Communication : Posts And Telegraph.

Song of the Talking Wire (1904)

This famous painting is one of Henry F Farny's least mythic works; it accurately portrays the reality of the Indians'
sad situation in the early twentieth century. The Indian hunter leans against a telegraph pole, listening to the chatter
of the humming wires without understanding. Farny makes us understand how dismayed the Indian must feel in the
face of these strange mechanisms that bound together people so far from each other. The work at once symbolizes
the appealing naturalness of the Indian and the sadness of his being "outdistanced" by the works of the white man.
In its grey colors and in its portrayal of the isolation of the Indian figure, the work is a moving illustration of
Farny's protest against the passing of the Indian way of life.





"artists of the american west" 1980
philip gordon
isbn 0-934516-12-x

There seems to be a lot of hardship when it comes to the history of the telegraph. In Australia it was built through 1,000s of kms of the worst desert country we have and there are no trees in the desert. Everything was transported by horse and cart. Summer would of been terrible.

I suppose it highlights a time in history when many situations were full of hardship. It shows us just how easy we all have it now!

Wow! what a great reply John, how fitting,
so sorting your stamps has paid off in 1 little way

I thought I had an image of the telegraph station at Eucla
but cannot find it, it is just about swallowed
up in sand dunes now.


Telegraph Rates (they wern't cheap! )

If you think THAT is expensive, look at these rates.

TransAtlantic Telegraph Rates
Printed Circular No. 6

The American Telegraph Company
Halifax, Nova Scotia, 4th Aug. 1866

COUNTRIES First20 words Each additional word
or less

To Great Britain
and Ireland $100.00 (50 pounds) $5.00 (1 pound)

To other parts
of Europe $105.00 $5.25

To Africa, Asia,
and India $125.00 $6.25


Remember those are 1866 dollars and pounds)

acknowledgement : Blair rcsd.

The cost of the cutting edge technology in the 1800s!

It is a wonder, in its self that anybody could afford to use it!

I am shocked!

Thanks for the kind words Rod!

During the 1896-98 Klondike Gold Rush, Skagway, Alaska, became a transit point for thousands of prospectors hoping to make their fortune. It was the gateway to the Chilkoot Pass, a native trail which provided a route from the coast of the Alaskan Panhandle across the mountains into Canada, and the head waters of the Yukon River. Skagway became a lawless frontier town, where money was gleaned from hapless prospectors, by fair means or foul. Chief amongst the con-men and gangsters was Jefferson "Soapy" Smith. He never missed an opportunity to make a buck. He set up a Telegraph office in Skagway, charging $5. for a telegraph anywhere in the world, and $5. to receive a reply. Life was hard for the prospectors. The Canadian Government imposed a rule that each prospector must bring sufficient supplies and equipment, amounting to 1 ton, across the border. This meant multiple trips across the 33 mile trail carrying heavy loads. These trips were done in winter, so that when spring came, their home-made boats could be loaded and the meltwaters would carry them off to the Yukon. Many died on the gruelling climb over the Pass, including over 100 in an avalanche in spring 1898. Soapy's telegraph must have been a lifeline for many of these prospectors so far from home. Many received replies from their families, often asking for money.
Anyone smelling a rat? Soapy was a rat. His telegraph wires ran out somewhere behind the telegraph office.

There are no stamps commemorating Soapy Smith. In 1998 a Klondike Gold Rush Centennial stamp was issued (Sc#3235). It shows heavily laden prospectors on their climb up the "Golden Stairs" of the Chilkoot Pass.

I should hope not!
lets do hope, Soapy is dancing with Beelzebub as we speak.

Great yarn! Great post!

Is there such a thing in the modern day as a Telegram? John

In line with this thread, I thought some might enjoy seening some of these early U.S. Telegram stamps (actually, the American Rapid Telegraph Company) ... excuse the reflection from the stock page, though:

First thing that comes to mind is Fax John.
In country areas of Australia, fortnightly social security papers
are submitted telegraphically via fax from town Post offices.

Telegraph : advising robbery of mail.

Iran possible telgraph receipt

(my example gift from TonyMac )

We shall listen in on a discussion regarding Papuan telegraphs
on RCSD some eight years ago IIRC.

Hi Chris

Telegrams/telegraphs were paid for by the sender. A telegraph form was usually completed by the sending station and the charge was paid in some instances by stamps. These stamps were affixed to the telegraph form and cancelled by a cds. If, for example, a telegram were being sent from New Guinea to Australia or UK during WWI the cost to the sender would be 3d per word. This was quite a high charge and thus many high value stamps have telegraph cancellations. The telegraph form with
the stamps affixed would normally be retained by the telegraph office
for audit purposes. Telegraph forms of this era, and from WWII having
adhesives affixed and cancelled are highly desirable items. It is
interesting to note that for the period 1914-1925 not one telegraph
form with cancelled adhesives is known to exist for the territory of
New Guinea although many examples of stamps with telegraph cancels are known!

If there are any out there let meknow.......

Robert

More scam mail?

It is not addressed to me but it is to my son. Who does not live here.

Here's a German take on the telegraph. It has a telegraph and postal theme. That suggests that maybe the telegraph was the start of the downfall of the postal services brought about by technology!?

As a retrospective, certainly.
but at the time, excitement that one could
be contacted with hitherto unbelievable speed.
Prices of telegraphs would have left the postal
service untouched in the most part.

John, scam mail certainly, product propaganda.
using the "Telegram" format to produce one of the backbones
of salesmanship....
"create a sense of urgency"

A little bit of exotica: the 1884 1 Anna Official telegraph stamps of Jammu & Kashmir



The telegraph made an enormous difference in those Himalayan regions, where it could take weeks to transmit messages by runner.