The New York Herald Newspaper, January 18, 1873, Page 3

POSTAL WEATHER REPORTS. Farmers int the Inland Districts to Get the Daily Probabilities. Inter-Departmental Courtesies Between the Postmaster General and the Sec- retary of War. EXPLANATION OF THE CHARTS. Every few days we are called to record some Rew advance of the Weather Bureau at Washing- ton in extending the scope of its deductions or in widening the circle of their utihty. The fabled Giant Briarens was possessed of a hundred hands; bu: this restless and sleepless individual, vulgarly a8 “Old Probabilities,” is now aspiring to be more than thousand-handed. The numerous the American telegraph companies now messages of cheer and warning, of sun- storm and snow over the entire country, ery respectable daily paper in the land the earliest moment for printing them. But been found that in the rural and agricultural remote frem the great centres, thousands be reached by the weather-warnings, who for want of 8 local daily press, or from other edases, cannot obtain them in time to ava.] them- selves of the iniormation they convey. To meet the want of this immerse class of citizens the powerful amd best managed machinery of the Post Office Department is to be en- listed with the press and the telegraph in herald- Ing the dally prognostics of the atmosphere. The eonsummation ef this scheme, proposed by the Chief Signal Officer, reflects great credit en the Postmaster General, who has entered most cor- @tally and ‘vigorously into it and throws every facility at the ‘command of ‘his department into the good work, Which was begun and has been so suc- cessfully prosecuted by the War Department. The following will explain the genéral idea now entertained by the two co-ordinate amd happily co-operating departments :— a : Wan. DEPARTMENT, Orion OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER, VISION OF AND REPORTS FOR THE ‘BENEFIT OF COMMERCE AND AGRIOULTES, WaAsmInaton, D. ©,, 7, 1872, aI ak s TO THE ASTER /ERAL?— Bin—I have the or to request that instrac- tions may ters at the poat offices ying list “A” here- with te lay end imetantly u} sheir receipt by mail upon bulletin boaras, which will be fern: @ 80 itted, by the aster Gen- ry his the reports as to the probable of the weather in the sections in which these offices are located, which this office will tur- mish by in printed form and to the named respectively, ‘Under section ¢ of the at of entitled solldate amead the Department,” the request of the nonorable this publication be made others im the service, as ublic good, would clearly have the But snould there be question benone that most of the would gladly perform the , good and one reflecting yh serve. a rs , goo no C1ten and with such i niet at an 3 B= F ~ : Hig i HE 44 she the in ‘which each citizen has an in- any hitherto put imuse in any country invited to the accom- of the plan of distribution. I Amn, air, vary reqpectially soar nt servant, 3. MEYE Brigadier General and Chief army. Sri i Signal Oaleer'of the ‘With his accustomed despatch the Secretary of.| time borne hundreds” War at once wrote to the Postmaster General, as harvests left standing im the shock. fellows :— pee ‘AR, SEEMENT, WASHINGTON City, Deo. 9, ‘er. To THE HONORABLE THE POSTMASTER GENERAL :— Sim—I have the honor to enclose herewith a com- munication from Chief Signal OMicer of the army relative to distribution of the daily weather reports, and to request the co-operation of your Department in the mode indicated by him, if con- sistent with your views, The subject {s one of pub- lc interest, and the plan appears capable of effect- be Trap aetignD Very respectfully, your obedient 1 WILLIAM W. BELKNAP, Secretary of War. To which communication Mr. Creswell made prompt reply :— Post OrFic® DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec. 11, 1832. Srr—I have the honor to acknowledge the re- ceipt of your letter of the 9th inst., enclosing a communication from the Chief Signal OMcer of the army, wish schedules aad plans, for the co- operation of the Post Office and War Departments In distributing the daily weather reports through- out the agricultural aistricts of the United States accessible by rail or mail ceach, by six P. M., each aay from certain designated distributing points. heartily approve of the pro! by Gen- eral Meyer jor extending to the "icultural sec- tions of the country the benefits oi the information contained in the daily weather reports frem the Office, and have issued an order, under Gate of Oth inst., a copy of which is enclosed here- with, instructing all asters receiving these reports imafl to ‘thi immediately in th pa Any farther assistance that be desired from tuts Department will be most cheerfully given, I vi bedient. ae ON Ade CRESWELL, Postmaster Gensral. Hon. Wu. W. BELENaP, Secretary of War. On the 10th of December, just three days after General Meyer's request for his aid, the Postmaster General issued the following order, a.copy of which was enclosed in his reply to General Belknap :— Post Orrick DEPARTMENT, Wi » D. C., Dec, 10, 1872, Arrangements have been made between the Post OMice ana War Departments by which one or more or the issued by the Signal plied by the Si I y SOHN 4. 2 ORESWELL: Postmaster General. THE UTILITY OF THE POSTAL WEATHER REPORTS. ‘The value of this arrangement te the farmers, fruit growers and to ail the rural and agricultural classes of the ceuntry will be apparent. The his- tory of the Signal Service shows that within the past year it has given timely forewarning, not only ofthe heavy storms which ravage the sea coast and lakes, but also of the foods and heavy rains, the arrival of the first frosts of Autumn and the Sweep of the great and cold tidal afr waves which deluge the land with anow. The tobacco crops in the rural districts of Virginia last Fall suffered very severely, but might have been generally saved had the tobacco growers been in the daily receipt of the now proposed postal weather reports, which, in the instances cited, predicted frosts three days,in advance of their blighting and nipping visitation. The aerial waves from the Pacific, which march so steadily and surely across the Continent, first manifest themselves in the warm, moist air, which they derive from the ocean, and Spread out as @ mantle of Winter mildness over the Pacific States and Territories and eastward to the great Plains and the valley ofthe Upper Missouri, when, in their further eastward passage, they be- come cendeased, and form the waves of intense cold which are precipitated over the States on this side the Mississippi. It is easy to see that the pre- diction of the weather changes due te such a move- ment, sometimes prolonged through a whole week to many thousands of post offices aad country neighborhoods befere the weather changes can Occur, So, also, will it be in announcing the gen- , eral rains for which the farmer so eagerly watches through the Sammer. They usually follow close behind the travelling storm centres or moving vor- tices of low barometer and aérial eddies pursuing each other across the Continent, whose velocity anf expansion are within the power of the meteor- ologist to compute. Occupying three or four days in their transit, ample time will be afforded fre- guentiy to nowy the large malority of the mteriox . . NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 1873—TRIPLE SHEET. THE WEATHER’ REPORT CENTRES. | Geographical Subdivisions, East of the Mississippi, for the Signal — districts of impending rains, foods and dangerous imland tempests, which have sometimes (asin the Virginia Autumn floods of 1869) swept ‘unsuspected in 8 single nignt dewn our rural river valleys and washed the sleeping villagers and rustics from their beds into watery graves, and at the same Bway their golden It is In sup- plying intelligence of all such violent and destruc- tive meteors that the Signal Office will fulfil in America its highest functions of public usefulness. THE PLAN OF WORK. It is proposed to divide the territory east of the Mississippi River into districts of about two nun- dred miles in diameter, each district having a dis- tributing point at or near its centre, from which two copies of the report will be mailed daily to all pest offices accessible by rail or mail coach by six P.M. each day. At each post @ice the Postmaster is to post one copy of each report, as seon as re- ceived, ina frame, to pe furnished by the Signal Office, which frame will be put up in a conspicuous part of the office, where it can be seen and the bulletins read by the public without difficulty. The second copy is intended fer the personal use of the Postmaster, amd may be disposed of in the manner he thinks best calculated to diffuse the information it contains. The charts herewith illastrate the proposed form of districting. ‘This plan will really make EVERY POSTMASTER A SIGNAL OFFICER, and he will be responsible for disseminating the weather intelligence communicated to him for prompt display in the most conspicuous part of bis office. As the country post office or village post office is 8 place where all the neighborhood gathers when the daily mail arrives, the reports will by the night be om the lips of every farmer for miles around, and he will be thus enabled to shape and project his next day’s farm work to the best advant- age and to the most economic use of his own time and that of his hired labor. ‘The handsome manner in which Mr. Creswell has placed his department in ACTIVE POSTAL CO-OPERATION WITH THE SIGNAL OFFICE will immensely strengthen the hands and extend the benefits of the latter’s service, and also give rise vo similar co-operative arrangements between the Signal Office and other departments of the govern- ment which are in position tosidit. The multipli- cation of these inter-departmental courtesies and friendly co-workings is the secret of a wise and successful conduct of every government, and emi- nently deserves public notice and cemmendation. In the present instance @ worthy and excellent example has been set by Postmaster General Cres- well. EXPLANATION OF THE CHARTS. ‘The larger chart shows the various geographic subdivisions of the country east of the Mississippi; from the centre of each of these radiating postal lines now run, and along these lines the daily weather telegrams, printed in large, bold type, will be spread broadcast to the people by every railroad traim, steamboat, mail ceach and post rider. This arrangement will give the United States weather service a breadth of usefuiness, fulness of tnformation and practical popularity be- yond all compare with those enjoyed by any simi- lar service now in existence im Europe or on the lobe. Ome smalier chart shows the various ramifica- tions of the new postal weather reports, taking Washington city as the starting point, For the benefit of our readers scattered over this district and over the whole country we give these geo- graphic divisions in full. From the accompanying charts every citizen can determine the central office from which the weather reports that are to Teach his own community will radiate. THE MYSTERIOUS SHOOTING IN THE BOWERY. Since the shooting of Charies Christan, the Dane, twenty-six years of age, in his concert saloon, No. 11 Bowery, early dn Monday morning last, by an unknown and mysterious stranger, he has re- mained in @ partially unconscious state of mind till yesterday morning, when death ensued from the effects of the wound, which was in the breast. Coroner Keenan has the case in charge, and will mola an inquest after giving the Tenth precinct @ little time to search for the murderer, concernt hi have been unable to obtals any intermation. er cording to accounts th was no provocation Be i tnt ik hakerlen at ences ve with intent to take life, apparently Bureau.: 3 WASHINGTON. An Executive Bombshell in the Fed- eral Office-Holders’ Camp. ° Noe MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS.” FLOODS AND FRESHETS. Great Rise in the Hudson, Delaware, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Lehigh and Other Eastern Rivers—Bridges Damaged, Boats Crushed, Mills Stopped and Fur- ther Damage Apprehended. On the River Hudson. Hopson, N. Y., Jan, 17, 1873. The’short bridge over the Stockport Creek on the Hudson River Railroad was carried away by the strong current of floating ice at half-past two o’clock this afternoon. The lightning train which passed this city bound up about that time was compelled to run back to this station, and all up- ward bound trains since then have been stopped here. The bridge was about fitty feet long and very strong} built. It will require some time to reconstruct it. Trains to Albany and the West are now being run via Chatham. Early this morning the ice in Catskill Creek com- menced moving, which ca @ general havoc with everything within its reach, the*ice being from twelve to sixteen inches thick. All the streams in the vicinity are overflowing the mea- dows and roads, and it is feared much damage will follow. * Gangs of men have been sent forward to repair The New York special, bound south, is over two hours and a iP hehind time. The first Pacific express, which leaves New York at six P. M., has m discontinued. It is thought that trains will be able to 98 Over the Stockport Bridge by to-morrow afternoon. Krnaston, N. Y., Jan. 17, 1873. ‘The warm rain of yesterday and last night was accompanied 4 dense fog and followed i very moderate weather, resulting in the mel! of the snow and softening of the ice. many of the roads hereabouts are quite bare and wheeled ve- hicles are the place of sleighs, The work of ice cutting in this vicinity has n entirely sus- nded on account of water standing on the sur- to the depth of several inches; Erne of the river by heavy teams is still considered safe, how- ever. ALBANY, Jan. 11, 1873. The ice in the river between here aqd Troy has become so weak that crossing on it has beased, The Delaware and Tributaries. TRENTON, N. J., Jan. 17, 1873. The Delaware River rose five feet last night, but has fallen three feet since eight o’clock this morn- ing. The freshet is not damaging. The Assonpink Creek rose to a very damaging height, causing all north and sonth bound trains to be stopped at bigeye bin eight and hall-past fis from New Yor! " ie A asthe: freight depot "Camden, ek twenty-five mmcpe toone in ie afternoon. ‘The passengers z m7 M, train trom New York vt nine H tranayerred by carriages irom the srriget to South Trenton, bound for Philadel ‘tn West. ,, Tue main depot amd tunnel arp dled with water. from one to seven feet deep, No trains can pass the main depot. . ‘The Western Union telegraph cables at the Tren- ton tunnels were made useless and the compan: were oblij to turn all their wires over the 5 ‘The freshet in the creek has carried away con- siderable property of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The bridge over the creek at the main depot has had three engines upon it all day to pre- vent it from being carried away. PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 17, 1873. Advices from all parts of the State represent that the rivers and streams in the interior are steadily rising. The Delaware and Schuylkill rivers on either side of Philadelphia are unusually high. The Schuylkill, running to the western section of the city, Was, at six o'clockthis evening, even with the level of the piers on either bank, and a very rapid current running. ‘The Gerard avenue bridge, recently condemned by the Grand Jury, isin momentary danger of de- struction, Its main supports have been carried away by the moving ice. Serious losses have occurred to the ice houses along the banks of the Schuylkill above the city. They have lost the inclined plane running from ice houses to the river, and it is reported their stables _ en submerged and a number of mules rowned, ‘ At the water works the river is five feet above its usual height, and ® column of water nearly six feet is pouring over the dam. The steamboat landing at Fairmount Park is snb- merged and the floating boat houses have been washed away. At Manayunk, the Manchester district of Philadel- phia, a great deal of damage has already been done and a number of milis have been compeiled to cease operations. The steamboat landings are submerged and the boats have been crushed. Edward Jones (white) and William Cornish (col- ored) started out t to piok up drittwood. A large tree floating on the stream strnck the boat, cutting her in two. Jones was drowned, The Schuyikill is still rising. Peter’s island, abeve the Reading Railroad bridge, is completely submerged and covered witn cakes ofice, which have destroyed the shrubbery that made the island the ornament of the Park. hepa staoet a ieates LJ rise, and the bri jerm m swept away. A feapaten from Reading says the Setay?kilt 18 slowly rising. A small bridge has been carried awap by the ice and ions of dams have passed down irom above. Most of the ice is gone and the greatest danger is now over. The Susq Cuore, jan. 17, 1873, ‘There was @ heavy rain last night. The Sus- quehanna River and its tributaries are high, No damage has yet been done, At Harrisburg the Susquehanna is still ice-bound, though the water is still rising, The ice has been moving off the dam at Lock- haven since three P. M., the river being very high aud almost overflowing its banks at four P. M., but itis a fast and no damage is poperves The in one pier off Trump’s Bridge and car- Fp ee away. At the Jersey shore it The Clearfeid operator reports ice from Curwens- ville passing there at half-past five P.M. He re- ports thatit isthe greatest ice-flood ever known at Clearflela. He also says that great ds has been done there from loss of new and old timber. WILLTAMBPORT, Pa., Jan. 17, 1873. The Susquehanna has not risen here. The snow is too deep to be affeeted by the rain of baad ‘The weather ts cloudy and is getting colder. i Mavre DE GRacE, Md., Jan. 17, 1873. The ice has broken up in the Suaruenanhay about half a mile below the railroad bridge, aud is mov- ing out. No damage is apprehende: The Lehigh River. Easton, Pa., Jan. 17, 1873, The Lehigh River is rising rapidly. No damage nas yet been done, The ice has not yet started. CaTASaUQua, Jan. 17, 1873. The Lehigh River is rising fast, but no damage has been done, MAUvcH CuUNK, Pa., Jan. 17, 1873. The Lehigh River has risen elghtcen inches, and fears of damage are entertained, At Penn Haven the Lehigh has: risen fifteen inches and is stili rinisg, Christiana River. i A despatch from Wilmington, Del., says the Christians River is very high and the ice is run- ning. The Delaware Railroad trains are not cross- ing the bridge on account of the flood. Much damage is apprehended. Black and Gunpowder Rivers. The Gunpowder River at Magnolia, Md., is un- usually high, but no danger is apprehended. Despatches from Bush, Gunpowder and rivers, Md., report the water as high; b bridges and tracks of the Baltimore no danger, Black ; but the road are in The Blackstone and Pawtucket Rivers, Rhode Island. PROVIDENCE, Jan. 17, 1873. The thaw has caused @ flood in the slackstone River and the water is so high as to stop several Manufactories in Woonsocket, An unfinished bridge on the Worcester Rafiroad, between Waterford and Blackstone, was partially carried away by the ice, but its loss does not affect the running of trains, The water is very high in the Pawtucket River, pa the ice is going out without causing serious jamage. The Ice Broken on the Missouri. WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 1873, The following despatch was received at the Signal we this evening Irom the observer at St. Louis, “Ice broke at 2:50 o'clock P. M. Stream running five miles per hour.”’ WEATHER REPORT. War DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER, WASHINGTON, Jan, 18—1 A. M, Synopsis for the Past Twenty-four Hours. The low barometer on Thursday night over Lake Ontario has continued moving northeastwardly, followed by rising barometer from the lakes to the Guif and Atlantic Coasts, with falling temperature; brisk and fresh northerly and northwesterly winds and clear and clearing weather, except from Nerth Carolina to Maryland, where light ratn is now fall- ing. , The river has continued rising at Pittsburg. Probabilities, For the Southern States, rising barometer, northerly to westerly winds, low and falling temperature, and clear and clearing weather; from Missouri and the Ohio Valley to the Upper Lakes and Lake Erie, low temperature, northerly and northwesterly winds, and very generally clear weather; for the Middle States, easterly to north- erly winds, backing to northerly and westerly, lower temperature and cloudy weather, with rain over the southern portion and light snow over the northern portion, followed by clearing weather during the afternoon and night; for New England, easterly to northerly winds, cloudy weather and rain over the southern, but snow over the northern portion, the winds backing to northerly and north- westerly, probably, om Saturday night, with clear- ing weather. The Weather in T City Yesterday. The following record will show the changes in the temperature for the past: twenty-four hours in comparison with the corresponding day of last ear, a8 indicated by the thermometer at Hudnut’s harmacy, a Ie 7 1872, 1873, 25 P. 36 a2 2 P. 80 36 Pia . 23 4 12 P.M 2 Average temperature yesterday Average temperature jor corresponding date last year ...++ State, Territorial and Municipal’ Sinecures Henceforth Forbid- den to Uncle Sam’s Employes. ° THE ELECTORAL LAWS., Morton and Trumbull Want Revised Sti utes Adapted to the Present Republic: * ANOTHER LAND-GRABBING SCHEME. Cameron's Two Pets--The Delaware River's and French Spoliation Claims, Life-Saving Stations Proposed for Capes Hatteras and Henry. WASHINGTON, Jan, 17, 1878, Special Order of Presid: Grant Pro-' hibiting Federal Oficeholders from/ Accepting or Holding any State, Terri- torial or Municipal Ofice While in the, Pay of the Government. EXEOOTIVE ORDER. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:— Whereas it has been brought to the notice of the President of the United States that many. persons holding civil offices by appointment from him or otherwise, under the constita- tion and laws of the United States, wha holding such federal positions accept offices under the authority of the States and Territories in which they reside or of municipal corporations under the charterseand ordinances of such corporations, thereby assuming ‘lie duties of the State, Territo. rial or municipal office at the same time that they are charged with the duties of the civil office held under federal authority; and : Whereas it is believed that, with few exceptions, ; the holding of two such offices by the same person is incompatible with a due and faithful discharge of the duties of either office; that it frequently gives rise to great inconvenience and oiten resalts in detriment to the public service, and, moreover, ig not in harmony with the genius of the governs ment; In view of the premises, therefore, the Presiden’ has deemed it proper thus and hereby to give Public notice that from and atter the 4th day of March, A. D, 1813, except as herein, persons holding any tederal civil oMfce by appointment under the constitution and laws of the United States will be expected, while holding such office, not to accept or hold any office under any State or, Territorial government or under the charter or ordinances of any municipal corporation; and, further, that. the acceptance or continued hold- ing of any such State, Territorial or municipal office, whether elective or by appuintment, by any person holding civil office, as aforesaid, under the govel of the United states, other than judi- dicial oMces under the constitution of the United States, will be deemed a vacation ef the federal office held by such person, and will be taken to be and will be treated as a resignation by such federal officer of his commission or appointment in the service of the United States. The offices of justices of the peace, of notaries public and of commissioners to take the acknowl- edgment of deeds, of bail, or to administer oaths, shall not be deemed within the purview of this order, and are excepted from its operation, and may be held by federal oMcers. The appointment of Deputy Marshal of the United States may be conferred upon sheriffs or deputy sheriffs; and deputy postmasters, the emoluments of whose oMmece do not exceed six handred dollars per annum, ere also excepted from he operations of this order, and may accept and hold appointments under State, territorial or municipal authority, provided the same be found not to inter- fere with the discharge of their duties as Post- master. Heads of departments and other officers ofthe government who have the appointment of subordinate officers are required to take notice 0! this order and to see to the enforcement of its pro- visions and terms within the sphere of their respec- tive departments or offices and as relates to the several persons holding appointments under then respectively. By order of the President. . HAMILTON FISH, Secretary of State. | WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 1873. , The Mexican Minister Explains Why His Government Did Not Matify the New Commission. Mr. Mariscal, the Mexican Minister made the fol- lowing remarks to your correspondent with regard to the delay in the prolongation o1 the Convention by which the Mexican Claims Commission expires on February 1, 1873. ‘Mr. Mariscal say® that he sent ‘| the document renewing the Convention, as hith- erto constitated, to Mexico by the French steamer, which unjortunately left Havana some days later than useal, and it did not reach the city of Mexico ‘until the 19th of last month, when it was too late to be ratified, because the Mexican Congress had, according to law, adjourned on the 15th. Amd Mr. Mariscal has received a despatch from his govern- ment saying that it would have called an extra ses- sion for that purpose if a quorum had remained at the capital, but nearly all the Congressmen had already left for their homes, Mr. Mariscal thinks that the Mextcan Congress will ratify the renewed convention immediately on its reassembling in April. Im the meantime the present Mexican Claims Commission will of course expire, but ite decisions sre to remain in force, and the new commission, which is to continue its labors, will be similarly consti- tuted. This will save double work and double ex- penses. The present member of the United States will probably be reappointed, but Mr. Guzman re- turns to Mexico on account of sickness. In fact, the time intervening between February and the meeting of the renewed commission, said Mr. Marical, may be regarded only as a recess. Proposed Revision of the Electoral Laws. ‘The speech by Senator Morton to-day shows that; @ change is absolutely necessary in the manner of, electing Presidents and Vice Presidents, ether in the form of statutes or of constitutional amend- ments, and the subject will be a good theme for the talkists during the long session of next year. Tne lowa Land Plundering Bill, ‘The feature in the House to-day was the fight’ over the lowa Land bill. A powerfal lobby was working in its interest, and the lines which are drawn when strictly party questions are up for consideration were found no stronger than ropes of sand when the interests of @ great corporation are at stake, as in the present case. And the question is one of plundering the public domain in the interest of monopolies; in fact, partylinesseem to be entirely obliterated in the House of Repre- sentatives on such occasions, and the fight te sim- ply between independent and honest representa. tives on one side and the agents .ad servants of corporations and lobbyists on the other, The lowa Land bill ia @ clear case in point, tt proposes t+ confirm to @ railroad all lands conveyed by thd commission of the Land Office, which was twice a8 great in quantity as it was en-~ titled to by the original act of Congress, and, under pretext of confirming ts original title, which had lapsed, the presgnt bill actually gava twice the quantity of the original bill, Mr. Hay, of CONTINUED ON TENTH PAGE,