16,068.92 272,000.00 76, 287.93 13, 047.04 3, 141. 44 7,762. 44 848, 670.52 11, 622. 35 582,929. 78 214, 861.93 39, 256. 46 1,984, 561. 69 848, 670.52 18,525,00 8, 475.74 292, 373. 06 59, 425.32 16,060. 31 10, 000. 00 10, 345. 11 400, 498. 29 13, 090. 16 394, 859.43 433,933. 56 3, 141. 44 90, 995. 51 7,762. 44 274, 758. 74 7,308.09 73, 022. 56 24, 343. 08 174, 467. 60 408, 817.70 1,031, 728. 61 14,011,967. 35 6, 377, 629. 31 318, 270. 73 232, 078. 14 21, 971, 665. 14 199, 670. 65 233, 078. 14 14, 145, 976. 30 6, 377, 620. 31 1,016, 319. 74 REPORT OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER. WAR DEPARTMENT, SIGNAL OFFICE, Washington, October 1, 1895. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report on the Signal Corps of the Army for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895: MILITARY TELEGRAPH LINES. The permanent military telegraph lines operated by the Signal Corps, aggregating more than 800 miles in length, remained during the year under the charge of Capt. Robert Craig, Signal Corps, Assistant, whose tabular statement as to the receipts therefrom and messages transmitted thereover is hereto annexed (1). These lines, running through mountainous and desert country, are now in better condition than at any time during their existence, owing largely to the energetic and judicious supervision of the officers in charge. Their efficiency has been largely promoted by the replacement of wooden by iron telegraph poles, which has proceeded satisfactorily during the year. Notwithstanding the original high cost of the iron poles their use is more economical than that of wooden poles, which deteriorate rapidly through climatic action, and frequently disappear entirely by theft in treeless regions where fuel and timber are so valuable. The more important telegraph divisions have been in charge of the chief signal officers of the several military departments, viz: Capt. R. E. Thompson, Signal Corps, Department of Texas; Capt. William A. Glassford, Sigual Corps, Department of the Colorado; First Lieut. Frank Greene, Signal Corps, Department of California, and First Lieut. S. D. Sturgis, Fourth United States Artillery, acting signal officer, Department of Dakota, who was relieved by Second Lieut. A. G. C. Quay, Fifth United States Cavalry, May 17, 1895. In the post commander is vested the administration of the following short military telegraph lines connecting the posts with the commercial systems, where no tolls for the transmission of messages are collected: Fort Bayard to Silver City, N. Mex.; Fort Clark to Spofford Junction, Tex.; Fort Hancock to Hancock Station, Tex.; Fort Reno to El Reno, Okla.; Fort Sill to Rush Springs, Okla.; Fort Niobrara to Valentine, Nebr., and Fort Washakie to Lander, Wyo. Owing to the abandonment of the military posts of Fort McKinney, Wyo., Fort Supply, Okla., and Fort Bowie, Ariz., the military lines connecting them with the commercial lines were dismantled and the |