The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-05-12
FAILURES MARK HISTORY
Years of Exploration in Alaska
and Great Siberian Wastes
With Fina! Failure Dauntinq
Stout Hearts May Shortly
Be Crowned With Success of
Their Dreams
tBy the Associated Press.

tBy the Associated Press
Washington, d. c., May S.-Fifty
years ago this summer, interest in the
great project Of connecting the Ame-
rlcan and European continents by
land telegraph was at it's height and
contamination of the undertaking
was regarded as practically assured.
The plan was to onnec New York
and London by way of the Boring
Strait.
Although the first ocean cable was
laid in 1851, there existed much
skepticism regarding it and as late
as 1865 it was declared by many to
be Of no practical use. The eenor-
nous labor and cost of laying an
ocean cable n the unsatisfactory
manner Of the working or those first
laid gave rise to the opinion that
failure would be the ultimate out
come.
Geographic communication between
the two continents, Perry Macdonald
Collins, an American engineer Of note
conceived the idea Of an overland
route. His plans vas for a private
company, backed by the United
States government, to build a tele-
graph line north from San Francisco,
through British Columbia and Alaska
to a point on Boring Strait nearest
Siberian land. simultaneously, the
Russian government was to build
from ST. Petersburg acros Siberia
to a point opposite the American ter
mtnal on Boring Strait.
Just how the wires were to be car
ried across the thirty or forty miles
OF water separating the two cont
nents was never fully worked out;
but a series Of floating Duoys, or small
ships. firmly anchored was thought
to offer a solution OF the problem.
Russia Is Willing.
The. enterprise advanced in due
time to the point where representa-
tives were sent to St. Petersburg tC
lay the plan before the Russian gov.
eminent: Success attended the mis-
sion to the extent of a tentative agree
ment whereby the Ear was to order
the construction of the Siberian line
whenever it's practicability was de
monstrated by the American promo
ters. Full permission was granted
for an American engineering party tt
explore Eastern Russia and the grea
Siberian Wilds for the purpose O.
) locating a route and testing the feast
bility of maintaining telegraph line:
in that region.
Numerous surveys were mad
through British Columbia and Alask;
} and a rOIte was practically decided
upon. Nearly all of the way is LEI
through an uninhabited country, re
mote from sources Of supply, an1
into a vast region locked in ice am
snow during seven or eight month
of the year. Throughout this region
t it was proposed to maintain rela
stations at frequent points, Wher
: operators and linemen would alWay
I be on duty.
: Much Exporting Done.
4 From 1868 to 1865 many partie
f and expeditions were organized an
< sent u to explore and demonstrate
s George KEENAN,, afterwards wei
4 known in the United States as a trav
eler and lecturer, joined one of tn
expeditions, when only eighteen year
of age, n spent over two years
Q Siberia, building and operating eXperi
r mental lines. Kennan was an eXpel
telegrapher, and his mission was t
prove to the satisfaction Of govern
v ments and capitalists that telegraph
communication could be maintaine
e constantly in the semi-polar region
q In Siberia, the kennan expeditio
K Travelled thousands Of miles by dos
Il sledge and on horseback. investlgatln
climatic conditions and making SUI
yeys. It's report to the Gar and I
the American promoters was that I'll
r project was entirely feasible. 1t
said that the Trans-Siberian Railwa
~ subsequently followed much of II
= line marked out by the Americans.
It was while engaged in makir
- further surveys, believing fully tn;
- the American end of the line was a
or ready under construction that d me
sage. by courier from ST. Petersbur
- reached KEENAN,. informing him tn
the enterprise had been abandon
IN n ordering the expedition to retu
to the United States for discharge.
no The successful laying and operate
Of the second Atlantic cable in Is
al blasted the hopes Of the promote
e of the observation-disclosures line. Go
q : ernments and capitalists looked cold
upon the great outlay necessary al