Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-18
THE SIGNAL SERVICE I'm THE
COTTON BELT.
Valuable Information for Planters
I'm the savannah District


Mention has already been made that the
Signal Service had determined upon estab-
fishing plan of observations ard reports
for the benefit of the cotton producing In
terests, which it was thought would be OF
great benefit to planters. A circular from
the signal Office informs US that arrange
ments have been made with the co-opera-
ton of the railroad and telegraph lines in
the Southern States to the end that reports
of the rainfall and maximum and minimum
Temperature, may be collected with reliabtli-
ty and disseminated rapidly throughout the
commercial centres Of the cotton belt from
April LIST to September Both, inclusive.
The divisions and districts are formed and
stations designated, and the system OF OBJ
servation and reports prescribed will be car
ried into immediate execution by all con-
cerned.
STATIONS FOR OBsERvATIoNs.-The sta
lions are generally located on the railroad
lines, where the observations of tempera-
ture and rainfall will be made and sent d.
rect to sub-centres, as described below
by railroad wires
DISTRICT. The cotton growing region OF
the United States is divided into districts.
These have been formed with reference to
existing cooperating railroad lines, to Sc
cure the best telegraphic facilities, and ar
ranged to prevent the overlapping OF ter
ritory, which would produce errors in the
preparation of mean temperatures and aver
age rainfall.
The districts embrace the territory ada
cent to the more important cities where
Signal Service stations are located. Each
has a centre for the concentration OF re-
ports, which will be known and reported as
q sub-centre, the name of which will be
4 -, lsotr tot oh frn
includes a number of stations.
DIvIsIoNs.-Several districts will be
grouped together into one division, and the
centre of each division will be known and
reported as main-centre. The name OF
this main-centre will be used to designate
the division. Every main-centre IS also
sub centre, and will do all the work pre-
scribed for sub centres.
The following embraces the stations
within the. Savannah district and on what
railroads
savanpah-*Cedar Keys, *Fernsndina,
*Waldo, Atlantic, Gulf and West India
Transportation Company's Railroad; Live
Oak, Fla, cambridge, Ga, Tebeauville,
Ca, Jesup, Ga, Albany, Ca, Savannah,
Florida and Western Railway; Millen, Ca,
Davisboro, Ga, Macon, Ga, Griffin,
Ga. Columbus, Ca, Eufaula, Ala, Central
Railroad of Georgia.
OBSERVATIONS. - Observations will be
made, by the persons designated by the
railroad authorities, at every station, Tor
rainfall, maximum ard minimum tempera-
lures, direction of the wind and state or the
weather, at 6 O'Clock p. M, local time, in
accordance with the accompanying instruc-
lions, No. 9216. Similar observations will
be made by the Signal Service Observers at
all sub centres and main centres.
CONCENTRATION OF REPORTS.-The rain
fall and maximum and minimum tempera-
lures will be enciphered at the stations (see
instructions No 921S) and sent by telegraph
to the sub centres of the districts to which
the stations belong. At the sub-centres, the
Signal Service observers, having collected
ali the reports from the stations Of their dis
trlcts so far as possible, will make up the
average rainfall, aversge maximum tempe
nature, and average minimum temperature
for the districts. These will then be enci-
phered (see page of cipher book and in
structions No. 92150 and sent by special mes
sage to the main centre of their division.
Maximum and minimum temperatures must
be found separately by applying this rule
DISSEMINATION OF REPORTS AT each
mafn-centre, the Signal Service OBJ
server having collected reports from
the sub-cenires of his division, Will
send them by special message to the other
main-centres. He will receive from
the other m2in-centres reports collected bY
each, which reports he will send by special
message to each sub centre Of his division.
He will send In this message reports from
all sub-centres of his division except III each
instance the report Of that particular centre
to which the message is sent.
The reports thus received at sub-centres
will be duly filed and preserved as office
records, after the preparation OF the bulle-
tin.
EXPENSE ALI telegraphing from railroad
stations to sub centres will be without ex-
pen.e to the United States; that between
sub centres and main-centres, at its ex-
pense.
*These reports are concentrated at Cedar