BATTERY, DRY-CELL

Description: CYLINDER SHAPED BATTERY. TOP OF BATTERY IS INDIAN RED COLOURED, AND HAS TWO POSTS STICKING OUT OF IT; TOP OF BATTERY IS CRACKED. A RED AND WHITE, PRESSED PAPER LABEL SURROUNDS BATTERY. FRONT OF LABEL READS "NO.6 COLUMBIA IGNITOR DRY CELL FOR GENERAL IGNITION CANADIAN NATIONAL CARBON CO. LIMITED 99 PATON ROAD TORONTO, WINNIPEG". IN MIDDLE IS THE IMAGE OF A LEAF. OTHER SIDE OF LABEL READS JUST ABOUT THE SAME AS FRONT, BUT THERE IS ANOTHER LABEL STUCK ON TOP. THIS LABEL IS ROUND AND BLUE, AND READS "THE ROY ELECTRIC CO. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR GENERAL SUPPLIES 518 4TH AVE S. PHONE 735 LETHBRIDGE, ALTA.".

History: BATTERIES WERE RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE OF THE ABERDEEN APARTMENTS, ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF 6 AVENUE AND 6 STREET SOUTH IN LETHBRIDGE. THE BUILDING WAS A BIG, OLD TWO STOREY HOUSE WHICH HAD BEEN RENOVATED INTO TWO OR THREE SUITES. DONOR KNEW BUILDING WELL, AS HIS FAMILY LIVED NEARBY AT 612-7TH ST. S, FOR A GOOD PART OF THE 1960'S. A FRIEND OF DONOR'S, STEVEN ELLEFSON, LIVED IN THE UPSTAIRS PART OF THE ABERDEEN APT'S. WHEN THE BUILDING WAS ABOUT TO BE DEMOLISHED, DONOR AND HIS BROTHER, GRANT DIXON, WERE LOOKING IT OVER AND RESCUED A FEW ARTIFACTS, INCLUDING A SIGN THAT IDENTIFIED THE BUILDING AS ABERDEEN APARTMENTS, AND THE BATTERIES. THESE NO. 6 DRY CELLS WERE OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO DONOR BECAUSE HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN ELECTRICITY, AND WHEN HE WAS ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS OLD, LIVING WITH HIS PARENTS IN EDMONTON, A #6 DRY CELL WAS SOMETHING WHICH HE COVETED DEEPLY, BUT COULD NOT AFFORD. THE DONOR FOUND THESE ONES PARTICULARLY INTERESTING BECAUSE THEY BEAR THE LABELS OF THE LETHBRIDGE ELECTRICAL FIRMS WHICH SOLD THEM AROUND 1910 OR 1920. BATTERIES COMMONLY USED IN TELEPHONES, DOORBELLS, ETC. DONOR WOULD LIKE IT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE AND HIS DAUGHTER, ADRIEN, DONATED THESE BATTERIES DURING THE AFTERNOON OF DEC. 31, 1999; THE LAST DONATION OF THE MILLENIUM.