Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-11-01


morning Is repeated Each man has
his allotted duty, One, perhaps, con-
suits the barometer and thermometer;
another consults tho nne,nometer.
which indicates tho direction and press
ure Of the wind; another consults tho
instrument which determines tho hui
Nudity OF the atmosphere and tho
amount OF rainfall; another oiiiciates
at the telegraph instrument. while still
another prepares the map as the types
are being set up. and the press Is made
ready.
The chief officer supervises the work
and prepares an official report OF every
observation. a-fC.
There Is great deal OF clerical work
In the office, because complete record
is made OF every transaction; The
officer In command is called upon for
daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and
half-yearly reports, besides which he
has TO make two annual reports, one
for the fiscal year and the other for the
calendar year. p
There Is scarcely o quiet minute In
the twenty-four hours at the signal
stations OF Boston or New York. Tho
Office is bombarded with questions and
invaded by questioners. The labor OF
answering them is wholly gratuitous,
but 1t has developed into one OF the
leading duties OF the signal men at i'm
portant stations
Early In the morning the bell OF tho
office telephone begins TO tinlsle. Mr..
Brown. the fruit dealer OF Blank street.
has n carload OF perishable goods con-
signed to Chicago. He wants to know
what the indications are regarding tenn
perature along the route for the next
two or three days. and the answer goes
back to him: There's hot wave COM
ing" And so Mr.. Brown decides not
to run the risk OF shipment just yet
Or 1t may be winter and he is warned
Of snow bloclSades on railways In an
other State, and he resolves TO hold his
fruit until the lines are opened.
Tinklel tinkle! Hello, hello! Is
this the signal statione"
Yes"
"Mr. Scripture, superintendent Of
the Gospel Street Sunday school. wants
to know what the probabilities are for
to-day. and II IL will be safe 10 send the
children 10 the picnic at Pine Tree
Grove"
Whirr! whirr! 'ls TINT you, signalP
viii the rain hold up. 80 that the races
will come of at Beacon Park to-dayP"
Mr.. Chance. broker. sends q messen-
ger TO ask what the indications are
In the wheat-growing region. Prob
ably he has speculation In view.
Yachtsmeu send up TO know II the wind
Is likely 10 favor the regatta The
agent OF a cousting steamship company
wants to know II 1t will be safe for his
vessel TO put to sea tonight And so
the questions and answers come and
go.
Presently the officer In charge picks
up bundle OF papers and two or three
record books, and marches of TO q
courtroom, where he Is required to
give expert testimony. In this case.
White has sued Black for damages.
and the case will turn on the question
OF fact whether there was or was not
ice on Blacks sidewalk that day. The
officer in command OF the local signal
station is summoned by Black, and by
his records proves that the tempera-
ture on the day was not low enough
for the formation OF Ice.
Robinson's horse ran away. smashed
the carriage and sprained Robinson's
ankle. Robinson says that the horse
was frightened by smoke blowing
across the street from IRE oil leaves
and other debris on Jones' lawn. The
signal officer testifies that at nine
o'clock on the morning OF the 10th OF
May the wind was west-not east, as