This postal depicts a fire alarm tower located where Main Street in Lockport, NY crosses the Erie Canal. The fire station is across the canal to the cameraman's left. The large bell no doubt was used to summon help in the event of a fire; but was the tower also used to detect smoke from fires before telephones were widespread? Incidentally, the bridge under the cameraman's feet was for many years the widest bridge in the world

See also Flight of Five for a reverse view looking instead up the canal gorge and note the position of the tower.