The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1872-03-14
WITH THE WINDS.
A Visit to the Signal service Bureau
How the weather Reports are Made


Out.
From the New Yo,k Time..l
Uncle Sans forethought in establishing Z
Signal Service Corps was greeted at first with
much derision, and the amiable writers o.
Democratic journals harangued against THU
new proof Of the wan,on extravaganza O
Grants Administration. II had, however
been hardly established before its value VA
practically demonstrated, for storms wer'
foretold with an accuracy which to unscien
iiic minds seems little short Of TIE marvel
Gus. Along the seaboard of the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts, and throughout the lax
region, il became speedily understood tina
Captains who neglected the warnings OF it
flags endangered the safety Of their vessel
and cargoes. Consequently it became n
understood unwriiten Law that those wht
objected to such ''to:afoolery," and knew
more about the winds and weather than al
the bureaus Of the earth put together, woult
have to resign their commands to others who
though less gifted by nature in weather wis
dom, we're more willing to learn from science
ON THE ROOF.
A reporter of the Times visited the sigma
station, perched upon the roof the Equitable
Insurance building. He found the stat
busily engaged writing in the office on thu
sixth floor, and On communicating his desir'
to see the working of tbs system was i'm
mediately welcomed and requestedto ASSEM-
to the roof. This is of Mansard construction
and the ornamentation rises up in variety
Of designs; but in the centre, at an cleva'
ton of lG0 feet above the level, is the LITTLE
observatory. 1t is built in such a manner
as to make the temperature within the SAINT
As without. The instruments are few and
simple. First there are two Thermometers
one showing the minimum and the other the
maximum degree. This is done by very
simple and ingenious process. In the tubs
in contact with the mercury is small glass
rod, TO which hair is fastened. When the
mercury sinks in one it takes the rod with
it, but If it subsequently rises, the rod doe
not rise, but remains stationary. And in
the other thermometer, which shows the
maximum, the rod is pushed up to its high.
est point by the ascending fluid, and left there
like high tide mark. Next to these is q
wet-bulb thermometer, or, TO speak more &C.
curate!y, an hygrome:er, which marks the
amount of moisture in the air. The next is
a large three-foot mercurIal barometer.
These are all in the interior. Outside, on
the top of the observatory, is a high rod
something like lightning conductor. On
the top OF this is a peculiar yane, consisting
Of four hollow half balls Of brass, very sug-
gestive Of pnnch-ladies in appearance. This
vane moves freely on a pivot, and az the
wind rises il twirls the balls round with
such velocity as to present the Likeness of a
brass ring. Beneath the pivot is dial plate
which marke the velocity in tenths and hun
dredths of mile. This is the thermometer,
the instrument whose practical value is now
so fully appreciated by shipping men.
Reporter. What do you consider dan
gerous wind?
Signal man. A velocity of twenty-five
miles per hour is considered dangerous, but
We do not hoist the flags that foretell danger
Gus winds until We receive orders from Wash
ington. You saw how fast the thermometer
revolyed. / preeume that the wind has .
present velocity of thirty-Gve miles per hour,
but it is no. continuous. 1t comes only in
gusts, and then dies away. Look now, and
you will see that the vane is slackening, and
in few seconds will probably stop.
Reporter. Why are you forced to wait
for orders from Washington?
Signal man. Because the Bureau is there,
and all the kilograms from the various STA
tions come there and are compared. Six
times day We take observations, and three
of these We transmit to Washington by tele-
gram. The other signal Offices do the same.
The hours are 7:47 a. m, 7:E p. M, and
midnight. We have telegraphed the obser-
vaiions taken at TAI a. m, and presume
the authorities do not consider that the wind
is sufficiently dangerous to warrant the hoist
ing of danger flags. If We got the order We
should have them up in an instant on those
two flag staff in the front of the building.
The flag is a red color with square of black
in the center. But here in New York are 80
many fag-stahs that there might be some
so to obviate that We hoist the
wire drum. Folks call it the storm drum,
but the true signals are the flags.
Reporter. What do you hoist at night
time?
Signal man. Two common ships lanterns
red, of course. A grand patented affair,
very complicated and expensive, was sent to
Us from the Department, but it did not an.
swer; SO we fell back upon the old masthea d
antern.
Up there on the roof with the wind howl
ing about the decorations, was a situation
rather uncomfortable, to say nothing Of its
chiiliness. But j, had its charms, for the
panorama Of New York spread before the
eyes was simply superb. The rivers with
heir shipping, their forests of mssts, their
bustling tugs and huge ferry boats, looking
in the distance like water-beetles; the streets,
filed with moving figures, and vehicles
whose roar at that height was subdued to a
faint murnur, like bees swarming; the dis
tant shores of Staten Island and New Jersey;
The tranquil bay, with huge foreign steamers
gliding onward, all formed picture that
the reporter to even a greater de-
gree of clold, and to fiercer blasts.