Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-11-20
The United States Signal seryIee.

a Washington Post reporter has paid
visit to Fort Wbipple Zone Of the
suburbs of the national capitaD. where
The training school Of the United States
Signal Service is located The Ameri-
can Signal Service has been organizod
seven years and now covers the west
crn continent like network. The
oiilGer In charge Mt Fort Whipplc was
willing TO answer questions and 10 cx-
plain the methods Of training.
=" How do you begnP" questioned the
reporter.
BY putting the men Mt once in tho
field. They drill, receive instructions
IN mi iIitary signaling and tclcgrhphy;
they learn the signal service duties by
actual work in the field for two months
when they first come here. Then they
take up "A regular course Of study. in
cluding metcorology, electricity and all
branches which are necessary to fit them
for their work. They learn totclcgraph
fifteen words minute. With the book
course they still continue the field
practice"
And how long are they hcrc?"
That depends on their proficiency.
which Is tested by examinations. Aner
leaving here thcy have year Of study
as assistants Mt stations Later they
higher branches, and nrc again examined
and tested by practice before being in
trusted with the management Of sta
ti0ns"
How many men are under instruc-
tiun here now3"
Thirty. As the men are constantly
coming and going, the number is always
varying
And how many In the entire signal
scrvicc?"
"Of the enlisted force. $50 scrgcnntz.
thirty cnTporalg and go priyates. By
recent decision, two Eergcants are each
year appointed second Iicutcnanis. and
the stimulus Of possible promotion have
it, usual good effect
Are there many applicants?'
Tho lists ARE crowded. And the ser
vice, with It's yearly Increasing import
ancc. and it3 chances for achieving dis
tlnction, i attracting the bcst class Of
citizens. II you want Ia So" what YOU
would see at any signal station In the
United States we will 90 up into the in
sirument shelter. NJ on the roof in n
little square room incloscd by blinds. q"
Through the open slatF the air comes
freely, but the force of the wind + broken.
and the glare cf sunshine and heat
shut out. In the quiet half-light af this
shelter hang the einstrumcHts-thc haro-
meter, the drv and wct-hulh thcrmdmc-
tcTE, which three times every dAy are
read and whose records make no the
tcleHraphir reports which are trans
mittcd 10 the central office You 90
outside and look down nj Washington.
which from this height looks very
stale. fiat and Improbable place.
How far away do the signal parties
go?"
Various distances; eight miles. forty
miles. You see Bald mountain way out
there on the borzon2 Look through
the glass. That Is forty miles away.
We frequently 60 10 that point When
we go over beyond the Capitol.
tho heated al. rising from the dome is n
great annoyance. often putting stop to
observations altogether
Up on the roof were "A wcaihcr-vanc
and the anomometer. whose restless
revolutions were registered in the room
below. Fort Whipplc has an ordinance
shed for the protection Of Gat!ing guns
and arms. and a brick magazine for the
SAT" storage of ammunition. signal shells
and pyrotcchnics, for in their spare
moments the men make experiments
with shells charged with euu-cotton and
other interesting explosives. They learn
to maneuyor with field telegraph trains.
and they have "a practice telegraph line
forty miles long. On field Inc eight
miles long between tho Fort and The
town office, different forms Of telephone
ARE tested
Add what DO you signal besides
fags?"
Torches and The hcliograrh We
use the sun-iiash"s In the same way tina,
The English did, you remember in the
Zulu war"
And the hclioTaph was kindly
brought ont for practical illustration.
1T j. AN inuorcut- looking little affair,
standing on three legs. and with a lit 10
mirror at the top. about five inchc. in
diameter. In the center Of the mirror
= small h 'lo. and through this tho in
strumcnt Is sighted " and the sun
flash thrown wherever it Is desired