14 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



The following editorial from the Marine Record, Cleveland, Ohio, 

 of September 13, 1900, indicates the value of the warnings to the ship- 

 ping interests on the Great Lakes: 



The Weather Bureau, also the ofiBcers in charge of lake stations, gave full and 

 ample warnings of Tuesday night" s gale, which swept over the lakes with such sad 

 results to life and property. There can be no doubt but that this one warning 

 alone has repaid the country for the outlay of the entire annual appropriation 

 granted by Congress for the maintenance of the service. Too much credit can not 

 be given to the chief of tie Weather Bureau and the officers in charge of lake sta- 

 tions for the energetic and well-advised measures taken to warn vessels of the 

 approach of the late gale and its probable sevei'ity. 



FROST WARNINGS. 



From September 15 to 18, 1900, a cool wave, which produced the first 

 frost of the season, extended from the Northwestern States over the 

 lake region, and frost occurred in the Noi-theastern States fi-om Sep- 

 tember 25 to 27. Warnings of these frosts were disti'ibuted over the 

 districts visited. The first general frost of the season in central and 

 northern districts east of the Mississippi occurred the night of October 

 17-18. The occurrence of this frost was covered by the regular fore- 

 casts and by special warnings, wliich were issued on the morning of 

 the 17th and telegraphed tliroughout the districts referred to. 



In the latter part of December, 1900, and during .January, 1901, 

 severe frosts occurred in central and southern California and in Ari- 

 zona, of which special warnings were issued in advance. Commenting 

 upon these forecasts, the Riverside (Cal.) Independent remarked 

 editorially as follows: 



The Weather Bureau reports and predictions this season so far have been remark- 

 ably accurate, and their value can hardly be overestimated. 



On the morning of February 23, 1901, the following special warning 

 was telegraphed from Washington to Jacksonville, Fla. , with instruc- 

 tions to give it the widest i^ossible distribution throughout the State : 



Temperature will fall to-night to a minimum of between 20° and 25° at Jackson- 

 ville and to freezing as far south as Tampa, with frost extending somewhat south 

 of the latitude of Jupiter. 



Frost occurred as i)redicted, and tlie minimum at Tampa, Fla., the 

 night of the 23d was 32°. 



Over 500 telegrams were sent from the Weather Bureau office at 

 Jacksonville, and the railroads of the State energetically cooperated 

 in disseminating the warnings. Fruit and vegetable growers estimated 

 the value of orange bloom, vegetables, and strawberries known to 

 have been saved as a result of the warnings at over 1100,000. 



FLOOD WARNINGS. 



The most important floods of the j^ear occurred in the Ohio Valley 

 in April, 1901, a detailed description of which was published in the 

 Monthly Weather Review for April, 1901. The character and value 

 of the warnings which were issued by the Weather Bui-eau in con- 

 nection with the floods is indicated by the following editorial in the 

 St. Louis (Mo.) Republic of May 7, 1901: 



Hereafter it may l)e assumed that the Weather Bureau man will be held in high 

 esteem throughout the Ohio Valley. During the Hood period now gradually 

 closing millions of dollars have been saved through the warnings that have been 

 given by this branch of the Government service. 



It is so seldom that thp Weather Bureau receives credit for correct forecasts that 

 the widespread conimeiidation for tl e timely warnings that have been given the 

 people of the inundated section is notabiC. 



