Mike Kearns Posted July 1, 2023 Posted July 1, 2023 (edited) Federal Signal was founded as the Federal Electric Co. in Chicago by brothers John and James Gilchrist and a partner John Goehst. At the turn of the century, Goehst and John Gilchrist worked for the burgeoning Commonwealth Edison Co., Goehst as an electrical engineer and Gilchrist as assistant to the manager of electricity sales. With $10,000 in capital, Goehst's technical skills, and Gilchrist's sales savvy, the team came up with the idea to develop and market store signs lit by incandescent lamps. Incorporated in 1901, the Federal Electric Co. was one of the first electric sign companies in the nation. In 1915, the company started making sirens. After spending a few years under the control of Chicago utilities titan Samuel Insull, the company became independent again in the 1930s, when it became the Federal Sign & Signal Corp. In 1958, Federal moved its main plant from 87th and State Streets on Chicago's South Side to Blue Island, the suburb a few miles to the southwest. By the middle of the 1960s, the company—a leader in the field of electric signs—was doing about $30 million in annual sales and had about 1,500 employees. After changing its name to the Federal Signal Corp. in 1975, the company's general offices were moved to suburban Oak Brook. By the end of the 1990s, when Federal Signal was a leading manufacturer of emergency vehicles and street sweepers as well as signs and sirens, the company approached $1 billion in annual sales and employed about 1,500 people in the Chicago area. As electricity became common in businesses across the Midwest, Federal Electric's sign sales grew, and, in 1915, the company diversified its product line by purchasing the patents for an electrically operated siren. Federal Electric sold its sirens primarily to police and fire departments as well as coal mines, which needed an efficient way of warning miners of emergencies, while its electric light signs were used primarily at pharmacies, stores, and the kiosks of early nickelodeon movies. During this time, Federal Electric came under the ownership of Commonwealth Edison, eventually becoming a part of the utilities empire owned by Commonwealth founder Samuel Insull. In the early 1930s, however, Insull's empire crumbled under the weight of the Great Depression, and Federal Electric was spun-off as an independent business under the name Federal Sign and Signal Corp. The company's sales continued to grow, as new applications were discovered for its signs and signals. During World War II, Federal provided sirens to warn Londoners of incoming air raids, and, after the war, the company's signs were used to illuminate Las Vegas casinos. By 1961, Federal Sign and Signal had gone public, trading on the NASDAQ market. Net income reached $1 million that year, and sales hit a record $15 million. In 1958, Federal moved its main plant from 87th and State Streets on Chicago's South Side to Blue Island, the suburb a few miles to the southwest. By the middle of the 1960s, the company—a leader in the field of electric signs—was doing about $30 million in annual sales and had about 1,500 employees. After changing its name to the Federal Signal Corp. in 1975, the company's general offices were moved to suburban Oak Brook. By the end of the 1990s, when Federal Signal was a leading manufacturer of emergency vehicles and street sweepers as well as signs and sirens, the company approached $1 billion in annual sales and employed about 1,500 people in the Chicago area. Edited July 1, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote
Mike Kearns Posted July 1, 2023 Author Posted July 1, 2023 (edited) 1910 - Edited July 1, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote
Mike Kearns Posted July 1, 2023 Author Posted July 1, 2023 (edited) 1911 - Edited July 1, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote
Mike Kearns Posted July 1, 2023 Author Posted July 1, 2023 (edited) 1912: The pressure of business must have gotten to Goehst: Also in 1912: Note the first store listed selling Westinghouse fans. Edited July 1, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote
Mike Kearns Posted July 1, 2023 Author Posted July 1, 2023 (edited) 1913 - Federal Electric original porcelainized and illuminated sign - Chad Baker Collection Kindly shared with us by Steve Rockwell, note the Lake and Desplaines address: Edited July 1, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote
Mike Kearns Posted July 1, 2023 Author Posted July 1, 2023 (edited) 1914: Federal Electric markets Westinghouse fans, relabeled FEDERAL on the cage badge - Announcing this is an article kindly added by Russ Huber: Edited July 1, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote
Mike Kearns Posted July 1, 2023 Author Posted July 1, 2023 (edited) 1915 - An 8-inch rebadged Westinghouse, images courtesy of Noah Britt - A 12-inch Federal rebadged Westinghouse - Jeff Rusnak Collection A 16-inch example of a Federal rebadged Westinghouse from the Steve Butler Collection: Edited July 1, 2023 by Mike Kearns Quote
Jeff Rusnak Posted July 1, 2023 Posted July 1, 2023 12 hours ago, Mike Kearns said: 1914: Federal Electric markets Westinghouse fans, relabeled FEDERAL on the cage badge - Announcing this is an article kindly added by Russ Huber: The 12”Federal 6 blade vane oscillator is mine. That picture was taken at one of Tom Zapfs NJBBQ meets a few years back.I believe it was pictured on the cover one of the AFCA’s magazine years back also.I’ve also have the 12” stamped steel oscillator and 16” stamped steel stationary rebadged Federal’s.I usually display them at local fan meets and they generate a bit of interest.I had asked David Easler a long time ago when I acquired the Federal vane in the 90’s and he had said according to his info Yes Westinghouse did indeed supply their fans to the Federal Electric Co. Quote
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