The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-05

the wind is northeast, the red pennant
will he above the STORM signal IL south
east, 1t will be below the storm signal
nant will be above the storm signal, and
If 1t is southwest, why then of course the
white pennant viii be below the storm
signal.
With two exceptions these comprise all
OF the signals by flag used by the bu-
reau. One Is found In a signal which
was devised TO meet an extraordinary con-
dition such as prevailed during the re-
cent awful hurricane. II is recognized in
the service as the hurricane signal and
consists OF two red pennants displayed
oie atoye the other. 1t was placed upon
the service list about eight months ago,
and was used for the first time by the
officials here in that storm. The other Is
the general information signal consisting
of single red pennant. II signifies that
there is a storm lurking somewhere In
the neighborhood which may and may
not break on this coast. When mariners
see il they may know that 1t Is good
time TO hug port as the only safe place.
When this signal is seen on the Great
are expected which. may prove dangerous
to smaller vessels and towns without ref
erence to any stated velocity of wind.
When II Is seen flying along any OF the
points of the Atlantic seaboard or the
Gulf coast, IL indicates that the local OBJ
server has received information from the
central office OF storm covering limit
ed area, which may prove dangerous only
for vessels about to leave port. The signal
serves as notice TO shipmasters that In
formation of a more detailed character
will be given them IL they will apply To
the local observer. 1t Is worthy of remark
that they generally apply for the special
word.
PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE SIGNALS
The public at large, too, is coming more
and more into touch with the aims OF the
service. Mr.. Dunn remarked that every
year he gave out about ten thousand of
the flag cards with the printed instruc-
tions for intelligent use. An uptown busi-
ness man, whose store Is I'm daily receipt
of the observations, reported that last year
he gave away three hundred thousand
cards of the tag signals which he himself
had tad printed. In addition To the vast
mum bers thus disposed of, trust and in
surance companies have taken advantage
of the cards as means OF advertising,
and lssuel little memorandum books con-
tanning all the signals, which they give
away in amazing quantities TO all sorts
and conditions of people.
One has but to study the conditions for
moment toappreciate what this means.
Thousands OF people traverse the Hudson
and East rivers daily in the ferry boats.
From most of them the signal tower on
the Manhattan Life Building is visible.
and no object in the city's perspective is
more observed than the little flags flying
from the staff over the big black tower.
For those who travel by night there are
also signals. Few OF the city's thou
sands but have noticed a great red light
from the tower after darkness has fallen,
or else a white light of searching magni-
tude. Sometimes both are seen together,
the white above the red always. Well, this
red light stands for high easterly winds.
1t is simply great lantern standing eight
feet high by six feet in width, and 1t has
"a, 900 candle power. This is furnished by
a circle of arc lamps inside the glass. The
white light above 1t stands for high
westerly winds-that is, 1t must be read
in conjunction with the red lamp below.
This white light has 1900 candle power
1t is six feet nigh by five feet in diameter
The service had its beginniny as late as
1869, and quite five years were lost in the
work of preparing to accomplish some
thing. While this work was beginning
in the United States under the control of
the department of Agriculture, In one of
the great cities of Germany an association
of learned men was vainly trying to deci-
de whether it would be possible 10 accom-
plish anything trustworthy in forecasting
weather.. European countries had the
advantage of between three and four CEN
turis of carefully collated data regard
ing welther conditions, which have since
proved of incalculable value. The United
States had none of these. The officials
had to learn for themselves. 1t was slow
work. At first the limited number of sta
tions confined predictions TO immense
extents of country. For instance, there
would be weather indications to cover
New England or the Middle states or the
Gulf States. IL rain was called for and it
fell anywhere in any OF these areas, why
the Weather Bureau station within that
territory put down to itself percentage
for verified prediction and patted itself
upon the back. The stations were gradu-
ally increased, until predictions were re-
stricted to States and parts OF States.
Now, so fine has the science resolved it
self, that in New York State, for instance
Mr.. Dunn is confined, you might say, to
New York and brooklyn. Yes, 1t is
closer ST i'll than that, for be cannot report
a rain prediction verified unless he finds
rain in his gauge on top of the Manhat-
tan Life Building. So his area may be
said to be one foot square, just outside
his tower window.
SIGNALS BY WHISTLE.
There is another matter to which the
bureau has given great deal OF attention
since the idea was formulated four years
ago. That is the sounding of whistle
signals from railroad engines while flying
along. 1t was thought to be feasible,
and with the cooperation of the officials
OF the various companies, it has been
successfully carried out. Passengers i'm
comfortable Wagners or Pullmans have
often heard in the dead watches of the
night the weird, half-muilleu moan of the
whistle. Sometimes these are for grade
crossings, but quite as often now they
indicate TO the farmers adjacent to the
line the promise of good or the portent
OF ill-weatber for the succeeding day. II
IL used by the railroad men in outlying
communities where postal communication
is still me miles removed from the farmer
and where the telegraph is an expensive
luxury The same signals are likewise
employed la small manufacturing towns
where there NAV be single factory with
a single big whistle which is the day
clock for all the housewives. The
weather signals are sounded at stated
times so that there Is no chance of con-
fusion " ith the calls to workmen.
These signals are simple in character.
First there is one long blast to attract at
tention, lasting some 10 or 20 seconds.
After this the signals begin. Long blasts