In this column, I was lucky enough to have a show report of the 3rd Annual South Western Ontario Insulator Swap sent in by co-host Barrett Nicpon. This backyard meet seems to be getting bigger each year.

I also have the chance to photograph and compare a seldom seen Canadian threadless for the column. The header picture shows a normal looking cd742, but this one is base embossed" D.T.Co ", which is assumed to stand for the Dominion Telegraph Company. Details on this insulator follow the show report.

Barrett writes: 
I'm pleased to report that the Third Annual South-Western Ontario Insulator Swap was a raging success, this year more so than latter ones. For the first time in the three years, there were enough sales tables and attendees for the show to be considered more than just substantial - it's actually a show! Yes, the attendance was up to around 130% of what it has been in prior years, and the number of sales tables up to more than 200%! None of this would be possible, of course - were it not for the loyal following of Ontario, and neighbouring states regulars - and some exceptions!

Par example - our "farthest travelled" award this year is a very close race, but Tom Rogers from Rockville, Maryland was the victor. The closest follower up was Andy Smith, all the way from Sudbury, Ontario. Not that this is a competition but if it were, these two would be winning! That is not to say that everybody else didn't come a long way. It may not be well known in the hobby, but collectors here in Ontario are quite spread out. The closest collector to me is 15 minutes away, but short of that, the closest runners up are up to an hour! It amazes me how all these people come together every year, with the common ground of defunct pieces of telegraph paraphernalia in mind, and that most people would be bored to death! Of course, from this respect, the show has always been a huge success, and thanks to all of you, it continues to be!

Some key walk-ins ranged from a wide variety of threadless pieces, many of which have been found this spring, some as recently as just a few weeks or days before the show, to the beauty of a shining 7-up green CD-160.7 American Insulator Co. which Andrew Gibson brought up from New York state. Of course, this latter isn't actually a Canadian insulator as such - but we all will appreciate it just the same - how could you not?! I was pleased to see my first Jeffery Dewitt suspension discs, along with an incredible array of power glass and porcelain signs on the table of Al and Carol Fixx, also from New York state. Steve and Linda Wessel, of course, were courteous guests, and they, as usual, were largely responsible for the majority of the snack food which everyone appreciated. My mother, of course, deserves massive appreciation, as well. For the past three years, she has thrown together food to feed the masses, all in the name of this ever-growing backyard swap. I could not help but overhear everyone voicing their disbelief at the sheer quantity of food! Thanks, mom - I love you - and now everyone reading this knows it.

Lastly, (almost) as much as my mother, I would like to thank Tom Iannelli. He has, for three years, done the vast majority of the work involved in organizing and promoting this show. For anyone that has never tried it, the process is time consuming, and he has done an amazing job of it! Tom - I love you as well.

I would like to extend the warmest of invitations to anyone who may be passing through, or looking for a weekend escapade to the great white north (even if you already live in it), to drop by the show at next year's date (undecided as of yet), even if it is only to chat about glass and catch up with old friends while munching on a hamburger. Whether you're setting up a sales table or adding some pieces to your collection, you are all ever so welcome to attend. It has been fun, and it becomes more so every year!

All the best, and I hope to see you here next spring!

Barrett N.

{ Pictures of the 3rd Annual SWOIS can be seen on 
www.InsulatorsCanada.com. under Shows and Events. }

A bit of history on the Dominion Telegraph Company: The company was formed in the late 1860s and by the end of the 1870s they operated over 7000 miles of open wire. They operated mainly in what is now known as Ontario and Quebec, but had rights to work in the eastern provinces too.

The DTCo 742 style of insulator { Left in picture } is very much like the MTCo embossed 742 { Right in picture } in terms of style and glass quality. The DTCo versions have only been reported in aqua at this time. With an estimated 1 in 500 742s being a DTCo, the odds of finding one in anything but aqua are quite high.

I have heard that many of the DTCo embossed 742s have had the outer and inner edges of the skirt ground to presumably lessen the skirt/base damage in the field or during handling on route to the installation site. With this reported on several examples, including the one shown in the picture, (top next page) one would guess that it was a factory modification. This insulator has had the outer skirt edge ground such that the top portion of the embossing has been partially removed.

The 742 style of insulator was not one of the first styles to be made. 740s and 718s would be older. Perhaps the DTCo 742s were cast after the MTCo and unembossed 742s. Someone on the DTCo payroll may have noticed how easily the other 742s were being chipped up and requested the grinding as a solution to lengthen the life of the insulators.

As can been seen in the picture, the MTCo base on the left has pointed /fragile inner and outer skirt edges. The DTCo on the right has had these edges removed by some sort of grinding stone.

I suggest that this idea was based on the earlier 742s rather than the 740s and 718s, as the 740 has a stronger base and the 718 has wire groove lips that are wider than the base diameter, which would to some degree protect the base during shipping etc. Usually the bases of 740s are not found as banged up as 742s.

The Dominion Telegraph Company was strong in the early 1870s. Poor cash flow resulted in the DTCo being leased to the Union Telegraph Co ( 1879 ), who were bought out by Western Union. The Great North Western Telegraph Co was actively looking expand their lines and by late 1881 the GNW Tel Co. had leased both the DTCo and MTCo lines in eastern Canada.

DTCo history credit goes to "Canadian Railway Telegraph History" by Robert Burnet.

My thanks to Barrett Nicpon for making the effort to write up the show report and sending it to Canadian Forum.

Feel free to drop CJOW or myself a note if you have anything you would like to see covered in the way of Canadian insulator news or information. 

Robin PIewes, Almonte Ontario.
Phone: 613-256-7638      Email: robin.plewes@cmcelectronics.ca