This sidewalk opening without its inside cover seems to have been designed to allow access to a shutoff valve for either gas or water to the brownstone at 120 W. 87th St. Manufacturers were the Earl C. Maxwell Co. of Brooklyn, N. Y. This company was recorded in Brooklyn city directories from 1912 to 1935. Founder of the company was Earl Cook Maxwell (1880-1934), who died as a result of injuries in an automobile accident. As reported in the New York Times, 9 December 1934, p. 44, "Northport, L.I., Dec 8 - Earl C. Maxwell of this place died at the Nassau County Hospital in Mineola last night. He was 54 years old. The president of the Maxwell Corporation, steel manufacturers in Brooklyn, was injured in an automobile accident on the Northern Boulevard near Mineola on Wednesday. He was born in Wheeling, W. Va., son of Thomas Maxwell. He was a graduate of the University of West Virginia and also received a civil engineering degree from Columbia University. His widow, Mrs. Jessie Goodspeed Maxwell, survives."

Earl C. Maxwell, age 31, born West Virginia, was recorded in the 1910 U. S. Census living on 133rd St., Manhattan, when he was a commercial traveler (traveling salesman) dealing in "Dry Goods." By the 1915 New York State census he had moved to 62 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, and his occupation was listed as "Civil Engineer." In 1918 he registered for the World War I draft, age 38, born 29 January 1880, living at 15 Clark St., Brooklyn. He gave his occupation as Frabricator of Steel Products, Earl C. Maxwell Co., 26 Court St., Brooklyn, NY.

Another Maxwell opening (with cover intact) is found on West 131st St.

Copyright (c) 2013 Walter Grutchfield