Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Conditions at the schuylkill Arsenal.

Conditions at the Schuylkill Arsenal.
A report on the conditions at the Schuyl-
kill Arsenal, Pennsylvania, has been receiv-
ed at the War Department from Colonel j.
W. Pope, of the quartermaster's depart
ment, who was appointed to make an in
vestigation of the reported corruptions at
that arsenal.
II looked into all departments of the
depot with extreme care" says Colonel
Pope in his report, land I have not yet
been able to find any proof or indication of
corruption. graft or laxity On the part of
any inspectors or others Inspections and
inspectors have been scrupulous and rigid.
and the supplies received have been as good
as could reasonably have been expected for
the class of supplies and the prices paid.
They have generally conformed strictly to
the specifications and standard supplies.
Colonel Pope reports that while there
was not found any graft at the depot, 1t
appeared to him that there had been as
sembl1ng an unnecessarily large force or
employees for the work of the depot, clerks
as we'll as laborerS. He says It was to the
interest of the part of the force not needed
to limit the amount of work and delay the
same in order to keep up the large force.
and thus retain their places. He. however.
succeeded in reducing the number OF work
men by twenty-six with a saving Of ST.
1880. He also refers to the manner of is
suing the supplies, which he declares. is
hampered by the workmen In trying to
keep their places. The change In the work
on tents, chevrons and pressing from day
to piece work. he states, resulted in a saw
ing of S3S, 2SS.44
Great as has been this gain in economy"
states Colonel Pope, 1.-The change in dis
cipline has been even greater from the pre-
vious time, when employees were employing
attorneys and raising money and sending
delegates to Washington and besieging
senators and representatives and politicians
q andeayfr influence
Department"
Military Telegraph Lines in Alaska.
Extraordinary results, in consideration of
the conditions, have been achieved by the
United States troops of the Department Of
the Columbia in the construction and
maintenance Of telegraph and cable lines in
Alaska. The submarine cable system be-
gins at Seattle, Wash, extends to Sitka,
Resurrection bay, distance of 1,S3S miles.
Two branches, one from Sitka to Skagway,
a distance of Alb miles, and the other from
Valdez to Fort uscum, distance of four
miles. make the total mileage 2,255 miles.
In his annual report to the War Depart
ment. Col Charles H. Noble, commanding
the Department of the Columbia says that
the volume Of business transmitted over
these cables, especially the trunk portion
from Seattle to Sitka, has become so great
that steps have been taken to accomplish its
duplexing which will make the capacity of
the cable equivalent to two wires.
The land telegraph system commences at
the terminal of the submarine cable at VAL
DEE and extends far as Fort st. Michael
From Fort ST Michael across Norton Sound
wireless system has been installed with
terminals at Fort ST. Michael and Safety
Harbor. 1OI miles apart. From Safety Har-
Dor land line carries communications to
Nome. This trunk line. including the wire
less. is 1.433 miles long. 1t affords means
of direct communication with the important
cities of Nome, Fairbanks and others where
the mining industry Is of the highest i'm
portance Arrangements lave been perfect
ed by which communi cation beyond these
points may be had by telephone syst ems
on the Seward peninsula. The money turn
ed into the treasury. as the proceeds of
commercial messages sent over these lines
during the year am olnle1 ID $17S,1I3. The
value Of the business trans nitted for the
several government departments aggregat-
ed S1O4,S07. a total benefit to the United
States of $2S3, 5S7. Amounts collected snd
turned over to com ncr,ial companies as
their share aggregated $l5,34 during the
year.