Show Aa a L 17 I i y w s ar ars r- r f t tt i t 1 w f ls 3 r rL L y V v 4 Leslie J. J Anderson charts Mantis Monti's Mont is i's daily weather conditions Father Son Keep 60 Year 60 Y ear Watch In an area where water is ismore ismore ismore more precious than gold a aManta aManti ManU Manta son father-and-son team have been keeping a year 60 history of daily dally weather conditions Their record-keeping record began on a June afternoon in 1908 when James M. M Anderson noted the temperature the precipitation tion there was none and made the proper entries on a sheet furnished hi him m by what is now the U. U S. S Weather Bureau He continued this dally daily task for more than 50 years until he died 1959 His IUs Hasson son Leslie J. J Anderson then took up his fathers father's work The Anderson records tell of 60 Junes The driest June occurred oc occurred occurred oc- oc in 1935 when no moisture moisture moisture mois mois- ture fell in more than 30 days It was the driest month in the drought of the Only Inches of precipitation fell in all of 1931 Inches fell in 1932 inches in 1933 and inches in 1934 the records show The driest year in the year 60 period was 1934 but the trend began to change in 1935 and farmers who had reduced the number of their livestock and had allowed much land to HeIdle lie lle idle during the drought years found new courage with 17 1731 31 Inches of moisture The records point to 1936 as one of the wettest years in the year 60 period bettered only by bythe bythe the 1789 Inches that fell in 1941 and the 1894 Inches in 1957 In addition to June 1935 the Anderson records of months show four other months with no precipitation tion On the other hand three months had more than four inches of moisture with September September September Sep Sep- Inches the wettest of all Appropriately June has been the sunniest month and March the stormiest January has been the coldest once getting to 27 degrees below zero and July has been the hottest once reaching a blistering Except for a several years' years absence while serving in World War II Leslie LesUe J. J Anderson has spent all his life Ufe in Manti ManU for forthe forthe forthe the year 60 period covered by bythe bythe bythe the family record The data might be meaningless meaning meaning- less to a stranger stranger- he said but bu the records of or temperatures temperatures temperatures temper temper- and precipitation somehow somehow somehow some some- how correspond to periods of depression and prosperity They tell of or our good days and bad days and our struggle to tomake tomake tomake make our valley fruitful raise our families and live out our lives Retired now from the postal service Leslie LesUe Anderson serves as Mantis Manti's mayor andas and andas andas as Sanpete County's Civil Defence Defence Defence Def Def- ence director He also is a member of the South Ward bish bishopric the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Latter Saints But Buthe Buthe he confesses that with his many duties he gets special satisfaction satisfaction satisfaction satis satis- faction from his daily dally weather observations |