Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-03
THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
An Interesting Talk with Lieutenant
EOvNell Touching This ImP0rtan
Work.

An Interesting Talk with Lieutenant
Powell Touching This Importans
From the Chicago Inter- Ocean.
Lieutenant J. S. Powell, of the signal service.
who has just returned from an extended tour of
inspection of the various signal stations in the
northwest, was seen yesterday by reporter of
the Inter Ocean. and the interview with him re-
suited as follows:
"As an introduction to show the value of your
travels, lieutenant, what is the general result
OF the labOrs of the signal service?"
"The general result stated briefly, is that
statistics show that since the signal service has
been started, as result of it's labOrs. there has
been saving of over three hundred per cent to
the country"
'What truth is there in the rumors about the
permanent organization of the signal ser
vice?''
Eat Washington they are trying to get per-
nanent organization of the corps. This perma-
nent organization has been. and is being, fire.
9uently asked for by chambers of commerce all
through the country.
GOOD SUGGESTION.
1T has been suggested by several of these
bodies to the government at Washington that
the signal service corps be put upon regular
and permanent basis, the same as the engineers
and the ordnance departments now are 1t is
desired that they should have their regular corps
of officers, who shall understand that they are
to be permanently officers of that department;
so that. knowing that it will thereafter be the
business of their life, they will go on studying
and making themselves still more efficient from
year to year. and will not rest satisfied with
knowing only enough for the work of the day.
How long have you been absent on your
trip, lieutenant"
Il have been travelling and inspecting since
spring."
"What territory did you go oyer?"
II went all through the southern states. and
on the last trip. all through the Lake Superior
series of stations-altOut hty altogether'
"ln what condition did you find these sta
tions?"
Il found, as general rule that the men con-
Quoting them performed their duties satisfac-
tOrily. and that the stations themselves are in
good condition. In fact. our system of COM
pelling men to take observations at a particu-
lar time secures to certain extent, prompti-
tude in the performance of their duties for if
they do not take the observations regularly.
they know it at Washington, and cOurt-mar-
tial is the result. In fact. do not believe that
efficiency and prOmptitude in such service
could be secured except under military rule"
TO THE FRONT. AS USUAL.
How do the other Large stations you have
visited compare with that in Chicago?"
The Chicago station is one OF the best sta
lions in the United States. New York and ST.
Louis and Chicago are the three best stations in
the country. The Chicago force is rather small,
as there has been one man relieved from duty
The trouble is, that our appropriation for the
whole service-Only about $3.50, 000-iS too
small. The department requires in it's service
800 men, but most of the men are out on the
military telegraph lines in the northwest and
southwest. Greeley's expedition to- the polar
regions; and the Point Barry expedition in
focEn bod nj b. H. 1
The chief signal officer is very DESTROYS of eX-
tending the service and increasing its efficiency.
AS it is now it is very difficult to find always
what we want to know"
Have there been any extensions this year of
the usefulness of the service:"
Yes. sir. This year we started new sys-
TEN for the benefit of the cotton districts in the
south-in the way Of making up predictions for
rain and reporting them to the districts named.
and the usefulness of this work and the advan-
tages derived from it by planters have been
proven by the large number of letters received
by the department. stating the good it has
done.
SAMPLES OF THE WORK DONE.
''Similar work has been done for the owners Of
orange groves in Florida. These want frost
predictions forty-eight hours in advance which
we give them; and the same work has been
done also for the sugar-growers in regard to
interests to look after but somewhat of a SINH
lar character. For instance. the pork packers
receive notice from us Of cold weather approach
ing"
'How does the present number of stations
you have compare with what you ought to have
in order to make the service as thorough and
as generally useful as such service can be
made?"
I'VE ought to have regular stations in every
city IN the northwest, as it is from that drec-
ton that all our storms come. We ought to
have stations to cover wider extent of this
tract so that we can trace them as they come
across the country to the east. have been
approached by the chamber of commerce of
Milwaukee, to urge the establishment of
station at Mackinac Such a station would
certainly be very desirable. 1 have so recon-
mended. and think there will be one estab-
lished there
''In what section of the west do most of the
storms that We feel here originated"
Most of our storms that We feel first arise In
Dakota, and then pursue a general easterly
course. AS it now is we can only trace them
by what are called reporting stations"
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