When the papers were received in Special Collections in 1972, some of the material was separated in envelopes and folders with numerical/subject designations. Apparently, this was Abbe's method for filing notes and reference material specific to a point of interest. An example of this is Envelope 11 which he titled "Thermodynamics Applied to Atmosphere." This system has been retained where possible. Abbe's arrangement of the material provides an overview of the beginnings of the science of meteorology and the development of weather forecasting. Subjects include barometric observations (1874), weather forecasts (1893), regulations for preparation of forecasts, and work of the Warner Observatory (1883-1886). Specific meteorological events are noted: a solar eclipse of 1900, a meteor of 1873, and a hurricane in Cuba, 1888. Some oversize material which includes drawings by Abbe, James Page, W.K. Sligh, and solar eclipse observations from 1900 were removed to the oversize case in the Manuscripts workroom.