The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-29
SENDFIRST MESSAGE: FROM NEW WIRELESS Most Powerful Plant in the
 World Completed RADIUS OF 5000 MILES Huge Steel Towers Overlooking Poto- mac, Dwarf the Washington Monu-
 ment-Hope to Communicate
 With Clifden, Ireland
RADIUS OF 5000 MILES

Washington, October &.--Crackling ana supttering with life, the navy's new wire less station at Arlington. Va.-the most powerful plant in the world-tonight flung from it's lofty aerials the first mes sages which signallzed the completion of an important step in the building of globe girdling wireless system which will Seep every ship of the United States ravy and every insular possession within instant communication of the capital
 Wireless operators. professional and am- ateur on one side of the globe, prob ahly had their instruments at their ears tonight, straining to catch the faint buzzes as the powerful apparatus sput- tered out its calls for PVname, Colon and the Atlantic coast naty stations.
 Down in the sound proof operating room, wlndowless and protected by dou- perienced operators, directed by Lleuten- ant Woodwork, sent out the first flashes.
 Max, the call for Colon. 17S5 miles away. was sent hurting through the ether At intervals the instruments sparked off mar. the call for Key West, 975 miles off. No official messages were sent. but the results of the tests were noted at all stations on the Atlantic coast as well as at Key West and Colon and reports on the trials will be made tomorrow.
 5000 Miles Radius
 The radius of the new plant will be about 5000 miles. This range, probably the acme of wireless operations, will be at tained gradually, It may be weeks be- fore the big plant k tuned up to it's highest efficiency. Communication with the Pacific coast will be attempted only at night for the present. but later on inc day the Secretary of the Navy, at his desk in Washington. will be within Instantaneous communication with Key West, Guantanamo, Colon, the naval coaling stations. the winter maneu- yer grounds and all Atlantic stations. When the plant is working perfectly and the chain of stations k completed, Wash ington will be in touch with Hawai-, Samoa, Guam, the Philippines and Pearl harbor.
 The completed system will cost about sl .OJOcoo. The seas then no loftger will be a wilderness for the American navy. Ships. because of weaker equipment. cannot communicate with the powerful plant at Arlington. but they may relay messages to the various stations for to Washington.
 Three Huge Towers Built
 Three huge steel towers on the brow of hill overlooking the Potomac and dwarfng the Washington monument hold the aerials In their construction some skilled iron workers who had braved death on many skyserapers declined to work at such dizzy heights. One tower is eco feet above the hill where its base rests and that is 200 feet above the river. The other measupres 450 feet.
 At the base of the towers are the sound proof work rooms, quarters for opera tors and barracks for the marines who will guard the towers. Within q year the towers are expected to be talking with the Philippines by relays through Guam and Hawaii.
 Within the next few days the station will attempt communication with the powerful station nj Clifden. Ireland, the nearest working plant on the other side Df the Atlantic. Officers are hopeful of the outcome.
 Other Stations Constructed
 Constant communication now is being by q commercial company be- .p cen cifden at Cape Race. New Found land and other stations are being con structed for the purpose of bridging the Atlantic with aerial intelligence. com nercial corporation virtually has com oeted the erection of powerful plant 1t sayyille Long Island. which will have as its European terminus station of similar design in the vicinity of Berlin still another near New York is projected with it's sister plant in Norway.
 The Arlington station, however. marks .he most advanced step thus far taken in he establishment of regular and steady by wireless over long dis tances although the records of the army aud navy departments disclose many freak messages sent and received over great spaces. These. however. were ex- changed under the most favorable condi- lions and for the most part are regarded as accidents"
 Get Message at Newport
 Newport. R. r.. October 2s.--fhe navas wireless station here heard the radio grams sent out from the naval station at Arlington. Va. tonight with remarkable clearness and strength The powerful new station was sending messages to Key West and the extra strong waves which if caused were so great as to drown out all other radio action here. The night was perfect for the work. according to the SFslsss operators.