https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/249563115?searchTerm=jam...
Yass Tribune Courier - Thu 1 Sep 1938 Page 1
26 YEARS CONTINUOUS DUTY WITHOUT
A HOLIDAY
Postmaster At
Bowning For
32 Years
LATE MR. JAMES ALT
In the death at St. Vincent's
Hospital in Sydney on Monday
morning of Mr. James Alt, of
Bowning, one of the best known
personalities in the Postmaster-
General's Department has pass-
ed on. Jim Alt was known by
everyone in the service. Mr.
Alt, who was 74 years of age,
was postmaster at Bowning for
32 years. His record of 26 years
continuous duty without a holi-
day is probably unique.
A sad but very human incident
occurred on Tuesday afternoon. Mr.
McGarrigle, of the Yass Post Office
staff, was on duty at Bowning, when
the testing operator at the G.P.O.
inquired how the old man was. He
was not aware he was being
taken to his last resting place that
afternoon.
A native of Yass, Mr. Alt started
work at the age of 14 years as a
railway, porter at Yass Junction. At
the age of 32 he lost both legs. he
was otf duty at Mittagong when he
endeavoured to board a train while
in motion. He fell and the wheels
passed lover both his legs. However,
he accepted the tragedy philosophic-
ally and ten years later took charge
of the Bowning Post Office.
It may not be generally known
that there is a big testing station
at Bowning, with fifteen trunk
morse lines, and Mr. Alt was re-
garded by the testing officer in
the G.P.O. as one of the most re-
liable testing officers in the
south. He was a steady and effi-
cient morse operator and a par-
ticularly methodical man.
When the Albury mail train was
derailed just beyond Bowning a
few years ago, Mr. Alt rose to the
occasion and put up a wonderful
performance transmitting and re-
ceiving telegrams. He kept the dots
and dashes going for hours on end
with characteristic efficiency. From
he little Bowning post office many
anxious moments were relieved for
people all over the State who had
relatives on the wrecked train.
But that is only one side of Mr.
Alt's long and useful life. As a pat-
riarch of Bowning he was held in
the highest esteem and admiration.
The late Mr. Alt is survived by
one son, James (Bowning) and one
son predeceased him. Two daugh-
ters also survive, Mrs. Jack O'Brien,
of Maroubra, and Mrs. C. Jones, of
Way, New Guinea.
There was a large and represen-
tative cortege at the funeral, which
took place at Bowning on Tuesday
afternoon from the Catholic church
to the local cemetery, where the
Rev. Fr. McCusker officiated. The
funeral was conducted by Mr. W.
H. McIntosh.
Among the wreaths received were
the following: Alice and Sam, Clara
and Frank, Mr. and Mrs. M. C.
Smith and family, Mr. and Mrs. W.
Armour, Mr. and Mrs. Loomes and
Ric., Anne and Hugh Muir, Zeta and
Athol Pearce, Grace and R. Holmes,
Miss Wall, Limestone, Mrs. Pearce,
senr., and family, Mrs. K. Ryan and
family, Mr. and Mrs. Hollis and Mr.
and Mrs. Turner, Yass P.O. Staff,
Mrs. Morgan and Vera, The Glover
Family, Mr. and Mrs. Alf. Armour
and family, All at Charlesville, Mr.
and Mrs. Alchin and family, Mrs. O.
Hilly and family, Mrs. Hannaford
and family, Mr. and Mrs. W. Chown,
Mr. and Mrs. Don Meikleham, Neta
and Claude Ryan, Molly Crossley
and Mr. and Mrs. G. Armour, Major
Weir, B. Eglington, Mr. and Mrs.
Bill Richards and family.
