In May, 1890, a Toronto financial paper, The Monetary Times, observed that the local electric company's arc lights were "becoming nearly as common as plate glass windows in the shops." This picture of the Yonge-King street intersection focuses on one of those arc lights. A rope and pulley system enabled it to be lowered for repairs and for replacement of the carbons. Electric street cars were three years in the future for Toronto. Already though, telephone, telegraph and lighting wires were filling the skyline.
Courtesy: Notman Photographic Archives, McCord Museum, Montreal
