The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-02

Actual construction work on the govern
ment telegraph line from Port Valdes TO
Fort Egbert on the Yukon, ana thence
10 ct. Michael will be started WITHIN the
next two weeks This statement was
made last night by Mai. Frank French OF
the signal corps of the United states
army, who has been designated 10 take
charge OF the construction OF the govern
ment telegraph line in Alaska. Maj
Greene arrived in the city yesterday from
San Francisco and will return to his
station in that city today. Later he Will
return to Seattle TO take passage on one
of the government transports Tor Naldes.
There is probably no more important
undertaking by the war department IN
Alaska than the construction OF the teie-
graph line from Valdes to the Yukon Inc
system will include cable lines from ST.
Michael, the headquarters of the depart
ment Of Alaska, to the mouth OF the Una
laklk river from which it is but short
Journey over a low divide to the Yukon
river some 200 miles from its mouth. In
addition there will be a cable line from
ST. Michael to Cape Nome.
These cable lines will place the head
quarters OF the department of Alaska at
St Michael in close touch with the main
land and with the thriving mining camp
at Cape Nome. which 1t is expected will be
the center of mining life and activity on
Boring sea.
II am informed that the material neces-
sary for the construction OF the govern
ment telegraph line from Valdes to st.
Michael has been purchased in the East
and is now en- route to Seattle" said
Nal Green last night at the Rainier
Grand. 1T will probably be four or five
weeks before II arrives here, and IL ready
for shipment North. However, the trans
port Egbert. which sailed today from San
Francisco for Seattle will bring a large
quantity Of material which will be used
In starting work on the line from Naldes.
This material, which will include instru-
ments. etc. will probably be shipped to
Valdes on one OF the government trans
ports leaving this city within the next
week or So
THE main part OF the material for the
telegraph line along the Yukon will be
shipped from the East and will not reach
Seattle for several weeks yet Included in
this lot will be several hundred iron tele-
graph poles which will be used in the con-
struction of the line over the tundra from
Boring sea to the Yukon. There is no tim
Der along this stretch of country for about
200 miles. The iron poles will be manu-
featured In Pittsburg especially for the
use of the government.
There is no possibility OF the telegraph
line from Valdes to Fort Egbert and
thence to St. Michael being completed this
year However, 1t has been determined
to lay the cable lines from st. Michael to
the mouth of the Unalaklik and connect
ST. Michael and Cape Nome this summer.
This part of the work will be completed
by September Is at the latest The de-
partment headquarters at st. Michael will
thus be placed in communication with the
mainland at the mouth Of the Unalaklik
and at Cape Nome during the winter"
Mai Greene Is chief signal officer under
Gen Shafter commanding the department
of California He has been twenty five
years In the signal corps. having been ap-
pointed as private from Philadelphia in
1876. He received a commission as sec
ond lieutenant in 1882 and was made first
lieutenant in 1890 At the outbreak of the
Spanish American war he was commits
stoned as captain In the regular organiza-
tion and later was made lieutenant colonel
and chief signal officer of the Fifth army
corps Gen. Shafter commanding). oper-
atlng in Cuba. where he served with great
distinction.