Heavy Storms, Brooks Insulators

Heavy Storms and Telegraph Prostration. - The

Brooks Insulators. - The Legislature

and the Telegraph.

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., Jan. 10.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TELEGRAPHER.

DURING the past month we have had very heavy storms all over the Pacific coast, more rain and snow having fallen than for any winter during the past ten years. At the beginning of the storm the telegraph lines all over the coast were badly prostrated; but, although the storm has continued without abatement to the present time, communication with the East has been maintained. The Atlantic and Pacific Company, which uses Brooks Insulators, have at no time been unable to work as well and reliably as in the summer, excepting, of course, during the first few days, when all the lines were prostrated. During the heaviest rain the A. and P. wires were worked from San Francisco to Ogden, a distance of over 1,000 miles, with scarcely any perceptible change.

No bill has, as yet, been introduced in our Legislature granting any privileges to the China Cable Company, but one is expected to be introduced at the present session, which began on the first Monday in December last. It had not, however, got fairly organized and at work before the adjournment for the holidays took place.

Senator Perkins introduced in the State Senate resolutions instructing the Senators, and requesting the Representatives from this State, in Congress, to favor the postal telegraph scheme. These resolutions have to as yet been acted upon, and as they are generally opposed by the influential newspapers here, it is doubtful if they can be passed. When the Pacific coast was entirely dependent upon the Western Union Telegraph Company for telegraphic communication with the East, any scheme which would have relieved us of the monopoly would have been favorably received here; but, now that competition has been established, the necessity for Government interference is recognized as having ceased.

ALCATRAZ.