Yukon Telegraph Line

[Aidan Morgan]

Hello All ,
I'm trying to get some action going on this site so I thought I'd make a post or two.
These items I got about 30 years ago, form a survey crew that flew into the area, and have had them boxed away. They are from the 8th Cabin on the Yukon Telegraph Line, about half way from Hazelton B.C. to Atlin B.C. approx.550 miles. This country is still very remote with on road access to most of it.
Over the past couple of years I've been restoring them to as original condition as possible. they had been in the abandoned cabin for over 40 years.
Items from the 8th cabin

This is a Tarriff Booklet from the cabin and two sheets of "Monthly Provisions on Hand" for 1930 and 1932.
Tarrif Booklet & two sheets

The lineman/operator at the 8th cabin signed the back of the tarrif booklet and on one of the provisions on hand sheets.
Signature on back of tarrif booklet Signature on back of provisions on hand sheet

The list of "Monthly Provisions on Hand". They had to keep track of what they used and what they needed because supplies were only shipped in once a year by mule pack train.
Monthly Provisions on Hand

For anyone interested in reading about life on the Yukon Line these are two excellent books .
Books on the Yukon Telegraph Line


Enjoy and Take Care All
Aidan

[daverosy]

Awesome stuff Aidan,
I too am fascinated with the line, though I only have a side block and insulator.
If I come across anything or a connection I will surely pass it on to you.
Wouldn't it be great to get some lineman gear. I have an old duffle with spurs and belt, with a Canadian Corps of Signals logo on it.

Cheers and good work.

D.

[Sluggo]

Hey Aiden,

If you like this kind of book, have you read the book "Continental Dash: The Russian-American Telegraph" by Rosemary Neering?

The stories of hardship and struggle that those men went through to map out the route for that line are incredible.

The book is in stock at Amazon.ca in hardcover for just $9.95. I'm pretty sure that's much less than what I paid for my copy.

[Aidan Morgan]

Hi Doug ,
Thanks for the help. I got that book about 15 years ago and it is a great story and it is incredible what those men must of gone through for sure. This is the story of the Collins Overland Telegraph Line which was about 35 years befor the Yukon Telegraph Line. I've hunted as much of that line as I could find in B.C. over the past 30 yrs, from the lower Fraser Valley to the end of construction up the Kispiox River.

Take care
Aidan

[Barrett]

Cool stuff for sure, Aiden. It's not too often that some real paper work shows up to document any of the lines we all know and frequent in Canada. Some of the big ones in Ontario are the only ones I have heard references to paper work from.
I am curious... what was in those mens' rations for that grueling year long interval?
All the best!

Barrett

[Aidan Morgan]

Hi Barrett,
If you look at the picture of the "Monthly Provisions on Hand" and click on "View Original "you can get some idea of what they had to use. I can imagine that a lot of the supplies were old before they even got to linemen as they probably had to come out of the Government Warehouses in Winnipeg. I'm not to sure of the time frame on this but in the garbage dumps in these areas a lot of the tin cans were of the kind that were sealed with lead, which contributed to lead poisioning in the food. I think many of the men lived off the land as best they could and grew their own vegatables wherever possible. And they probably though they were very fortunate to live and work for the Government like that.

Take care
Aidan

[369reid]

Great books, Aidan. I found two of the them very interesting. Trying to put yourself in those shoes and wonder what would have become of you. I still have to find a copy of "wires in the wilderness" as I'm sure that will be just as good.

Will we be seeing you in Drumheller in July ?

[daverosy]

Here's a picture of the gear (that I mentioned earlier) I found at the flea market last summer.
Got it for a great deal.
The RCCS (Royal Canadian Corps of Signals) logo is hand done in black ink on the canvas sack in which the spurs and belt were.
Too bad that all the lineman tools were gone.
On the back is the guys unit # stencilled on. He was based outta Winnipeg. That's all I could find out.

[Aidan Morgan]

Hello Reid , Dave , All ,
Reid, I will not make it to the Drumheller show again this year , darn. I have a daughter that thinks her July marrage is more important , so I'll be walking her down the isle and thinking of insulator shows and hunts that I could be on. Are you coming to B.C. before Bob's show?? If you do please stop for a visit.
Dave, Those belt and hooks look just like the set that I used to learn to climb with on the C.N. back in 1967. They will make a great addition to your display.

Take care
Aidan