The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-02
Local Weather Office Skaters
Old Tradition.
Many Cases Where the Little
Rodent Was Mistaken.
HE'S A NATURE FAKE.
So Says Observer SnOwden d.
Flora.
And He Is the Man Who Ought
to Know.

On only a few occasions within the
last % years has the grounding
theory of governing the weather
proved correct and the ground hog,
along with DR.. Cook, Cassie Chadwick
and others of their ilk should be con-
signed to the bushes. The ground
hog is a nature fake, an abomination
and false prophet according to rec
ords in the local weather office. Be
side this he knows nothing whatever
about weather. Snowden Darius
Flora, observer at the local station,
who put the fake weather prophets
on the run last fall has started on the
trail of the ground hog and there
promises to be a demand that this
animal produce his Eskimos and rec
ords or go hide himself and forever
hold his peace.
theory if the ground hog sees his
shadow today cold weather will pre-
vail for the next six weeks, and the
ground hog will return to the hole IN
which he has lain all winter II,
however, he fails to see his shadow,
the ground hog will continue his wan
behring's, as warmer weather will pre-
vail.
If the ground hog acts as reported
there has probably been a number
of deaths in the ground hog family
within the last 20 years in Kansas
There has been plenty of weather,
when the ground hog was out, cold
enough to freeze him to death. The
following statement, taken from the
records of the weather office show
how the ground hoge has missed his
guess since the weather bureau estab-
lished an office here:
When He Missed 1t.
In 1888 ground hog day was cloudy.
February was warm and March only
slightly colder than normal. Not a
bad guess for the ground hog. Ground
hog day in the next year, however,
was clear and while February was
slightly colder the temperature going
to zero on February 8, but March was
warmer month than usual. In
1890 February was cloudy and al
though February was a warm month,
March was much colder than usual
and ground hogs out at that time
were likely to have their ears frosted.
In 1891 ground hog day was clear
and both February and March were
colder than normal. Score a safe one
for the ground hog, despite the wealth
or sharks. The next year, however,
the ground hog saw his shadow and a
warm February and an average
March followed. The ground hogs
shadow was seen in 1893 and Feb
ruary was cold for couple of weeks,
but March was warm and if the
ground hog remained in his hole six
weeks he missed a lot of nice weather.
One of the worst guesses the ground
hog is alleged to have made was made
I'm 1894 when he saw his shadow and a
warm February and next to the warm
est March on record followed. In 1895
the shadow OF the ground hog should
have been plainly visible to him and a
February cold for two weeks followed.
From February Is on the weather was
quite warm.
In 1896 the ground hog scores again
when. after a cloudy February two
warm months followed. The year 1897
was against the ground hog. the day
being partly clear and two warm
months following The ground hog theory
was also bumped hard on the succeed
ing year when after a day on which the
ground hog did not see his shadow the
coolest February on record and a cold
March followed.
In 1900 ground day was clear Feb.
ruary was a cold month and March ?
warm one. The year 1901 had a cloudy
ground hog day which was followed by
q cold February and a warm March
The next year the ground hog saw his
shadow and one of the coolest month:
on record followed. March was warm
On ground hog day of that year the
temperature was 5 degrees below zero
The ground hog saw his shadow again
in 1903 and a cold February and a warn
March followed.
The ground hog saw his shadow il
1904 with the same result as on tn,
preceding year. In 1905 ground hog da!
was cloudy and one of the coldes
months on record followed. March wa
warm. The shadow was visible again
in 1906 and a warm February and cole
March followed. In 1907 a clear groun,
hog day was followed by a week of COLI
weather and continued warm weathe
until summer. In 1908 ground hog da,
ole md fxTyn h. Fol
lowed. Last year the ground hog saw
his shadow and two warm months fol
lowed.