General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

2

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

hard brown rubber

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

12.5 cm

Width

5.6 cm

Height

1.5 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Communications

Category

Telegraphy

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Caton

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Illinois

City

Ottawa

Context

Country

North America

State/Province

Unknown

Period

This type of key used mid-1800s, and possibly later. Dates of use for this key are unknown.

Canada

Lid for combination telegraph set belonging to John Thomas Townsend (donor's great-grandfather), who worked for the Montreal Telegraph Co. and later the Great North-Western Telegraph Co..

Function

To help contain and protect contents of case.

Technical

Caton Instrument Shop was associated with the Illinois and Mississippi Telegraph Co., of which John Dean Caton was the president. Telegraph set is a fine example of a lineman's set from this period, and consists of a miniature key and relay housed in a hard rubber case. It could be carried in the pocket, and allowed the user to tap into a telegraph line in the field. (Ref.1) Donor was told by his father that John Thomas Townsend used this set so he could climb a telegraph pole and tap into the line. Donor's father John William Durand Townsend (1899-1985/6) created hole in case and lid ends c. 1908-12 in order to run wire into it. (Ref. 3)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

No markings evident.

Missing

Appears complete. Small area of loss in raised edge bordering key.

Finish

Oval-shaped brown hard rubber case lid has smooth sides; fine cross-hatched pattern on top; smooth oval "insert" positioned in centre of lid exterior; smooth interior surface.

Decoration

N/A