The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-03-07

Like soldiers responding 10 a call 10
arms. the sturdy Hnemen Of the telegraph
and telephone companies from All parts
Of the country have rushed on 10 washing
ton TO re-enfores their comrades in their
invasion OF the storm-blown district. ana
from dawn TO darkness yesterday hey
battled royalty to reconquer It tron the
hostile elements.
In two divisions. operating along sepa-
rate routes toward common goal. the
Western Union and Postal forces worked
step by step along the line to Baltimore.
In the same territory. but along stiH a
different route, The telephone people made
a successful effort 70 re-estas,Iish oonnec-
tons between the two cities
SineETs Of War Plentiful
Ammunition. in the shape Of cables
wires. instruments. and materials OF Al
kinds are being brought here on express
trains. passenger coaches. wagons. ana
vehicles OF every description
The s!news Of war arc plentiful. as
the companies are not sparing monev. IN
their heroic efforts TO conquer the terri
tory invaded by the blizzard. The stern
tof expense does not enter at al in the
calculations Of the officials.
The only questions considered a-s
where and how can the men and nate
riais be obtained. and how they can be
brought into action az the first possible
moment Sitting IN their onces until
away int0 the night. the companies gen
erals are directing their force or hardy
linemen. who are braving tie elements
and using every atom os energy In a
united and systematIzed campaign OF IN
teiiigsntly directed human effort against
the powerful forces o. Nature
- -1e meaI of Wash
ington and b sabnittinz
patiently 70 ths--s.sous Inconvenience
and financial losses entaued BY the CON
plete interruption OF the means OF com
rnunieation. which for more than two
generations have been regarded as abso-
iutely Indispensable TO modern life. Those
who are in the heart OF the storm area
have been made 70 realize. by painful ex-
perience. q condition OF affairs. long since
forgotten. that existed at the time when
the invention Of Morse was stiH unheard
Of
Il Praise for Men.
Despite the hardshIps. no word Of
criticism has mingled with the unstinted
praise for the forces OF men who are
doing all IN human power 70 obllterate a
condition OF affairs incompatible with
twentieth century progress
Five hundred linemen. some gathered
from points many miles from here. are
at work on the lines OF the Western
/ Union Between Washington and BAL
timore. where the wires are down. niles
Of cables are being stretched 20 the
stunps Of poles. and. carried forward
through slush. mud. and sn0wdrifts. are
{ spliced % the wires wherever they ara
found standing
Special cars bearing cables and ether
materis; have arrived in Washington
from points as far away as chicago, and
have been distributed along the Bait
more and Ohio Railroad tracks where The
crews are al work An equal number OF
men are AZ work beyond Baltimore.
where the lines are down. 20 Havre de
Grace
First Victory.
TIE first substantial victory OF tns
Western Union forces was gained tust
before dark last evening. when four di-
rect wires 20 Cumberland responded 10
the telegrapher's key AS four messages
can be sent at one time over each OF
these wires. this IS equivalent TO sixteen
direct lines. Communications with ali
points to the South are now virtually IN
tact. although a great deal OF repair work
VII have 70 be done even here before
normal conditions are established
The officials OF the company are en-
thusiastic IN praise OF their repair gangs,
and declare that al OF them are working
line squads OF well-trained soldiers.
Many Of them are veterans. but the
campaign Of 1893 viii be remembered by
all Of them as the hardest they ever wens
through.
About ]. 800 poles are down on the West
ern Union lines between Baltimore and
Washington, and as many Of those stand
ing ara injured, II is calculated that at
least cae-third OF Them win have 70 &c
replaced II - Impossible ar this tine %
calculate the financial loss 20 the West
ern Union or the other companies.
The total sum viii represent the loss Ok
the present plant that has been DESTROYED
the cost OF the new plant, the loss due 10
the interruption Of business. the expense
OF the large force OF operators who are ii
enforced idleness. and the expense OF
shipping vast amounts Of material BY ex-
press and special trains from points many
miles distant None OF the regular opera
tors have been dropped nom the rolls
Messages to New York and PhiiadeIphia
: continue 70 be sent by circustous relay
= over Southern and Western routes. The
company hopes 70 have q line 10 Baitl-
! more by tonight
About zoo men of the Postal Company
are working IN similar manner through
Continued on Page 2, C6auma 8.