The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-10
OUR SUPERB CLIMATE,

No consideration OF tho merits of any
city as q place OF permanent residence
would be complete that did not take Into
account It's climatic conditions. 1t Is well
settled that nowadays no man who OF
his own choice locates anew either for
pleasure or business. particularly the
former. does so without Informing hin-
self on this important point.
It becomes, therefore. desirable TO 500
what the advantages OF Richmond are IN
this respect and how they compare with
those Of other cities along tho Atlantic
seaboard. 1t Is, OF course, hardly pos
sible In necessarily brief statement to
convey an Impression TINT will be In full
correspondence with all the facts. There
nre certain conditions, however. which
are recognized as essential to deslrn-
bic climate, and these only will be look
ell to. They arc:
/. Abundant sunshine.
y 2. Temperatures OF moderate values
ranging within modcrat to limits.
3. Comparative freedom from frequent
or severe storms.
Tho first qualification tends to mental
equilibrium. or exhilaraelon, thereby pro-
ducng beneficial physical effects. Cer-
taInly nothing Is moro cheering than
bright, pleasant day and few Things
moro depressing than gloomy one II
has been truly SAID that IMAM Is tho crca-
turo OF cnyironinent.' He Is pesstmis-
tic or optimistic according to the stntc
of the weather. For example, statistics
show suicide to be comparatively rare IN
regions having a high percentage OF sun
shine whilc in countries less fortunately
situated In this respect the crime may
be said to be frequent, becoming slEnil-
cantly 50 during periods OF dun weather. 4
Mid and equable temperatures and a
low percentage Of storm frequency both
tend IN physlcal equilibrium. as,4is 1900
Cllmnticully Richmond occupies y sort
OF middle ground 1t Is well removed
from the track OF greatest storm fre'
uuency on the North Qhe Great Lakes
and the New England states).%an nearly
equally so from the path Of storms NOV
ing from tho far Southwest and the West
gulf region up the Mississippi Valley;
but In their onward movement these dis
trrbances sometimes produce foul wealth
err in this section. There remains then
hut one type. the tropical storm, or West
Indian hurricane. popularity. bur crron
cously termed "equinoctlal," from whlcn
we may expect cntended periods OF bad
weather, and they are so rare IN TINS
latitude as hardly to constitute FAC
tor In the determination OF our Climate
The result OF this LIS to give us q large
number Of days with sunshine scaaoIlaiiy
and annually, the figures being: SPrlns
percentage Of sunny days. D:6;. autumn
1871; Winter, 1000; annual 1876. and
low percentage OF storm frequency thus
| two requisites are at once had.
The remaining. or temperature, essen
| tial Is one that may readily be mot.
Rapid and decided fluctuations IN tenn
| peraturo in any SECTION are Dependent
| hugely upon the proximity OF the scctlon
| to the path OF greatest storm frequency.
Thus In winter 1t Is by no means uncom-
| mon to see outlined in the Lake region q
storm depression that Is causing RAPIDLY
| rising Temperature throughout the Mis-
| sissippi and Ohio valleys, and the Lake
| region. while but q little to the west
ward Of It n cold wave is advancing. the
effect OF which is twenty-four hours later
| tc be felt in an equally rapid fall 10 tenn
| peratures near. and sometimes below .e.u
I throughout most OF the districts tnat
1 were but the day before under the lntlu-
ence OF abnormally warm weather.
Richmond by reason OF Its protected
! situation escapes the decided effects OF
| most OF these violent changes, and whlle
| we must In candor confess that most OF
the cities Of the south OF US also 90, yes
| our latitude gives US more desirable de-
gree Of warmth than can be expected from
| the normally higher temperature prevail
ing o the south of US. AS for more north
! erly. points. the disparity Is so great TINT
| It would BIO hardly fair to draw q com
parison.
Seasonal (omltting sunmer) and an.
nual means OF temperature for perind
of five years, compiled from local Weather
| bureau records. will clearly show that
our claim to mild and cqunble tempera-
lures is not without adequate founda-
! ton. !, !,
Richmond-spring b5:b; Autumn. 61:5
| Winter. 36:7; annual, 1854.
Reviewing our climate and comparing
/ it with others OF which experience mas
theen had during many years Of service
land in many sections OF country from
| the northwest border to the gulf OF Mex,
leo and the Rockies to the Atlantic, fee
that l may fairly claim for 1t degree o.
|,golubrity and healthfulness unsurpassed
by any other city on the Atlantic coastal
plain. rvANs