Telegraph Links

Telegraph Links. Gold Rush Army Posts. , Soldiers constructed the first telegraph in Alaska, known as the Washington-Alaska Military Cable and Telegraph System. Built to assist communication between U. S. Army posts, WAMCATS carried civilian messages during the Gold Rush era., Stringing Cable , The Army decided to connect its widely separated Gold Rush posts by telegraph. In 1900, Congress appropriated funds for the project. Captain George C. Brunnell and Lieutenants William L. "Billy" Mitchell and George Gibbs oversaw construction of the 1,506 mile line that stretched from southcentral to interior and western Alaska. Crews completed the final connection south of Fairbanks on June 27, 1903. Messages traveled from Alaska over Canadian lines to Washington, D.C. Later, a submarine cable connected Alaska and Seattle., Staying on Line , Storms, heavy snow, frost heaves, high winds and forest fires frequently disrupted service. To operate and maintain the telegraph, the Army stationed men at forty mile intervals. Each isolated station had a repairman, two assistants and a team of seven dogs. Soldiers were encouraged to hunt and trap, but not to prospect as that was thought to result in neglect of military duties., Serving the Gold Rushers , Although a military line, WAMCATS carried civilian messages. It assisted commerce and safe travel between gold camps. It also brought news of the outside world. Within a short time, the telegraph carried many more civilian than military messages. Traffic was so heavy, the Army installed a second line along some routes. By the late 1920s, radio technology made WAMCATS obsolete.