Name/Title
Sounder, TelegraphEntry/Object ID
8055bDescription
Line Sounder. Material: metal. Size: " W. x " L. Description: metal - there is a light stamping on the upperside of the lever that says "W.E. MANUF'G CO (a design line between words) CHICAGO". There are two impressions on the underside of the wood base, "D" and "5 ohms".Context
Morse telegraph instrument purchased from the estate of Byersdorf. Mr. Byersdorf was in charge of the Western Union Telegraph office located in Maplewood Park in 1880's & 90's. The key and sounder were mounted on a black board as if for display. This item is used for landline telegraphy. Dan Swenson removed from museum to repair items. 8-21-2008. Sounder may have been made by L.G. Tillotson and Co. of New York, NY. It may be a Number 3 Pony. There is a light stamping on the upperside of the lever that says "W.E. MANUF'G CO CHICAGO". This makes the sounder Lewis Patent, Western Electric. There are two impressions on the underside of the wood base, "D" and "5 ohms". Surrounding the "5 ohms" is an impressed rectangle with rounded corners. The rounded corners of the impression resemble the rounded corners of the pivot frame. Portions of the rectangle appear to be a double strike.
On the end of the lever near the click and clack stops, it appears that an additional 9/16" length has been soldered on; note the wide solder joint. The lever is bent near a deep upper side dent. The iron bar is misaligned at this same point. Part of the clack adjustment hardware is broken/missing. This damage suggests unit has been dropped or thrown.
The adjustment hardware on the terminals, lever pivots, and spring have double-line knurling. The broken clack adjustment hardware that is present has single-line knurling. The click adjustment hardware has holes for turning, no knurling. There is only one nut on the spring adjustment.
Underside of wood base is missing a brass foot. Cotton (I believe it is cotton.) covered wires are broken in two or three places. I carefully sanded a few of the wire ends to expose fresh copper. Each of the two coils measure 25.8 ohms, for a total of about 50 ohms. So, the measured resistance of the unit disagrees with the marking.
I conclude that this unit has been abused and modified. The unit appears to have been converted from a local sounder into a line sounder.Cataloged By
Legacy Photo ImportLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
Sounder, TelegraphNomenclature Primary Object Term
TelegraphNomenclature Sub-Class
Telecommunication DevicesNomenclature Class
Telecommunication T&ENomenclature Category
Category 06: Tools & Equipment for CommunicationCreate Date
August 21, 2008Update Date
August 19, 2026