Saturday, July 1, 2017

400 block of Duss Ave. in 1930 utility pole ad

The ad below shows part of the 300 and 400 blocks of Duss Ave. in a 1930 ad for somewhat decorative fluted utility poles. Those steel poles are no longer there, replaced by not-remotely-decorative wooden poles at some point.

Union Metal distribution poles ad
Electrical World
October 4, 1930

Here's a close up look at the photo, captioned "Union Metal 30-foot poles installed at Ambridge, Pa., by Duquesne Light Co.":

300 - 400 blocks of Duss Ave.
Electrical World
October 4, 1930

You can see a part of the Elks building--now American Legion Canady-Hull Post No. 341--on the far right.

One of the advantages of the poles according to the ad was "No underground construction was necessary as street lighting circuits are carried inconspicuously overhead." As opposed to the current method of making utility cables less conspicuous by burying them underground, as Ambridge is considering doing on Merchant St. as part of its latest streetscape improvement project.

Union Metal is still in business and still making poles for street lighting. That company's website has other historic ads for their poles, but not the one with Duss Ave.

Electrical World is a trade magazine that, as far as I can determine, is still being published.

No comments:

Post a Comment