Evening star., 1901-07-23
Little Use for Doctors,

The proceedings in camp have settled
down to steady routine. The drilling to-
day Is in accordance with the proera m
published yesterday In The Star The med
ical department has little, if anything. to
do Everybody connected with the brigade
is working just as hard as he knows how.
There Is no let up. The result cannot he
otherwise than vast advancement of the
efficiency Of the citizen soldiery of the
national capital.
FINALLY, after many unsuccessful efforts
the Signal Corps has succeeded in estah
fishing communication with the lines of the
local commercial telegraph companies. The
connection was made late last night bv
Lieut.; Nlemeyer commanding the corps,
and from now on satisfactory service is
assured. The signal men, after havinp
without success exhausted almost every
imaginable resource, calculated to produce
direct connection with the wires of the
local company, last evening aba ndonad tho
idea, and adopted the only feasible Man
for the operation of their system
Telegraph Communication.
A Signal Corps telegraph office was es-
tablished near the railroad tracks direct
ly opposite the camp site and Immediately
beneath the main line. In this office
station of the commercial system is in
operation as well a field station of the
local service installed by the Signal Corps
The latter is connected with the signal
station in camp and messages can be trans
mltted by being sent from the camp station
and transferred by the same operator to the
main line. This method is, of course by
no means as satisfactory direct commu-
n1cation would be, but, under the circum-
stances, it Is the only feasible means to be
found. BY 1t the business of the encamp-
ment as well as the private convenience of
individuals here is materially benefited.
All messages going from or received at
the camp, after being put on the wire
running IIeeSburK IN ha fra
mitted at Alexandria from the local COM
pany to one of the general companies.
This necessitates a delay in the delivery
of the messages.
Lieut.. Niemeyer has SO arranged matters
in the Signal Corps that SO far as his COM
mand is concerned, there will be no time
lost in the handling Of the business passing
over it's lines.
A Model Camp.
The camp station Of the Signal Corps is
an ideal place. Everything in it is in per-
feet order and every convenience possible
has been provided for the accommodation
of officers and visitors. A counter or ta-
BILE. runs the full length Of the tent. On
one side are arranged the telegraph instru-
ments and telephone switchboard, and on
the other are seats for the public to whom
stationery and writing materials are pro-
vided in abundance.
All the wires connected with the system
Of the corps have been conducted into the
tent through an improvised cable, thus
removing source of great annoyance in
cident to the ordinary field station, as we'll
as the danger to horsemen and persons in
vehicles. A commendable feature Of the
arrangement here is found In the tele-
graph department, where all the working
paraphernalia of Instruments. batteries
and the like, are condensed within the
space Of portable field desk.
Outside the station Is the central office
pole. standing fifty feet from the ground,
near the top Of which has been constructed
a signal tower. This pole. as well as every
lance pole in camp Is painted white and
stands out In bold relief against the green
sward. The painting Of these poles Is an