Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-05
Report of Gen. A. w. Greedy
Shows the Department in
Excellent Condition.
GOOD WORK DONE IN ALASKA
Over a Thousand Miles of Land Line
and Submarine Gables Laid During
Two Years-Many Difficulties to
Overcome in Accomplishment of the
Task.

port of General A. w. Greedy, chief
signal officer of the army, says the
corps have actually built and put In
working order in Alaska, 1,121 miles of
land lines and submarine cables within
a period of twentyfour months. The
accomplishment of such results, he says
would be most credtable to officers and
men concerned therein if Alaska was
an ordinary country, for this work
included not only surveying, construc-
ton and installation of this length of
line, but also involved the manufacture
and inspection of enormous quantities
Of material, instruments, etc, many
hundred tons in weight and their trans
portation over distances ranging from
1000 to 1000 miles.
When one considers, however, the
exceedingly difficult physical conditions
must be considered simply phenome-
nal as in all parts of Alaska traversed
by this great length of line there are
not dozen miles of wagon roads and
much of the region is UNEMPLOYED.
Speaking of Improvements effected
by the corps in Cuba, General Greedy
says: 1T is unquestioned that ON oc-
cupying Cuba the American army
found u few dilapidated telegraph lines
operated by antiauated methods with
tariff rates increasing In proportion to
the length of the message without free
delivery and with grave uncertainties
as to espionage, secrecy and delivery.
This system, bad as 1t was, served only
the western half of the island. In ieav-
ing Cuba there was turned over to the
government a system OF $500 miles,
extending from San Martinez in the
west to Cape Maysi in the extreme
east with every seaport or town Of inn
portance electrically connected. The
present instruments are of the best
modern types, the transmission speedy
and reliable and the tariff rates exceed
ingly low, while the certainty OF de-
livery and inviolability of messages
are beyond question"
OF the work in the Philippines the
report says:
1.-THE magnificent system of telegraph
lines and cables was very largely con-
structed and installed under Colonel
Allen. This system, increased during
the fiscal year by $500 miles, consisted
on June 80, 1902, of thirty-one subma-
rine cables, 1925 miles in length, and
land lines 5,00S miles in length, making
an aggregate of CASA miles. 1t is al
most needless to say that the work of
and installation under the
disturbed and difficult conditions exist
ing in the archipelago demanded tall
ents of the highest order. The system
stands today monument to the ener-
gy, skill and resourcefulness of the
American soldier. On entering the
Philippine islands the Ameri-
can army found practically no
existing telegraph lines as the few land
lines connecting the Visayan cables of
the Eastern Extension Telegraph Com
pany had been promptly destroyed by
the insurgents, as we'll as the lines in
Luzon, when they retreated before the
of our army. The only lines
of any Importance that came into our
possession were several hundred miles
of dilapidated and antiquated lines in
the Cagayan valley and along the west
coast of LuZon.'
General Greedy calls attention to the
necessity OF Pacific cable. Owing to
the great pressure of work he says
not as much time had been given to
wireless biography tests as General
Greedy desired, but he reports that pro-
gress has been made.
He again calls attention to the neces-
sity for international cable regulations
and recommends that the war depart
ment be represented at the internauon-
al telegraph conference to be held in
London next year.