The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-22
THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
WHY WE SHOULD GET THE CAUTION
AIRY SIGNAL STATION Az
PORT EADs.

We learn that the signal service has received
It's appropriation, and that 1t has this year
been increased with view Of extending the
number of stations of observation, and there
fore may expect to see in the not far distant
future the long required and much sought for
"Cautionary Signal Station" at Port Eads.
This belief Is founded on the following extract
as published in the Congressional Record OF
June IL: "The subject of the signal service
being under discussion, Mr. Stephens, of
Georgia, said: move to amend the pending
paragraph by striking out 1926, 600 and insert
ing $35O,OOO. / do not desire to detain the
House at all, but think this Is one of the
most important branches of the public SER
vice; learn from Gen. Myer, who is in charge
of this service that If $350000 be now appro-
priated he can extend this service very con-
sderably far beyond the ratio Of the addi-
tional amount compared with the S3O0,OOO the
gross sum appropriated last year. He clear
" explained how this could be done. give
an Illustration which, / think. clearly pre-
sents his idea. 1t is just as II you had $780,
900 invested in q factory, with the steam
power or water power already supplied suffl-
Gent to turn four times the machin-
cry in use, and all that would be
necessary to add to its efficiency
would be the cost of the bands to set addi-
tional necessary machinery In motion Thus
900 additional to the amount In the bill.
he assured me, would enable him SO to ex.
tend the utility Of the system now in opera
ton. The House can readily, think, under
stand the illustration.
"He ran the system with 100000 last year.
but with $350,000 he could set on one-fourth
more bands to other machinery, II you please.
The committee have allowed $4,000 addi-
tional.
"That Is good as far as IL goes, but S25.OO
more will double the efficiency of that in
crease. | wish had time to enlarge on this
subject; | have already said that, in my
opinion, this Is one of the most important
branches of the pu Die service. | would be
willingly to-day to vote 100000 for this SER
"If we'could estimate the value of property
saved by these signals during the last year,
1t would not be less than $20,000,00O. The
value Of human lives that have been thus
saved, who can estimator
"'Then the advantages to agricultural inter-
ests are incaiCulable. BY an additional ap-
preparation of $4,000, Gen Meyer, as he told
me, will be enabled to enlarge Che number OF
stations very greatly; forget the exact num-
Der, but 1t largely increases the ratio of the
amount Of the sum necessary to run the sys-
tenn as 1t was last year.
Mr.. Banning This would give him twen-
ty-tive additional men,"
MIR. Stephens, of Georgia it extends
the signal service SO as greatly to increase Its
utility. This grand system Is but in its in
fancy. Originating In this country, 1t has
extended over the civilized world; and the
extent to which 1t may yet be carried Is, In
my opinion, incalculable. Let us give this
additional $4,000. Ny word for 1T, the coun-
try will be benefited by It more than by the
same amount expended in any other way"
AS this appropriation has been increased TO
this amount with the view Of extending the
utility OF the signal service, and with what
we have received In regard
to the station at Port Eads, and the energetic
way In which our business men have taken
hold of this matter, and from the prompt and
willing manner in which they signed the pc
titiOn which was circulated among them last
month, asking for an increase like this in the
appropria we feel satisfied that the chief
signal officer, Cen Myer willnot be backward
In looking after the interests of New Orleans,
and will establish this station at Port Eads at
an early day.