| Name |
James Alt |
| Born |
12 Aug 1864 |
Fairy Hole Creek Inn, near Yass, NSW, Australia  [1] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Newspaper |
the Daily Telegraph, Australia [2] |
Mittagong, Sunday. A serious accident happened at Mittagong last evening about 11 o'clock to Mr. J. Alt, Stationmaster at Colovale. Mr. Alt was boarding a goods train to go to Colovale and it is supposed that he slipped and fell on the rails. The trucks passed over his legs. The injured man was at once conveyed to the Berrima District Hospital, where the amputation of both legs was deemed necessary. Doubts are entertained of his recovery.
|
| Newspaper |
15 Jun 1897 |
the Yass Courier, Australia [3] |
Sad Accident
The sad news reached Yass during Sunday night that Mr. James Alt, stationmaster at Hill Top had been run over by a train and had both his legs cut off. From the news to hand, it is surmised that, as he is subject to fits, he must have taken one and fallen on the line on his way home from Mittagong and while on the line a
train came along and, passing over him, cut off both legs. Immediately the news reached Yass, his mother, Mrs. G. Weatherby and his sister, Mrs. J. J. Sheekey, started for Hill Top, but did not expect to see the unfortunate man alive, as they were informed that he was sinking fast. Alt has a wife and three children and was a very kind and obliging officer. It is only about three weeks since his elder brother, Mr. Henry Alt, died and left a wife and several children.
As we went to press, the unfortunate man was still alive and both legs had been amputated below the knee in the Bowral hospital.
|
| Newspaper |
16 Jun 1897 |
the Bowral Free Press, Bowral, NSW, Australia [3] |
Railway Accident at Mittagong
Mr. James Alt
About 11 o'clock on Saturday night last, Mr. James Alt, Station Master of Hilltop for the past ten years, was found on the railway line near Mittagong platform, with both legs injured, apparently from being run over by a train. Mr. Alt had spent the evening in Mittagong and was intending to return to Hilltop by the goods train that leaves Mittagong about 10.30 pm. It is supposed that he caught hold of the rope attached to the brake-van while the train was in motion, but that his foot slipped off the step and, after holding on for about sixteen yards, let go his hold, falling under the wheel which passed over both legs. Of course that is a good deal conjecture as no one witnessed the sad affair. It is not known how long Mr. Alt lay there, but his groans attracted the attention of a guard who was sleeping in a brake-van on the line alongside and who lost no time in communicating with the doctor and police. He was at once conveyed by a special train to Bowral, accompanied by Dr. Middleton and carried on an ambulance stretcher to the Cottage Hospital where it was found that injuries were so extensive as to necessitate the amputation of both legs, one above and the other below the knee. Dr. Fisher applied the anaesthetic, while Drs. Armstrong and Middleton performed the operation without any delay. The patient passed a bad night from sheer exhaustion through loss of blood and shock and only a strong constitution could have survived it all.
On Sunday his condition seemed more hopeful, but during that night unfavourable symptoms set in again. On Monday he was in a critical condition and during that night showed unfavourable symptoms. On enquiry at the hospital yesterday afternoon, we learnt that he was in an extremely serious state, at the same time he is not any worse than he was early in the morning. Mr. Alt's recovery is doubtful. We believe an official inquiry into the occurrence is to be made. Mr. Alt is thirty-two years of age and has a wife and three young children. His brother, Mr. Alt, Station Master at Gordon, visited him at the hospital, also his mother, sister and a very large number of friends.
|
| Newspaper |
07 Jul 1897 |
the Bowral Free Press, Bowral, NSW, Australia [2] |
COTTAGE HOSPITAL, BOWRAL.
WEDNESDAY 7th JULY 1897
Mr. Alt, the stationmaster at Hilltop who met with an accident, causing both legs to be amputated at the hospital, is progressing favourably and hopes of his recovery are entertained
|
| Newspaper |
17 Sep 1897 |
the Yass Courier, Australia [2] |
ACCIDENT TO JAMES ALT
Mr. Alt, Station master at Cob Vale, who was so injured at Mittagong on 12th June by being run over by a train as to necessitate the amputation of both legs, has recently been discharged from the Cottage Hospital, Bowral, as cured. Very few cases are recorded of recovery after such injuries, and Mr. Alt's bears testimony to the excellence of the medical and nursing treatment he received. It is stated that the Railway Commissioners propose finding Mr. Alt some suitable employment at Goulburn Station
|
| Newspaper |
1934 |
the Post Office Journal, 'Postal Notes' [4] |
Mr. JAMES ALT
There is no more interesting personality in the Postal Service than Mr. James Alt, Semi-Official P.M. at Bowning, who celebrated his 70th birthday on the 12th of last month. He joined the railway service in 1879 at Yass Junction, and the following year was promoted to the position of night officer, in which capacity he relieved at Picton, Mittagong, Balmoral, Wingello and Store Creek.
In 1885 Mr. Alt became officer-in-charge at Hilltop, near Mittagong, and a year later, whilst occupying this position, he fell from a moving train, the injuries sustained resulting in the loss of both legs and his retirement from the railway service.
In 1907 Mr. Alt accepted appointment as P.M. at Bowning, at that time a busy centre, all material for Burrinjuck Dam being unloaded there. The Kangiara mines were also working, so that the local Post Office was taxed to capacity. Later on when the Southern line was being duplicated, the population of the town increased by 500. During all this time Mr. Alt was giving great service to the public, but probably his finest effort was on the morning of July 11, 1933, when at a point just to the rear of the Post Office, the "down' Albury Mail, conveying about 200 passengers, overturned and was partially wrecked.
Mr. Alt was called at 4.30 am, and with the assistance of his niece, Miss M. Aylen, set about the task of disposing of telegraph and telephone business, and so they worked, without breakfast, until 1 pm, and even their luncheon period was disturbed in the public interest.
In spite of his great physical limitations, Mr. Alt always welcomes one with a smile. He is courteous to the public, amongst whom he has many friends. Mr. Alt has never had one day off owing to illness during his term as P.M. at Bowning. He describes his las annual holiday as being "great" and is looking forward earnestly to his next year's leave. It is worth while calling in at Bowning Office any time to see a man who has not let his physical loss interfere with his personality.
Mr. Alt qualified in telegraphy 55 years ago, so that many H.O. telegraphists who work with Bowning will appreciate that they are working with a man whose experience in the art extends over half a century.
|
| Died |
29 Aug 1938 |
St Vincents Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia [5] |
| Buried |
30 Aug 1938 |
Bowning, NSW, Australia |
| Obit |
01 Sep 1938 |
the Yass Tribune-Courier, Australia [6] |
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 passed
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 holiday is probably unique.
A sad but very human incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. McCarrigle, 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 that 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 on duty at Mittagong when he endeavoured to board a train while in motion. He fell and the wheels passed over both his legs. However, he accepted the tragedy philosophically 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 regarded by the testing officer in the G.P.O. as one of the most reliable testing officers in the south. He was a steady and efficient morse operator and a particularly 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 receiving telegrams. He kept the dots and dashes going for hours on end with characteristic efficiency. From the little Bowning Post Office, many anxious moments were relieved f(?r 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 patriarch of Bowning, he was held in the highest esteem and adrniration.
The late Mr. Alt is survived by one son, James (Bowning) and one son predeceased him. Two daughters also survive, Mrs Jack O'Brien of Maroubra and Mrs C. Jones of Wau, New Guinea.
There was a large and representative cortege at the funeral, which took place in 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. 0. Hilly and family, Mrs. Hannford and family, Mrs. and Mr. W. Chown, Mr. and Mrs. Don Meikieham, Neta and Claude Ryan, Molly Crossley and Mr. and Mrs. G. Armour, Major Weir, B. Eglington, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Richards and family.
|
| Person ID |
I46 |
Mote/McInnes |
| Last Modified |
7 Dec 2004 |
| Family 1 |
Hannah Maria Chalker, b. 1862, Mittagong, NSW, Australia , d. 1933, Bowning, NSW, Australia (Age 71 years) |
| Married |
14 Apr 1884 |
Bargo, NSW, Australia |
| Children |
| | 1. Martha Jane Alt, b. 1885, Picton, NSW, Australia , d. 1945, Redfern, NSW, Australia (Age 60 years) |
| | 2. Elsie May Alt, b. 1888, Berrima, NSW, Australia |
| | 3. James Frederick Alt, b. 11 Oct 1890, Berrima, NSW, Australia , d. 28 Dec 1972, Australia (Age 82 years) |
| | 4. Alice Alt, b. 1892, Berrima, NSW, Australia , d. 1892, Berrima, NSW, Australia (Age 0 years) |
| | 5. John Alt, b. 1900, Picton, NSW, Australia |
|
| Last Modified |
11 Dec 2021 |
| Family ID |
F44 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
AUSIGEN - Family History
1864 - 1938 (74 years)
