Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Patreon contributors get an ad-free experience.
Learn more.
Detroit, 1908. "Cadillac Square, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Hotel Pontchartrain from City Hall." Also the lower section of one of the city's famous "moonlight tower" arc lamps. And: Someone stop that hat! 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
Dave, the lights didn't travel down to meet the man. The man used a hand-cranked elevator to travel up and service the lights. This is depicted and described in the following NY Times news article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/16/travel/austins-moon-towers-beyond-daz...
This is my first time to see one of those moonlight arc lamp towers up close. Seems kind of flimsy - though I notice all the guy wires. Climbing one of those for maintenance was surely a risky business and there doesn't seem to be anything to prevent anyone from doing so.
[The lamps probably come down to street level for maintenance. Hence the crank. - Dave]
On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5