Evening star., 1901-05-18
ALI Important Points Connected by
Wire.
DIFFICULT WORK ACCOMPLISHED
1t Was Done Under Great Pressure
of Haste.
A M E RICA'S FIR ST STEP
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
When Manila fell there were practically
no telegraph OF cable connections anywhere
In the Philippines. The system of land
wires connecting the principal towns, and
the cable between Manila and 1loilo, and
Iloilo and Cebu, had been sealed and aban-
doned by the owners, the Eastern Exten-
sion Australasia and China Cable Company,
which announced that it would not open
until the United States could assure pro-
lection for it's employees and property.
Immediately upon the occupation Of Ma
Mia the question of wires assumed seri-
Gus phase. Indeed, the trouble began at
the capture of the place, and the destruc
tion of our wires was the first hostile act
of the insurgents. Upon Aguinaldo's TAX
ing the war path it became useless to
stretch a line unless the army surrounded
it or unless it was defended by patrol
close enough together to shout a message
along The system abandoned by the
Eastern Extension Company fell into his
hands He opened, repaired, improved and
extended it with astonishing ability, utiliz-
ing even fence wire and untwisted wire
rope, and always managing to destroy the
portions in the territory he was forced
from time to time to yield. The 1nsur-
gents knew the value of wires and at every
opportunity few men would slip by our
line or between them and haul away as
much as they could conveniently carry.
Cable though far more costly and re-
curing more time to lay, could be main
tanned in the Philippines; for the Filipinos
had no "picking-up gear nor graphing
and cutting utensils The War Depart
ment decided to establish complete cable
sy STEM with aternates, as soon possi-
Bile Contracts were placed, the work was
rushed and the Hooker, the first Philippine
cable ship, was dispatched posthaste. TAX
ing on part of her equipment. which was
,,-,Ii ", cy1 an6 of
Experts Hard to Find.
The problem of securing a satisfactory
force had been by no means an easy one.
for 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 secured, and those Of
Mr.. Henry Winter. an officer of the Anglo
American cable ship Nina. But three
men Of the Hooker's crew had had expert
ence in cable work. An expert jointer of
rubber cable was enlisted In New York
but he deserted the expedition few days
before it left Care had been taken, though,
to have two sergeants Of the signal corps
instructed by hinr in the art, in case OF
such emergency.
After arriving at Manila the Hooker was
sent to Hong Kong to coal. struck an out
lying reef of Corrigidor Island. and, after
all. down went the cable to the bottom Of
the sea OF course, that was it's ultimate
| destination. but not in a lump. The ship
was total loss, but most of the cable and
| machinery. though somewhat damaged.
| was recovered and taken back to Manila
| Then the Romulus was chartered and
| equipped with the recovered paraphernalia
Took Gunboats Along.
For the work In rivers and other shall
| low bodies Of water barges were equipped
and towed by small gunboats. The gun
| boats could repel disturbers and the same
! exposure was not necessary in reeling out
the cable from the barges as was required
| to stretch land lines. About every five
miles stops would be made to test what
| had been laid. The small military force
! that accompanied these expeditions when
| in hostile country was deployed as pickets
when the electricians landed to make the
| tests For the actual work of establishing
| the lines 1t was necessary to employ ma
! tives. 1t takes three natives to do the
work of one American workman, but the
| native asks only s. per month salary and
his accustomed fare of rice. dried fish, etc.
| He loves to squat when reeling the cables,
and he works with as little effort as pos
sible.
The first work was done by the army,
| but subsequently contracts were let for
the entire work, laying as well as furnish
ing the cable. The government furnishes
the cable ship, the necessary military pro-
lection and officer as director and in
| spector. More than 1000 miles have now
| been laid, almost enough to reach from
San Francisco to Honolulu. All the prin-
ipal cities and every island of any size are
connected. To be more explicit cables con-
meet Manila and Cavite, Taguig and Ca
lamba, Taguig and Binang, Calamba and
Los Banos, Los Banos and Santa Cruz Ii
loan and Ormoc, Cebu and Liloan, Leyte
| and Tacloban and Samar, Naic and Core
gidor Guinayangan and Pasaco. and other
points from the islands of Cebu to Bahol
Negros to Cebu, Cebu to Mindanao, Jolo tC
Mindanao. and also connecting points or
the islands Of Mindanao, where land wires
cannot yet be maintained. Most of the
| twelve months, and little trouble II being