Traveller.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 404, 4 February 1904, Page 7

Traveller.

CATiLINA. / island of Santa Oatalina is a mWw part of Los Angeles County, sma South California, lying about twenty miles off shore/ parallel with the mainland. The principal Battlement or town is at Avalon, on the south* east, where one of the quaintest hamlets of the coast has grown, up, having a summer population of six "thousand or more and a rapidly growing one in winter, The locality has much to commend it—an almost perfect climate the year rounds and sports and pastimes which have ffiven it a world-wide reputation. There has been one drawback to Santa Catalina, and that was the laok of telegraphic communication. In summer there are from two to three boats daily; but in winter only one, the steamer arriving at noon. For twenty-four hours the land was virtually without communication with the mainland, To remedy this, the Banning Company, who own the island, established a pigeon route. Large flocks of these birds were trained, and telegrams or important hews was sent in this manner with success, the birds taking a message from Avalon to Los Angeles, a distance of fifty-five miles, in about an hour. The pigeon houses were so arranged that when a Mid arrived with a

I message it rang an electric alarm in the * receiver's home or office, thus calling him '. Up. . .;•;> v.. ;,_ ,i i|t ,; Bat there was ,an element oertaintijr in tdis. Sportsmen who did r not .know tfyat the birds were tame shot them eh route. Others djed of overexertion. In the main, the service was satisfactory, but so many prominent men visited the island that the heed of adequate means of communication became more and more argent, Finally Gen. A L. New, Vice-President of the Pacific Wireless Telegraph Company, suggested the instalment of a wireless telegraphic plant. A point was selected north of Avalon Bay oh the conspicuous headland that culminates in Sugar Loaf rock and w reached by a v welj-6uiit stage road. Here the mast iratr erected and the office puilt, the'latter'being connected with** main office 6b Ocean-avenue, Avalon. #■"'. -The nearest mainland point is at San Pedro, about thirty miles distant, and from the time the office opened for bHsiaess to date, about Bix thousand -messages have been sent without a single", terror oi ' a -moment's delay. The plant; has been subjected to some severe tests. During the last Of IfiEirch a terrific storm of wind and rain very nearly cut off boat communication with the island; yet the were sent across the channel * with directness and' precision. It is interesting to note that while the London ' Times'*■•• is experimenting with • marconigraphs,' endeavoring to test the accuracy of the system, the Pacific Wireless Telegraph Company has been, for several weeks in, business supplying Santa Catalina through a daily paper the ' Wireless,' with all its news. The 'Wireless »is a small newspaper containing the condensed news of the day—a peifeot busy newspaper. The Avalon • Wireless ' publishes every morning the news of Santa Catalina, the latest catches of great game on the Isle of Simmer, as well as the,telegraphic news of the world, sent across the channel during the night.—C. F. Holder.