The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-03-20

over the same sandy prairies that
then bore only sand lizards and
sage brush, because of the lack of
rain is not enough to determine
that the climate is growing milder.'
CATTLE Persisted IN INTENSE
COLD.
"Yes, but then, We don't see the
terrible suffering by man and beast
because of intense cold in these
days like we saw when Spokane
was only a village the old time
settlers retort.
why, back there in the early |
'70s cattle died out on the prairies |
by the scores-actually starved |
and persisted in the terrible cold. |
Most people who owned stock lost |
a half of their herds in the winter
and there was once that only one
old Indian was cunning enough to
cheat the winter elements and save
his cattle This old fellow had
large herd of horses as well and
he always sent them out through
the snow ahead of the cattle that
they might break through the crust
and leave the grass exposed. The
cattle, following along behind, got
this grass, which they would not
have otherwise found, and the old
red man saved all his stock.
VALLEYS NOW RICH WERE
SUNBURNED DESERTS.
"Then there was the summer
intensely hot and dry. The prair
were made a place to fear because
of rattlesnakes and lack of water
or vegetation. Thousands of acres
in the valley and through eastern
Washington in general that was
then incapable of growing a white
bean, are now covered with great
fields of waving wheat in the sum-
mer times. Garden spots-the rich
est in the country have been
made of the old hardbaked
patches on which the hardest of
garden truck formerly withered
away and died for want of moist
ure, before they became matured.'
MAYBE HAD RAIN A HUNDRED
YEARS AGO.
"Oh, yes, there is no doubt that
there has been apparently a re-
markable difference in the weather
in the last few years as compared
with that of 40 or so years ago, but
most likely if we could find one
who lived here so or 80 years ago,
we would find that there was a
lot of rainfall in the summers and
that the winters were open and
mild. If this could be found, then,
we would be quite certain that the
climate of this part of the country
is not changing" Mr. Stewart con-
tinues.
In order to determine the
change in the climate of any part
of a country, the weather condi-
tons for at least 100 years should
be taken into consideration.
Should that be done here, | don't
believe a change in the climatic
conditions could be discovered.
CLIMATIC CHANGE is SLOW.
Changes in climatic conditions
come as slowly as geological for
nation. In parts of the world re-
cords have been kept on the
weather for the last 1000 years and
even there, no appreciate change
in the climate has been recorded. |
In comparing climates many |
people are inclined to be satisfied |
with a mere knowledge Of the mean |
temperature, extremes of tempera-
ture, and, perhaps, the precipitation, !
of a place; forgetting that several |
places may have an equality Of |
temperature in every respect, etc, |
yet, owing to other important |
meteorological factors, differ widely
as to climate.
THE highest temperatures are
shown to have risen above 80 de-
grees each year, rising as high as
104 degrees, August s, 1898; this
might lead one unacquainted with
the climate of Spokane to suppose
that prostration from heat, sun
stroke, occurs at this place, but
such is not the case; on the con
trary, little inconvenience seems to
accompany in this place tempera-
lures that in other places induce
prostration by heat-'sunstroke' is
entirely unknown here, save by
name.
There are two climatic factors
worthy of particular attention with
regard to Spokane. viz: the mean
daily change of temperature, and
the sensible temperature. The
mean daily change of temperature
is the change between the mean
temperature of one day and that of
another from day to day. This
change Is sometimes known as
variability of temperature" and is
most important in determining the |
character of climate: the more |
equable climates have the smallest |
changes Of mean daily temperature. |
At Spokane the mean daily change |
Of temperature for several wears is |
SO degrees. This shows that the |
transition from cold Of winter to
heat Of summer, or vice versa, oc-
currs gradually by comparatively |
small changes OF mean daily tenn
perature from day to day Sudden. |
violent changes OF temperature sci.
dom occur here.
I'm order to understand what is
meant by sensible Temperature let |
TX take tho definition given I'm the |
Monthly Weather Review. n publica-
tim Issued by the United States
Weather bureau;
"sThe sensible temperature ey.
3,egIeAced by the human body and
attributed to the atmosphere de |
ssentsn not merely upon the tempera-
lure of the air. but equally nnon the
drynean and tho wind, II would
seem that the rand evaporation
from the akin IN dry. hot weather
radnces the temperature OF the
nSetr 0f nerve cells al the surface of