24 TEE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



Greater New York, that is to say the Brooklyn of sixty years ago, 

 was honored as the residence of Ebenezer Meriam, " the sage of Brook- 

 lyn Heights," a manufacturer, but also special correspondent and asso- 

 ciate editor of the New York City Commercial, in whose columns, 

 about 1850, he began to publish his weather forecasts compiled by using 

 all the information at his disposal, especially the telegrams of weather 

 conditions in distant places. His forecasts of " heated terms " and 

 " cold terms " not only prepared t^ie general public to believe that 

 weather could be predicted, but had a special influence on one young 

 student just entering your City College, whose scrap book of 1850 

 still contains the history of early events that stimulated his boyish 

 imagination and aspiration. Meriam was but carrying out single- 

 handed the ideas urged by Eedfield and Loomis, Espy and Henry, look- 

 ing to the formation of a government weather bureau. The rule that 

 weather changes move eastwardly for several days in succession was 

 utilized by New York business men even before Professor Joseph Henry 

 announced from Washington the general result of the labors of James 

 H. Coffin, of Ogdensburg, N. Y. It was Professor Coffin who during 

 the years 1838-1840 published our first American meteorological maga- 

 zine and eventually compiled a great work on the winds of the globe, 

 demonstrating that in these latitudes (between 30 and 60 degrees 

 north) there always is a strong west wind high above the ordinary 

 layers of clouds, that aj)parently explains the eastward drift of our 

 storms. 



The complete mechanism of the atmosphere was clearly explained 

 by William Ferrel in 1858, so that finally, in May, 1868, when our 

 country was rapidly recovering from its terrible internal dissensions, 

 a young astronomer from New York, a graduate of your City College, 

 who had been revolving in his mind all these teachings of his elders, 

 and had from boyhood been observing the clouds and winds and weather, 

 submitted to the Chamber of Commerce of Cincinnati his project of 

 weather forecasts for the benefit of that city. He was ably supported 

 by the officers of the famous astronomical observatory, by the citizens 

 of the " queen city of the west," by her newspapers and her telegraph 

 authorities. You will agree with me that he was within bounds when 

 he wrote from Cincinnati to his parents in New York : " I have started 

 a work tliat the country will not willingly let die." This was the work 

 that in the hands of General Albert J Myer, of Buffalo, has brought 

 such fame to our country and city. 



Although the study of science and the pursuit of research is most 

 fascinating and elevating, yet no man should be satisfied therewith. It 

 is right to be content from day to day, but never satisfied. The highest 

 type of man is he who seeks to be most useful to his fellow men. It is 

 the duty of every citizen of this republic to attain the highest usefulness 



