Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-06-14
WIRELESS FOR
WHOLE NATION


High Power Lcns Distance Radio
Telegraph Service Covering Country
/ II is now practically certain that the
federal government VIII install net
work Of high power wireless aerogram
station covering the whole United
States. says the Chlcngo Tribune.
Necessity for Wireless service IN
cases whore telegraph communication
Is impossible was demonstrated four
years ago on the day Of President
Tafts inauguration aud emphasized
strongly more recently by the cutting
oil OF the Ohio flooded districts from
communication with the outside world.
The Omaha cyclone. which put the
telegraph lines out Of business. also
! demonstrated lie need Of wireless sta
tioHS for just such emergencies
1t was therefore suggested that the
government take steps to cover the en-
tire United States with adequate wire
1 less service BESIDES lis value Tor
government service. such system
would be Of untold usefulness in af-
fordins Information and hastenng the
sending OF relief supplies to the scene
Of any great disaster
This suggestion has met with gen
erai approval from government officials
and members of congress.
The chief signal officer of the army
is ut present discussing a scheme for
4 providing iargc radio telegraphic sta
tons in the interior of the country for
the purpose of maintaining transcon-
4 tinental communication.
Use In Emergencies.
1t is proposed that these stations be
4 erected by and be placed under the
/ control of the war department These
stations are to be used mainly for gov
\ ernmental business. but of course 1t
could be providea that they could han
die urgent e1s.mereial business in
times Of general breakdown of wire
4 teIcgraphic systems.
In discussing this project Major Ed
gar Russell Of the signal corps said:
I "It is probable that two stations. one
( OF which could be somewhere east OF
the Mississippi river and north of the
/ Ohio. the other to be in the Rocky
! mountain region. would insnre radio
/ Geographic communication under prat
1 tically all conditions ii they were Civ
en- sufficient power and were solidly
/ constructed Such stations. including
/ the land buildings and necessary una
1 clinery have been estimated to cost
In the nelghborhGod of 100000 each.
i "ln addition 10 these two large sta
lions number of smaller stations
could be provided for maintaining local
/ communication, and on account of the
/ shorter distances to be covered be
tween these local stations and the
/ large stations mentioned they could be
considerably smaller and much less ex-
/ pensivc While it is a little premature
/ to state the exact cost Of each of these
/ it would probably amount to 100000
/ each If such stations were put up Mt
/ various important centers the cost OF
these and the large stations would
reach something near S2.000.000.
( THE advance In the art of radio
telceraphy is such that communication
I could be maintained between these
! stations with great certainty, and they
no doubt would serve valuable pur-
/ pose in case Of general interruption Of
wire telegraph systems. as has occur
red in great storms and floods in re-
I cent years.
Chain Across Continent.
] ~ Mr. CsoI+yr,ou Nf tI,a G
nal corps also expressed his hearty APP
prevail Of an extension of wireless serv-
ice to cover the whole nation.
! 'The recent disasters in the middle
/ west" he said. "haye brought to the
/ notice of all telegraph people the ne
/ cessity for chain of radio stations in
/ the interior of the co6sitrr which could
be depended upon in time OF disaster
/ to insure communication.
"My idea is that central system Of
stations should consist of Washington,
Cincinnati Kansas City. Denver. salt
4 Lake City and San Francisco. There
/ are two northern stations. St Paul
and Helena. and three southern sta
tons. New Orleans. San Antonio and
Phoenix.
'srhe signal corps OF the United
States army maintains and operates
/ government radio stations in the in
terror of the United States. The navy
operates the stations along the sea-
coast
"The signal corps has developed a
chain of big stations in the interior of
Alaska for the purpose of insuring com
munication across Alaska when forest
fires and snowsldes nut the telegraph
lines out of business.
"Based on my knowledge OF the Alas.
han system, should say the Tribune
4 project is an excellent one believe
II the matter were properly set forth
4 congress would be glad to appropriate
money for building such chain OF
( high power stations
"If such a system of stations were
built by the government 1t would be y
! great incentive To the national guard