be BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY Published Monthly by the American Meteorological Society. Publication Office: 66 High Street, Worcester, Mass. Vol. 5. Address all Communications to "Secretary, Am. Meteorological Soc., FEBRUARY, 1924. MINUTES OF THE CINCINNATI MEETING No. 2. Friday morning, Dec. 28, there was an informal meeting, attended by 10 or 12 at the local office U. S. Weather Bureau for discussing some of the problems of the Weather Bureau in the Ohio Valley. Mr. Devereaux opened the discussion by explaining the great importance of the river work of the Weather Bureau. There should be more hing river and rainfall stations established, the work should be centralized at one station, and a more intensive distribution given to the weather forecast to give the public better service in the larger cities where Weather Bureau offices are not located. Col. C. W. Kutz, Division Engineer, described the work being done by the Government in improving the rivers in the Ohio Valley and the close and efficient co-operation between the be U. S. Engineers and the Weather Bureau. Professor C. F. Marvin, Chief of Weather Bureau, discussed the subject at some length and stated that the Weather Bureau would be glad to make extensions in the river work as soon as funds were provided. Several others also took part in the discussion. Dr. Brooks read the following excerpt from a letter by Harold Yost (who was unavoidably absent): Adjusting Rain Insurance Policies By HAROLD YOST, Hartford Fire Insurance Co., Cincinnati, O. The companies underwriting the rain hazard are happy to acknowledge that from the Washington office and from all branches thereto, they have been cheerfully and with notable courtesy, accorded every reasonable facility in the way of statistical information, without which this business could neither have been inaugurated, nor continued. As some of you know, we started out on a rating plan based on the average number of rainy days to each month, using the records of not only automatic stations, but those of co-operative stations. Then we concentrated the ratings on the automatic stations, which resulted in material advances over the country. Still later, we began to analyze the daily rainfall in certain sections and then established differential rates between morning and afternoon coverage. In the meantime, owing to the ever increasing interest in this form of insurance, not only on the part of the public, but by members of your profession, we were favored with papers contributing in a constructive and eminently intelligent way to further consideration of this hourly difference in rainfall. The result has been that some time ago the companies inaugurated the gathering of hourly statistics at all regular sta tions and in this work we are also obtaining the customary hearty cooperation of observers. Inasmuch as these statistics are after all gathered for a purpose at least semi-private in its benefits, the government at Washington has decided we understand on a reasonable charge of 70 cents per hour for the expense of clerks working overtime, but for all service which would be generally accorded the public, no charge has been made. Statements of particular rainfall in connection with claims under our policies, have been freely accorded without charge. This leads us to speak of the obligations of the policy-holder in the matter of rainfall reading, before we pass on to a discussion of the cooperation of the co-operative government observer. The insurance company cannot and should not have anything to do with the measurement, or provision for the measurement of rainfall under its policy, except possibly in the furnishing of a standard gauge to the insured for his temporary use, where none is available. This we have been obliged to do in furnishing the service and protection to the public, at many places where no station of any sort is maintained. The responsibility of the insured to furnish a dependable certificate of rainfall, is his because the policy requires him to prove any claim for loss by rainfall he may make. He must appoint his man to measure it and the place where the gauge is to be located, although we reserve the right to agree only on a properly disinterested and competent party and stipulate that a standard gauge shall be used. But when those points have been agreed upon, they are confirmed in the written policy. So when the claim arises, the insured must produce the affidavit of his man in support of it. If there is any expense involved in the measurement, the insured is required to pay it. If, as we understand, the co-operative observer serves his government without compensation, and in that capacity measures rainfall at specified times, only once or twice in 24 hours, and those convenient times specified by the Weather Bureau, he may not always be expected to take numerous special measurements for private citizens without some sort of compensation from the party asking the service for purely private gain. It all depends on the circumstances and relations of the individuals, as to whether a charge for the service should be made. We cannot pass on it for the reason that we do not defray the expense, although we would not care to see any unreasonable stand taken by the co-operative observer and are happy to say that as far as our knowledge goes, they have quite freely served their fellow citizens and in most cases without charge. As a matter of fact, the unreasonableness is liable to be on the other side, as we learned of one case last summer where a county fair board was peeved that the observer made a charge of $2.00 for setting out a gauge at the fair grounds, two miles from his house, at 3 o'clock in the morning, with two or three special measurements during the day. There are no doubt some days when the companies would have a dozen or more policies in force, covering at different periods, when an observer, if it were raining, would be kept busy taking measurements to the entire neglect of any regular work he might have to do. On such a day we would expect the man to make a charge. It should, however, be reasonable, as the traffic will not sustain fancy prices. We prefer a trained observer if obtainable, but freely consent to any responsible party, properly equipped, |