The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-27
THE WEATHER BUREAUS WORK
Some Information About an Important
Public Service.


The report of the chief Of the weather
bureau for last year has just been issued.
It is an exceedingly interesting compIla-
ton Of facts relating to the work Of the
bureau.
There are altogether l56 regular observ-
ing stations, to which are attached 90
local forecast officials and 269 observers.
The number of local forecast officials
is limited by law, and the present num-
Der is far below that needed. The value
of these officials to the local interests Of
the communities in which they are serv-
ing is well known and highly appreciated.
Statistics showing deaths by high wind
and lightning were prepared as in former
years. The loss Of life by wind storms
was very great as compared with other
years, the number of deaths from that
cause during the last four years being
as follows: 273 in 1890, 1O8 in 1891, 1870 in
1892 and S99 in 1898 The loss in March
and April of the past year was especially
great-95 and TIA, respectively, or more
than CT per cent. of the whole.
The chief observer takes up a matter
that is of great interest to this coast as
was demonstrated during the August
of reliable and prompt reports from the
West Indies of the development and
movement of tropical storms. The Morn
ing News has referred to the matter sew
eral times, in view Of the great interests
at stake on this coast and which are in
creasing every year, and which are
threatened by these storms. The chief
observer, in touching upon the matter,
says:
Attention is invited to the necessity
of a closer cooperation with the weather
services of Mexico and the Bahamas.
The need of full Geographic reports from
the latter was clearly shown very re-
Gently. The disastrous hurricane of Aug.
2s emphasized unfortunately but too well
the value of telegraphic communication
with the stations in the West Indies.
In connection with the storm of Oct.
rs, 1885, there arose in the public press
some comment as to the inability of this
bureau to give warning to communities
on the gulf coast. A year ago, when in
, Mexico, the chief made arrangements
with the director of the Central Meteorc>
logical observatory to have an interna-
ttonal exchange of kilograms on terms
Similar to those in operation between the
United States and Canada; the Mexican
service to deliver without expense to our
agent at the nearest point certain data
and receive a return in kind NegOtia-
lions have, therefore, been resumed look
ing to full and free interchange of me-
neurological information.
The daily weather map is now issued at
Y stations of the weather bureau outside
of Washington, D. c., the issue on Nov.
1, 1893, being S,S67 copies, or over 25OO,OoO
copies annually.
These maps, showing the weather con-
ditions Of to-day and the probabilities
for the morrow, are given the widest pos
sible circulation with the means at hand
AS a means of disseminating forecasts
and the weather conditions which obtain
over a large area of country, the map
is much superior to any process yet de-
vised; there is this objection, however,
viz, that in its present form it does not
reach the masses. The ideal system Of
distributing the information collected by
the bureau is one which would place the
daily weather map in the hands of the
reading public at an early hour, through
the daily press or other medium. 1t is
believed that present efforts should be di-
rected towards the reproduction of a leg
ible map in the daily papers, which shall
contain the forecasts and such other
Genealogical data as may be of impor-
lance to the communitv.