Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-07-26
Operations or The Signal Service
Bureau.

Is infancy. aud must DC pauehti! huIreu
md cherished by the people for some :
years before it can expect to do and dis :
charge its full mission Under General
Myers indefatigable care and skillful man
agement it has already achieved much
good, and more than compensated the pub
lie for the expense of its establishment. g
Since it was instituted last summer "the q
chief signal officer has" to quote the
words Of the New York World, "thorough-
ly organized and equipped a system which
now embraces in its scientific grasp every
part of the land from Sandy Hook to the
Golden Gate of California, and Key West
to the Dominion of Canada"
Three times every day synchronous OBJ
9ervations are taken and reports made
from the stations-one at S 4. NJ, one at
4 p. NJ, and the third at midnight. These
observations are mad, by instruments all
of which are perfectly adjusted TO stan
dard at Washington. They are also TAX
en- at the same moment exactly, these OBJ
servations aud reports being also time by
the standard of Washington time. The
reports from the stations are transmitted
in full by telegraph. BY combination
of telegraphic circuits, the reports OF OBJ
servations made at different points synch-
ronousy are rapidly transmitted to the
different cities at which they are to be
published. They are, however all sent
g of course to the central Office in Washing
r ton. These reports are limited to fixed
o number of words, and the time Of their
: Transmission is also fixed number OF Sc
F! conds. These reports are not telegraph
It ed in figures, but in t0OrdS fully spelled
e ont. There are now about torty-ive sta
= tons for which provision has been made
aud which are in running order. These
Is have been chosen or located at points from
is which reports of observations will be mos
1t useful as indicating the general barome
r. trio pressure, or the approach and fore
ID of storms, and from which storm warnings
n as the atmospheric indications arise, ma
ar be forwarded with greatest dispatch t
m imperiled ports.
d. These stations are occupied by expeI
a' observers furnished with the best attainc
bic Instruments, which are every day bC
y coming more perfect, and to which othe
of instruments are being added.
=, The reports of observers are as yet lin
- - tied to simple statement of the reading
of all their instruments, and of any met
~ geological facts existing at the station whC
"a ., their tri daily report Is telegraphed to tt
VI ceutra, Office in Washington.
: Each observer at the station writes h
ho report on manifold paper. One copy
- preserves another he gives to the tel
graph operator, who telegraphs the co
tents to Washington. The preserved CO.
is voucher for the report actually sc
by the observer and if the operator
careless and makes a mistake, he can 1
he lay the blame on the observer, who has
im copy of his report, which must be a fl
of simile of the one he has handed to t
her operator. The preserved copy is aft
ward forwarded by the observers
md geant to the office in Washington, whf
it is filed, and finally bound up in V
i'd ume for future reference.
cry When all the reports from the vari'
ing. stations have been received they are t
,uld ulated and handed to the officer II
w." fessor Abbe) whose duty it is to write
ion. the synopsis and dedace the "probab
lere ties" which in few minutes are to
eak- telegraphed to the press all over the co
try.
Or n This is work of thirty minutes.
con- bulletin of probabilities, which at
and sent is all that is undertaken, IS made
ride three daily-in the forenoon, atternc
w 7 and after the midnight reports have b
ioice received, inspected, and studied out
rive the accomplished gentleman and able m
nv orologist who is at the head of this w
ac- The probabilities" of the weat
been for the ensuing day, so soon as written
and by the Professor, are Immediately
graphcd to all newspapers in the cou
..;e, which are willing to publish them for
benefit of their readers.
who Copies of the kilograms Of "proba
erino ties" are also instantly sent to all bo
Of trade, chambers of commerce, me
be ants exchanges, scientific societies,
this and to conspicuous places, especially
ports, all over the country.
city, While the Professor is preparing
5 pro- bulletins from the reports just furnl
md OF him by telegraph the sergeants are
sue pairing maps which shall show by al
% - and numbers exactly what was the
e re. treorologic condition Of the whole col
when the last reports were sent in.