The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-06-09

VI HEN Manila fell there were practi-
w calIy no telegraph or cable con-
nsctions anywhere in the Philip
pines. The system OF land wires
connecting the principal towns, and the
cable between Manila and noiio. and
Iloilo and Cebu, had oeen sedtS,L 'l-lu
Abandoned by the owners the Eastern
Extension Australasia < China Capte
company, which announced that IL WOul1
not open until the United states coul4
assure protection Tor its employees and
Im4mediately upon the occupation Of
a Serious phase Indeed the trouble be-
gan at the capture of the place ana
first hostile act of the insurgents Upon
AguinalGOs taking me war path IL Ee-
came useless to stretch lIne uIIcSs
defended by a patrol close enough 20
gether to Shout q message along Inc
system abandoned by the Eastern EN-
He opened. Repaired, improved and eN-
tended it with astonishing ability, util-
ling even fence wire and UNFINISHED wire
rope, and always managing to destroy
the portions In the terrllOTy ne was
insurgents knew the value of wires and
at every opportunity a lew men would
slip by our lines or between them and
| haul away as much as they coU1d con-
Veniently carry
Gable though far more costly and re
curing more time to lay, could be main
| tanned In the Philippines; for the Filiplpos
/ had no 'picluug-Up gear" nor graphing
and cutting utensils. The var depart
ment decided to establish q complete
I cable system, with <ernates, as soon as
| possible Contracts were placed, the
/ work was rushed and the Hooker. t'le
I first Philippine cable. ship. was dispatch ed
( post haste, taking on part Of her equip
ment, which was procured IN England. at
| The problem of securing satisfactory
I force had been by no means an easy
1 one, Tor the business OF cable laying Is
a. new one in the United States. The
| services Of Mr.. Otto Strubel, an engineer
of The French Cable company, were Sc
/ cured, and those of Mr. Henry Winter
/ an officer Of the AuglO-AuerICan cable
ship Nina But three men of the Hook
/ erS crew had had experience in ca BILE
work. An expert lOinter of rubber cable
/ was enlisted in New York. but he de-
/ serted the expedition q few days before
/ it left Care had been taken. though. to
have two SerReants Of the signal CORPS
J instructed by him in the art, in case Of
! such an emergency.
] After arriving at Manila the Hooker
| was sent to Hongkong to coal, struck
| an outlying reef Of COrregidOr island
I and after all, down went the cable to
{ the bottom Of the sea. or course. that
{ was its ultimate destination but nor
/ IN a lump. The ship was a total loss.
] but most of the cable and raachtnery.
/ though somewhat damaged, was reGov-
! cred and taken back TO Manila. Then tine
/ with the recovered paraphernal liza.
For the work in rivers and other snail
/ equipped and towed by small glnboats.
( The gunbOat could -epe diSLurbers and
/ the same exposure was not necessary IN
! reeling out the cable from the barges -
] was required TO stretch land lines. About
| every FIVE miles stops would be ma lie
J to test what had been laid. The small
[ military force that accompanied these
/ expeditions when in hostile country. was
/ depIOyed as picketS when the electricians
/ landed to make the tests. FOR the actual
] work Of establishing the lines, it was nee
/ eSSary TO employ natives 1T takes three
natives TO 90 the work OF one American
/ workman, but the native asks only $ per
/ month salary. and his accustomed fare Of
rice, dried fish, etc. He loves to SQUAT
when Keeling the cable end he works with
/ as little effort as pOSSihfe.
The first work was done by the army,