Telegraph Lines

Construction officially began twelve days later.

The beginning of the Kingdom of Belfast's first telegraph network arrived without fanfare. There were no speeches from ministers, no ceremonial shovels, and no crowds gathered to witness history unfold. Instead, the project began with forty-seven laborers unloading timber poles from wagons outside the gates of Helmarte Machine Works while foremen shouted measurements and surveyors argued over maps spread across makeshift tables.

Ernest stood near the entrance with a notebook tucked beneath one arm as workers stacked the timber into organized piles according to size and treatment markings.