Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-03-01

The climatic conditions of New Eng-
land are such that the most experienced
weather students sdmit that II Il im-
possible to pieiiet with crrtsinty what
the weather will be except for short
time, There is no question ia the minds
OF observing and thinking men that all
kinds of weather are due to natural
Causes. Sailors and mountziueers who
have opportunities for observation al
long range are better weather prophets
than those living In narrow valleys
One Of the most common expressions OF
elderly men who are not very familiar
with authentic weather records l. that
the
SEASONS ARE CHANGING
from year to year, and that the winters
are not ss cold ss formerly, nor are the
SHOWS as deep. The same men may tell
us that the summers are shorter, that
they rem, mber when farmers used TO
sow their spring grain In March, while
nos they are fortunate To finish some
years Ia April. Our memories may we'll
oe compared to daily newspapers which
rarely record the common, every day
occurrences Of life but only the most
striking events. The year 1915 Is re-
membercd by the people Of Rhode Is
land and eastern Massachusetts as tha
year Ot the great blow" when large
vessels left the hsrbor and were stranded
in the streets, and 80, too, was the next
yesr remembered all through New Eng
land a. the cold wear" when nearly all
. -. In h. nd hs.
price of seed-corn the following spring
reached almost fabulous figures. No
like events have occurred during the
more than 50 years since. The
OLDEST KNOWN WEATHER
record In New England that has been
kept uninterruptedly WAS begun in New
Bedford 81 wears sgo. Tnst record
shows marked variations In the character
IL tia. ,essnns. bat doeS not ,how that
IN ,h Z time there has h"en any progress
i've or sctual change in temperature. The
present ain;er from December 10 the
last Of January has been unusually open,
and n great many remarks have been
made ia cons, quenCe. Not two days be-
fore the great blizzird people were pre-
dieting mild weather for the rest Of the
winter, aud proo-b,y an early spring.
Instead, We hsd nearly two feet OF heavy
snow, Nth trAiUs unable 10 move, tele-
graph lines prostrst.d, and communica-
tiOn seriously interrupted 10 both city
aud country. And nov what are the
lessons that such storms should teachs
The seasons are evidently not growing
auy more favorable "a human life or
human happiness only as ~e learn how
10 sdspt ourselves 10 the conditions that
d., or that may, surround Us. The
storm caught people In all degrees OF
for such an event. Fuel
nearly exhausted, grain chests empty,
or nearly 40, snd table supplies Of some
kinds dangerously low.
II there i ever time for making new
resolutions In providing against emer-
gencies, II il while suffering the penalties
Tor carelessness Ia such mstters during
or after snow storm that blocks the
ways of travel. am afraid that the
independent old farmer" We used 10
hear 20 much about Is not quite so much
in evidence ss formerly. The generally
easy methods Of resching the markets
either for disposins Of produce or pro-
curing the necessities of life have tended
10 make us careless in regard TO these
matters. We count too much on open
winters and full supply at the centres
If distribution. He Who calculates for
all fair weather calculates unaisely.
We had better take