Glimpses of the Past
November 26, 1891
Independence flies weather signal flags, purchased by popular subscription. When is our constituency going to do likewise?
December 3, 1891
Our city will display weather signal flags within two weeks.
December 24,1891
The signal service flags have arrived and will be displayed above Rogers’ block by H.L. Ekern as soon as arrangements are made. We will publish the interpretation of the displays next week, if possible.
January 6, 1892
The signal service flags were hoisted over Ekern’s store for the first time yesterday to indicate fair and warmer weather for today. Telegrams are received every forenoon from the forecast official at Milwaukee. Read the explanation of the signals, which we publish this week, cut them out and paste them in your hat, watch the flags, and you will know the rest.
February 22, 1892
Some were wondering Monday why the signal service flags were not displayed. The forecast officials at Washington allow the weather to take care of itself on Sundays and legal holidays, therefore no telegrams were received at the station.
July 14, 1892
The boys attempted to ridicule the signal service by hoisting an open umbrella above the fair weather flag that floated last Thursday. The weather, however, failed to join in the joke, and the forecast was verified O.K.
January 5, 1893
Banker J.O. Melby now displays the weather flags from the corner of his bank building. It is a conspicuous place, and the flags are promptly attended to. The department sends no telegrams when a change in temperature is not expected to exceed 10 degrees.
February 9, 1893
Twenty-two below zero Tuesday morning, and 28 yesterday. The signal service promises warmer weather.
November 15, 1894
At the regular meeting of the village board Monday evening, on petition $100 was appropriated to the Whitehall fair association. Five dollars was also appropriated toward the erection of a flag staff on Reitzel’s block for the use of the signal service.
November 22, 1894
A weather signal staff has been erected on the corner of A.F. Reitzel’s building.
November 28, 1895
The weather flags over the bank are now hoisted each day after the 3:10 p.m. train, instead of in the morning. Owing to the hard times or the democratic administration, the government does not consider itself able to forward the daily forecasts by telegraph to each display station, but instead sends them to a number of central stations throughout the state, from which they are mailed to surrounding places. So we now get our morning forecasts from Humbird in the afternoon.