East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-07-01

Recent experiments in wireless tel
egraphy conducted in Alaska by Capt.
c. d. Wildman and the enlisted men
Of the United States signal corps have
demonstrated the practicability of
that method of instantaneous COM
munication so thoroughly that the
men having them in charge look for
ward to the early replacement of both
land and water lines in Alaska by
the wireless system.
Such is the information brought to
Seattle from the north by I. E. Har-
per, electrician in the signal corps,
who has spent two years assisting in
the work of installing and operating
the wireless system between Nome
and st. Michaels across Norton sound
According to Mr.. Harper the Nome
st. Michaels wireless section is one
of the most reliable as well as most
economical portions Of the whole
Alaska system. 1t was installed last
summer and began operations August
16. Since that date it has not been
out of working order for a single Sec
ond. 1t is always in order always
ready for business and the transmits
sion of dispatches over it can always
be depended on.
On the other hand the deep sea ca
bles between this port and Alaska
and between Alaskan points frequent
ly get out of order, causing a heavy
expense for their repair and mainte-
nance in addition to the delay suffer-
ed while they are out of commission.
Similarly the land lines of the sys-
tenn are frequently torn down for days
at time. This is particularly true in
the spring. The land lines are strung
on iron poles. When the ground be-
gins to thaw out in the spring, freez-
ing during the nights and thawing
during the days. this action forces
the poles out of the ground, ground
ing the wires. This difficulty is a
serious one and so far the signal
corps officers have found no way of
obviating it.
"Since we put the wireless into
commission on August 16 last, it has
moi been out of order a day, not even
a minute. 1t has been ready for busi-
ness at all times, and all business has
been transmitted over it promptly
upon its receipt. on the other hand
the land and water lines of the sys-
tenn have been repeatedly out of COM
mission by accidents of a more or
less serious nature" says Mr.. Har-
per to a Seattle paper
Experiments which have been
made i'm connection with our work
have demonstrated beyond doubt that
the wireless system can be installed
and operated in the place of the land
and water lines at a saving of ex-
pense and an increase of efficiency.
we have demonstrated by expert
ments that il is entirely practicable
to use the wireless system between
Cape Flattery and Valdez,a distance of
1900 miles. and efforts will be made
by the officers of the service to- in
duce the department to substitute it
for the present unsatisfactory cable.
Owing to tine expense involved. how
ever, in the laying of the cable. the
may decline to do this.
But 1t would be an economical move
since the whole cost of installing the
would not be greater than
that of maintaining the cable ship
Burnside for a year. And in addition
the change would vastly increase the
of the service.
Captain Wildman is now at Fort
Gibbon conducting experiments to
demonstrate the practicability of the
wireless in the place of the present
land lines. The Marconi people have
been at the same place for several
attempting to establish COM
between that place and
Chenoa, but have not succeeded.
"Since we have been working with
the wireless in the north Captain
Wildman and I have invented a new
receiver which is much more
than the old Marconi and
DeForest receivers in that it does not
require a battery to operate it The
old receivers which have been in use
by the government cost the owners
Of the patents from $3.50 to SO to