Box 5, Folder 6: Julia Lapham Correspondence, Undated

From the American Magazine, December 1915 & 1050-1052/20

Honoring a Distinguished Scientist Contributed by [J.A.?] Lapham

[A Unique Memorial]

The Old Settlers Club of Milwaukee Wisconsin has secured and placed in Lapham Park a very large natural boulder and will dedicate it in June as a memorial of Dr. Increase A. Lapham for whom the park was named.

The memorial will consist of a natural boulder 6 to 8 feet in diameter and weighing 18 tons. It is placed on a raised platform. On the face of the boulder will be placed a bronze tablet showing the face and bust of Dr. Lapham in [illegible] relief. The finely modeled portrait shows a face breathing life and expression and is exceedingly life like.

The sculptor Mr. Albert K. Atkins is a native of Milwaukee. He is now a member of the faculty of the Rhode Island School of Design, Department of Sculpture.

The inscription on the tablet is as follows:

"In Memory of Increase Allen Lapham Naturalist

MDCCCXI-MDCCCIXXV

Erected by his friends in commemoration of his services to the cause of human knowledge and his unselfish devotion to the welfare of the people. Under the [auspices?] of the Old Settler's Club of Milwaukee County."

Increase Allen Lapham 1811-1875 L.L.D. Amherst 1860 Distinguished Botanist, Geologist, and Scientist.

Dr. Lapham is perhaps best known by his work on the Antiquities of Wisconsin, published by the Smithsonian Institution in 1855.

He was one of the first to point out the value of storm indications, especially on the great lakes. In 1869 Dr. Lapham prepared a memorial to Congress, containing a long list of disasters caused by storms on the lakes which resulted in great loss of life and property. The memorial showed by instances cited that by use of telegraphic messages announcing the actual state of the weather at various places, and at stated intervals, notice of the coming of these storms could have been given several hours before they arrived,

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and many of these disasters would have been prevented.

This memorial was presented to Congress by Colbert E. Paine of Wisconsin.

It was largely through the efforts of Mr. Paine that a bill, prepared at the suggestion of Dr. Lapham became House Bill N. 602 the passing of which resulted in the establishment of the Division of Telegrams and Reports for the Benefit of Commerce.

When the work was organized under Gen. Albert J. Myer Chief Signal Officer of the Army the position of meteorologist was offered to Dr. Lapham, who declined to accept it for personal reasons.

However in Nov. 1870 he was appointed Assistant to the Chief Signal Officer with headquarters at Chicago.

Dr. Lapham personally prepared the first storm warning. It was telegraphed and bulletined along the lakes Nov. 8 1870.

In January 1871 Gen. Myer appointed Prof. Cleveland Albe meteorologist of the Weather Bureau. Prof. Abbe soon become popularly known as "Old Probabilities."

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While Dr. Lapham was engaged on a plan for the protection of mariners on the great lakes, he and Prof. Abbe of Cincinnati O. exchanged data, compared notes, and in various ways endeavored to advance the cause of science.

Dr. Lapham is often spoken of as the "Father of the Weather Bureau". It is not claimed by the friends of Dr. Lapham that he was the only man who worked in this field. There were others working along other lines, and the theory of the progress of storms was well known.

Prof. Abbe had in connection with the Chamber of Commerce of Cincinnati O. an arrangement for collecting and comparing telegraphic weather reports from all parts of the land and making deductions therefrom."

When the question is asked to whom the credit for any work belongs the answer is "in the realm of science as well as in all lines of human endeavor, to the one who accomplishes actual results."

Prof. Abbies, work was in the line of scientific research of storm effects. Dr. Lapham's work was to find a practical way to prevent the loss of life and property in storms.

His work, resulting in the memory

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ial to Congress was the direct means of establishing the "Division of Telegram and Reports of the War Department, which afterward became the Weather Bureau, and the credit for so doing is honestly due to

Dr. Increase A. Lapham, of Milwaukee.