The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-12-03
WIRELESS WORK
WELL UNDER WAY
STATION rs LOCATED AT THE HEAD
OF FIRST STREET
viii Require About Two Weeks to Com
plete Mast-Company Hopes to Begin
Service About Jan. 1st-Brief Sketches
of General Manager and electrician.

After various most vexatious delays
a site for the wireless telegraph station
has been definitely determined upon,
at the head OF First street, between the
block reserved by the county for court
house purposes and the Methodist
church. The big tlmbers for the great
mast are on the ground aud workmen
have been actively engaged this week
getting them ready for hosting and in
digging the holes for the mast founda-
ton and guy-wire anchors. 1t is ex-
pected that about two weeks of good
weather will be required TO complete
the mast. The office building will be
20x36 feet, one story high, and will
have an attractive front. Tho COM
pany is very desirous of having the
station in operation by January l.
q. r.. Swenson, chief electrician Of
the company, was here with General
Manager New last week for the first
time. and expressed himself as being
very much pleased with the site finally
selected for the station. Other sites
were offered by Gene G. Gould and
Capt. Warbass, both of them adjoining
the residence of 0. III. Culver, on the
hill back Of the cannery, but neither
was acceptable to Gen. New, who par
ticularly desired location convenient
to the business part of town. The Odd
Fellows also, with most commendable
public spirit, offered lot adjoining
their hall. Mr.. Swsnsen is the invent
of the receiving apparatus used by the
Pacific Wireless Company and which
is claimed to be far superior to any
OF her wireless receiver. 1t is said that
by its use the hertzian waves are ap-
preciated 80 nicely that only one sixth
of horse power is required to trans
NIT messages forty miles.
We quote Tie following from an ex-
csllent article published by the Port
Townsend Call at the time of formal
opening of the Port Townsend and
Fort Casey stations:
"The Pacific Wireless Telegraph
Company was first organized under
the laws of South Dakota, some three
years ago. Last August reorganization
was perfected under the laws of this
state an the company incorporated for
$5,OOO,O0o. The company's main field
of operation has been in Southern Cali
fornia and Los Angeles is the head
quarters. The first experiments were
conducted in Denver, Colorado, and it
was then that Mr.. Swenson became in
terested. Mr.. Swenson, though ayoung
man. being less than thirty years OF
age, is an expert electrician and to him
belongs the credit for bringing out the
receiving instrument, which his com
pany is using. Experimenting with
electrical forces is natural bent with
this man, and when still in short
breeches, at the age of thirteen, he had
a laboratory fitted up at the home OF
his parents, which would have done
credit to experts of mature years
manager New has been prominent
figure in the political and business life
of the states OF the middle west for q
number of years. During the period
from 1886 to 1901 Gen. New was the
register of the land office at Evanston
Wyoming. In 1892 News name was
presented to the legislature of his state
as candidate fer United States SEN
ator and he came within one vote OF
being elected. At different times Gen.
New was connected with the law de-
partments of the Union Pacific railroad
aud the Colorado Southern railroad.
He was collector of internal revenue
for the district embracing Colorado ana
Wyoming and held the office OF sur
ysyof general in the latter state. At
the present time and for the past three
wears Gen. News time has been de-
voted to his wireless work, and to his
unfailing energy and business sagacity
is due in large measure the success
which has so far crowned the efforts O.