Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-11-09
THE SIGNAL OFFICE.
Gen. Greedy Makes a Report on the
Work Of His Department.
RURAL FREE DELIVERY SERVICE.
The First Assistant Postmaster General
Speaks In Its Praise and Says 1t Has
Caused Increase Receipts-United
States Treasurer's Report.

Washington, Nov 6--The extent tx
which the government is constructing
and operating cable and telegraph
lines as result of recent territorial
acquisitions and controls is brought
out in the report Of Gen. Greedy, chief
signal officer. This shows that the
telegraph system OF Cuba, formerly
owned and operated by Spain, has been
taken over and developed by the signal
corps and that at the close of the fiscal
year $500 miles Of line were in opera
ton, OF which 800 miles were absolute
ly new lines and the remainder largely
reconstructed.
Gen. Greedy discusses the question OF
Cuban cable and telephone concessions
showing the legal and diplomatic diff
culties surrounding them, as well as
the practical difficulties under which
the military cable lines are kept in
operation. He recommends the laying
of deep sea cable between Porto
Rico and Cuba which would cost $780,
900. BY this means all communications
between Porto Rico and the United
otates would pass over surety Amerl-
can lines.
In the Philippines Gen. Greedy shows
that the efforts of the United States to
Law cables for military oneratiops was
antaponized bv the private comnanies
owning lines there A vague idea nj
the magnitude of the SIGNAL corns work
under Mai. Tbompson,s sunervision in
the Philippines he saws. NAV he con.
veyed by the statement that over tbe
TELEGRAPH system alone more than
e6O. 900 MESSAGES. MANY long and all nm
public business. were transmitted in
the ten months ended June 20 and over
45 900 in Nav alone.
As 10 the Pacific cable tbe renort
saws in mart.
IN order IN iolu c,osor ,oco,nor tho ,rn,.oa
i'liltS ulu luh luClr jlllbS III IN essential
span the Pacific by submarine cable, as re-
commenced na oy 'ne president 70 congress In his
wilma n sch caho T. mn o,o ,v,I ,or
purposes, but more especially for the fostering
Of industrial interests in the new colonies and
III oruer 10 facilltate commercial operations.
wireless teiegraphy receives consid-
eraple attentlon' ten. freely says
that as a means OF connecting the is
lands OF the west indies, Hawaii and
'ne rhilipplnes' whlch are In the range
Oh l's action' wireless telegraphy should
prove Oh vaiue' Inc signal corps ex-
Per'ihehts nave SHOWN that its officers
anu men are aole 10 furnish practlc-
ao'c system Oh wireless biography
ven, ureeiy says there Is no reasonable
uouo' 'nae III ehe immaculate future
"'re,ess 'elegraphy VIII replace, with
eq"ai advantage W commerce ana the
"r'iy' .he 'n'i'Vary caoles necessary 10
eohneo' iiaroor iorVihca1iohs'
~ RURAL fhhE DELIVERY
washington, Nov IA vigorous
p'e" ior rural Tree aeliverv Is made in
'he annual report OF FIRST Assist
ahl rostlnasIer uenerai Ferry D. Heath,
'laoe puoiic last hlghI Mr. Heath
says 're service 80 iar mas resulted in
'ncreaseu postai receipts, enhancement
u 'ie value VI iarni lanos reached by
rural lree delivery OF from w to w per
acre, general Improvement OF the
'onaltlon OF the ROADS traversed BY the
'ural carriers; better prices for farm
products, the producers being brought
INTO daily touch with the state of the
markets, besides educational benefits
conferred bv relieving the monotonv NJ
'arm lifs thropgb roodv oooosa
e"oy "e'e'' !"
Nhoiesoihe iiIeraeure anu knowledge
VI current events. On November l
'ural free delivery was in successful
,peration in over 1888 services. radiatinp
,yer 40 states and one TERRITORY. Idaho
Mississinr; and Mon,nun
49, WY -'o"''h"
'elnR Vne oniy STATES unrepresented.
3etween the beginning OF the new fiscal
,ear, July |, 1890, and November. at an
additional exnenditure ~ s,so ma r,unl
''''''Y' -" FN,'s'''' : " ~Ao''VoV' "'ai
reg ueliVery nus oeen extended TO
Yearly 100000 persons, at an annual
ost of about 81 cents per capita
oa,nst nm aver,rs mar oon;,o ,oat -
7, an =. p'" e'e. VI
ux,rrn STATES rprAsuppp,s ppuopr
Washinrtor NoveME,,is II pnha..
-. ''ooolVS'