The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-05-07
Forecasts and their Value.

Forecasts and their Value.
Davenport Democrat: At irregular
intervals somebody seeking notice
PUSHES into print with an attack on
the weather bureau of the United
States. To be sure the weather bu-
reau, like every other department of
the government service, is subject to
criticism by everybody whether the
critic knows what he is talking about
or not. The weather bureau-is hui
man institution and will never, for
that reason, be perfection in its work
ing. The same may be said of the life
saving service. Many ships go down
and all on board is lost. But this is
no reason for not trying to make that
noble work more efficient. Many lives
are annually saved, and the aggregate
is a powerful argument for support
Ing the life savers.
It is conceded by foreigners that
the weather bureau of the United
States is the mos extensive, the most
valuable, and the most trustworthy
in the world. Thousands upon thou
sands Of Americans have come to I'M
derstand and appreciate this fact, and
to take advantage of the benefits fur
nished. All along the seaboard from
Portland to Key West and to the Rio
Grande; and on the Pacific from San
Diego to Seattle the shipping inter
ests have learned to respect and
value the forecasts. The men Of the
sea heed the warnings so far as 1t
is possible for them to do so; and
they take advantage of the informa-
ton given them by the fair weather
flags.
All across the country from the At
lantic to the Pacific, and from the
great lakes to THE Gulf of Mexico
there are other large inland interests
that find the study of the forecasts
a matter of business. OF the hun.
dred or more stations where forecasts
are made there is not one but per
| forms public service. 1t gives the
best information available to all who
call, regardless of position, and this
without pay No government officials
are more obliging than those con
i nected with the weather service ant
1t is within the truth to say that none
are more often called upon. The vari
GUS lines of business from the grower
of crops to the carrier of freight ant
these who deal in perishable articles
are all much concerned. There is no
one Of them but gives cheerful evi
dence OF the advantage of the fore
casts to him.
But perhaps the best recognition o
the weather service Is that made b.
the daily papers. Practically all o
them devote valuable space to re
ports Of weather conditions and rec
ords covering the United States
The Democrat usually gives half
column daily of its first page space
and it considers this one of the new
features. All classes OF reader
study it and the weather has come t
be something more, much more, thai
an idle remark.
From close observation reader
have come to know not only what cor
ditions have been for the past twenty
four hours, but what they are quit
likely to be for the next twenty-fou
hours. Looking into the future is no
an exact science, but more is know
today than ever before And NOR
will he known tomorrow. The law
of nature so far as meteorology an
all that is connected with it goes, wi
in time be better understood Grea
advances have been made, and tn
record Of correct forecasts is CROWN
> higher and higher. But it is not prof.
able that the time will ever come whe
some dyspeptic may not want to sho'
how he feels. And it is only nature
: to grant that he can find some pre-
text.
But there is truth that most oil
servant persons have come to reco'
nize and put their faith in: from s
. to 30 per cent of all forecasts issue
e of weather, rain, temperature, frost
!, and wind velocity are successful
g only 10 to Is per cent falling of yer
v fication. And a large percentage
i the forecasts rated as failures are
/, good part successful The wonder
e that so many of them make good
s The Ball Season In keokuk.
= 4 Il. I&r