Utility wires upon short crossarms for either street lighting or trolley service can be seen in the immediate background along with early lead-sheathed telephone cable (beneath). Note the wooden pole steps on the pole on the right. These were much like wood side brackets for insulators however without the protruding pin. Their purpose was so that a lineman could easily climb the pole. Above six feet or so standard pole steps made of steel were employed. The softer and somewhat contoured wooden ones were much safer in regard to anyone or anything that might have bumped into them compared to the metal ones.