New-York tribune., 1903-07-06
NINETEEN HOUR VIGIL.
Continued from first page)

as nearly there. and should hear some
thing soon. 1t is likely that our messages will
cross the Anglias deck. They will not wait to
complete the insulation Of the splice and drop
the cable overheard"
THE EXPECTED NEWS COMES.
The receivers had been still for some minutes
One Of them began to click. Mr. Usher was
all attention in an instant. He looked at his
watch. smiled, left the building and went to the
telephone exchange. The telephone bell In Mr.
Mackay's residence, on Harbor Hill. near Ros-
lyn, began to ring 1t rang three times. and
before Mr.. Usher had the receiver to his ear
tenor hello coming over the wire Then
a message went to Sycamore HILL
When Mr.. Usher returned he said: I'VE heard
at 4:15 Honolulu time Q0:15 New-York). from
the Anglia We are through to Midway. and
as soon as a few tests are completed, shall turn
over the cable to you' Mr.. Mackay is on his
way here" Mr.. Loeb entered about the same
time. Some chairs were carried into his little
office from the other rooms. In little while the
receiver again began talking. The cable was
completed. President Roosevelt's message to
Governor Taft, at Manila, was handed to MI
Usher by Secretary Loeb, and at 1880 p m,
New-York time. it began its journey to the
remotest land under the Stars and Stripes
Mr. Loeb passed to Mr.. Usher another auto
began transmitting il In twelve minutes II
had girdeC the earth and was back again in
that little Office at Oyster Bay MI Mackay.
who with Mrs Mackay. came In before the
Presidents message to him was sent, passed
paper to Mr.. Esher soon as he had read that
which he lad received from the President AT
11:53:4J it sped away to the eastward. Nine
minutes later il as sent 10 President Roosevelt
at Sycamore -1iu by his special wire. and. in
that nine minutes it had been repeated nine
teen times and had gone around the globe
THE HUMAN RELAY SYSTEM.
The repeating Of the messages, Mr.. Usher
said. was b. what is known the human relay
system. Each operator transmitted one letter
of the message while receiving the next so he
completed his work only letter later than
the operator who forwarded it TO him.
The group about the instruments was photo
graphed for The Tribune as the Presidents
message TO Mr.. Mackay was sent After the
photographer had copied the originals of the
first TWO messages sent. Mr.. Mackay placed
them carefully in his inside pocket his SOU
venirs Mr.. Bigler kept the two plugs that
connected the circuit at the Telephone EX
change. and suitable souvenirs went to the
President to Mr.. and Mrs. Loeb. and Mr..
Barnes The Presidents souvenir was small
section of the new Pacific cable. II is heauti-
fully mounted and rests in a handsome morocco
case.
In ten minutes the reporters were telephonIng
the news to their 1aperS over the same two
wires which had served for sending the mes
sages around the world.
Although the Pacific cable was used by the
President, and many messages were sent over IL
on the Fourth il has not yet been opened for
public use. Until il has been thoroughly tested
il will not be turned over 10 the company by
the contractors. Just when that will be, and
how soon thereafter II will be opened for COM
uercial service, was not known yesterday.