The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-08
BETTER SIGNAL SERVICE.
COTTON MEN THINK 1T IS TIME FOR
A Reform.

Savannah, the Most important Sta
ton on the south Atlantic, Given an
Indifferent and Inefficient Service.
The Importance of Accurate Metsor-
illogical Rsports-The Needs OF the
Station.
The daily weather report of the United
States signal bureau appears in to-day's
MORNING News after a lapse OF four
days. There has been good deal Of COM
plant from the cotton men on the Bay Of
the absence OF these reports, as they are of
interest aud Importance to them. Cotton
men are greatly interested just now in
knowing the exact state of the
weather In all sections of the
cotton belt, and the weather
bulletins are largely reliew upon for this
information. While they would like to
know whether it is going 70 rain tomorrow
or next week they do not expect to get that
information, but they want TO know how
much rain has fallen and where 1t has fallen
in the cotton region district.
IMPORTANT REPORTS LACKING.
The prospective yield Of the cotton crop
largely depends now upon the weather, es-
peciallV the rainfall.
The cessation Of the reports at a critical
time when the rains had just ceased and
might begin again at any moment, was vex-
atious.
"If the rains continue" said factor yes
terday, "the grade Of the cotton in the
fields will be greatly detroriated.
and If factor has lot of
fine grades on hand he can afford
TO be little stiff with them. He would like
TO know what the weather is before he
sells."S
The dissatisfaction existing over the lack
OF the reports has brought out a general
complaint.
SAVANNAH NEGLECTED.
Savannah Is the most important signal
station on the South Atlantic coast" said
well posted cotton man land ii is hardly
possible for any other station to be as poorly
served. The way the war department man.
aged it was to send a man here
from the north or west, who know little or
nothing about the weather conditions here
and had probably had little experience any
where, keep him here a few months, and
then about the time he began to understand
something of the weather. promote
him or order him somewhere else and send
down another green man to go through the
same experience. This thing has been
going on TOR years. Il has been one con-
slant change, consequently the weather
reports are unsatisfactory, and we gem
orally take the forecasts as we do the pre-
dlctlons OF the almanac, just the opposite Of
what they say. Savannah is the second
cotton port OF the country, and should have
the fullest and most careful information Of
the conditions of the weather.
COMPETENT OBSERVERS NEEDED.
Other cotton and rice men expressed
about the same opinion. They don't see
knsNVN a l.
servers are familiar with the weather condi-
tions Of this section, and that is impossible
with the frequent changes that are made.
The present observer has been here about
year and has about caught on
to the weather. He returned about Sept.
from a months vacation, the first in five
years. On his return the assistant signal
observer was taken sick, and also the mes
senger who had been assisting in the work,
leaving him with the entire work of the
station on his hands just when it was neces-
sary to complete the monthly reports.
Consequently he was compelled to drop the
newspaper bulletins until the recovery Of
his assistant.
AN INSUFFICIENT FORCE.
Observer Gorgas was seen yesterday con.
corning the service. He said that to get out
the newspaper reports and the maps and
bulletins for the cotton exchange and other
public places requires the service of one
man from O'clock in the morning until IL
o'clock at night.
THE great trouble with this Office
said Observer Gorgas, sis the insufficient
force. There are only two men here and it
requires all of their time to keep up with
the work. II one is taken sick everything is
thrown out of gear at once. There has been
considerable sickness among the signal obs
servers stationed here, and /
attribute it to the close con-
fnement in the Office. They haven't any
time for exercise. have made several re-
quests of the department. for another as
sistant, but without effect. | have also
invited the meteorological committee of the
cotton exchange TO inspect the station
and make such recommendations as they
saw fit, but they have never complied with
the request. / think their recommendations
would be of weight with the department.
There are other less important stations than
this that have more men to do less work.
u