calumet412:

Inside the Electricity Building at the Columbian Exposition, 1893, Chicago. What a wonder this exhibit had to have been. Electricity was still very new, especially incandescent lighting. It must have seemed miraculous.

Take note of a sign on the right of the picture. It says, “Gray’s Telautograph”. Believe it or not, this was a precursor to the Fax Machine (in 1893!!) and was invented right here in Chicago: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telautograph