The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1914-06-19
4 Mike the land telegraph lines,
the cable enjoys certain I'M
munity from storms, and may
be compared In some instances

muntty from storms, and may
" be compared in some instances
with the underground cable
lines which connect some OF the large
cities in this country
Earthquakes have been known to
injure the cable sufficiently to inter
rupt communication, but most damage
is done by sharks and swordfishes.
These fishes attack the cable and
sometimes ruin it. Dragging anchors
also cause lot of damage, but as this
happens near the shore, where the
cable is considerably stouter than in
midocean, the cost of repair is small
In comparison with a break in mid
ocean. In the northern and southern
seas the cable is surrounded by linked
chain armor as protection against
the ice foes. Another frequent cause
Of injury is friction. In some parts of
the sea mountains of over 5000 feet
In height are found. In other parts
the bed of the ocean Is a dead level.
The amount of friction caused by the
cable overhanging one of these noun
tains is tremendous, and in some cases
the cable is actually fractured.
Work of Repairing Cables.
Specially built and equipped ships
are always held in readiness. These
may cost anything up to $4,000. A
costly electrical plant is fitted up on
board, while the decks resemble big
factory, being crowded with work
shops, smithies and machinery for
laying and picking up cables. She is
lighted by electricity and carries Co
lossal searchlights to illuminate the
surrounding waters so that the work
of repair may be carried on both by
night and day.
When communication is interrupted
the electricians at the shore end en-
deavor to locate the exact position of
the fault. When one remembers that
some of the cable lines are thousands
of miles in length this may seem an
impossible task. Yet by the applica-
ton of many ingenious tests the fault
can be located to within mile. Hav-
ing accomplished this task satisfacto-
Iu0 lCoI opLiNo LuC pal Ilto-
lars to the managing director of the
cable company, who in turn communi-
Gates them to the captain of the re-
pairing vessel, and in an incredibly
short period of time the vessel is on
its way to the spot where the break
is supposed to have occurred.
This point having been reached, the
captain verifies his position by nau-
teal observations. The work is then
started. The first step is to fix cen
trail point. This is done by dropping
overheard a huge buoy. The vessel
then steams away to a convenient dis
lance, drops a large, specially con-
structed grapnel and steams back
again in such a direction that the
grapnel is dragged right across the
track of the cable. Whenever the
grapnel seizes anything the fact Is at
once communicated to those on board
by means of an instrument called the
dynamometer. The ship is then
stopped and the hauling-in machinery
set a-going. The cable is thus brought
to the surface.
1t sometimes happens, however, that
even after it has been brought up
that length the tremendous strain
caused by its own weight causes it to
break again. Let us suppose that 1t
has been safely brought to the surface.
Men are at once lowered overheard,
and they fix the cable by means of
chains to each side of the grapnel. The
grapnel is next taken away, and the
cable is hauled on board by means
of the chains. Once on board 1t is cut
and connected with the testing room.
Having undergone the various tests
satisfactorily, and been proved electri-
cally perfect, the end of the cable is
sealed, attached to buoy, and
dropped overheard. Graphing for the
other end is then commenced. Luck
may again favor the men and the end
be brought safely on board without
much trouble.