Telephone LinemenHave you ever, I mean have you ever seen such a thing? Where was OSHA when these stunts were going on?! Those under the age of 40 may not realize that today’s preoccupation with safety is comparatively new, going back only a few decades. Early twentieth century eyes didn’t see risky behavior as foolish, but rather as an affirmation of manliness, even in the work environment. The turn of the century was rife with crews having the sort of “good, clean fun” shown here, and there’s certainly no lack of photographic evidence. These aerial groupings were obviously staged, and similar “photo-ops” were duplicated by phone companies across the country. This type of scene could have been reproduced in newspapers, employee publications or trade journals, and no matter how many such images one views they never fail to amaze.
The times were different to be sure, and the real-world acrobatics of these pole-climbers seem to Linemenhave foreshadowed the era of the “daredevil”. Many feats of daring-do were performed by attention-seeking types all the way through the great depression, including flagpole sitting, wing-walking, going over Niagara Falls in a barrel, and untold other stunts. But the fearless persona displayed by the linemen was come by honestly, as they were not putting on an exhibition for its own sake. They were pushing into new frontiers, committed to hard, open-air work at great heights… not for the faint of heart. These men had to count on each other, as safety equipment was minimal and a brisk pace needed to be maintained. A spirit of camaraderie inevitably developed, one that can be seen in the faces of these pioneers of telephony.
[One additional photo!]