The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-05-08
TELEPHONE SERVICE |,
A CORRESPONDENT FAvoRs CoNNEC-
TlON AT ANACOiiTES
Thinks Land Lines on Larger Islands
Should First be Built by "Mutual
Telephone Associations" and Cost of
Cables Guaranteed by the County.

To the Editor.-In the ISLANDER of
April "a reference was made to the inn
portance of securing telephone connec-
ton between the San Juan archipelago
and the mainland. Having gwen con-
siderable thought to this proposition, l
must say that until such electric con-
nection be effected, SAN juan county
cannot make the progress that her re-
sources and the enterprise of her citi-
zens deserve. Isolated as she now is,
she must take back seat among the
counties of our noble state. Give us
telephone cable connection between
the islands themselves and with the
mainland and we would have home
seekers focking this way instead of
stunning us. Men with capital, too,
would find it profitable to establish
factories, canneries and other business
enterprises here. In short, in due
time, these productive, healthful and
picturesque islands would be trans
formed into the abode of an enterpris-
ing, progressive and happy people.
But how can we best secure main
land electric connection? Some say by
means of the wireless system. The
wireless systems of Marconi, Tesla and
others are not as yet fully developed
and for commercial and miscellaneous
communicative purposes are nowhere
used. May be after years of experiment
some one of these systems will become
of general practical use, but of that fact
we are uncertain. The submarine cable
would have to be used. This is eXpen-
sive. A single armored cable such as
now in use in the Philippine islands
and Alaska can be had, f. o. b., New
! York, at factory for S400 per mile. III
it were double armored, as "a protection
from breakage by currents, contact o!
rocks, etc., the cost would be greater.
1t is probable, however that a single
armored cable would suffice. Then, to
the cost at factory, would have to be
added freight, marine, survey and To-
eating charges. Adding all the ex-
pense, we should judge that Mr.. o. III.
Culver's figures, $500 per mile, are not
far, if any. out of the way. The next
question is, how many miles Of sub
marine cable would be required? The
best possible connection for all of the
larger islands, San Juan, Orcas, Lopez,
Decatur and Blakely, would probably
require not more than five miles, may
be less, as survey might determine.
This connection would be between
James and Fidalgo islands where the
water is deep and supposed to be free
from rocks. Across Lopez and James
passes, the opposite shores being high
and channels narrow, connection could
be made by hanging wire. Whether
cable or hanging wire should be used
between Orcas and Blakely the survey
would decide, as would also the case of
Thatcher pass.
TO connect these islands with the
mainland at WhatcOm there are the
following objections:
First. That route would be no cheap
er than the James island route.
Second 1t would not be so central to
the the entire group of islands.
Third. 1t would not lie in the direc-
ton of by far the greater amount of our
probable telephone communication
which would be with Seattle and up
Sound cities. TO suppose that What
com or Anacortes could control the
business of these islands is not logical.
AS the citizens of an entire county, we
cannot consent to be bottled up or tied
to any one locality. We must provide
means the most accessible for commup-
ication with places near and far and
for the transaction Of business. We
must buy and sell wherever we can do
best, whether at Whatcom, Anacortes,
Seattle or any other place.
Fourth. 1t would be asking too much
of Whatcom people to suggest that
they take the lead i'm constructing a
submarine cable to these islands. Even
il they did this they might not be able
to hold our trade and In the end be
losers. The cable would benefit our