While in San Francisco for Christmas with family I took a trip up to Anderson in Northern California to visit with Doug Pruitt. Together we went out on the extinct Northern California Telegraph Company line, which was built in 1856, to see if we could find some insulators. 

Along the way we stopped in Shasta and the State Museum there. The block with rubber mounted iron hook, which was originally used on the N.C.T. line, was brought up from the basement for us to see and photograph. (Nice picture of Doug's hand!) 

We also stopped in Weaverville to visit the museum there. It was closed for the winter, but Doug got special permission to gain entrance. He then got permission to have a glass case opened so that we could photograph the complete Goodyear rubber insulator set up (opposite page). This complete insulator and side block is one-of-a-kind, as far as we know. It represents an early attempt at line insulation on the Northern California Telegraph. 

Although we were out in pouring rain most of the time, we did manage to find several glass insulators which represent a later upgrading of the line in the late 1870's by the California Electrical Works. I found a nice C.D. 127 W.U.T. Co. with tie wire half buried in pine needles. Doug found a piece of glass nearby that looked to be an E.C.& M Co S.F.; but upon arrival home and closer examination it turned out to be a piece of C.D. 130.1 in aqua. Indeed, a very rare insulator. Thank you, Doug, for a great trip.

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