There's a species of electrical flexi-pipe which still can be bought and inside that go the electric lines. The modern stuff is more knuckled than spiraled due to manufacturing technique but the intent is the same. The lack of joints would suggest that. The advantage to it is that it can be rolled around a reel with attendant space savings and it is far lighter than the standard rigid pipe.

The wooden box might have been placed around the pipe to, in theory, keep it dry to lessen the potential for ground shocks. But unless one had very porous soil, the likelihood of which in Williamsburg is rather small, water might tend to collect in the box unless the ends where the pipe emerged to provide juice to the lamps were sealed.

Lyle Browning



On Dec 25, 2011, at 12:37 PM, Oliver Mueller-Heubach wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> While working for WMCAR (William and Mary Center for Archaeological Research) on the campus of William and Mary, we found a few curious utility lines. I am not sure if they are gas or electric but they may relate to lampposts between which, in some cases, they seem to run (the current lamps are electric). The pipe itself is 1" diameter with moderate to severe corrosion. It looks to have been formed in a spiral pattern. No joints were uncovered. The curious feature is that in three separately-aligned features, these pipes were found encased in a board box. The hardwood boards are held together with wire nails. In a separate feature, a similar spiral-formed pipe was found, sans casing, but with a 1920 penny directly beneath it. 
> 
> I've looked through what plumbing,gas and electric manuals I have from the early 1900s and can find only L-shaped boards being used (to provide a rigid surface, prevent flexing, and shoring up a muddy trench). Could it be temperature insulation (less than two feet deep) or a precaution against errant spades striking a dangerous line? Can anyone help date these wood-encased pipes and suggest the reasoning behind them? Thanks!
> 
> Here's a sketch of the casing/pipe: 
> http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t249/ommuel/2011-12-25_12-09-12_37.jpg
> 
> Oliver Mueller-Heubach
> 
> Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!