International boundary between Dawson and Fort Egbert*
Ihe land telegraph was constructed without technical difficulties;
ground frozen steel-hard, wild, rugged, pathless wilderness had to be
overcome, but such difficulties were all in the day* s work of the Army.
The submarine part offered the chief obstacle, on account of the grind
ing action of the shore ice* Ihe cableship "Orizaba" arrived in Sep
tember, 1900, with an American-made cable, at that tine the longest ever
manufactured in this country, to make the connection between Nome and
St. Michael across Norton Sound, but the ship ran on a reef the first
day. Ihe cable was salvaged, laid and operated a few weeks in October
and November before ruined by ice. It was repaired and operated again
in 1901 and again broken by ice.
Meanwhile through a country where all supplies had to be taken on
pack animals, a country were roads did not exist, 336 miles of telegraph
was constructed within a year after the first appropriations were made.
Although radio was still in fohe experimental stage, Fessenden sys
tem sets were installed to bridge the gap between Nome and St. Micheal
caused by repeated breaks in the cable. Ihese were in operation August
6, 1904, and were the first stations in the world to handle business
regularly for a distance of more than 100 miles.
In 1903 Congress appropriated 0485,000 for a cable between Seattle
and southeastern Alaskap and in 1904 another appropriation was made for
a cable from Sitka to Fort Li scum. The cable f rom Sitka to Seattle was
the longest ever made in America and it had to be laid deeper than any
domestic cable yet had been. It was laid by the"Burnside" in the fall
and winter of 190&, the project then involving 2,128 miles. Ihe mere
packing and shipping of the immense Cable from the Antiantic to the Pa
cific was a herculean task.
T oday the V/ashington-Alaska Military Cable consists of 2, 655 miles
of submarine cable, 530 miles of land line, 30 Morse telegraph stations,
four MorBee and radio offices, eleven radio offices and four cable of
fices. At Seattle the system connects with commercial systems and in
Alaska with privately owned lines and through Naval radio with 40 radio
stations operated at isolated salmon canneries.
Aside from its value in convenience to Alaskans and people of the
"States" interested in this territory, aside from aiding civil and mil
itary administration here, this cable system brings the Government a
net annual income of 325,000.
LEAVES OF ABSENCE FOR OFFICERS:
Recent information from 9th Qrps Area is that leaves of absence
will not be granted officers during the mid-summer months this year,
due to the demand for officers for summer training camp duty. An ex
ception is made in the case of officers serving in Alaska and elsewheee
where they ’would not be available for summer camp duty*
A.R. 605-115, Par. 6b, is changed so that leaves of absence for
not more than four months may now be granted officers under their con
trol by commanders of departments, corps areas, army corps and chiefs
of branches dr bureaus, according to A.G.O. Msraorandura dated March 1st.
These commanders may also grant leaves zo officers under orders to join
elements under their control, or extend leaves already granted.
PRIVATES FIRST CLASS:
Privates John W. Green and YTixliam F« Gilbert, Company F, have
recently been promoted to Privates First C3Das3.