Ghost Sign on Niagara Street

While wandering along Queen West, recently, I found a "Ghost Sign" on Niagara Street.

This is an old Creeds Furrier sign.

I am not familiar with this area, so I started a little exploring.

As I traveled south on Walnut Avenue, I spotted another Ghost Sign, just south of Richmond.

The address is clearly 159-163, and it was a felt factory, but what is interesting, is the funnels-shaped items on the side of the building.

 

They are obviously not being used anymore, but I was wondering what they would have been used for when the factory was in full swing.