Year: 1878

1t is probable that comparatively few
Of the many people in and out of Iowa,
who have read in the newspapers of this
State, the reports of the Iowa Weather
Service, have any adequate idea how ex-
tensive and important an institution it
is, or what an outlay of money and labor
is involved in its operations.


This service owes it's existence, and,
in great measure, it's success, so far,
to DR.. Gustavus Hinrichs, the we'll
known Professor of Physical Science in
the State University. Its object is to
secure as complete history of the
weather Of Iowa as possible, in order to
furnish material for an exhaustive study
of the climate of our state" The ser
vice is at present composed of nearly
one hundred volunteer observers, there
being one in nearly every county in the
state. As yet, owing to the meagreness
of the means at the disposal of Prof.
Hinrichs, few of the observers are sup
piled with full sets of instruments such
as barometers, thermometers, psychro-
meters, thermometers and wind-vanes.
All, however, have rain gauges, and all
are required to observe and record, three
times day (at 8 a. NJ, II M, and 8 p,
m. y the amount Of cloudiness, the d.
rection and force Of the wind, and all
other phenomena connected with the
weather at their stations.


1t is a common belief that nothing
can be done in the science of the
weather, without great number Of in
struments and to such as hold this
opinion, it may seem that our Iowa SER
vice, as yet obliged to depend largely on
observations without full sets of instru-
ments, cannot make much headway.
But this is great mistake. The most
striking and important phenomena of
the atmosphere, as, for example: rain,
clouds, wind and thunder and lightning,
can be observed without any instrument
whatever; and if an observer have only a
wind-vane and rain-gauge, he can, if
diligent and regular, keep very complete
and valuable records of the weather in
his neighborhood. The great desidera-
tum, in a state or county where no at
tention has been paid to such matters,
is to have some one to organize and dl-
rect a corps of observers and work up
their records. This desideratum was
supplied for Iowa, when, some three or
four years ago, Prof. Hinrichs, who had
long been taking observations at Iowa
City, determined to extend the work
and to organize volunteer weather SER
vice for the entire state. In August,
1875, circulars were issued, inviting
friends of scientific work, to join the
new organization. Many responded, and
in the following October, the Prof. had
the satisfaction Of seeing his weather
service in full operation. He furnished
his observers with blanks for their
records, and himself assumed the labor
of reducing, tabulating, recording and
interpreting their reports when sent to
him. No one who has not had expert
ence in such work, can conceive how
vast this undertaking was. Yet for
many months Prof. Hinrichs sustained
the service entirely from his own private
means, performing great amount Of
mere drudgery and often receiving ig-
norant criticism and malignant opposi-
ton instead of hearty support and en-
couragement to which his public spirited
efforts entitled him. But his work was
of too high scientific character to re-
main unnoticed and unappreciated. The
evident superiority OF his blanks as a
means of keeping a complete, correct
and compact record; his convincing
proof of the intimate relation between
forest growth and rainfall (before a
matter Of pure conjecture; so far as this
state was concerned); the thoroughness
and prompt publication Of his reports,
and the general excellence of his system
soon won the recognition and applause
of scientific men both in this country
and in Europe. The state also came to
his aid, though at SO late an hour that
the service came very near perishing for
want of financial support. Last year
the Legislature, unwilling to see an en-
terprise so beneficial and creditable to
the state; fail for want of means, appro-
priated small amount for the payment
of postage on official matter and other
necessary expenses, such asst he publ
cation Of an annual report.


The Lo,oo Weather Service is thus al
ready an accomplished fact; well es-
tablished institution for the prosecution
Of that hand work which lies at the
foundation of all true science. It is, in
reality, Scientific School, the volun-
teer observers and their assistants being
the students and their instructor the in
defatigable scientific worker, Prof. Hin
richs, who is at all times in communica-
ton with his entire volunteer corps.
The stimulus which must, by this means
be impaired to the cause of scientific
education, in the state, is incalculable.
To have from 100 to 200 persons in all
parts of the State constantly engaged in
observing and recording facts Of scien-
tifc interest under the guidance Of a
man noted for rigid exactness and severe
industry, as well as for unbounded scien-
tifc enthusiasm, is alone worth to the
commonwealth tenfold more than the
entire cost of the service. For, leaving
out of consideration the general benefits
which will accrue in few years from
an accurate knowledge of the climate of
the State, the value of record of the
climate Of the State, the value of q
record of the weather to courts of JUS
tice, and the purely scientific interst Of
the results obtained, it is not to be for
gotten that the observers are undergoing
long and thorough course Of instruc.
tion In Z science intimately connected
nth <hA othAr nhvaical aciencea and