Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-07-31
r Mike the land telegraph lines,
the cable enjoys a certain i'm
munity from storms, and may

the cable enjoys a certain i'm
munity 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
'njure the cable sufficiently to inter.
rupt communication, but most damage
Is done by sharks and swordflshes.
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 n break in mid.
ocean. In the northern and southern
seas the cable is surrounded by linked
chain armor as a 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 IL 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 GSO,OOO. A
costly electrical plant is fitted up on
board, while the decks resemble big
factory, being crowded with work.
shops, smithes and machinery for
laying and picking up cables. She is
lighted by electricity and carries co.
lossal searchllghts 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-.
deayor to locate the exact position OF
tho 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,
tion OF many ingenious tests the fault
can be located TO within a mile. Hav.
Ing accomplished this task satisfacto,
rily, the test telegrapns the particu
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 verifes his position by nau
teal observations. The work is then
started. The first step is to fix a cen
tral point. This is done by dropping
overheard n huge buoy The yesse
then steams away to a convenient dis
tance. drops large, specially con
structed grapnel and steams bach
again in such direction that tn,
grapnel is dragged right across tn,
track OF the cable. Whenever tn,
grapnel selzes anything the fact is a
once communicated to those on boart
by means OF an instrument called III,
dynamometer. The ship is ther
stopped and the haullngin machlner,
set a-going The cable is thus brough
20 the surface.
1t sometimes happens. however, tha
even after II has been brought nj
that length the tremendous straiI
caused by It's own weight causes Il [,
break again. Let us suppose that 1
has been safely brought TO the surface
Men are at once lowered overheard
and they hx the cable by means o
chains to each side Of the grapnel. Tn,
grapnel is next taken away. and tn
cable Is hauled on board by mean
OF the chains. Once on board Il is Gu
and connected with the testing room
Having undergone the various test
satisfactorily. and been proved electr
cally perfect. the end OF the cable 4
sealed, attached TO a buoy. nm
dropped overheard. Graphing for IN
other end Is then commenced Inc
may again favor the men aud the en-
be brought saiely on board withou
much trouble.
Perllous Duties Of the Crew.
The same tests are applied agair
II this side Of the cable is found eIe,
trically perfect some spare cable
spliced TO II in order to make II Ion
enough TO reach the buoy holding m
other end. The buoy has then 10 b
brought on board, and this is by n
means an easy task. The sea may /
running high and a strong gale bio,
Ing. Nevertheless. lifeboat manne
by men all wearing cork jackets
launched and attempts are made
rope the buoy.
Il may happen that the boat gel