....This just in
Here is the fourth effort of facts and figures for reaching us here at this end or if you like it would be like the second section of the newspaper where the local events are written. I will again cover whatever comes to mind about projects and activity around here & yada, yada, yada. Most pages are about this size in content, with few exceptions. Once the comfortable size has been reached, this happens, a sequel. Clique this for the original Mail & News or the Mail & News 2 page and the edition prior to this Mail & News 3, of course next we have Mail & News 5. Updated when possible and average so far has been more than once per month somewhere on the site. A date will precede each time I add a new paragraph here on this page & others.
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The rest of the story
This issue came about not only because of the donation in the story to the right but also due in part to our several day trips in the NEW CAR. The day trip to the town of Vulcan in the heat of the summer was completely unplanned and un-rehearsed. It came off without a hitch & with complete sucess.
The photo indoors is less than optimum due to my refraining from using a flash in such buildings. Museum caretakers are afraid of excess exposure to light how ever caused. The ladies guiding us through the exhibits were very understanding and helpful. I would recommend the trip, and you can get a Spock burger at the Burger Baron at the same time!
Better yet, pack a picnic and head to the lake just south of town for the day.
This issue
20000105 - To get some photo's off my desk and a brief look into rural Alberta... A page out of our day travelling and exploring rural Alberta.
First a bit of history. My father was given by a dear friend a "Train Dispatcher's Set" simply because he thought he would have a use for it, understand it & because he worked for many years in rural Saskatchewan and urban Calgary with the electric and telephone companies. On his passing I was trusted with it's keeping.
I made attempts to get it into a historical site within a train station setting with disappointment. The local historical society operating a train and several stations had suitable equipment already on hand and would offer to warehouse the unit. I was quick to realize that no one would likely ever see the piece and if they did, it would be behind glass. What fun would that be.
An opportunity came my way with my involvement in the Telephone Pioneers where a recently formed historical society from the town of Vulcan, AB was shopping for artifacts. The rest they say is history...
The Museum
The Artifact
The building above was the actual Telephone Exchange with operators fielding every call coming into and exiting the town and area. The operators were seated on the east side of the building (right side in photo) and the partially automatic equipment was on the west side of the building. Years after the telephone system was automated the building was used for a work and storage office for AGT (the local telephone utility). Somewhere around a few years ago it was acquired by the Vulcan and District Historical Society for use as a museum.
A "Dispatcher's Set" consists of a headset to hear the caller, a scissor mounted transmitter to speak to the caller, a foot switch to keep hands free to write and an oak apparatus box containing the necessary electronics.
In the photo plainly seen is the transmitter and hung from it is the headset. Not easily seen is the oak apparatus box mounted under the desk (near the front of the chair seat, under the shelf). The foot switch and sign explaining historical significance are not seen in the photo.
On the sign is a note stating it was donated in the name / memory of my late father, Don L. McLellan. As budgets will allow they soon will have a permanent plaque with words to this effect on them. Nice, huh?
