WEATHER BUREAU, 83 



STATIONS AND ACCOUNTS DIVISION. 



WEATHER BUREAU QUARTERS AT FIELD STATIONS (OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON, 



D. C). 



Since the bejo^iiming of the United States Meteorological Service 

 in 1870 it has been a uniform policy to secure quarters for its field 

 stations in Federal buildings, whenever such buildings are suitable 

 for the purpose, and it is practicable to do so. Occasionally where 

 Federal buildings were not available Congress has authorized the 

 erection of special observatory buildings and, in several instances, 

 free accommodations have been secured in State colleges or uni- 

 versity buildings. Thus far. in a total of 220 stations, 129 are so 

 situated that no rentals are paid for local offices and accommoda- 

 tions, as follows : 



Free quarters and accoiiunodatious : 



Oliservatory buildings (owned and controlled by the Weather 

 Bureau) '46 



State university buildings 5 



Federal buildings 78 



Total free of rental 129 



Rented buildings, etc., owned by individuals or corporations : 



Office buildings 90 



Buildings with gi'ounds, aerological stations 6 



Total number of rented buildings partly or wholly occupied 96 



Total "225 



Under the program of economy in expenditure of appropriations, 

 it has not been possible to keep the 48 buildings owned and con- 

 trolled by the bureau in thoroughly good condition, and some of 

 these are urgently in need of repairs and repainting for proper 

 preservation. The more urgent cases, however, are now receiving 

 attention. 



At San Juan, P. E., in February, 1922, alterations to the building 

 served to add two rooms to provide needed space for assistant ob- 

 servers for the West Indian Section Center work. 



The "Weather Bureau building at Narragansett Pier, K. I., still 

 continues vacant and in charge of a caretaker. To avoid continual 

 expense for upkeep, this surplus property should be disposed of by 

 sale or otherw^ise at the earliest practicable date. 



After an exhaustive inquiry by a special commission, no practical 

 use has been found by the branches of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture or other Government departments for the reservation and build- 

 ings on the Blue Ridge Mountains, in Loudoun and Clarke Counties, 

 Va.. known as Mount Weather. In harmony with suggestion of 

 members of the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Represen- 

 tatives, this bureau has informally but vigorously prosecuted in- 

 quiries in regard to a possible purchaser and offer for this property. 

 In this connection we have communicated with and interviewed the 

 owners of properties near the Mount Weather reservation, others who 



» Not including those at Mount Weather, Va., and Narragansett Pier, R. I. 



'Five stations have quarters In two buildings each, viz: Cape Henry, Va., 2 Weather 

 Bureau ; Cincinnati, Ohio, and Oklahoma. Okla., Weather Bureau and Federal ; Columbus, 

 Ohio, 2 rented; and Honolulu, Hawaii, Federal and rented buildings (temporarily). 



