The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-14
BRAVERY OF u. S. SIGNAL
CORPS In THE PHILIPPINES.
Work of Men Who Maintain Telegraph and Telephone
Wires-They Have Fought Battles With SavagpS in the In
terror and Mounted Guard Oy er Lines in Lonesome Junges.

At the first attack two % the twenty
Americans were killed. In another moment
= third fell.
Corporal Wilson was in advance. and
twenty boIornen attacked him. Single
handed he killed four of them. and then the
Others closed in on him and he was mcrtaIly
wounded. Upon the body were found niile
EhaSrly wounds.
Every American in the fight was wounded.
and four Were killed.
Eut The suTvivcrs. after a halt to have
their wounds dressed. marched onward aai
repaired the line.
Ten times during the next month It was
cut again. Sky poles We're chopped down.
All ,a.h time the appearance of the re-
pair =.:.S rreart a fight.
and yet he liz" was maintained ana pro-
tectcd.' I; 10 in daily use to-iay-aad at
nearly every pole there is a grave.
CAPTAIN WILDMAN'S PLAN.
with . guard Il ten men. was detailed to
build a line between Szr joaquin and TiUla<,
On the ISLAM Of Parry.
\ landing vas made on the dangerous
coast near the former village. ard through
The orrrtui Of Il surf boat the men lost
all OF IL" snCyeis.
Blu other shcvels were soon made Of ham
hHo. and he Tnaterial-wire and insulatnrs
was dragged TO the village on ;mpr0vised
wheellsss wagons or sieds.
Captain NliIman. the officer In charge.
Immediately dispatched a messenger TO the
fresid'nte Of Tioias with 4 request for 10
native lsh1rsrs.
Al I ~ --aist Ott> tsE1t II. fcA-l -
cure b"t twenty men. bG: Captain WiidInan
vas ret - 10 6iSObeyed. Taking a handful
e Americans he set off FOR Tiolas and
rounded uo every native in sight. including
II. PRESIDENT.
They were marched back to san Joaquin
ana set 20 WORK preparing poles. and in a
f-w GAYS five miles OF lire were completed.
Th"r Captain Whitman dismissed the Tic
laSals ana sent a request Tor l0) men to the
i1ss.dsn'e Of PotcEQ. another village.
The PrcsiGrnte CcEi.red that all of the VII
layers had left. ana h:ntei that they were
pllnHinS az attack Upon the Americans
Captain WiiLnar theraupon sat out after
them. surrounded and captured them and
no attack.
Before long ire Americans found the re-
mains OF an old Spanish telegraph line. Cap
tain Witma1 E"-t messengers ahead III
fsTrTiRg the PFesiicntes that unless every
pole Of the Spanish line that had been De-
strJyed was replaced BY the tim. the con-
si:actior party reached /; .varv shade tree
N every village encountered would be cat
down.
Incidentally. he informed the Presidentes
that unless t.:sE WaTHed tiiEl. il person. OF
sverE coGteIap!atsd attack by insurgents at
leadt twenty minutes before it WAS to he
T-2Tr he could bcrn every village harhOr-
inf III" enemy. The effect was magical =.
AhEad Of the americans arosa 4 line ~
rev po!fS. An tnny had 70 co was to
One of tho most r~emarhaa'a constr IcTj"l
fats rertorrnec y the si=nal corps vas
Gliju.Eeaa. oh the isiari % Negro. OYER
what Is .suOUE q the volcano pass.
THIS work vas doEe by ! mar: Of six
soldiers and one Uative gIiC7. urda- conf
:naUi % Lieutenant Alfred 7. clifton.
OF the eighteen pack ANIMALS, six cIed
during the frs few lays. wnel the party
was painfully ard slowly making its way
NJ tine mountain side through an cX:rIc:-
dinari,y dense tropical forest.
::cfO-c long thr Iath Iv~trIe 50 steep
5hc; u was necessary 10 cut foothoiGs tor
me animals. and when the summit was
reached Lieutenant Clifton was informed
b. natives tzat fdTthtT progress WIS im-