1753 - Earliest published article about the possibility of an electric telegraph
1837 - Telegraph first used - for train dispaching in England.
1838 - First telegraph using the "dot and dash" of Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail, in Morristown, N.J. January."Message: A patient waiter is no loser." When after many attempts, the two finally succeeded in the world's first telegraphic message.
1844 - First telegraph message between cities (Morse and Vail, in Baltimore and Washington. "What has God wrought" May 24,1844
1844 - First use of Telegraph to communicate international news: The birth of Prince Albert to Queen Victoria.
1846 - First use of commercial telegraph in Canada (Toronto,Hamilton and Niagara Electro-Magnetic Telegraph Company).
"How does your machine work?" "First rate.How does yours?" "Rather stiff."
Exchange between Hamilton and Toronto operators, the first commercial telegraph conversation in Canada. Dec.19, 1846.
1847 - Montreal Telegraph Company founded.
1858 - First cable completed accross the Atlantic Ocean.
1862 - First use of telegraph in warfare, in the American Civil War.
1874 - Montreal Telegraph builds headquarters at corner of St.Sacrement and St.Francois Xavier Sts. in Old Montreal (still standing).
1876 - Alexander Graham Bell's telephone made public.
1886 - Montreal-based Canadian Pacific Railway begins first coast-to-coast commercial telegram and news service. In its first year, 567,840 telegrams are sent.
1894 - CPR Telegraph Co. connects with Associated Press to distribute news along the lines.
1911 - CPR leases first wires used by the Canadian Press.
1929 - First teletype printer service established in Canada, between Montreal and the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City.
1931 - First trans-Canada commercial telephone system.
1935 - First transmission of photographs using telephone lines - the original facsimile system.
1939 - 1.5 million words and 200 photographs are transmitted over CP telegraph lines during royal tour of Canada by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
1950 - Telegraph use diminishes as telephone,teletype,Deskfax (facimile) and radio start to dominate.
1960 - Montreal based CP-CN Telecommunications is formed. In the first year, 5.7 million are sent as well 1.2 million (overseas) cable.
1967 - CN-CP begins to close some of its offices and cut staff.
1977 - A federal-government report notes continuing decline in telegraph use in Canada. The number of telegraph workers is 1,080 down tenfold from 9,997 in 1961.
1999 - AT&T Canada divests telgram business to Montreal firm Téléegram Plus, bringing an end to big business telegram delivery in Canada.
SOURCES: - CANADIAN RAIROAD HISTORICA SOCIETY,
CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY.CO.,
MONTREAL URBAN COMMUNITY,
A VOICE FROM AFAR BY ROBERT COLLINS,
AT&T CANADA,
GAZETTE FILES
| Great and small telegrams |
" A badger lost his life yesterday while investigating the contents of Mrs.Weldon's churn. She heroically brained him and then shot him. He is dead".
Sent from a pioneer telegraph in Humboldt, Sask. Aug. 25,1878, published in the Battleford Herald.
"Indians raiding, killing outlying settlers. Barney Freeman, our old repairer, murdered. Everybody in barracks, expecting attack tonight.
Hartley Gisborne, chief of telegraphs in Saskatchewan, to his father F.N.Gisborne, head of Canada's telegraph service in Ottawa, during Riel's Northwest Rebellion of 1885
"Cyclone hit Regina. 16:50. City in ruins.
-Anonymous CP telegraph operator in Regina, after tornado struck June 30,1912.
"Munition ship on fire in Harbour. Goodbye"
Railway dispatcher Vincent Colemon, before dying, to a train coming in from Boston just before one of the worst man made explosions, Halifax, Dec. 6, 1917.
"This is the last telegram via Morse code in Canada. Que fait donc Dieu?
Rene Chevaliér, CP-CN Telecommunications, Bastican to Momtreal. May 30,1972.
"G-D, the best maker of all marriages, combine your hearts in one and bless your wedding day....Enjoy and savour this day and all your tomorrows with G-D's blessings.
Typical Italian message of congratulations, Montreal 2002.
Sources: Canadian Pacific Archives; A voice from afar, by Robert Collins. (1977)