The Cordova daily times., 1919-01-20

Are HEROES
OF TRAIL

Among the unsung heroes of the
Northland whose deeds have never
been mentioned in song or story, are
the members of the Signal Corps
the bows in khaki who look after the
vast artery of communication reach
ing from Valdez to the interior, and
thence OF the farthest confines of the
Territory. ending above Nome in the
great white wastes of the sub-Arctic.
These men have performed feats of
endurance and heroism which outri-
val those of the Canadian Northwest
Mounted Police, and which are I'M
belevable if the facts did not substan-
tate their deeds.
The Northwest Mounted Police
keep a record of the achievements of
the men of the Canadian constabu-
larry; the Signal Corps has none. The
Mounted Police are men subjected to
a rigorous test for gravery and en-
durance; the men of the Signal Corps
are equally as brave. but are recruits
from all walks of life: from Maine,
New York Texas, Missouri, Nebras-
ka. and various other states in the
Union not especially picked for cour
age, strength or endurance, but find
an abundance of red corpuscles
which permeate the blood of every
genuine American lad, be he city
raised or from the hnterlands Of Ken
lucky.
The great Paciffc-Alaska cable, the
only artery of quick communication
between the states and the Territory,
first reaches the coast at Valdez after
leGving Seattle Here the messages
are transferred from the cable code
into Morse by corps of operators,
under the direction of the war de
partment, which has charge of the
cable and telegraph lines in the Ter
ritory. These men work eight hour
shifts, "a hours a day, speeding the
happenings of the world to the far
places of the Northland. They are
liable to be transferred at any time
to some remote station on the trail,
or to other stations on the line. From
Valdez the copper wires stretch
through almost impenetrable forests,
tr,h Hra nd
towering ..ou.ts.iiis, ..na through
beautiful priares to the interior town
of Fairbanks, where it is continued
down the Tanana river to Fort Glib
bons down the Ynukon to St Michael
and from that place to Nome
The cable and telegraph system be-
tween Valdez and Fairbanks is in
charge OF Capt. Max H. Faust a com
paratiyely young man, who by sheer
industry andxabilty has worked his
way up from private to tie rank OF
captain Capt. Faust was formerly
master signal electrician, job of con
siderable Importance when one con
Hiders the vast quantity of delicate
machinery installed in the lead office
in this city.
As sergeant. second lieutenant
first lieutenant and then to the Gov
eted rank OF captain, he made his
slow and laborious way, mastering
each detail and studying increasingly
fer examination for the rank above.
Capt. Faust has seventeen stations
under his immediate Suppression,
where an operator and infantryman
are stationed to watch the wires, and
in case OF breakdown to make inn
mediate repairs that the service may
be interrupted rs little as possible.
These stations are QUILTED from
the quartermaster department at Val
DEE, and their equipment comprises
every necessary essential from
dog barnes to hams. Vast quantities
OF supplies are stored in these sta
items, and at several places dog teams
al Z htpi Ibl S"llt udSltS W lIlb Dttllb
of trouble. A number of Ford auto
trucks perform the same service in
TIE summer. The latest innovation is
the work of Capt Faust, who has
saved the government many thou
sands of dollars by prevailing upon
the department to install machines to
take the place of horses, feed being
almost prohibitive. costing from $3.50
to 5000 per ton, and the vast amount
OF equipment necessary with horses
being eliminated. A complete cleo
rical generating system driven by a
large gas engine has also been in
stalled, making the line Independent
of breakdowns by the local plant.
The telegraph stations are TIE most
lonely spots in the world in winter.
The mercury at many places drops
from so to Sc degrees below zero,