New-York tribune., 1918-02-03


w 7HAT an unfortunate coincidence
" that the most Gripping
weather conditions probably
ever experienced in the history of the
country and over the busiest manu-
featuring, coal mining and transporta-
tlon section, should just occur during
d time when transportation should
have been the creates. in volume to
supply our allies and ourselves!
The weather has been worse enemy
than Germany to the United States
since Christmas. 1t has been acting
more like German spy or propagan-
dist, doing all in his power to cripple
and delay cur war preparations and
supplies, to cause suffering among us
by holding up the coal, food and other
necessaries, and by considerable other
damage by storms.
Cold weather and heavy snow. ac-
companied by gale winds, have been
the chief troubling elements: while
cold weather increased the demand for
coal and food, the snow blocked the
supply. The worst condition existed
from Chicago and the Middle West to
Pennsylvania and along the lakes to
Northern New York. and in fact
throughout the entire lake region.
Snow, in some sections deep, fell to
the Gulf coast, with temperatures as
low as Is at New Orleans and IS at
Galveston. Over the entire Ohio VAL
ley and lake region there has been al
most continuous severe cold, and the
snow has accumulated rapidly and re-
mained on the ground to depths of
three to four feet in Indiana and Ohio.
and even from twenty to thirty feet in
drifts.
Record Of Low Temperatures
AT indianapolis a minimum tempera.
ture of 26 below zero was registered
In Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia
and the mountain districts of the
Southern states the snowfall was from
two to three feet, with temperatures
Of 10 below zero at Nashville, Tenn.
IA below at Louisville. KY; d above al
Forth Worth, Tex, and even below zero
at Admission, Ala. Northtield, w., re
ported minimum Of Al below zero or
two days. The station at Gabriels
Franklin County. N. Y, reported tenn
peraturc of az degrees below.
New York City and the surroundins
country have also experienced the cold
est weather in their history, the tenn
peraturc falling below the low recor'
by as much as degrees to 13 below
zero. This was remarkable, as tn.
previous record of 6 below zero ha,
occurred on four different dates durin:
the past forty eight years: January 10
1875; December 81, 1880, February II
1896, and February II, 1899. However
we have been fortunate in escaping sew
cral heavy snowstorms which passe,
either too far west of us, turning the
snow to rain or too far south and cas-
of US. producing only moderate or ligh
snowfall. Had these storms taken
course with their centres south an,
nearer to New York City the snowfall
would have been two or three feet O
more in accumulation. The snowfa!
if continuing at its present rate will
not exceed the greatest seasonal amour
on record here (77.6 inches during tn
winter Of 1892 '93). The total snowfall
to date this season in Jersey City u
minimum temperature 1872 below zero
Weather and the War
: The War Department and Depart
| rent Of Agriculture have arrange
since our entrance into the war 70
full cooperation between the Unite,
States Weather Bureau and the arm,
since all modern methods of warfar
: in Europe, such as the use of aero
} planes, captive and Jrigblc balloon.
7 powerful and highly perfected artil
, lery, poisonous gases. etc, have en-
: phasized the Importance of foreknowl
edge of existing weather condition
l both at the earth's surface and 1
thousands of feet above. The resul
is that splendid work has been accom-
plished and many lives and much prop
erty saved.
We may read history of wars Ger
; turles ago where certain weather cor
ditions have turned the tide from vic
tory to defeat or vice versa, and W