The Goodland republic., 1907-03-22
ANOTHER PROOF OF INCREASE
DIR. SNOW vs.. FEDERAL WEATH-
ER BUREAU.
shows That for Past Forty Years Rain
ian in Kansas Shows 10 Per
Cent Gain

statements before the congressional
committee regarding the subject OF a
change OF climate in the region which
includes the state Of Kansas and Ne
braska- Among these statements
note the following: I'VE find right in
the arid regions, that during a long
period OF observations, thirty, forty,
or fifty years, the average rainfall Of
the first ten years is precisely the
same as the average Of the last Yet
in the tabular statement which con-
ciUdes Dr. MoOre's pamphlet, only the
last thirty years are included, al
though the records Of three OF the
stations named cover respectively for
ty-eight, thirty-nine, and forty-One
years Z submit that a fair cOmpari-
son OF facts bearing upon so import
ant a subject as the change OF climate,
should include the entire period Of OBJ
servation-
Ny own records at Lawrence cover
a period Of thirty-nine years from
1858 TO 1906. During the first ten
years OF this period from 1868 70 1877,
the average annual rainfall was 3491
inches; during the last ten years, 1897
TO 1906, IL was 3S.15 inches, giving
an increase Of 3.25 inches per annum.
But a more satisfactory method OF
comparison is to divide the entire Pc
riOd Of observation into two equal
parts. The total rainfall at Lawrence
for the first half Of the thirty-nine
years, from January 1, 1853, to July
1, 1887, was 627.S1 inches, while dur
ing the second half OF the period the
total was 743-67 inches, giving an in
crease Of 7O.S6 inches in the total pre-
cipitatiOn- This makes the average
annual rainfall for the first half Of
the period 34-5O inches, while for the
second half it is 3S.14 inches, an in
crease Of 3-64 inches, or more than 10
per cent And this is the result, al
though the rainfall at Lawrence for
the year 1906 was only $3.50 inches
more than eight inches below the av-
erage for the thirty-eight preceding
years This notable deficiency for 1906
occurred in the eastern portion por-
ton Of the region west Of the ninety
fifth meridian, in which region Dr.
Moore says that the rainfall for 1906
was excessive in all that vast stretch
OF territory. Notwithstanding the
facts brought out by my own obser-
vations, which have been regularly
forwarded to the chief OF the weather
bureau, at Washington, at the end Of
each month and year, DR.. Moore states
that the rainfall has neither fncreas-
ed nor diminished by amounts wor-
thy Of consideration" This statement,
however may be considered correct
with regard to the western third OF
kansas and Nebraska, as hOwn by
the records Of Dodge and North
Platte; but it is not correct in regard
to the eastern and central portions Of
those states, where the breaking and
cultivation Of the soil upon a large
scale, and the greatest increase Of fore
station have combined to produce con
ditions favorable to an increased rain
fall. In the western portions OF Kan
sas and Nebraska, the conditions are
practically the same today as they
were in the eastern portions Of those
states when settlement first began.
There never has been a better OD-
pOrtuniJy to test the question OF
the effect Of the sudden human Occu-
patton Of an agricultural region upon
climatic conditions, than has been af-
fOrded in eastern and central Kansas
and Nel'l aska- during the last fifty
years. Three millions Of people now
occupy this agricultural region, where
fifty years ago the entire area was un-
plowed prairie. When came to Kan
sas in 1856 to begin my life work as
member Of the faculty Of the state
university the only timber consisted
Of narrow belt along each stream;
and during the late autumn and win
ter, often counted at night as many
as fifty TO seventy simultaneous praf-
RE fires from my study windows in
the university building, on the sum-
nit OF Mount Dread At that time by
daylight from the same point Of view,
every house in the city Of Lawrence
was plainly visible from foundation
to roof; while at the present time the
buildings although greatly increased
in number are completely concealed
from view by the foliage Of the null
titudinOus shade trees. The surround
ing country also has been so changed
in appearance by the growth Of trees
under human direction, as no longer
TO bear the remOtest resemblance to
the original prairie surface.
Not only has the rainfall increased.
but the atmospheric humidity has also
increased The average relative hu-
midity for the first half Of the period
OF my observations was 6s.T6 per cent,
while during the second half it had
risen TO 1921 per cent When came
to Kansas in 1856, and for several
years thereafter no dew was deposit
ed upon the grass until toward morn
ing, and one could walk through the
grass at any time before midnight
without wetting ones shoes. OF late
years, the dew generally begins 70 be
deposited on the grass before the tvTi-
light is over, as in the eastern states,
thus eOrrobOrating the observed in
crease in the atmospheric humidity.
In regard to the velocity OF the wind,
DR. Moore in his hearing before the
congressional committee stated that
he was quite certain that there had
been no change in the general high
velocity. for an altitude Of fifty, sixty,
or e hundred feet, although the trees
would restrict the velocity OF the wind
near the ground In his pamphlet
Just issued he states that "an exami- /
nation OF the wind records in Kansas I
and Nebraska shows that the last If
teen years have not been quite so
windy as the fifteen years previous, /
but that il is not safe to assume that
a permanent decrease In the wind We
lOcity has taken place" Ny own rec
Ords Of the wind velocity began on
July I, 1872, when an excellent rec
ording apparatus was installed upon
the roof Of the north dome OF the
main building OF the university Of
Kansas, los feet above the ground, the
ground itself being $50 feet above the
broad valley OF the Kansas river. This
apparatus has been carefully kept in