Australian shores by 31st December, 1871. If not finished on schedule, penalties would apply for every day thereafter. The project was immense. Charles Todd, telegraphic superintendent who had estimated the cost, was in charge. “I fully realised the vastness of the undertaking” he said “but the short space of time allotted to me, only 18 months, greatly increased my difficulties. Need I tell you how many sleepless nights and anxious hours I have spent as all these apparently insuperable difficulties stared me in the face. How eagerly I read Stuart’s journals and with what feelings I tried to realise all I had to contend with.” Todd divided the construction into three sections. Northern and southern to go to private contractors and the least known, most inacessible central section was to be constructed by government parties. He supplied meticulous instructions to the Overseers of the working parties, detailing the work and all contingencies. A flurry of activity began in Adelaide with harnessmakers, cartmakers and timberyards striving to complete orders. John Ross with an exploring team travelled north to the Centre to select the best route and explorer Bemjamin Babbage advised on vital water supplies and geographical features on the southern section. A massive movement of men left Adelaide – surveyors, labourers, linesmen, carpenters and contract carters. Transport was crucial. Everything was carted over a roadless and often waterless country. There were horses, bullocks and carts loaded with tools, tents and provisions for many weeks. Three thousand wrought iron poles (nineteen feet long), most of the wire, batteries, insulators and other equipment were imported from England. Two camel trains in the care of Afghans and the store contractor with two thousand ration sheep joined them. Later Doctor Renner and Doctor Rix were appointed as surgeons. Contractors Joseph Darwent and William Dalwood arrived at the remote northern outpost Darwin on the ship SS Omeo fully laden almost to its bulwarks with 80 men, horses, carts, bullocks, hay and equipment. The line was to be constructed in “a most substantial manner and the poles are to be placed not fewer than 20 to the mile.” Work continued six days a week with a break in the hottest part of the day. They toiled over gibber plains, sand hills, stony deserts and in the north through dense vegetation. Often temperatures would exceed 100°F (40°C) and tools put down in the sun would be too hot to handle. The track route was surveyed and cleared of vegetation. Poles were cut by hand and dropped along the track. Holes were dug by hand, poles erected and wire strung. It was tough, unremitting work. Sometimes if a tree was close to the line, it would be topped to regulation height and used where it stood. The enterprising use of two poles scarfed together to make one was also used. Lightning conductors were added in the Darwin area. Tinned bully beef was the mainstay of a monotonous diet and lime juice prevented scurvy. The southern and central sections were progressing on schedule. Ross’s exploring party had climbed Central Mount Stuart where they located the cairn of stones built by Stuart and Kekwick ten years earlier. They found the bottle with the note and passed it on to Todd. The northern section too made substantial progress until November. Then came the wet season. The rain poured down, up to ten inches a day. Dry rivers became raging torrents. The ground turned to swamps. Animals floundered; some drowned. Carts were bogged. Fresh supplies could not get through the floods. The humid weather sent food bad and weevils rampaged through the flour. Telegraph line holes filled with water as soon as they were dug. The men became fed up and on 7th March the first industrial strike in the Northern Territory occurred. By mid March Overseer McMinn warned the contractors that progress was unsatisfactory. On his next visit he found work at a standstill from lack of supplies. Although replenishment depended on good weather, which would soon begin, McMinn panicked, cancelled the contract and declared the work would be completed by government contractors. He sailed for Adelaide in the supply ship Gulnare, his actions putting the whole line project in jeopardy. Thus it was that the best weather of 1871 passed without any more poles being erected on the northern section. Todd joined in frantic consultations in Adelaide. Robert Patterson, Resident Engineer of Railways was appointed to lead the new government team. An additional 200 men, 170 horses, 500 bullocks with more plant and equipment arrived by ships in September and early October. They should have gone to the Roper River, close to the work site, but politics dictated landing at Darwin to increase prosperity there. Land had been subdivided for sale. It was hoped land sales would help finance the Overland Telegraph Line. To add to Patterson’s frustrations, unloading work was delayed by a mutiny on the Himalaya. The country was bare of feed after the long dry season and there was a shortage of water. Many of the bullocks were landed in a very weak state and died soon afterwards. CONTINUED OVER PAGE Camels were used to transport the poles The Roper River Depot Camp 1872 (Sweet SALA B-4635)\ The Omeo, Young Australian and the Bengal, Roper River State Library of South Australia B4641 Send to a friend… australiasexplorersway.com.au 129
