You find the darndest things, perusing old magazines. This one was quite a surprise. I wonder how many—if any—of these devices were actually made and used. If anybody knows more, please feel free to share with the rest of us.
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WARM FEET FOR THE TRAFFIC POLICEMAN The object of this electrically heated foot-stand is not so much to warm the policeman's feet as to prevent them from freezing in winter.
TRAFFIC policemen in northern cities suffer from cold feet in the winter time. An idea worked out by the Pittsburg Industrial Development Commission and the City Council might prove of value in many cities this winter.
The foot-warmer for traffic policeman is a plate 18½ inches square, and 1½ inches thick. It is connected to an electric plug and switch on a pole at the street corner. The current is conducted through a flexible armored cable. The switch provides for four temperatures. The idea is not to warm cold feet, but to keep feet from getting cold. The method was adopted by the Pittsburg City Council in preference to a stationary heater in a hut at the curb corner. When the traffic policeman leaves his post, or when the weather is not severe, he carries the heater to the curb and pulls the plug from the socket.
—The World's work, Volume 32 (May 1916 to October 1916), A History of Our Time.
One of us -- 
2 comments:
I love it!
My great grandfather was a policeman in Dundee from the 1890's and through this period, I'm sure he'd have loved one. He was taught to keep his feet from freezing [I believe it was 1911 through 14 that had particularly cold winters] by rising onto his toes and settling back to full feet several times once every quarter hour or so when on stationary duty. It does help..... but a warm pad would be nicer.
Sure beats standing on the sewer grate!
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