Evening star., 1926-06-06
FIRST j. S. RADIO
LOOP IS DESCRIBED
Nome and St. Michael, Alas
ka, Connected by Signal
Corps in 1904.
By. CARL III. BUTMAN.

The Army Signal Corps was ont
Of the pioneers Of native sons" ir
radio communication. having estab
lishei the first regular radio circait
in America. 1t connected Nome and
st. Michael, Alaska, transmitting
MESA ges across Norton Sound ir
1904. according TO Gen. SaltZman
chief signal officer OF the Army.
1t was this Nome radio station
which was the first to get in touch
with the airship Norge during her
recent transpolar flight. Serst. Al
bert p. Payne, Signal Corps operator
in charge, handled $4,000 words OF
press received and relayed to the
States.
Describes First Circuit.
Reciting the story Of the first Amer
lean radio circuit. established to carry
on commercial business for the citi'
zens of Alaska, Gen. Saltzman states
as follows:
when the first gold rush took
place there was no means or COM
munication with Alaska and not o
foot of telegraph or telephone me II,
that vast territory. No commercia'
company would undertake the uli'
nleasant Job and the financlal rlsN
If building a great system OF hnes
here So the Government, realizing
the resourcefulness OF the sigma
Corns sent it up there to do the 1oD.
"They built and laid nearly 2,ouo
r,i,es of submarine cable between
Seattle and the south coast or Alaska,
which was quite an event IN 1ne
cable world, because it was the nrst
cahle laid. owned and operated py
Americans. The Signal Corps also
h,,ilt many hundreds Of miles OF tele'
pranh lines in the interior OF Alaska
connecting up the various settiements'
bringing Alaska into communication
with the outside world. II necaIne
necessary to connect the settlemen'
of Cane Nome. Alaska. with 81.
Michael, situated across Nor.o,'
Sound. The building OF a telegraph
line was impracticable. 70 NEE. ,s ,a,s
situation a deep-sea cable was lalo
across the sound.
IAN unusually hard Winter followed
and the water froze solid to the
hottom. Next Spring. when the ice
vent out on it's Southern pilgrimage;
II carried with it the new sigma
Corps cable to parts unknown. CoiIi'
nounication was necessary ana tne
signal Corps was hard pressed 10
meet this situation.
Radio Stations Set Up.
"Radio communication at that time
was in it's infancy. but the Slsnal
COINS promptly decided that radlo
ofsered the surest means OF communl.
c.-ion between these two points, ana
accordingly two stations were assem-
HE'D and transported to that dlstah'
tarr;tory M near the Arctic Circle.
The stations were crude, ponderous
.nd inefacient and were barely capa'
h,a If snannins the short distance
,.oes Norton Sound. but the Signal
COINS believed in radio, overcame
ivrdred dif1culties and obstacles. anu
delivered the goods.
"And the Signal Corps still Is main.
+.ininc and operating that far'away
.Isten1 of communications. aitnousn
nractica,ly all the telegraph lines naSe
bean replaced by radio stations. Ine
signal Corps Is the Western Union
.nd postal OF Alaska ana sololers ..
the signal Corps are operating great
not of radio stations in Alaska. on
which the people up there depend ior
thej- communication with the outsiue
world The story Of the hardships
endured and, difficulties overcome by
Signal Corps soldiers In building up
and operating this system in that
iend ~ snow and ice is one OF ad'
Venture and sacrifice. 1t is non
military activity and one that has
cont ributed greatly to the develop.
ment of the internal resources OF
Alaska. This is a notable example
,r useful service rendered the coun-
~. "" the Signal Corps