Great old photo from the mid 1940's of a couple of Detroit beat cops making their hourly "pull" to the precinct station. The box was the only link between them and assistance in the days before portable radios [[c. 1965). Most coppers ALWAYS carried a nickle to use a pay phone in an emergency.
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The Gamewell system of call boxes began in the 1880's, preceded by Gamewell's installation of Fire Alarm boxes some twenty years before that. Here's a great shot of call box use in D.C. before 1920. I think the officer is realizing that someone stole his bottle he had rat-holed.......
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I have a Detroit call box in my garage that I picked up some years ago. Brings back memories every time I look at it.
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