Photographs

Shops

The first cash carrier system was at the Federal House Drapery Store in February 1890. The main system was of the cash ball type, but one line of a wire system was also installed. The first Perfection Cable System in Tasmania (and, it was claimed, the third in Australasia) was at W.E. Best in Hobart.

BOTHWELL. "On the corner of Queen Street was the Ironmongery, Hardware, Bakery and General Store that sold everything... The store had compressed air money tubes that whizzed along wires to an overhead cash desk. The change would be loaded into the pneumatic tube and shot down a wire to stop with a clunk at the counter in front of you." Bothwell Community Portal

BURNIE. Beehive Pty. "Reasonable offers will be accepted for any portion of the 'Beehive' plant... Cash railway system." Advocate (Burnie), 24 Nov. 1924, p. 6

BURNIE. Tasmanian Farmers' Co-operative Association, Wilson Street. "Another instance of the progressive management of the Tasmanian Farmers' Co-operative Association is the installation of a cash railway in the retail departments. So much has the business increased .. that recently the retail shop was enlarged by one-half its original size... The plant has been installed by the Lamson Cash Railway Company, and the system adopted .. is known as the ball system... There are five 'out stations' in different parts of the shop in convenient places. There are only three lines leaving the cash office, but others branch off these... Mr H.C. Le Bas. mechanical superintendent for the Lamson Company, supervised the erection of the railway." North Western Advocate and Emu Bay Times, 26 Jan. 1905, p. 3
• " Directors' Report... Rent of cash railway and other rents, £48/11/ ." North Western Advocate and Emu Bay Times,31 Aug. 1908, p. 4
• Something up-to-date in cash railway systems has just been completed at the Tasmanian Farmers' Association premises by Mr. B. Blackett, representing the Lawson [sic] Store Service Co,. Sydney, who have installed an automatic cash system at the establishment which is the first of its kind in this State. It is a tube system and the carrier is given an impetus of 30 feet a second by a 2 h.p. motor, which varies in speed from 400 to 1,200 revolutions a minute... There is another tube system in the town but it is not automatic. The system at the Farmers' Association premises is used very largely on the mainland and in America, because of the rapidity with which cash may be handled." Ibid., 19 Apr. 1917, p. 2

DEVONPORT. Barratt, Rooke Street. (Became music store in 1924.) "Sale, Cash railway, 4 stations, cost £65, now £5." Advocate (Burnie), 10 Mar. 1933, p. 7

DEVONPORT. Federal Emporium (Alex Brown), Steele Street. "Mr Alex. Brown now has working .. an aerial cash railway. It was procured from Sydney and placed in position by the proprietor and a local tradesman, and is the first travelling cash railway at Devonport." North Western Advocate and Emu Bay Times, 5 Dec. 1906, p. 2

DEVONPORT. River Don Trading Company. Wire system. Devonport Times, Jan. 2002

HOBART. W.E. Best, Elizabeth Street. "In recent years, as the size and scope of retail business establishments have increased, there has arisen a demand for a cash carrying service of great speed and wide range of action from a convenient location, which is apropos of Messrs W.E. Best and Co. 's establishment in Elizabeth-street. Since the completion of their large Palace Emporium, the necessity for such a system became increasingly evident, and there has now been installed a very unique and most elaborate service, known as the Lawson [sic] Perfection Cable System of cash railways. It is the first of its kind to be installed in Tasmania, and, as far as is known, only two other establishments in Australasia are so fitted: but orders have been received from a large number of prominent firms. It is doubtful if a more expeditious and convenient system has ever been conceived. The system is operated by a continuously running linen cable, driven by a small electric motor. The cash-box travels on nickel rods, a depression of the grip fixing it on to the cable. It is taken to its destination at the rate of 25 ft. per second. The cash-box is madeof light steel and vulcanite, and has a spring lid, which flies open by slight pressure of the hand. For the promises under notice, there are twelve despatch stations, which are equal to tho requirements of 40 to 50 sales people The receiving station is on the first floor, and it is a very interesting operation to watch the arrival and despatch of the 'cars'on their several routes. They travel with such rapidity, arrive from so many different stations, on so many different lines, at such frequent intervals, that requires a cool head, though everything is very simple, to avoid 'collisions' and the consequent disarrangement ot the service. The advantage of this system is indicated in the fact that with it a young lady at Messrs. Best's Emporium is able to do the work that formerly took six to do, and do it much more quickly, only half a minute, sometimes less, elapsing in the despatch and return of the box. Its use enables the centralisation of the cash business at one point, and without loss of time, which is a great advantage in large establishments. Mercury (Hobart) 3 Feb. 1905, p.5

HOBART. Brownell Bros., (London House), 78-84 Liverpool Street. "The cash is conveyed in balls from the various departments to the cash desk by the system known as 'Lamson's Cash Railway'. The balls as they fly along containing the precious coin give the whols establishment a merry and active appearance." Tasmanian News, 24
• "The electric light, automatic cash tubes, message tubes, lifts, and all the most up-to-date appliances wil be introduced." The Mercury (Hobart), 20 Mar. 1907, p. 4

HOBART. Butters. "He used the current constantly during the day in supplying the power for his cash railway system in his business establishment." Daily Post (Hobart). 18 Nov. 1915, p. 2

HOBART. Andrew Mather. "The shop forms the largest and most imposing drapery saloon.. in Hobart, being 144 ft. long by 48 ft. wide. The 'cash railway' system has had to make place for Lamson's new patent rapid wire-shooting system, which would seem to be the height of inventiveness in this direction... The system is fully twice as rapid as the old one." Mercury (Hobart) 11 Apr. 1896, p.3

HOBART. G. P. Fitzgerald & Co., 71 Collins Street. "The enormous traffic on our cash railways." The Mercury (Hobart), 23 Dec. 1895, p. 1
• "Our cash railway although only some 23,000 centimetres in length, is far and away the liveliest little railway in Tasmania... We have some twelve stations, with about 50 trains, nearly always on the move. On Thursday last these trains accomplished nearly seventeen hundred journeys. You may therefore, with good reason, conclude that our cashiers cannot afford to dilly-dally. There are no cats on our cash railway that do not catch mice. See the busy trains, in succession, briskly journeying to the head station...Yonder are the long distance trains from the furnishing department, mostly laden with notes and gold... Glance for a moment at the gaily going trains from the millinery department... Attention, now, for the rush is on, and quickly moving trains from the Manchester, the clothing, the gloves, the laces, the ribbons, the mantles, the hosiery, the haberdashery, throng the various lines, and tax the cashiers' celerity to the utmost." The Mercury (Hobart), 7 Dec. 1896, p. 1
• "Messrs. G.P.Fitzgerald and Co.'s new department store in Collins-street .. is, indeed, an adornment to the city... The memorable fire of July 5 last destroyed what was then one of the most up-to-date business houses in the city... The cash transit arrangements are of the very latest, the money being conveyed from the various departments to the counting-house by means of pneumatic tubes, which have been installed by the Lamson Co." The Mercury (Hobart), 14 Mar. 1912, p. 2

HOBART. Drew Mather & Co. Pty., 109 Liverpool Street. "Lamson Rapid-Wire cash system (9 stations). For sale complete. " The Mercury (Hobart), 17 Mar. 1951, p. 24

HOBART. Nettlefolds. "We have installed cash railways to give customers better service." The Mercury (Hobart), 30 Jun. 1906, p. 5

HOBART. W.M. Williams (draper), Federal House, Elizabeth Street. "Mr. W. M. Williams. Federal House Drapery Store, has been the first to introduce the 'Lamson Cash Railway' into Tasmania... The apparatus is in the form of a mimic railway suspended from the ceiling... There are two lines, composed of polished pine.. with thin brass wire sides. The higher one inclines towards the cashier's desk, and conveys hollow balls containing cash noiselessly to their destination... Its advantage over the catapult system is that four, or a greater number can use it at the same time... However, to show both, Mr. Williams has one of the improved catapult cash carriers fixed from the show-rooms to the cashier's desk. it is much after the sytle of those in use in other colonies... Mr. H. O. Kemp is the colonial agent of the Lamson Co. and Mr. A. H. Simmonds, his manager, has superintended the work in Mr. Williams' shop." The Mercury (Hobart), 27 Feb. 1890, p. 2
• "The Lamson pneumatic tube system is installed throughout the building. It provides cash stations in every department connecting with the ofices on the first floor." Tasmanian News, 27 Nov. 1907, p. 3

LAUNCESTON. Arcade Corner. "The cash railways at Arcade Corner Sale on Saturday put up a record. They were almost constantly on the go." Daily Telegraph (Launceston), 3 Apr. 1905, p. 2

LAUNCESTON. Birchalls, Brisbane Street. "Lamson cash tramway system, complete and in working order. Suit medium-sized business or country store, £80 the lot." Examiner (Launceston), 25 Feb. 1950, p. 19

LAUNCESTON. Dempsters. "The cash railway is an American invention and is in use in all the largest drapery establishments in the world, being also employed at Dempsters in this city." Daily Telegraph (Launceston), 21 Jan. 1892, p. 3

LAUNCESTON. W. Hart and Sons Pty., Charles Street. "For sale. Lamson cash railway, Ball system, 3 stations, 90ft track. First-class working order. Price £15." The Mercury (Hobart), 30 Jun. 1928, p. 3

LAUNCESTON. Shaws, 86-90 Brisbane Street. "For sale - Lamson Wire Cash Carrier System. Six stations and cash desk complete. £20 cash." Examiner (Launceston), 3 Sep. 1932, p.13

ROSEBERY. E.Z. Mines Community Store. "At the monthly meeting of the E.Z. Mines Community Council ... authority was given for the installation of a cash trolley system." Advocate (Burnie, Tas.) 6 Nov. 1942, p. 4

SCOTTSDALE. "Biggs and Leech have adopted an up-to-date method of transacting their counter trade by the installation of the Lamson cash railway system between the counters and the desk." North-Eastern Advertiser, 20 Dec. 1912, p. 2

SHEFFIELD. Slater's Country Store. Flying fox system. Store founded in 1899. Sheffield website claims it is one of only six left in Australia. "The Slater's store is a wonderful example of how a store was set up earlier last century. The flying-fox money receptacle is still functioning although Grannie Slater retired when she was 93. She did all the money transactions from 4 counters while perched up in her loft attending to the flying-foxes." Australian IFFR website

ULVERSTONE. ? "The new business place at present being erected in Reibey street is now rapidly nearing completion... An up-to-date installation of the cash railway system is to be carried out." North Western Advocate, 7 Apr. 1916, p. 2

ZEEHAN. ? "The drapers' establishments also are excellent .. and one visited was fitted up with a complete system of cash railways." Launceston Examoner, 27 Feb. 1899, p. 7

indicates systems which are still there (as far as I know) though they may not be working.