The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-11-04
From the Cleveland Herald.

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Put down the brakes.
From the Cleveland Herald.
STORM AND FLOOD SIGNALS.
The Subject in the City Council-Let-
ter from the Originator of the Sys-
tenn.
The new system of storm and
food signals, efforts to test which
are now being made, has awakened
a lively interest among all concern
ed in commerce and navigation. 1t
is universally accepted that if this
or any other system will prevent
any portion of the losses of life and
property on our lakes and rivers, it
is worthy of being adopted. On
Tuesday evening the following com
munication from A. Watson, of
Washington, D. c., the originator of
the plan, was presented to the Coun-
Gil of Cleveland, by Mayor Buhrer:
WASHINGTON, Oct Is, 1870.
To the Mayor of Cleveland:
SIR:-As I believe your city has
no military post where cannon are
in use, cannot therefore, request a
letter like the enclosed, asking that
my plan of Storm and Flood Signals
may be tested by the government
OF your city; but if there is such
military post, then I request a simi-
lar letter enclosed to me for the
Secretary of War.
However, as the cost is very tri-
fling, and the advantage TO be de-
rived from it so very great, sug-
gest that your City Council immedi-
ately pass an act to establish Storm
Signals by means of the telegraph
for the benefit of commerce and ag
riculture; and ifyour river rises sud
denly, then let the entire plan of
Storm and Flood signals be estab-
lished.
The lakes are at all times liable
to terrific storms and gales which
sweep over them and through their
harbors, causing great loss of life
and shipping, a considerable part of
which could be saved by timely
warning, and the worst season for
such destruction is now at hand.
If you establish the place, write
me, and I will see that your city is
furnished with kilograms Of coming
storms, from all directions, through
the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany.
A similar letter to this is sent to
every principal city and town on
the lakes, as the system will be
cheaper and more complete if they
act in concert. If you do not choose
to take action in the matter; please
refer to the Board of Trade, if you
have confidence in their action.
A. WATSON.
The circular letter sent to the
different cities is as follows:
1t is estimated that more than
one-fourth of the hay and grain
crops are, on an eYerage, injured
annually by storms during harvest.
Large quantities are cut down, and
and then a storm comes on suddenly.
or a settled rain, and they get wet to
a degree that they are materially
damaged, If farmers had warning
Of these approaching storms, in time
to get their grain or hay under COW
er, or in a situation to shut out the
rain, much Of this injury would be-
prevented. By the adoption of the
following simple plan, if is believed
that this can be effected at trihing
cost:
When a storm has formed and
commences to travel in any certain
direction, the first telegraph station
or stations over which it passes, is to
send the news to all the telegraph
stations at cities, county seats, or
principal towns, scores or a hundred
miles in advance, according to the
kind of storm or probable distance
that it may travel, always keeping
suitable distance in advance.
At each city, county seat and
principal town a cannon is to be
kept ready by the officials at the
Court House, or by a fire company,
and as soon as the news is received
of coming storm, it is to be fired
three times, at intervals of one min
ute if a tornado, thunder or hail
storm, terrific gale or any destruc-
tive storm is approaching; at inter-
vals of three minutes if an ordinary
rain storm is approaching rapidly;
at intervals of six minutes if an Or
ainary rain storm is approaching
slowly; and at intervals of ten min !
utes if a destructive flood is ap-
preaching. In case Of very destruc-
tive storms or foods the signals may
be repeated, after a suitable inter |
val, to give additional warning. At |
large cities, when destructive storm
is approaching, fire and church bells
may also be rung, and steam whis-
ties be blown three times, at the
same intervals as the guns, to in
crease the warning.
As good sized cannon NAV he
heard from fifteen to twenty miles in
every direction from the place of
firing, or over a space of from thirty
to forty miles square (1,6OO square
miles by firing one at each county
seat and principal town, the farmers |
over the whole country, in harvest |
time, will be warned to stop cutting. |
and to get their grain or hay under
cover, or in a situation to shut out
the rain, thus saving not only that
portion which had been cut and
cured previous to the warning, but
also saving that portion which 9TH
erwise would have been cut during
several hours or a whole day with
out such warning.
The storm signals will also be of
good value to commerce on our ex-
tended coasts, and in narrow chan /
nels, and particularly on ournumer-
GUS bays, rivers and lakes, and es-
pecially in severe storms and hurri- |
canes, by warning vessels to seek
places Of safety or prepare for the |
coming storm. Terrific storms also |
sweep through our seaports, causing
great damage to shipping, where even |
q few minutes warning would save
a vast amount Of property. The