The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1902-11-08
WORK 0F SIGNAL CORPS.
Annual Report of Gen. A. W.
Greedy, Chief Signal Officer
of the Army.
REMARKABLE WORK DONE IN ALASKA.
Brief Review of Its work In Cubn
and the Complete system II Left
There-Mngnifcent system of Tel
egrnphic Lines and Cables in the
Philippines.

Washington, Nov. 5.-The annual
report of Gen. A. w. Greedy, chief
signal officer of the army, says the
corps have actually built and put in
working order, in Alaska, 1921 miles
of land lines and submarine cables
within a period Of "a months.
The accomplishment of such re.
suits, he says, would be most credta-
BILE to officers and men concerned
therein if Alaska was an ordinary
country, for this work included not
only surveying, construction and in
stallation of this length of line, but
also involved the manufacture and
inspection of enormous quantities OF
material, instruments, ETC., many hun
bred tons in weight, and their trans
portation over distances ranging from
1000 to 1000 miles.
When one considers, however, the
exceedingly difficult physical condi'
tons within the territory, he says,
the work must be considered simply
phenomenal, as in all parts of Alaska
trayersed by this great length of line,
there are not a dozen miles of Wagon
road and much of the region is unex
plored.
The Corps Work In Cuba.
Speaking of improvem llts effected
by the corps in Cuba, Gen. Greedy
says:
at is unquestioned that on occupy
ing Cuba the American army found q
few dilapdated telegraph lines oper'
ated by antiquated methods, with tar
if rates increasing in proportion to
the length Of the message without
free delivery and with grave uncer'
tainties as TO espionage, secrecy and
delivery. This system, bad as it was
served only the western half of the
island. In leaving Cuba there was
turned over to the government a sys'
TEN Of $500 miles, extending from
San Martinez, in the west, to Cape
Maysi in the extreme east, with every
seaport or town OF Importance cleo
trically connected. The present In
struments are Of the best modern
types, the transmission speedy and re.
liable and the tariff rates exceedingly
low, while the certainty OF delivery
and inviolablity Of messages are be-
You'd question"
In the Philippines.
or the work In the Philippines the
report says:
"The magnificent system OF tele'
graph lines and cables was very large
" constructed and installed under
Col. Allen. This system, increased
during the fiscal year by 1900 niles,
consisted, on June 30, 1902, OF 81 sub
marine cables, 1926 miles in length,
and land lines 5,10s miles In length,
making nm aggregate of 6,434 miles. II
Is almost needless to say that the
work OF construction and installation
under the disturbed and difficult con
ditions existing In the archipelago
demanded talents Of the highest or
der. The system stands to-day q
monument to the energy, skill and re-
sourcefulncss Of the American SOL
der.
Practically All New work.
son entering the Philippine islands
the American army found practically
no existing telegraph lines, as the few
land lines connecting the Visoyan Gu
bles of the eastern extension tele'
graph company had been promptly
destroyed by the insurgents, as well
as the lines in Luzon, when they re-
treated before the advance OF our
army. The only lines of any import
ance that came into our possession