Arizona citizen., 1873-12-06
JOINED WITH THE WORLD.
Tucson Tn Connection with the World - The Arizona Military Telegraph Completed - History of the Work

W Tncson placed in telegraphic communica- tion with the country at large.
 The history of this important public work may be stated briefly as follows: General Crook, in his first annual report as commanding officer of the Department of Arizona, recommended an appropria- tion for the construction of military tel egraph from San Diego to connect Tucson and Prescott. General Schofield heartily endorsed the proposition and urged it up- on the Secretary of War. This last nam- ed official made it the subject of special recommendation to Congress; and on Jan. 21, 1873, while the sundry civil appropria- | tion bill was before the House of Repre- Sentatives, Delegate Mccormick offered the following as an amendment: "For "the construction of a military telegraph "from San Diego, California, via Fort Yu- "ma and Maricopa Wells to Prescott and "Tucson, A. T., S5O,3l1 S0," which was, af- ter some debate, during which MT. McCor- mick urged the matter with great force, adopted and the amendment become a law.
 The construction of the line was intrust- ed to Gen. Crook, and the first estimates of cost submitted were so great that it was feared the appropriation could not be made to complete line further than be- | tween Tucson and Prescott. Early in June, Capt. Geo. F. Price, 5th Cavalry, was detailed to make'a reconnaissance of the line, obtain cost, etc., and in general to as- certain and make full report as regards route, cost of construction and all other essential points. Before Capt. Price arriv- ed at Prescott, Mir. R. R. Haines, one of the district superintendents of the Western Union Telegraph Co.,, reported at depart ment headquarters under instructions from General Scho6eld for the same pur- pose; whereupon Capt. Price was at once associated with MT. Haines, and the recon noissance commenced at Prescott June 2S 1873, and terminated at San Diego, August 2, 1873. During this time, these gentlemen, aided by public spirited citizens of the Territory, located the route and had con- tracted for the poles required to construct the entire line at an average cost of $I 40 each. Their success, thus early, gave as- surance that the entire line would be com- pleted within the year and with the appro- priation made by Congress, as stated. The first pole was set in San Diego at 9 a. m., August 2S, 1873, andthe last pole was pIac- ed in position in Tucson, A. T., at 10 o'clock a. m., Decem Der 2, 1S73-that is ir ninety seven days the military under the direc- tion of Capt. Geo. F. Price, 5th Cavalry, and Mr. R. R. Haines, completed five hun dred and twenty-seven miles or telegraph line by the wire-or six hundred and thir- ty miles by wagon road measurements. Prescott and Yuma were connected No vember II, 1873, and through connection was made with San Diego on November IS, 1873.
 The construction of the Tucson division was under the personal direction of Capt. Price, assisted by George H. Wilson, fore man, and it was completed in sixteen days an average of over seven miles 8 day. MT. Haines says that the rapidity and completeness of the construction of this di- vision, beats anything ever known to him during his twenty-three years of telegraph | experience. Thirteen miles of poles were set and. wire placed thereon in complete | working order, in a single day for several l days during the construction between | Maricopa and Tucson, which surely par took of telegraphic speed. Lieut.. John F. Trout, 23d Infantry, had | charge of the construction party from Pres | colt to Maricopa Wells; Capt. W. E. Dove, 12th Infantry, had charge of the construc- tion party from San Diego to Yuma; and Capt. Price, in addition to his other duties, had general charge of the construction | parties on the Gila, excepting a period of two weeks, during which time Lieut.. Me- Dermott, 23d Infantry, did excellent ser vice.
 Sufficient material has been saved by the reconnaissance to extend the line from Prescott to the Verde reservation, and it is the wire will be extended to Camp Apache.
 Following are telegrams winch passed over the wires immediately after the con- nection was made with the battery in the Tucson depot at II 8. m:
 TUCSON, December ?, 1873.
 Colonel A. F. Rockwell, Yuma: It is nn1Shed. PRICE.
 YUMA, December 2, 1873.
 Capt. Geo. F. Price, Tucson: Selah!
 A. F. ROCKWELL.
 TUCSON, Decent Der ?, 1873.
 Douglas Gum and Wm. Jeff. GatewOod, san Diego. The Arizona military telegraph is completed. The wire now connects san I)ieoO with her C hack t,'yvy