Although work availability in Local 103 had eased by 1915, two important items occurred which were to improve job opportunities in this time frame. First, the nation was divided over entering the first World War, but, the country had no mixed feelings of profits from sale of was materials. Electrification of Navy yards, arsenals and munitions plants for producing war materials created many job opportunities. Lord Electric Company, Boston and New York City employed many 103 members on the Winchester Repeating Arms property in Connecticut.

The second new market for electrical workers was the electrification of homes. A typical wiring plan for the most popular dwelling, a three story, three family home, was serviced by an underground single phase, 30 AMP, Edison utility installed service through a two pole 30 A fused knife-blade switch. Both live and neutral were fused. Next came the meter and open wired porcelain fuse block which would provide three 660 watt circuits for each level of the three decker. The wiring was rubber and cloth covered #14 hard drawn copper mounted on porcelain cleats nailed to the wood rafters and studs. When required to pass through these members porcelain sleeves were first inserted in 3/4" holes before the wire was installed. Through this method, knob and tube, wiring never touched the wood structure and heat from load or overload, these circuits could be fused by 30 A plug fuses similar to the service fuses. Heat would dissipate in the air space between rafters and partitions. The lighting for the front and back stairways and cellar should have been connected to the landlords circuit but, the 660 watt rule of thumb called for the ten tops off of a pair of #14 wires at 66 watts per outlet would allow a central ceiling light and 110 V receptacle in the kitchen for each flat. No receptacles were provided for other rooms, and lights were operated by pull chain switches. In new construction, lights may have switches, but most lighting was hung from the old illuminating gas outlets in existing houses. This was accomplished by installing a porcelain and iron plug and coupling to seal off gas and hold the weight of the electrical fixture supported by gas piping. This porcelain coupling also eliminated any ground to the earth through the gas piping so a frayed or grounded conductor would electrify the entire metal fixture but there was no danger of electrical shock to the tenant. The fused neutral protected the public and conductors from short circuit electrification.

The most extensive wiring in this time involved telephone, bells and heat anticipators run on #22 bell wire. As each house on a street was electrified by digging up the street and sidewalk, and the house was lit up. The next door neighbor ordered lighting and the home wiring business was off and running.