Electric Telegraph Office, 1870
The Electric Telegraph Office, William St, 1870
The New Electric Telegraph Offices
That part of Queen-street between Edward-street and Petrie's Bight has, during the past few years, been the site of more extensive and more elegant building operations than any other part of the city, and in no instance has the change been more marked than in that of the fine block of buildings which now stand upon the ground once occupied by the old court-house hill and the doleful, forcbidding-looking structure that for many years did duty as court-house and lock-up for the metropolis of Queensland - an edifice which, with its rough stone wall and rude gateway, seemed a last relic of a time that happily is past.
When the new post-office building was completed it was a great improvement to that part of the town, and in itself a fine-looking building; but now that the telegraph offices have been added, with the central tower between the two buildings, the improved appearance of the street is greatly appreciated. The new telegraph-office, so far as the front of the building is concerned, is an exact counterpart of the post-office. It is joined to the latter building by a square tower, with a gateway giving admission to the thoroughfare which separates the two structures, and which affords ready access to either the post or the telegraph offices from Elizabeth-street.
[...]
Near the superintendent's room is a large apartment used as a learner's room. Here several instruments are set up, and under the guidance of Mr. Hobbs, several young men are being initiated into the significance of a series of dots and dashes which are hieroglyphics to the unitiated. Here also they are taught to take meteorological observations, which is said to be someting akin to learning to "keep your weather eye open." Our telegraphic editor sarcastically hints his belief that cable messages, and especially those wiht Afghan or Zulu proper names in them, are occassionally run through this branch of the department in order to exercise the youngsters; but whatever may have been done in the old office in William-street, we can scarcey think such irregular practices are permitted now that Mr. Cracknell's office is so close to the learner's room/
Then and now...
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