The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-11
STATEMENT BY MOORE
THE WEATHER BUREAU MAN
 FEELS INDIGNANT.
Onicial Says Charges of Irregularities In His Department Are Untrue, and Oners Chance for an
 xnvestlgatiOn.

Washington. Aug. 10.-Prof Willis l.. Moore of the United States Weather Bureau today issued a signed statement denying allegations of graft in the management of the weather station in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Blue- mont. Va. disclaiming the existence of any irregularities in the administration of his office and offering full opportu- nifty for the investigation of specific charges by any responsible person. Prof. Moore says that no secret service men are at work in the bureau and scores "a few incompetent or disAon- orable employees" dismissed from the | service in endeavoring to secretly re- form the institution. The statement in part follows:
 "A few days ago was published in Washington a story to the effect that 1t was reported unofficially that the se- cret service had dispatched agents to the mountain station (Mount Weather of the United States Bureau) where
 the sleuths for the past two days have been nosing around
 According to the report these sleuths discovered that the weather bureau was paying 8 per day for unski1led
 labor. which is twice the amount paid
 laborers in the city of Washington, and that there is complaint on the part of
 the adjacent employers, who only pay 75 cents or q. A little farther down
 the report says: What discoveries
 have been made regarding the conduct of Mount Weather by the secret ser vice, If 1t be true that they are con- ducting an investigation. are being kept secret"
 Tn answer, I beg leave to say that
 the inconsistency of. this report Is on a par with previous efforts to manufac- ture scandal in the weather bureau I
 know that no secret service agents are at work in the bureau, and if they are, they surely would not be foolish enough to sc 'nosing' around Mount Weather for the purpose of getting in- formation that they could easily obtain by applying to the central office in Washington, for there are no matters connected with the administration of the weather service that are not open
 to the full inspection of any reputable inquirer. The only persons that are | practicing secrecy or that need the ser | vices of secret detectives are few in- | competent or dishonorable persons that | have been dismissed from the weather I service for the good of the latter, and
 who are now endeavoring to secretly l reform an institution that has parted with their services,
 | T believe that wherever Government | officials in a measure have been re-
 
 be inquired into and they be held to a
 strict accountability, and I also believe l that the greatest enemies of graft are
 the representatives of the American | press, who should be given free access | to the files and records of every public | office l First 1t was charged that Mount i Weather had been constructed without | authority of Congress. This was dis
 proven by the quoting of the act of | Congress itself. Next 1t was charged | that the institution was extravagantly fitted up, but the most that a critical
 examination showed was that one build 1 ing was comfortably finished for the | scientists who must remain there dur | ing the entire year. As to the charge | of It's being a summer annex to the l weather bureau, 1t was not possible l to locate this institution with It's mag | netic appliances at any place except | at some spot fin the mountains remote | from railroads or trolley cars, and | where 1t Is improbable that such dis | turblng influences would ever come in | And the height of ridiculousness seems | to have been reached when the fact that | fair wages had been paid to the work | men was made the basis for a further l attBck upon the bureau. The great | maritime, commercial and agricultural
 insterests and reputable newspapers be- | lieve that the Weather Bureau is sounc. | clean and impartially administered If | any responsible person will point to | the contrary and be specific in his l statement shall be glad to meet him l and give him full opportunity to prove | his statements or retract them"