On April 27, 2002, the Jefferson State Insulator Club had the unique opportunity to install a classic, glass-insulated open wire line. The Telegraph Club located at the Medford Railroad Park had set some poles, but a forklift had pulled down the 4-wire circuit they had up.

We met at noon, and were soon up the poles. The old homemade 4-pin crossarms came down and the genuine ones (with 6 wooden pins each) went up. A chainsaw was used to peak-top the poles for a more-vintage look. We were lucky to have four club members there that climbed, and the job was done in about 4 hours. It was lots of fun to be putting insulators back in service for a change. Included on the poles were a purple Whitall-Tatum, CD 151, CD 126, CD 213, CD 133's, some signals, tolls and beehives... and an aqua Hemingray 42, which no telegraph line would be complete without.

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Mid Norris unties a wire from the original pole. Carl Scott prepares a pole to change from sidepins to a crossarm.
Bill Ostrander drills a hole for the new crossarm, already hoisted up. Paul Cherry and Mike Randall prepare another crossarm.
Ken Klein prepares to climb! Carl peaks the top of a pole.
Mid and Scott Morrell size up one of the terminating poles. Bill attaches the braces.
Mid sizes up another pole. Bill starts tying on the wires.
Carl prepares the other end pole. Already have a wire tied to the purple Whitall-Tatum.
Bill strikes a pose...looks like a huge cattle prod coming to get him up the pole. Carl terminating one end of the wiring.
Carl working on the terminations. Who's that dancing on the pole?!?

From front to back on the poles: Ken Klein, Mid Norris, Bill Ostrander and Carl Scott.


The Climbers and their Foreman! Mid Norris, Bill Ostrander, Kenny Klein Jr, Ken Klein and Carl Scott.

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