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June 1934. "Nebraska State Capitol at Lincoln. Supply fan room." Part of the Nebraska Oratory Exhaust System (NOES), designed to expel hot air from the legislative chamber. 5x7 negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size.
The devices on stands in front of each motor might be some kind of variable speed control. Even back then, a simple motor starter, or one that could reverse a motor, wouldn't have been that big. I'm not sure if they would have been adjusted based on the season, or occupancy, or something else.
Those mesh panels are at least trying to keep people out of the belts. These days, the belts would probably have to be totally enclosed, like this. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/Mach_SafeGuard/gif/mach13.gif They'd also be V-belts, rather than flat leather, but I think V-belts didn't get used as much for things like this until synthetic rubber got better, during and after WWII.
Nebraska's legislature is unicameral. Only half the hot air of other states.
What were Mr Gottscho and/or Mr Schleisner doing in Nebraska?
[Do I really have to say it? -tterrace]
Yes. Gottschco et al's work seemed to be mainly in the NYC Metro area. What brought them to Lincoln? There had to be other capable Photographers closer to those ducts.
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