Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-12-15
TmE SIGNAL SERVICE
As Adopted 20 the Needs Of the
Cotton Growers and Mer-
chants.
Now orlenn, Tlme..pemoorat.l

New Orleans Times-D Democrat
Wednesday, Lieutenant james Al
len, Third Cavalry, u. S. A., assistant
to General VIM. B. Hazen, Chief
Signal Officer u. S. A., arrived in this
city and took rooms at the st. Charles
Hotel. Lieutenant Allen is here for
the purpose of examining into the
working of the New Orleans Signal
Office, and comforting with the Cotton
Exchange, in order to secure more
regular and efficient returns from
signal stationsin the cotton belt touch
ing the weather aud such meteorolog-
ical changes as affect our leading
staple.
The Times Democrat man found
Lieutenant Allen at the Cotton Tx
change, where he had been in consult
tation with General Adolphe Meyer
and Mr. Hester, the Secretary OF the
Cotton Exchange. These gentlemen
informed Mr.. Allen that the Weather
Committee Of the Cotton Exchange
would be appointed for the current
season to-day, and that be would then
notify him at what hour he could
meet them to morrow.
The Times Democrat commissioner
then proceeded to interview Mr..
Allen, with the following result:
Where does our cold and bad
uoatbar anna from9n ~in0uired the in
teryiewer. "The cold wave come
from the Northwest. We find them
first in the Upper Missouri Valley.
They expend their force, however,
long before they get to New Orleans,
You are in the area Of calm and vari-
able winds, north Of the trade winds.
If the weather we're not very much
modified as the cold wave crosses the
country, you would be frozen up by
the blasts from the Arctic Sea. The
Weather Bureau is very much re-
stricted in its sphere of operations by
the limited appropriations made by
Congress. Therefore the Department
has been obliged to curtsil very ma
terially its original plans. We had in
10 establish 248 stations in the
States. These would have en-
abled us to furnish meteorological
at a very small cost to the entire
section, a part Of the country
products depend to an unusual
on climatic conditions. As
Congress did not appropriate the
amount necessary to meet the expense
Of the proposed extension, the Chief
officer was compelled to reduce
the number of stations to 100; there
should be 300 in order to give the in
formation now demanded by men
interested iu cotton and sugar"
How far in advance can you pre-
dict changes Of weather." asked the
reporter.
1.-THE cold wave which reached you
on the night of November "a, with a
minimum temperature Of thirty one
degrees, was predicted on the morning
Of the %, and a special message sent to
this city. This Information was at
once given to the press and 10 the
Secretary Of the Sugar Planters As
ISOLATION, who sent it to such planta
tioRs as could be reached by wire"
what is the cause of the unusual
disturbance called cyclones
Cyclones are originally caused by
heavy and extensive precipitation.
They originate near the southern
limits Of the trade winds, move in a
parabolie course TO the northwest, till
they reach latitude thirty degrees,
where they usually recurye to the
northeast, and disappear in that d.
rection. The heaviest raius you have
in this part Of the country are brought
up to you from very low ATTITUDES by
these cyclones. They are accom-
panied by high winds, the velocity
frequently reaching 100 miles an
hour"
81 shall remain here until Monday,
remarked Mr.. Allen, on being asked
how long he meant to st9y,
II wish to confer fully with the Off
GERS of the Cotton EXCHANGE and re
ceive all possible suggestions, which
will enable me to furnish a better ser
vice to the Southern seaboard, as well
as interior States. Practical cotton
growers ought to be able to furnish
the signal service with many valuable
practical suggestions, and doubtless
will. Then | wish to see the Sugar
Planters Association and learn if the
service can be amended in any respect
to their advantage. | like New Or
leans. l was first here in 1876, when
the place looked like an armed camp.
| found fourteen of my class mates at
West Point on duty here then. This
time it is cotton, and not carnage,
which brings me here"