I followed up on some of the leads provided and actually found a telegraph
club composed of retired railway workers and ham radio operators.  The
batteries are pretty much described.  The crowsfeet (crows obviously had
more toes back then) was lead there was a band of zinc around the sides of
the cell.  The telegraph club told me that the cells were filled with a
copper sulphate solution and then a layer of oil was floated on the top to
keep the solution from bubbling over the top.  The glass battery cells were
not as thick as I thought  - regular bottle glass thickness (I will have to
go back and measure them).
 
I don't know how much variation there was in these things and I still have
a few more leads to follow up on. Any further information on telegraph
technology is still welcome.
 
Jim Finnigan
Western Heritage Services Inc.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan