so far I have the power
as the chief Of a large government bureau
l shall ever strive to alter such conditions
With the approval of Secretary Wilson, who
believes in reasonable hours Of labor and a
fair wage scale, established a wage Of So
per day for StonemaSonS, 81. 80 for carpen-
tiers and S1.50 for day laborers, and also
with the sanction of the Secretary of Agri-
culture, established an eight-hour working
day, and fifty to sixty men have for some
time been receiving the advantages of such
a scale and such hours of labor. These
wages are not high, nor equal to the pre-
yailing rates in cities, and surely they are
not extravaganza Had we been employing
these people in places where the cost of
living was higher, their wages would have
evidence of extravaganza and bad manage
ment ii may as well be told now that the
wage scale of each and every class of
skilled and unskilled labor in the weather
bureau has been materially increased during
the past eight years by Secretary Wilson
on my recommendation. We believe that
well-paid and prosperous mechanics are not
only able to feed and clothe their children
and keep them in the public schools, instead
of sending them to the mines and the fac
tories, but such workmen and their families
furnish good market for the products of
the farm, and, what is still better, grow
into intelligent, self-respecting citizens
that knit together the ties that bind us to
home and to state.
First 1t was charged Mount Weather
had been constructed without authority of
Congress. This was disproven by quoting
the act of Congress itself. Next, it was
charged that the institution was extrava-
gantly fitted up, but the most that a criti-
cal examination could show was that one
building was comfortably furnished for
the scientists who must remain there dur
ing the entire year. AS to the charge Of
Its being summer annex to the weather
bureau 1t was not possible to locate this
institution with Its magnetic observatories
at any place except some spot in the noun
tains remote from railroads or trolley cars
and where it is improbable that such dis
turbing influences would ever come IND for
the purpose of escaping the charge that
has been made, namely, that 1t was a sum-
mer resort for Washington officials. And
the heiBht or righteousness seems TO nave
been reached when the fact that fair wages
had been paid to the worknnen was made
the basis for further attack upon the
bureau.
The great maritime. commercial and
agricultural interests and reputable news
papers believe that the weather bureau Is
sound clean and impartially administered
If any responsible person will point to
the contrary, and be specific in his state
ments, / shall be glad to meet him and
give him full opportunity to prove his
statements, or retract Them.