Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-11-11

The announcement that Augusta Ia to
bc made station in connection with the
work 81 the United STATES Signal Service
Maine agriculture than 10 general con.
MERE. hut it IL nevertheless. n subject OF
C generalization iBasmueh "a it brings our
city Into prominence a. Government zig
nal station. The office will be attached 10
the new Federal Building. where il will
| maintain il act Of weather fags and issue
daily bulletin. OF weather predictions.
When originally established the Weather
Bureau was designed for the "benetit Of
agriculture and commerce; agriculture
taking precedence Of shipping in the rank
| the service. This uas expected 10 the way
Of warnings Of approaching storms
over land areas during periods Of
harvest--thus helping to save our
farmers a portion at least Of the
two million dollars which they an
nually lose from injury to grain and grass
crops cut just before storm, and damaged
in consequence Of laying out several days
through rain and dull weather. The service
has accomplished great deal In prevent
ing such ios.. But to render il Of any value
1t requires constant extension. The more
complete the service the better 1t will be-
come and the more IL will save TO the
country. More stations and observers
will lead to greater accuracy Ia forecast
ing and to render the service at all salts
factory the benefit OF these observations
should be- IA widely distributed "a posi-
Bile. Thus the establi ahment of the Au.
gu.ta station il in line with the spirit and
objects of the service. Weather flags and
cautionary signals will not only be kept
displayed from the Federal building but
all the post offices possible throughout
Maine. where they will be posted flor the
benefit Of farmers and agriculture
Our signal service il something which
the country is Justly proud OF. aud its
continuance apd increase not in undimin.
shed usefulness alone. but in enlarged
usefulness. ia absolutely necessary TO the
great interests Of our country it was de-
signed to aid. The figures given for the
work Of the last year show that from ~
to ~ per cent of the forecasts Of the
bureau were correct. This is very high
ratio, and so important is the work of the
Service becoming that in several states
state or local weather bureaus are being
established by Legislative authority to
national work
River and hood service and military sig
mailing are parts of the work originally
designed for the Bureau to carry out. In
regard to the terrible floods of May last.
in Pennsy lvania, it may be said that
while they were predicted by the service
from II to II hours In advance of their
occurrence, vet had the States of Penn
sylyania, Maryland, Western New York
and Virginia had the advantage Of thor
ough river aud flood signaling-service
WV ''~> VI pi"Htftt anu me touil nave
been vastly lessened
Ia laid of military signali g was also
one of the purposes To he served bv the
original establishment of the system.
Indeed, it was one OF the most important
features of the service, but has really
been less developed than have other lines
In time Of universal peace there may
seem little reason for its continuance;
hut in reality military signaling should
be no more abandoned, even though no
foe he in sight. than should West Point
or Annapolis be closed, or our Govern
ment stop the building of cruisers
\ branch of the Government service
which i'll so intricate aud obscure "A matter
H. the prediction of a gale along our coast,
or = storm in Winthrop, has been right -
times in a hundred should be extended
and support.d by the Nation until its pre-
dictions are right 100 times in possible
one-huudred