INTERESTING FACTS

The Creed Automatic Printing Device, an instrument used in virtually every cable office in the world, was invented by a native Nova Scotian who for many years lived in Canso. His name was Frederick Creed.

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The Fascinating History of The Commercial Cable Company

The Titanic Connection


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sinking of the Titanic, the terms of the Armistice for World War II, the
tracking of Lindbergh's flight; these were undoubtedly important world news
events for their time. All of which, would have been sent around the world
by way of a telegraph office located in a small community immediately
adjacent to the Town of Canso. The Commercial Cable Company was the company
that first made global communication possible. The pride and joy of the
Commercial Cable Company was one of its offices, The Commercial Cable -
Canso Station, located in Hazel Hill, Guysborough County.

The Titanic's distress signal was first heard at Cape Ray, Newfoundland.
Cape Ray was only equipped as a point to point relay station, they therefore
sent the message forward to Cape Race, Newfoundland. Cape Race then
forwarded the message to the Pot Aux Basques Station, Newfoundland. It was
from the Port Aux Basques Station that the distress signal was forwarded to
the "Canso Station" in Hazel Hill, making it the first main land station to
receive the message. Due to the Commercial Cable Company's ability for
global communication the message was then sent worldwide.

On the night that the message was received at the Canso Station, Mr. William
Windeler was working. He was asked about his recollection of the evening,
and this was what he had been quoted as saying;


"Well, it so happened that it might be described as accidental, but I was
one of the night staff on that particular week. We worked round the clock,
because the office never closed once it was opened, due to international
timing of traffic. It was about 2:30am in the morning, and this zealous
young apprentice heard one of the wires calling, and I dashed over with my
usual nerve-gall-and it was Cape Race calling, and he had this report, this
urgent message saying that the Titanic had struck an iceberg. Well as soon
as the staff in the office heard the message, I was buggered off into
obscurity, while qualified operators took over. For weeks it was gluttoned
with traffic, going to AP and the UP and Reuters in London, and all the
other places where the news was sought."

It is amazing that a small rural community in Nova Scotia, was able to play
such a significant role in not only private communication, but also able to
be involved so closely with historical events, such as the the terms of the
Armistice for World War II, the tracking of Lindbergh's flight, and the
sinking of the RMS Titanic.