New-York tribune., 1911-12-11
'SUMMER IN DECEMBER
SAVES CITY 100000
Commissioner Edwards Says
Last Snowfall Cost so Per Cent
Less Because of Mild Spell.
WARMEST DEC. 10 SINCE '78
Mercury Seventeen Degrees
Higher Yesterday than It
Should Have Been for
This Time of Year.

TIE springlike temperature Of yester-
day will be recorded in red figures on
the books Of the local station Of the
United States Weather Bureau. II was
an epoch making day in the history Of
astronomical conditions among the
weather men. Not since 1878 has
December 10 been recorded as mild. In
fact. yesterday was the warmest De-
cember 10. with the exception OF that
same day way back in rs, that. has
been registered by the local weather
bureau during period Of forty years
The mercury frisked and gambolled In
its glass inclosure like a spring lamb.
and jumped from minimum Of 40 de-
grees before the sun was up until It
reached 3S.4 maximum. That is II de-
graes higher than it should be for TINS
time OF the season, according TO the
records for normal temperatures for this
period at the Office OF James Fl. Scsrr,
district forecaster. And there is no cold
wave in sight according to Mr.. Scarr's
maps Conditions are such on the Pa
cific Coast, however. that one may de-
velop there within a few days, and If II
follows the proper air routes it would
roll across tho country 70 the Atlantic
seaboard.
With the exception Of narrow belt
along the Atlantic Coast, general cloud
mess and rain prevailed through all
the sections east OF the Rocky Mountains
yesterday. That means, in the reckon
Ing Of the local foreca sters, that we VIII
have rain to-day, with the temperature
remaining about the same until to-mor-
row. when II is expected 70 go even
higher. As a solace for the unfortunate
people who have their summer garments
stored beyond recall the prophets con-
ceded that the temperature might begin
to fall on Wednesday, gradually and re-
,luctantly, for few days, perhaps. But
II would probably come back after that,
they said.
While New York has been particularly
favored with this mildness Of the air for
several days, the temperature has been
IN excess of the normal practically all
over the country. At Saranac Lake the
exceedingly warm weather has destroyed
the December sleighing, for the first time
in sixty years.
All indications point 10 green
Christmas" with bad sleighing for the
patron saint and his eight tiny rein
deers. And. Of course, II st. Nick him
self can't get over the ground and de-
liver the goods there will be some ele-
,nent OF consolation 10 the sorely op-
pressed citizen who labors under the De-
lief that things really 90 cost more than
thew used 10. What is the use OF buy
ing Christmas gifts il you cannot get
them delivered?
No doubt the warm spell has brought
discomfort to hundreds Of thoughtless
nersons who had visions Of the snowclad
hills Of Q rural December and put away
IN mothbals the spring coat and the
niddleweight underwear. On the other
hand. il has brought its blessings, 100;
2 bit OF warmth 10 that great army OF
the unemployed whose members may
NOT even possess rnothball, let alone
the garments upon which to lay 1t; a
reduction in the coal bill OF the CROWDED
tenements, and many other comforts 10
the poor and needy
And then it has brought about a real
saving to the city. and naturally pu'
not nece essarily 70 the taxpayer
Whether the warm days affected the
rbvsical comfort OF Big Bill Edwards
street Cleaning Commissioner, they did
bring 10y 10 his heart in lessenlng the
task Of removing the snow from the
streets after the storm Of last week
when six and one-half inches Of snow
fell. He said Yesterday that the climb
Of the mercury during the last three or
four days had meant saving Of % per
cent 10 the public purse in his depart
ment
ue backed up his assertion with some
convincing figures.
"The unusually warm Weather which
has prevailed since The recent snow
storm has saved us at least 80 per cent
in the expense of removing the snow,
he said. Last winter we had a storm
when 5.3 inches Of snow fell, and it cost
the cItv 500 .2j3 10 remove il from the
streets. In the recent storm, 50 inches
Of snow fell, and its removal has cost
Just $4,000
Commissioner Edwards said that prac-
tically ell the SNOW was off the streets
now, with the exception Of o little In
some streets on the upper East Side,
which would have TO be removed to-day.
The expense OF removing that was in
clcded in the $4,000. n said
Rochester. Dee l0.-The mean tempera-
ture to-day. G66 degrees, breaks all De
cember records Of the local weather bu-
reau. once only in the history Of the Office
has to-day's maximum Of 81 degrees been
exceeded The record Is % degrees.