[MINNESOTA] STATE WEATHER SERVICE.
Your committee would respectfully report that the Minnesota state signal service was established at Northfield by request of Gen. Hazen, chief signal officer of the United States in 1882, and that Carleton college, during that year and the year following, contributed, in money and time of the director, Prof. W. W. Payne, about $2,000 toward this service. In 1883 the chief signal officer detailed Private McGinnis to take charge of the central office and assist in the organization of the central office remaining at Northfield until February, 1886. About this time Private McGinnis was dismissed and Private C. E. Brandenburg took his place. In February, 1886, the central office was removed to St. Paul, the state and railroad capital, and located in the chamber of commerce building. This was done by direction of the chief signal officers at Washington, on request of this chamber, with promise of its oversight and necessary financial aid. During 1886 the chamber has furnished $50 a month for running expenses, and office room for the United States assistant. The following railroad companies have co-operated, in 1886, in distributing telegraph reports of daily weather indications free of any charge, to all stations of the service, except two; Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, the Manitoba, Minnesota & Northwestern, the Minneapolis & St. Louis, and now in 1887, the Northern Pacific, through to the Pacific. It is believed by your committee that enough railroad companies, including the Canadian Pacific, having connection with St. Paul, will soon be a part of the weather system whose center for
PREDICTION AND DISTRIBUTION
shall be the city of St. Paul. The chief signal officers of the United States at Washington have already promised to locate an indications office in St. Paul for the service of the Northwest, to be connected with the state signal service. In the beginning of 1886 this service had twenty-five stations. It now has fifty instrument and flag stations, and ten others now in progress of organization. This is a very remarkable growth in view of the fact that all these stations have purchased their own flags, instruments, etc., without exception. To these flag stations, at their own cost, have been distributed 30,000 signal service cards, describing the signals.
Source:
The Saint Paul Daily Globe
Tuesday Morning, March 15, 1887
Volume IX, Number 74, Page 2