The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-08
A SAVANNAH MAN's DEVICE
weather Bureaus Rocket signals
ORIGINATED ny Dr. Graham.

There are doubtless very few people In
Savannah who are aware Of the fact that
the rocket signals now in general use hy
IN. weather bureau for giving informa-
ton Of The approach q storms were orig
mated and suerestcd TO the bureau by a
Savannah man. Dr. 81 J u. Graham IL
the man. and the IDEA occurred 20 him
while De was in the service OF the city as
quarantine officer.
Dr. Graham was 40 the quarantine sta
don during the storm Of isa3 and il viii
De remembered aid some heroic acts there
la saving the lives % several members Of
a shinwrecked crew The telephone line
70 the staff q was rendered useless by the
storm aud there was no means OF COM
muuicatiou except by boat. the Tybee rail-
road having been practically destroyed
The lac Dr. George H. Stone, who took
a great deal Of interest in the develop
msnt OF carrier pigeons had suggested 10
DR. Graham the use OF pigeons for such
emerge ncles. but the experiments In this
line had not proved entirely successful II
was Or Stones idea that carrier pigeons
might be generally used by the weather
bureau for conveying Information OF APP
preaching storms.
1T occurred TO me" said Or. Graham,
when asked about the matter yesterday
that there ought 60 be some more GER
tain and expeditions method OF giving no
uce 10 people on the plantations, aud to
the shipping people in the harbor and az
.sa near the coast Of the approach OF
storms than those then in use ! accord
incly wrote Mr. r. a. Smyth. who was
then IN charge OF the weather bureau At
Savannah. suggesting the use OF large
rockets to be discharged at night at regu-
lar intervals as a means Of warning OF
the approach OF storms ana that also
system OF signals might be devised ny
which the warning could he taken up IN
turn from station TO station along the
coast.
Mr.. smvtha who was one OF the most
efficient men who has ever served Us here.
a. once saw the feasibility OF the sugges-
zion and brought IL 20 the attention OF the
head OF the bureau. The weather bureau
was then a branch OF the department OF
war aud some time later l received iet-
ter from the secretary thanking me Tor
the suggestion and stating that u would
be given favorable consideration. Shortly
after this the rockets we're put In use by
the weather bureau and have continued
to be used on occasion since"
The weather bureau has become more
expert. aided doubtless hy more extensive
facilities. la getting early track OF ap-
preaching storms and outlining their prob
able course. in recent years, and the peo-
pie generally have become more aware
Of the value Of keeping in touch with this
information. Nevertheless the system OF
rocket signals has proven Of great value
in conveying information OF approaching
storms 20 pe0p.e az "a distance from towns
and telegraph Offices. The rockets can be
seen AZ night for distance Of is miles
and thus serve as a warning 20 people on
tho plantations as well ~ those at sea. A
| rocket sent up AZ Savannah can be seen ~
! Tyhee. and Ga case telephone and tele-
! graphic communication should be broken
the signal can be taken up there and con-
veycd 20 Port Royal and other points
aloUg the coast thus notifying the ship
ping people over a wide and important
area