Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-26
WEATHER BUREAUS SERVICE TO THE CITY
Philadelphia More Money in Year Than the National B
Costs-Commercial and Maritime Interests Benefited.
By GEORGE S. BLISS
Section Director, U. S. Weather Bureau.

U
TNHE transfer of the United States weather
i service from the Signal Corps of the army
to the Department OF Agriculture created
the mistaken idea, which has since prevailed
in many quarters, that Its chief services are
rendered to the farmer. The facts are that
prior to the rural mail delivery and the wide
spread use of the rural telephone the farmer
received practically no weather service at
all. Generally the period covered by the
forecast would expire before he could be
reached with the information,
The chief benefits Of the service always
have been. and perhaps always will be-
realized by the commercial interests of the
larger cities 1t is true that in some of the
thicSly settled fruit-growing districts, where
there is a network of telephones, the frost
warnings and the cold wave warnings are of
immense benefits, second only to that which
accrues to the more condensed and concen-
trated interests found in the larger cities.
The average townsman reads the forecast
In his daily paper and then, without consid-
ering the precise period which it was made
to cover he looks out TO If 1t is being
verified If the conditions correspond to the
forecast all Is we'll and good and he thinks
nothing more about it, II the forecast is
not being verified at the time he dsmisses
it with contempt, and with the thought that
the bureau is only another instance of sense
less appropriations and useless drains on
the public treasury. Thus it is that the
average townsman profits very little in
direct way by the information which the
bureau collects and disseminates
Cheapens Cost of Living
In an indirect manner Mr.. Cityman profits
to a much greater extent than he realizes.
This is because he raises none Of the produce
which he consumes. but buys 1t all in the
open market. The services Of the weather
bureau result in the saving of vast quantities
OF perishable produce. These savings some
times begin in the field OF production. as
instanced in the large fruit-growing regions,
where frost warnings frequently save the
crops over large districts. These savings in
crease the supply and naturally cheaper the
cost to the consumer
The saving in the field of production is
only a beginning, for the goods must be
transported to the consumer, sometimes over
long distances. During the winter season
much care must be exercised to protect them
from injurious temperatures. The transpor-
tation companies and the large shippers
have learned TO govern their shipments in
accordance with the telegraphie reports OF
the weather bureau, and not to send them
through districts where unfavorably low
temperatures are likely to obtain When
cold area is drifting over a certain district.
all shipments OF perishable goods destined
for points within 1t must be protected ac-
eordingly or else withheld until the unfayor-
able conditions have passed. The atmos-
pheric survey which the bureau makes over
the entire country every l2 hours enables It
10 follow the movements OF the cold areas
ana 10 give information regarding which
districts they viii cover. In a more reliable
manner than it can estimate the precise con-
ditions for = single point or dehnite locality.
Six Million Dollars Saved
IN some OF the largest cities the bureau
renders a special service Tor shippers and
the savings during the winter season have
been eonservatively estimated at 10 per cent.
Of all OF the perishable product handled. IN
other words, the supply Is increased by thar
amount. ana Il cheapened 70 the consumer
to that extent This saving which applies
70 fruits vegetables. plants. eggs ana bottled
goods, has been estimated to amount 10 from
four millions to ak millions 81 dollars each
winter season IN Philadelphia Az the lowest
estimate. the savings ia This city alone
amount TO more than twice the cost 81 nain-
tanning the entire national bureau. the an
nual appropriation being about SIT0000o
The object for which the service vas frst
Organised was not % save produce. but 70
aRord protection for the maritime Interests
against the severe storms that soms1r.es
sweep along our SEA eoasta 81 over ths
Great Lakes TIE early records q orr ones
shos that each severe storm chat apaeared
cn ne Atlantic caaai in these tlIaes toaa
- tga e Vessels ana q hemaa llses sueh
ee eafs have Paeemz 1I1e