The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-10

!, the men and apparatus by which 4
! various attachments of Uncle Sam
: forces of invasion and occupation W
keep in communication. Certainly Il
z signaling department of the army upC
which will devolve the task of freeir
! Cuba from Spanish rule is not only OIL
of the most important, but also Il
most interesting branches of the Sc
vice. Its operations are picturesqu
and its paraphernalia is of a kind
appeal to that element in human ns
) ture which delights in mystery.
: | Among the operations, says the Oh
cago Post, for which the signal branc
of the army is prepared is that of lay
ing telegraph and telephone wires frol
the back of a galloping horse, takin
observations and photographs of tn
enemy'S forces from the basket of a
anchored balloon, and heliographin
our warships while they are still
great distance out at sea. Not a fe'
of the most important devices wit
which the work of signaling will b
conducted in Cuba and along the At
lantic and gulf coasts are of compare
lively recent use and never have bee
put to the test in a campaign of ser
ious magnitude. They have been sub
! jected to elaborate and searching trials
however, and it is believed by thos
who have devoted years of study t
this branch of military service tina
! the United States is not behind the
! foremost nation of Europe in the mat
ter of its facilities for intercommunica-
ton by signal code.
The persevering and thorough drill
in signaling which has characterized
the work of the National Guard and
the naval militia in general is a matter
for sincere congratulation in the pres
ent grave national crisis.
The signal corps of the regular army
consists of ten officers, including Chief
Greedy, and so sergeants. 1t is prob
able that nearly all the latter are now
at Tampa, Key West, Mobile, New Or
leans, Chickamauga and other south
ern points awaiting transportation to
Cuban soil. But they are among the
busiest soldiers in all the camps of the
SOUTH for they must act in the capacity
of drill masters for large numbers of
comparatively inexperienced men. Ac-
cording to the military regulations of
the United States army each company
must have not fewer than four men
who are proficient in signaling and who
may. be detailed at any time to this
kind of service. All who have any
familiarity with signal work, which in
Cluu6S the COiISlTuCllOH dIlQ tpcIdlloL
of telegraph and telephone lines, may
be sure that their experience will be
made the most of by their officers. and
that every available moment of wait
ing will be utilized in drills and prac-
tice of the most exacting and vigorous
kind.
While Photograph, flag. torch and
rocket signaling are among the more
snowy features of signal work, the
task of running a temporary tele-
phone or telegraph line is by no means
L slow or uninteresting process. And
n this connection the work running
has literal application, for the latest
patterns of reels will permit the sig
lal man to pay out his line while
and clearing the ground at a
)risk canter. The device used for this |
purpose resembles an ordinary wood |
pulley, with a handgrip attachment |
similar to the handle of a garden spade. |
As the wire is fine a single hand reel |
contains a strand a half mile in length. |
Bicycles also are equipped with reels |
ARRIVING wire for a line one-third of a
nile long These devices are so con-
tructed that the recovery or winding
f a line is as simple and speedy mat
er as the paying out process. The |
nen running these lines will carry upon
heir backs small telephone kits, made
f aluminium or other light material.
his will afford instant and secret
with the point from
rhich the advance is made.
Next in its possibilities for rapid
-ork is the two-wheel reel cart. This
aries three miles of double cable and
of bicycle construction. It is fitted
-ith shafts for a horse or may be
ulled by two men. Every detail of
lis device is as carefully wrought with
view to lightness and strength as
re the parts of high-grade wheel or
bicycle sulky. The spooling or wind
e apparatus for the recovery of the
lble is automatic. Although this cart
ay be used as easily for the construc-
on of telephone as telegraph lines. the
tier service is more frequently re-
Tired of it.
The equipment of complete field
legraph train is quite elaborate, it's
rgest piece being the lance truck.
mis- is used in the building of line
signed to be more permanent than
e flying lines" put out by the hand
Id bicycle reels. The lances or light
les are of locust wood, about IA feet
length. Into the head of each is
rewed a hard rubber insulator with
slot for the reception of the wire,
1ich is tied only at each fifth pole.
the side boxes of the lance truck
e kept the digging bars, insulators
d other tools.
\ wire wagon and a battery wagon
ways keep the lance truck close com
n.y. The former is a very strongly
Instructed vehicle and carries in its q
is at least six miles of cable The
ttery wagon is the life-center of the
in, being stocked with the chemicals
generating electricity, with tele e
Iph and telephone instruments, and -
n all the other accessories neces-
y to the equipment of a field line I
office. 1t is, in fact, the moving
ldquarters of the operators. In ad-
on to the officers in charge. the
4 train gang usually consists of
} markers who indicate the route,
and three markers who
Ike the more accurate measurements
indicate the location of the poles;
1armen for digging the holes; two
emen. who stretch the line along
pins. and Is lancemen. OF the last
ned, two distribute the lances, while
others slip the wire into the in a,
tor slots, erect the poles and lamp a.
n securely into position.
II this work is performed with the
ID ard exactness of a quick drill d
he parade ground 4 clear idea of
operation of the demonstrating
lch of the signal service may be
lined by supposing the United
es troops to have effected a sue
full landing in Cuba and to be adj
cling upon Havana. From the head
rters of the commanding general Ge
hose of his inferior officers in II
'ge of the regiment furthest in adj Tn
&c would be stretched the semi 81.
nanent line already described Be
nection between regimental head =
tiers and the camps of companies L.
he extreme front would be made 4
means of the light TeeI-cart, drawn
me horse or by two men. =
le next extension OF the line would me
made by the bicycle or the hand ToC