Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-28
THE COTTON BELT REPORTS.
Delayed Until May Under Prohibitory
Orders of Secretary Lincoln.

Delayed Until Nay under PrOhibitOry
Orders of Secretary Lincoln.
A communication received by Sergeant
S. c. Emory, Of the Signal Bureau, from
the department at Washington, and
posted at the Cotton Exchange, stating
that the usual cotton belt reports issued
by the Signal office cannot be sent out
until May ], instead of April l, as here
toiore, has excited considerable indigna-
tiOn among cotton men, and has caused
some of them to denOunce the late Con-
gress and the late Secretary of War in
terms Of decidedly positive nature, to
say the least.
The cotton belt reports are observations
taken throughout the cotton belt each
day and telegraphed to the Signal Officer
of each station, and by him sent
out and posted IN the various cotton
exchanges throughout the country. They
give the maximum and minimum tenn
perature and the rainfall of each day, and
compute the influence of the weather
upon the growing crop. With this report
before him the cotton merchant is kept
thoroughly posted ON the condition of the
crop, and is able to prOphesy intelligently
regarding it, The crop is largely in
fiuenced by the state OF the weather dur
ing the month Of April, and it is more
important to cotton dealers that they
should be kept posted regarding the con-
dItiOn of the crop for that month than any
other.
An appropriation for the cotton region
report has always been included In the
civil sundry bill, and the passage of that
bill is generally delayed until the eXpir-
ing hours of Congress. This was notably
tie case this year, and the bill was not
passed until the night OF March 3, and
then the appropriation was not very
lib raj one.
The communication from the War De-
partment states that owing to the cOndI-
ton OF the appropriation this year the re-
port will have to be delayed month. A
NEWS reporter last night met gentle
man recently from Washington, who is
well posted regarding the conduct OF the
department under the late administra-
ton. lie says that, Notwithstanding the
fact that the appropriation was passed at
a late hour of the session, yet the cotton
reports would have been furnished as
usual if il had not been for an order is
sued by Secretary Lincoln prohibiting
Gen. HaZen from mourning any expenses
in his department not covered by appro-
priatiOns actually made. Heretofore the
chief Of the Signal office, knowing that the
appropriation for the cotton region report
would be made at the close Of the session,
have ordered maximum and minimum
thermometers and the necessary blanks
| and sent them throughout the cotton belt
before the appropriation was made, and
thereby have been enabled TO commence
the reports by April /. The order of
Dir. Lincoln to Gen. Hazen prevented this
b ing down, and the cotton region has
! thereby Teen deprived of reports that are
considered almost Indispensable. 1t is
| charged in some quarters that Mr.. Lin
! coin made this order because of his per-
sOnal feeling toward Gen. Hazen.
Tne Savannah Signal station receives
the cotton reports from fifteen points, as
! follows: Albany, Alapaha, cambridge,
Fort Gaines, Jesup, Millen, Smithyille,
| Eastman, Quitman, ThOmasyille and
! WaycrOss, Georgia, and Live Oak, Waldo,
| Fernandina and Cedar Keys, Florida.
| Cotton planters and dealers generally are
! Interested in having the cotton region re-
/ ports sent out promptly, and it is said
they will not be slow to take tue neces-
sary steps to see that the appropriation
is passed in time hereafter, if the rule
laid down by Mr.. Lincoln while in office
is to prevail in the Signal Service.