I'm thinking the one-armed gent with the walking stick has espied a shiny Liberty Head nickel or Barber dime wedged in the trolley tracks and is about to free it.

Based on the American flag on the right, this was taken before July 4, 1908 which is when the 46th star was added to the flag.

Odds are good that he's merely crossing the street to go to Leopolous' Candy Store and given his apparent age, needs a walking stick. Also, given his apparent age, he might have even lost that arm in the Civil War, although industrial accidents were depressingly common back in those days as well.

The man with the cane just might be working for the trolley company and is picking out a piece of debris so as not to have the gap in the switch points be fouled. The points are the movable part of the switch that guides the flange of the trolley car wheels.

You may be looking at a veteran of the Civil War.

Aenthal, I think the one-armed man with the white stick is crossing the street. The two moving vehicles approaching him seem to be looking at each other and perhaps talking - I imagine he has been noticed and they are slowing down, ready to stop for him. Likely everyone in town knew him.

What is the one armed man in the middle of the street doing with that stick?

This is exactly like Mr. Muckle (the blind man) crossing the street in
W.C.. Fields: "It's a Gift". Naturally, all hell breaks loose.

The two gentlemen about to cross the street are caught in mid-step and the horseless carriage, seemingly about to collide with the man with the cane, is only slightly blurred. This photograph must have been exposed at no less than 1/60th per second.

Seen from the opposite direction, which offers a better view:

http://goo.gl/maps/bLnaj

...although little else from this photograph still stands. The Massasoit House was torn down in 1926-1929 to build a theater (the Paramount).

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