General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

hard brown rubber casing; black synthetic, natural brass and cream-colour imitation ivory components and fittings. Ebonite

Dimensions

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

Length

12.6 cm

Width

5.6 cm

Height

3.4 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

This set belonged to John Thomas Townsend, the donor's great-grandfather. According to the donor, Townsend worked for the Montreal Telegraph Co. and later the Great North-Western Telegraph Co. and as manager in Brantford in August 1876 gave Alexander Graham Bell permission to use his company's lines for his long distance telephone trials. Evidence exists of a J.T. Townsend employed as Inspector or Travelling Superintendant for the Montreal Telegraph Co. at their Toronto office in 1871 and from1875 to 1882 [Lovell's Canadian Dominion Directory for 1871, p. 855; Toronto Directory for 1875 - 1882] and for the Great North-Western Telegraph Co., also in Toronto, in 1884 [Canadian Electrical News, March 31, 1884, p. 4], but it has not been possible to confirm any connection between Townsend, Bell and Brantford in documentary sources. Archival evidence suggests that Bell used the wires of the Dominion Telegraph Co, not the Montreal Telegraph Co., for his field trials between Brantford, Paris and Mount Pleasent, Ont.

Function

To send and receive telegraph signals.

Technical

Caton Instrument Shop was associated with the Illinois and Mississippi Telegraph Co., of which John Dean Caton was the president. This 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 end c. 1908-12 in order to run wire into it. (Ref. 3)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

"CATON" and "OTTAWA ILL."stamped into key arch.

Missing

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

Finish

Oval-shaped brown hard rubber case has smooth sides; fine cross-hatched pattern on underside; four moulded synthetic feet; brass lever, arch, binding post, terminals, and other hardware; imitation ivory knobs; smooth black synthetic casing over electromagnets.

Decoration

N/A