National Republican., 1883-05-24
sIunni Service yv.,,h.r 1.ror,s

Senator Miller, of California, received n let
tor about ton days ago from M. T. Brewer q
Co., and number of other produce and com.
mission merchants Of Sacramento, CAL, ask.
ing him TO assist them in securing n resump.
tion of tho signal service weather reports
irom Salt Lake, Cheyenne, Denver, Omaha
ana other places, which were suspended by
order of the chief signal officer on the first OF
May. These reports, the writer's said, were
very valuable to them, especially during the
fruit season, and every day that they were
compelled to go without them would "entoil
considerable loss on fruit shipments"
Senator Miller referred tho letter to Gen.
Hazen, with an Endorsement inquiring
whether the service referred to could he re-
stored. Capt James w. Powell, ir., who in
the absence Of Gen. Hazen, is acting as chief
signal officer, replied as follows;
In reply to your In ndorsement of the twelfth in
stant forwarding petition from merchants OF Sac
ramento praying for restoration of weather re-
ports, which had been furnished to May /, l have
the honor TO inform you that for the expenses of
the signal service for the fiscal year ending June
30 1882 there was submitted TO congress an esti-
mate for S3bIOO0as the least possible sum that
Would maintain all the work now done.
This estimate was reduced by congress to
S2SOOC0, and against the remonstrances In con.
gress of friends OF the service familiar with its
needs who forculd the serious embarrassments
that would result from crippllng the weather
bureau by the proposed reduction.
Akhlu Nllh NlulfIs III OTueT 10 hNOlu u ulSCOn-
tinulnco OF important work for want OF necessary
funds, deficiency estimate was submitted to
congress- which was rejected.
All proper economy was pTactced. Nearly all
the funds available Tor the telegiaphiC work OF
this service being exhausted May 1, q representa-.
tton of this fact was made TO the Western Union
Telegraph company which, with great public
spirit and liberality, undertook, on its own re =
sponsibilty, to continue the system Of telegTaphic
circuits then in existence, except west Of the
Rocky mountains in Florida, and In other places
where considerable extra expense would be en-
tailed on ths company without prospect of reim-
bursement; or in other words, the continuance Of
telegraphic work for the signal service for the
months ofDfay and June, 1885, is mainly duo to
this liberal decision of the Western Union Tele.
graph cpmpany.
But when this unpaid work would entail large
expense, the company, Of course, could not be
asked to perform II. This ofice Is not unmindful
of the special interest the people OF your section
have In this service, and IL has been with great
regtet that II has been found necessary 10 discon.
unue any part Of the signal service On July /,
when the new appropriation Is available, the
Geographic work on the Pacific coast will be re-
sumed,
It's hoped that that this action will bo measur.
ably satisfactory 10 your people.
The cases of sacramento and Alpena are totally
different. 1t was decided 10 abandon Alpcna lfs n
signal station, but no thought was entertained OF
disseminating Sacramento, only OF stopping for a
short period the 'e'egraphing Of weather reports
to and from that CITY,