Asbestos Ads From the Old Days

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Here are a couple of ads from Johns-Manville Insulation touting the benefits of using asbestos insulation on the steam pipes of the Bank of Manhattan Building, the Chrysler Building, and the Empire State Building, as well as the Stevens Hotel in Chicago. Click on the PDF to view. The ads read:

In The World's 3 Tallest Buildings - 127 Miles of Johns-Manville Pipe Insulation

"Insulating steam pipes in a three or four story building is just a matter of labor and materials. But when low pressure risers are 24 inches in diameter, when expansion joints weigh two tons each, when the heating system has to serve 86 stories with a 200 ft. tower above-then insulation becomes a real engineering problem. That Johns-Manville Insulation was used throughout on steam and hot water lines in the world's three tallest buildings is testimony to the excellence of J-M Insulating Materials and to the fine technical skill of the J-M approved Insulation contractors who applied them - the Asbestos Construction Co. of New The Chrysler Building York. Over 70 years of research and development in the field of heat insulation have made Johns-Manville the world's leading authority on this subject. This engineering knowledge is freelv available to vou. Call the Johns-Manville local office or address Johns-Manville, 292 Madison Avenue. New York City."

The second ad reads: 

31 Miles of Improved Asbestocel on One Job!

"In the new Stevens Hotel at Chicago, there are 31 miles of Johns-Manville Improved Asbestocel. While it was true that this is an exceptionally large contract, it suggests some of the possibilities which plumbing contractors are using to increase their profits. Not only is there a profit possibility of real importance in residence work in your neighborhood, but schools, office buildings, apartment houses and similar structures all have to have pipe insulation, for their heating plants. Because of its structure Johns. Manville Improved Asbestocel is at least 15% more efficient than ordinary low pressure pipe covering. Engineers, architects, property owners and public officials are being sold Asbestocel by its national advertising of its merits. Everyone will accept Johns-Manville Asbestocel and be pleased with it. It is the only nationally advertised, nationally distributed low pressure insulation. You might just as well use the best and have the advantage of its national reputation."

Thanks to Gerry Gill for bringing us back to a time when asbestos was the "Miracle Mineral."