WEATHER BUREAU. 75 



Refusal of one telephone and telegi'aph company to renew a con- 

 tract at former favorable rates necessitated, in the interest of 

 econoniY, transference of a lar^e part of the service performed by 

 that company to the telegraph companies. This amounted to aliout 

 $5,000 annually. Because of late openinji; of many of these offices. 

 noted in the la^t report as having resulted from abrid<^mcnt of the 

 hours of labor of operators, prompt dispatch of the cotton and corn 

 and wheat mesba<res involved could not be accomplished. This lat- 

 ter condition ajjijlies equally to many small offices throughout the 

 Middle an 1 far Western States at which observational reports are 

 ])re])ared for transmission to circuit centers at early houi's. At some 

 of these points raihoad ollices are available from Avhich the telegrams 

 may be transmitted, but frequent delays are inevitable where so filed, 

 due to the pressure of other business, especially at train times. Prompt 

 transmission at early hours could be accomplished by the telegraph 

 companies by assignment of special operators for this purpose, cost 

 of which is prohibitive. 



The great disparity between the wages paid commercial telegraphers 

 and tlie salaries possible for the Weather Bureau to pay its oper- 

 ators leads to repeated resign;.tians and vacancies for long peiiodi 

 before places can be filled. The Avork has suffered severely on this 

 account and serious delays occur in clerical positions, leading to great 

 dissatisfaction and inefficiency. 



WEATHER BUREAU TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE LINES. 



Continued extensive use has been made of facilities afforded by 

 these lines during the year by the Xavy Department, the War Depart- 

 ment, and the Coast Guard Service, the latter having contributed 

 as heretofore in their maintenance. 



The land lines are in excellent conditicm and the cables are still 

 •riving regulai- and satisfactory service, notwithstanding all but the 

 Key West-Sand Ke}' cable were laid 17 or more j'ears ago. The 

 time is not far distant, however, wdien new cables must be supplied, 

 and provision should be made by adef[uate appropriations for such 

 contingency. 



BLOCK ISLAND-MATUNUCK BEACH (R. L) SECTION. 



[Telegraph.] 



T'ntil early .spring telegraphic transmission over this cable was 

 excellent. On April 27, however, a heavy escape developed, stop- 

 ping communication. Arrangements were at once begun to effect 

 repair, which was completed on June 16 at a cost of $820.7"). Since 

 then transmitting conditions have been excellent through the three 

 conductors. Two conductors of this cable are rented to a telephone 

 company for telephonic purposes. During the year the line earned 

 $7:^9. G8. 



Prompt and satisfactor}' communication between the mainland 

 and Block Ish;nd is impossible because of the inadequate facilities 

 afforded by the Weather Bureau cable. By far the greater part of 

 the business is conducted by telej)hone. The situation calls for a 

 new cable, with at least 10 conductors, which should be owned and 

 operated by .some strong commercial company. 



