The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-18
Geog;raphi cal

districts OF impending rains nOods ana dangerous
inland tempests which have sometimes las in the
Virginia Autumn floods Of 1862 swept unsupported
in single night Down our rural river valleys and
washed the sleeping villagers and rustics from
their beds into watery graves and at the same
time borne hundreds OF mics AWAY their golden
harvests left standing in the shock. 1t is In sup
plying intelligence of all such violent and destruc
tive meteors that the Signal once will fulfil in
America its highest functions OF public usefulness
THE PLAN OF WORK.
1t is proposed to divide the territory east Of the
Mississippi River into districts Of about two nun
dred miles In diameter each district having dis
tributing point ct or near its centre, from which
two copies of the report will be mailed daily to all
post oces accessible by rail or mail coach BY SIX
p. N. each day. At each post once the Postmaster
Is to post one copy Of each report as soon as re-
ceived, in frame, to DC furnished by the Signal
once, which frame will be put up in conspicuous
part Of the ONCE, where 1t can be seen and the
bulletins read by the public without dif1culty
The second copy is intended for the personal
use Of the Postmaster, and may be disposed OF in
the manner he thinks best calculated to diuse the
information 1t contains
The charts herewith Illustrate the proposed form
Of districting.
This plan will really make
EVERY POSTMASTER A SIGNAL OFFICER,
and he will be responsible for disseminating the
weather intelligence communicated to him for
prompt display In the most conspicuous part Of his
once. As the country post once or village post
once is place where ali the neighborhood gathers
when the daily mail arrives the reports win by the
night be on the lips Of every farmer for miles
around and he viii be thus enabled to shape and
project his next days farm work to the best advant
age and to the most economic use Of his own time
ana that Of his hired labor.
The handsome manner in which Mr.. Crsswell has
placed his department in
ACTIVE POSTAL COOPERATION WITH THE SIGNAL
OFFICE
will Immensely strengthen the hands and extend
the benefits Of the atters service and also give rise
TO similar cooperative arrangements between the
Signal once and other departments OF the govern
uent which are In position to aid It, The multiple
cation OF these inter departmental courtesies and
friendly coverings Is the secret of wise and
successful conduct Of every government and emf
uentiy deserves public notice and communication
In the present instance Q worthy and excellent
example has been set BY Postmaster General Cres-
well.
EXPLANATION OF THE CHARTS.
The larger chart shows the various geographic
subdivisions OF the country east of the Mississippi
from the centre Of each Of these radating postal
lines now run, and along these lines the daily
weather kilograms, printed in large, bold type,
will be spread broadcast to the people by every
railroad train. steamboat mail coach and post
rider. This arrangement win give the United
States weather service . breadth OF usefulness,
fulness OF Information and practical popularity be-
yond all compare with those enjoyed by any SINH
lar service now in existence in Europe or on the
globe.
The smaller chart shows the various raminca-
tons OF the new postal weather reports, taking
washington city as the starting point. For the
benefit Of our readers scattered over this district
and over the whole country we give these geo.
graphic divisions in full. From the accompanying
charts every citizen can determine the central
ONCE from which the weather reports that are to
reach his own community viii radiate.