52 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



for the information of the balloon training school at Fort Omaha. 

 In addition to this, the officers and men at this school have on several 

 occasions used the kite field at Drexel in connection with their 

 experimental work. 



STATIONS AND OBSERVATIONS, 



New, regular, full-reporting stations were established at Juneau, 

 Alaska, in rented quarters ; and at Port Arthur, Tex., in the Federal 

 Building. No additional stations have been established, and there 

 are now 203 principal or fully equipped stations. 



OBSEBVATORY BUILDINGS AND STATION OFFICES. 



After several years of litigation, a decree was finally handed down 

 on January 6, 1917, by the United States district court, Fargo, 

 N. Dak., in the case of the United States v. Northern Pacific Railway 

 Co., confirming title to Weather Bureau reservation at Bismarck, 

 N. Dak. This decree gives to the United States (Weather Bureau) 

 all that part of the property north of the railroad tracks, including 

 projections of Second Street and Mandan Avenue, with the tri- 

 angular pieces of land at the extremity of same, and secures for the 

 Weather Bureau a valuable tract of land of about 3 acres which will 

 insure the continuity of meteorological observations for the future 

 as has been maintained since June 1, 1891. Action has been taken to 

 change the location of the residence building and effect desired im- 

 provements at that station. 



Pursuant to authority contained in appropriation act of the De- 

 partment of Agriculture for the fiscal year 1917 a site for the pro- 

 posed Weather Bureau observatory building at Cape Henry, Va., 

 was purchased on the water front, consisting of lots 5 and 6, block 7, 

 in all 15,000 square feet. Drawings and specifications were prepared 

 for a building adapted to the special requirements of a fully equipped 

 vessel-reporting and meteorological station and as the northern ter- 

 minus of the Cape Henry-Hatteras telegraph line, and bids invited 

 for the erection of the building, but without results, as all bids were 

 too high. The appropriation being continuous into the next fiscal 

 year further attempt will be made to secure the erection of a suitable 

 building within the appropriation made therefor. 



By decision of the judge of the United States district court, 

 Seattle, Wash., dated June 12, 1917, the bureau is granted possession 

 of lot No. 1, block 32, town site of Port Angeles, Wash., litigation 

 in regard to which has been in the courts for some time. 



COOPERATIVE CLIMATOLOGICAL WORK. 



The increasing demand for information as to past and current 

 weather conditions for all parts of the country, and from practically 

 every standpoint of business, pleasure, health, etc., clearly indicates 

 the great value to the public of the weather information now being 

 gathered through the voluntary services of our corps of unpaid 

 observers, located in nearly every county of the Union. 



