The San Francisco call., 1897-04-12
Signal CORPS. Third Rrigade.

Signai Corps, Third Brigade.
The Signal Corps, Third Brigade, made a very
piucky attempt to break the State record for
signaling on Sunday, the Sd inst, the stations
selected being Mount Diablo and Marysville
Buttes, a trite over ninety-two miles in a n air
line.
Inc Mount Diablo squad, headed by Major
Douglas. signal officer, with Sergeants Bailey
| ana Byrne and Corporal Taylor, lett Sacra-
mento on Saturdays morning train. From
Martinez they drove to Clayton, where horses
We're procured and the ascent of the noun
taln begun Alter hard elm the summit
was reached at o'clock Saturday evening. A
nre was started and the weary soldiers sought
steep on the softest side of the rocks which
litter the top.of Diablo.
Iney were up betimes, and after breakfast
waited long and patiently for the clouds to
break: wlad was coming in from the ocean,
carrying with II large banks of clouds ana
haze, and the sun shone at only ftful inter
vais. glimpse of a faint outline of the
suites was caught, but at very rare intervals,
and then only for few seconds and 1t was
| with disappointed hearts that stations were
| closed about noon.
| The Marys squad, which was accompa-
nleu py colonel Peeler, Assistant AoJu utant-
General Peeler and Lieutenant Charles E. Du-
| hahn OF Troop B, cavalry, consisted of Lieu
tenant +; L. Martin, Sergeant Watkins and
| Private May. Lieutenant Duhain, an old resi-
| dent of Marysville, acted es advance agent for
| the boys, taking the morning train on Satur-
day LOT Marysville, the balance of the squad
1 III Tie evening". II StnII nuo
| made by team for the Buttes early Sunday
| morning. On reaching the base of the noun
| talns the work commenced in earnest.
| Uttered down with heliographs, telescopes.
| canteens, lunch, kodak, overcoats, etc., the
| climb commenced. To add to the discomfort
oi the poys, the sun came out about an hour
| too early, and 1t was finally decided that the
oVercoats, at least, be discarded half way up
the mountain. After heavy climb the foot
| OF the crags on South Butte was reached and
| instruments adjusted. About 10 O'Clock the
| clouds gave promise of breaking, the Capitol
and other prominent buildings in Sacramento
| being visible TO the naked eye, but off toward
| the pay the log and clouds seemed 10 be con-
| unually sht ting. The summit of Diablo could
| be seen, and steady flash was kept on it un til
| CLOCK, but no response was received, and
stations were closed. 1t was thus that the Sig
| nal Corps, Third Brigade, failed.
Lieutenant Martin is well pleased with the
| trip. however. He is especially pleased with
| the South Butte as signal station. de says
| that OF to the west the snow-capped submits
| OF the Sierras were painly visible aud wide
range Tor signaling is offered; but that
| the prevail ing southwestery wind from the
ocean is very hard TO overcome, especially at
this season of the year
The citizens of Marysville evinced much in
terest in the work of the corps, William Con-
lin providing the boys with conveyance and
acting as guide to the summit OF the Buttes.
Later In the season another attempt will be
made to break the record, possibly with differ
ent stations. ]. H. WATKINS.