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Zip It Garage: 1919
... Stearnses were built as quality cars from the get-go. In 1911, Stearns became the first US manufacturer to feature the Knight Sleeve ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 4:24pm -

District of Columbia, 1919. Willard Service Station, Washington Battery Co., 1623 L Street. The sign: "We respectfully request customers to refrain from talking to workmen. Any information desired will be cheerfully given out by floor superintendent." National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Old-tyme mannersIs this the 1919 equivalent of a sign on the side of the garage that says: "Car repair: $75/hour. Car repair if you want to help: $150/hour." -- If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you. Willard Batteries "Willard" may refer to a brand of batteries rather then the name of the service station. Washington Battery Company, originally located at 1621 L street expanded in 1918. In addition to car batteries they sold batteries for radios and farm appliances. Washington Post, Feb 17, 1918 Due to increase in business the Washington Battery Company has found it necessary to enlarge its quarters on L street by taking the building next door, at 1623 L street, which is now being remodeled. Washington Post, Mar 2, 1924: Advertisement A Punch When You Need It Willard "A" Batteries give better voltage characteristics, last longer then average "A" battery. Ask your Radio dealer - he carries them in stock. Washington Battery Co. 1621 L Street N.W. Washington Battery GarageOver at the Hemmings blog, Kit Foster identified the two cars as a Scripps-Booth and a Stearns. He also noted the two license plates on the latter and offered an explanation. StearnsThe car on the left is a circa 1916 Oakland, on the right we see a circa 1917 Stearns Knight, and possibly the smaller four cylinder model, a larger six cylinder car was also offered. Known as "The Car With the White Band Radiator," Stearns was formed in 1898 as the Stearns Motor Car Company. Stearnses were built as quality cars from the get-go. In 1911, Stearns became the first US manufacturer to feature the Knight Sleeve Valve engine. In 1925 Stearns Knight was purchased by the Willys Overland and marketed at the top of the Willys range. Slow sales put an end to Stearns Knight after the 1929 model year. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Message From Mars: 1913
... Flaming Arrow film mentioned previously was released in 1911. A film with the same title was made and released in 1913 by the Bison ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/13/2012 - 9:24am -

Marquette, Michigan, circa 1913. "Washington Street, showing opera house." Now playing at the picture show: "Message From Mars" and "Flaming Arrrow." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. ParadingAnyone know what the parade was for? Doesn't seem to be attracting a whole lot of attention, aside from the gaggle of boys following along with them. The Flaming ArrowFrom: http://mubi.com/films/the-flaming-arrow "At the age of 13 Joris Ivens was fond of cowboy and Indian stories, so he decided to invent one himself. He wrote a script and used a camera from his father’s shop. This became his first film Wigwam, with his own family as the cast. Black Eagle, a bad Indian, kidnaps the daughter of a farmer’s family. Flaming Arrow, played by the young Joris Ivens, saves the child from the kidnapper and brings her back to her family." Joris Ivens (18 November 1898, Nijmegen – 28 June 1989, Paris) was a Dutch documentary filmmaker. Mar's ManWith a plot similar to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Richard Ganthoney's A Message from Mars was a hugely successful satirical play. It was made into a four-reel picture in 1913 in the U.K. A Martian is sentenced to visit earth to cure a selfish man. Horace Parker, "the most selfish man on earth" is such a snob that even his fiancee turns her back on him. But on Christmas Eve, a messenger from Mars (in a bizarre, scaly costume) comes to Earth to show Parker the error of his ways. The two of them become invisible and eavesdrop on all the terrible -and true -- things Parker's friends and family are saying about him. etc. The Fate of the Opera HouseLike seemingly many old theaters, it's fate was to burn down. But, this being the UP of Michigan, naturally it happened during a blizzard. Like any good opera story, there may have been some skullduggery going on behind the scenes! Read more about it here: http://bit.ly/V00a52 There is a sign for The Mining Journal newspaper in the background, which is today still publishing. ParadeI think this is a Salvation Army band marching; I found a couple of pictures with a similar cap. Another Flaming ArrowThe Flaming Arrow film mentioned previously was released in 1911. A film with the same title was made and released in 1913 by the Bison Picture Company. The latter film is most likely the one we see the advertisement for. Man From MarsThe British poster. (The Gallery, DPC, Movies)
Carnival of Soles: 1935
... rubber. Wallace entered Government service in 1911 with the United States Bureau of Mines where he remained for nine years ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/23/2014 - 6:06pm -

Oct. 24, 1935. Washington, D.C. "E.L. Wallace, Acting Chief of the Leather Section of the Bureau of Standards, shown with the endurance shoe tester. The tester holds eight shoes to test walking, steps, and sole construction." View full size. Abuse YourselvesFound this homemade machine on line, specifically designed for self-flagellation. Every once in a while some of us may earn a good kick in the derriere, but not continuously. The Mind is StrangeI took one look at this and instantly thought of the Rockit video by Herbie Hancock from the early '80's on MTV. It's the shoes on the machine that did it. I haven't seen or heard or thought of this song / video in 30 years but it instantly came to mind. And a rather stylish pair of pumpsPumps are the most difficult shoe to define, pumps have closed backs, a low-cut front that hits closer to the toes than they do at the top, and this is far too much information for a shoe. By the way he looks at that shoework must have been his sole satisfaction! Everett Leland Wallace Washington Post, July 3, 1955. E.L. Wallace, Leather Unit Chief, Retires Everett Leland Wallace, 67, chief of the leather section of the National Bureau of Standards since 1941, retired Wednesday after more than 34 years of Government service. A native of Eldorado, Kan., Wallace has gained national recognition as a leather chemist, contributing to a project to make leather more durable by impregnating it with natural and synthetic rubber. Wallace entered Government service in 1911 with the United States Bureau of Mines where he remained for nine years before joining the Bureau of Standards. Wallace and his wife live at 2239 N. Quantico st., Arlington. The reinvention of the wheel?The reinvention of the wheel. Version 2.0 beta. Test feet, not shoesI dealt in antiques/collectibles for years and still have nightmares about the shoes. That machine should be testing how those torture devices called shoes hurt the feet, not how long they lasted while doing so. Shoes from the 19th and early 20th century were severely straight, inflexible and ill fitting. Excellent title punCarnival of Souls is a low budget horror film from 1962; well done, Dave. (Technology, The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Coney Island Mardi Gras: 1908
... - Dave] 1906: 1909: 1911: An Affront The word "affronted" in the bottom of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2012 - 4:49pm -

"Coney Island Mardi Gras 1908." Some interesting signs in this one. 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Chop Suey and German BeerAnd Moxie! Great stuff. There was apparently a "Mardi Gras Hotel" in Coney Island. Who knew? Sale of confetti stopped!!!Looks like the celebration two years earlier got a little out of hand. [The curse of rowdyism! Not to mention its handmaidens-in-horseplay, boisterousness and hooliganism. Click the clippings to enlarge. - Dave] 1906: 1909: 1911: An AffrontThe word "affronted" in the bottom of the newpaper articles (thank you Vic)... Just love that word, don't know if I've ever used it in a sentence but am certainly intrigued by the possibility. Plus the idea of "affronting" a woman has got my imagination going overtime. Sigh, the perils of way too much time on one's hands. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Coney Island, G.G. Bain)
The Picture Gallery: 1910
... The New York Public Library published a guide in 1911: Catalogue of Paintings in the Picture Galleries . This lists several ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 12:34pm -

Circa 1910. "The Picture Gallery, New York Public Library." Please, no talking while we gaze upon the Art. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Stalls to prevent art damageInteresting the little "stalls" they have set up on the outside walls so that one needs to approach the art from the front and cannot walk along the wall (and possibly brush against a painting, damaging it). I'm no great art aficionado, but I've been to a number of museums over the years and don't recall seeing this before... maybe for an isolated work, but not along the whole lengths of walls. Are the use of stalls to prevent walking along the walls still practiced? [This is a continuous railing. Not "stalls." - Dave] Gorgeous!That big expanse of floor is just begging to be danced upon. Catalogue of NYPL PaintingsThe New York Public Library published a guide in 1911: Catalogue of Paintings in the Picture Galleries. This lists several Gilbert Stuart paintings on display in the General Gallery including two paintings of George Washington; neither is the "Landsdowne Portrait." The large full length portrait visible here was painted for Peter Jay Munro and is now referred to as the Munro-Lenox Portrait. It was auctioned off by the library in 2004 and is now in private hands. The large painting on the far wall is Mihály Munkácsy’s The Blind Milton Dictating 'Paradise Lost' to His Daughters. SymmetryWhoever arranged the paintings seems to have had an eye for symmetry. Note the size of the pieces, as well as the 2 portraits, one facing right, the other to the left. "Lansdowne Portrait"Is that Gilbert Stuart's "Lansdowne Portrait," 1796, on the left wall? NYPL GalleryIs this gallery still there? What is it called? Salomon Exhibition RoomThis is the Edna Barnes Salomon Exhibition Room, on the same floor as the Main Reading Room. It still serves as exhibition space. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Cabinet children: 1922
... Hays married in 1910, Davies in 1914, and Denby in (IIRC) 1911, and all married younger women. That little girl on the left That ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 08/31/2012 - 3:51pm -

The children of U.S. cabinet members at Easter, April 1922. Photo from the National Photo Company collection. View full size. I'd bet some of them areI'd bet some of them are the children of Labor Secretary James J. Davis (1873 - 1947). According to Wikipedia, he was married and had five children. In 1922 he wrote, "THE IRON PUDDLER - MY LIFE IN THE ROLLING MILLS AND WHAT CAME OF IT" and in it he mentions that he was still a bachelor in 1913. Therefore, his oldest child could have been no more than about seven years old when this photo was taken. Grandchildren...maybe. Members of Harding's cabinet, including the infamous Ohio Gang--Daughtery, Denby, Fall--as well as the distinguished Andrew Mellon and Charles Evans Hughes, were men well past their active parenting years. (I know, I know, there are exceptions to that generalization: I'm the 60-year-old father of a 12-year old daughter.) My guess: these are grandchildren, or perhaps children of White House staff members, out on the South Lawn of the White House for the annual Easter Egg Roll. Denny Gill Chugiak, Alaska Actually, it's possible a few could be childrenWill Hays (Postmaster General at the time, and the future deviser of the Hays Code), James J. Davies and Edwin Denby may have had children in that age group. Hays married in 1910, Davies in 1914, and Denby in (IIRC) 1911, and all married younger women. That little girl on the leftThat little girl on the left end has a great "WTF" look on her face.. DisparityWhen you compare this picture with the "Meet the Hazels:1916" picture you can get a sense of the true disparity in America around that time. The haves and the have-nots, and not much has changed since then either. (The Gallery, Kids, Natl Photo)
Clicquot Club: 1913
... are the Montana peak-style campaign hats, introduced in 1911. The canvas style leggings are the M1907 mounted. By 1913, the year ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 1:17pm -

"Boy Scouts, 1913." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Uniforms and accoutermentsThe blouses (or tunics) appear to be the M1909 spec. 1038 style with the billow pockets. Some of the hats are the Montana peak-style campaign hats, introduced in 1911. The canvas style leggings are the M1907 mounted. By 1913, the year this photo was taken, the M1912 had become the standard military uniform. The M1912, M1917, and M1918 would all serve through the Great War. The M1910 leggings, and both wool and leather puttees would become standard. The campaign hat would remain in service through 1916, but most would not travel with the doughboys to Europe due to the bulk packing necessary to preserve its shape while being shipped. As near as I can tell from the photo, the epulates [epaulets] have been removed from each uniform, which is how they were demilled for civilian use. Boy Scout ranksThe boy on the far right has the scroll of a second class scout on his left sleeve. The third boy from the left appears to have the fleur-de-lis of a tenderfoot on his left pocket flap. The tall boy with the white shirt open at the throat also appears to have a rank on his coat pocket, but I can't make it out. Can we get a closeup? Scout CoutureLove those garden-gnome hats. Scout Uniforms, Cont'dIn response to the observations made by the US Victory Museum, the uniforms worn by these boys were manufactured specifically for the Scouts starting in 1910 by Sigmund Eisner Co. of Red Bank, N.J. Although Eisner also manufactured for the military, these were not made-over uniforms, never had epaulets, and were stamped and labeled on the inside of the garment with the Boy Scout seal. The hat, based on the "boss of the plains" design, was manufactured and labeled for the Scouts also starting in 1910. This was the official headwear of the Scouts until 1948, when it was replaced by the garrison cap (which had been used from the early 1940's as alternate headwear). The Scouts did make use of the military M1907 leggings until about 1915, when they changed to the "improved" canvas leggings with a single zigzag lace in the front, and woolen puttees and finally long socks. (The Gallery, Boy Scouts, Harris + Ewing)
Duct Soup: 1908
... "crowd poison" theory increasingly fell from favor after 1911, according to Chapter Three of Air Conditioning America by Gail ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2013 - 6:33am -

Circa 1908. "The galley. Steamer City of Cleveland, Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Co." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. It Took Some Time to Sink InAfter a week had passed, the galley crew finally realized that no matter how stolidly they worked, they were never going to be given any actual food to prepare. Dave is . . .KING OF THE KAPTIONS - sometimes I can be a bit obtuse, but I did manage to get this one. Crowd poisonThis ship's ventilation system may be oversized by modern standards. In the mid-19th century, carbon dioxide was proven non-toxic to humans, but experts remained wedded to the idea that we were exhaling some unknown toxin which made rooms with large numbers of people dangerous or unhealthful. This led to code requirements of 30 cfm per person of outside air, a staggering requirement by today's standards, making heating and cooling inefficient. I don't know if these practices made their way into marine engineering, but I presume they did. In any case, a galley would have different requirements. The "crowd poison" theory increasingly fell from favor after 1911, according to Chapter Three of Air Conditioning America by Gail Cooper. Scrapped in 1956Click here for a short article and photo about the City of Cleveland III from the website of the Marine Historical Society of Detroit. IceThe small door at the rear of the butchers table appears to be for ice input. Got to keep the Buffalo steaks, or Detroit sausages, or whatever cold. [Close-up. -tterrace] AnimatronicsIf you can find the slot for your token, they will all spring into action. Coveting the cookwareI'll bet if you could find those pots and pans, they would still have plenty of use in them! I'd love to know what they used that huge, well designed, copper kettle for! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Kitchens etc.)
Tin and Bones: 1920
... from Palmer's Views of Buffalo Past and Present, copyright 1911 Unusual drive The differential at the rear axle is oriented so that ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/13/2015 - 4:18am -

San Francisco, 1920. "Atterbury truck at City Hall." Looking somewhat skeletal if you ask us. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Muffler BearingI believe the muffler and header pipe are seen rather than a driveshaft center support bearing as mentioned by Born40YearsTooLate. The muffler is being supported on the street side frame rail by hangers from the two sets of four rivets and therefore hiding most of the forward portion of driveshaft. Atterbury Plant BuffaloHere's a snip from Palmer's Views of Buffalo Past and Present, copyright 1911 Unusual driveThe differential at the rear axle is oriented so that the pinion runs vertically, with another type of gear setup (bevel gears?) transferring the horizontal rotation of the driveshaft to the vertical rotation of the pinion. It's overly complicated, but improves the ground clearance under the driveshaft. They also use a very interesting center support for the driveshaft. This looks like it could be the three-and-a-half-ton model (Model 7D). In 1919 they were priced at $3875 for the standard length chassis, or $3975 for the "long chassis". Atterbury trucks were built in Buffalo, New York. Let Our Experts HelpYour local distributor (from the San Francisco Chronicle February 1, 1920): DifferentialThe gearing in the differential is a worm screw drive. A very compact system for high wheel torque but the downside was the fact that the vehicle didn't 'coast' well and was difficult to move if the engine wasn't running and the back wheels were on the ground. Cab & ChassisIndeed it is 'skeletal'. This is a "Cab & Chassis". They are sold to companies that will add a box, flatbed, tank or whatever to it and then put it on the retail market. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Something Wicker: 1912
... was replaced by the Vice President, William A. Secord. In 1911, James Pringle came aboard as VP, joining the company's long-time ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 6:09pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1912. "Pringle Furniture Co. -- chairs." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The furniture store on Gratiot AvenueAccording to old Detroit City Directories, the Pringle Furniture Company was located at 121-123 Gratiot Avenue, between Brush and Beaubien Streets. It was originally incorporated in 1884 as the Detroit Picture Company with a capitalization of $25,000 for the purpose of selling "furniture, carpets, pictures and frames." In 1910, the company changed its name at the same time Herman Endriss left as President and was replaced by the Vice President, William A. Secord. In 1911, James Pringle came aboard as VP, joining the company's long-time Secretary-Treasurer, David Pringle. Eclectic and ElectricIt looks as if the folks at Pringle's were pulling out all the stops for showroom illumination. Somehow, I imagine the resulting glare didn't enhance the appearance of anything in the showroom. You can have any style you wantas long as it's Wicker. I suspectThose hideous blinds were never meant to be seen by the public. However, judging by the light filtering through, even with the awnings which you can see the shadow of, without the blinds you wouldn't see the merchandise in this photo. State of the ArtJudging by this picture the wicker industry hasn't enjoyed the same rate of technological development as say the radio or automobile industries have in the last century. In fact I would guess that you could pick up the very same models today at Wild Wally's World of Wicker. Wicker TechnologyActually, Julian, wicker received a technological boost in about 1920 when a Minneapolis resident by the name of Marshall Lloyd developed and patented an automatic wicker loom. This invention allowed the construction of sheets of woven wicker quickly and inexpensively. The loom patent was sold to Heywood Wakefield and that company was soon a very major producer of wicker furniture. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Union Garage: 1924
... the federal government. Congressional investigations in 1911 revealed that the government was being ripped off by exorbitant rent for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 12:06pm -

Washington circa 1924. "Union Garage." The Union Building on G Street, venue for the 1917 Auto Show. In July 1917 it was taken over by the Semmes Motor Company, offering 24-hour repair service as well as showrooms for Dodge and Hudson cars. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Union BuildingWow, so much to see in this photo. I love the old skyline shots. The Union Building was erected in 1892-93 at the suggestion of the Postmaster General, who wanted space for a new city post office. It was initially run by a private company and rented to the federal government. Congressional investigations in 1911 revealed that the government was being ripped off by exorbitant rent for the building and suggested this might be due to political connections of the buildings owners. Converted to garage in 1915 and purchased by Semmes Motor Company in 1919. The address range seems to be 613-621 G street. Elsewhere on Shorpy: The interior is also seen in this photo of the Semmes service department. Also an article on Semmes plans to update the building as a "modern" service station. And that rhymes with "P"How convenient - you can play a game of pool next door while you're waiting for your flivver to be fixed! Market BuildingIs that the old market building, later the wax museum in the Mount Vernon triangle, peeking up above the garage in the background? [You mean the Liberty Market at Fifth and K? Yes it is. - Dave] Union Garage: 1924What cemetery is that in the background, and what's the huge building far away with the colonial tower? [I see a lot of tents in the background. Maybe Camp Meigs. I'm not sure about a cemetery. - Dave] Adverti$ingThomas Cusack was quite the entrepreneur. Started in 1875, with nothing but a paintbrush and ambition, and now the company is worth $26 million. Verizon HorizonThis whole block is now the Verizon Center, where the Washington Wizards and Capitals play. On the right is my church, St. Mary's. It used to serve the German Catholic Population in Washington. It was still a German-speaking parish when this photo was taken. The building immediately to the right of the church is the old school and to the left is the rectory. I believe the domed building behind and just to the left of the Union Building (partially obscured) is the historic 6th and I synagogue. Most everything else is gone. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Topside: 1912
... sidewheel steamer in the world: Launched Oct. 7, 1911. 600 staterooms; speed of 23mph. Trial run May 30, 1912. Collision with ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/07/2013 - 2:09pm -

Circa 1912. "Steamer City of Detroit III, hurricane deck." Note the partly submerged wreck at left. The D-III was one of the largest sidewheelers on the Great Lakes. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing. View full size. Mystery Wreck SolvedIt is the steam screw Joseph C. Suit, built 1884, 318 gross tons. On May 30, 1912, the vessel collided with CITY OF DETROIT III, which was leaving the shipyard at foot of Orleans Street on sea trials on Windsor side of the Detroit River, and became a total loss. 11 persons on board; no lives lost. The vessel was later blown up to remove the wreck. The City of Detroit III, designed by Frank E. Kirby, was the largest sidewheel steamer in the world: Launched Oct. 7, 1911. 600 staterooms; speed of 23mph. Trial run May 30, 1912. Collision with JOSEPH C. SUIT, sinking her on the Detroit River. Maiden voyage June 26, 1912. Detroit to Buffalo. Sources: Loss of American Vessels Reported during 1913; Merchant Vessel List of the United States, 1889. Lifeboat numbersWere they odd/port, even/starboard? What a ship!! 477 staterooms, 21 parlors, and a cocktail lounge/wine cellar that cost nealry a quarter of her total. Compare that to flying economy on Southwest. Collision just happened?So, based on DrDetroit's post, was this picture taken immediately after the collision? If so, wow! The paint on the deck seems too worn for this picture to have been taken on its trial run, although maybe it got worn simply from being outfitted, etc., and was scheduled to receive another coat prior to the maiden voyage. Sign me up DaveSign me up for the maiden voyage in the Shorpy time machine. What a great time to be had walking on these decks and later walking the NYC streets of the early twentieth century. Joseph C. Suit?Comparing the photographs, it is clear that the sunken vessel is not the same ship as the image posted in the comments. The bridge on the sunken ship is smaller, the funnel is in not in the same place (or level) the front mast is not the same, and there is a deck below the bridge on the sunken ship with openings (dark in image) that does not exist on the comments photograph. Also. the upper deck overhangs the lower deck. [Boats change. Wooden pilot houses and decks get rebuilt; boilers, funnels and masts get replaced. No doubt the Suit went through a number of alterations -- the vessel was almost 30 years old when it wrecked. - Dave] It is the Joseph C. SuitHere is a snapshot taken from the deck of the City of Detroit III, just after the incident on 30 May 1912. The Suit had been rebuilt no fewer than four times during its life. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Tecumseh: 1916
... reports of the Secretary of the Navy for both 1910 and 1911 indicate that she was active at the Washington Navy Yard. In any case, she was decommissioned on 1 July 1911. Her second decommissioning was probably a result of her sinking which ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/28/2012 - 1:02pm -

September 1916. "U.S.S. Memphis sick brought home by hospital ship Solace." Soldiers and sailors on the government tug Tecumseh at Washington Navy Yard, about a week after the Navy cruiser Memphis was wrecked by a tidal wave off Santo Domingo. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. The Long History of the TecumsehFrom the Navy's historical website: Edward Luckenbach—a tug laid down by J. H. Dialogue & Son at Camden, N.J., and completed in 1896— was acquired by the Navy from L. Luckenbach & Co. in the spring of 1898; renamed Tecumseh; and placed in commission at New York City on 6 April 1898, Lt. G. R. Evans in command. Six days after her commissioning, the tug headed south to join in the war against Spain. After stops at Norfolk, Charleston, and Key West, she joined the North Atlantic Fleet's blockade of Cuba on 26 April. Thereafter, she made frequent shuttles between Key West and the area off Havana. She came close to action only once during her four months of service in Cuban waters. On 5 May, she was nearby when Vicksburg captured the Spanish fishing schooner Oriente in the Gulf of Campeche. The end of hostilities that summer brought the tug north once more. She reached Hampton Roads on 21 August and, after a period of operations between Norfolk and Hampton Roads, she was placed out of commission on 17 September 1898—presumably at Norfolk. Tecumseh was placed back in commission in 1899 and, by 30 June, was assigned to the Washington Navy Yard as a district tug. The nation's capital remained her duty station for over four decades. She made frequent trips up and down the Potomac River, most often between the navy yard and the proving grounds at Indian Head, Md. She also visited Norfolk from time to time. During that period, she was twice out of commission. No decommissioning date for the first period exists, but it must have been brief since the annual reports of the Secretary of the Navy for both 1910 and 1911 indicate that she was active at the Washington Navy Yard. In any case, she was decommissioned on 1 July 1911. Her second decommissioning was probably a result of her sinking which occurred at her wharf in Washington about daybreak on 22 October 1919. In any event, she was decommissioned once again on 1 April 1920. On 17 July 1920, when the Navy adopted its alphanumeric system of hull designations, Tecumseh was designated YT-24. The tug was raised, refitted, and—sometime between July 1921 and January 1922—was placed back in commission at Washington where she served through the 1920's and 1930's. In mid-1940, Tecumseh was reassigned to the 5th Naval District. On 5 October 1942, her name was cancelled so that it could be assigned to YT-273. However, she continued to serve, known only by her hull designation, YT-24. On 15 May 1944, she was redesignated YTM-24. Sometime between 15 April 1945 and 25 January 1946, she was decommissioned and struck from the Navy list. On 22 August 1946, she was transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal. Too happyThese men are the happiest-looking sick people I've ever seen. I'm glad they had a speedy recovery. Lounge chairsThere is a lot to be said for the Navy and its sense of comfort. Take for example the ample Heywood Wakefield rattan chairs on the upper deck, surmounted by a linen fly to keep the sun at bay. Drinks followed by dinner served by Filipino stewards. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Modern Motorist: 1908
... who would later go on to win the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911. He was also the first person to be presented the Warner-Schebler trophy ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/19/2013 - 6:16pm -

Washington, D.C., or vicinity circa 1908. "Mrs. John E. Harris." At the wheel of a shiny new Jackson. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Well not *too* shinyA fair bit of mud on the inside of the fender, though I suppose it was unavoidable given the roads of the time. By the way, I suspect that Mrs. Harris wasn't actually driving the car, but just posing for the photographer. None of her clothes are being buffeted by the wind and her posture seems rather contrived. I thought she looked familiar.... Patched Tire?Maybe not so new considering the condition of the tires. Great pic though. Count 'emEach tire/wheel has four "stems" projecting inward. One looks like a standard stem for filling the tire with air. The other three are different from the first, but they look alike. Any idea what they were used for? [They're rim clamps. -Dave] Re: Count 'emThere are five "stem-like" projections on each wheel. One of them (e.g., the one at about 1:00 on the right front wheel) is the air valve stem. The four that are spaced at 90 degrees around the wheel are "staybolts" (or "lugs") that held the tire in the rim. A couple of years after this picture, Firestone introduced the "detachable rim" that obsoleted the staybolt system. Searching for "tire staybolt" should find a Google book with some illustrations that sort of show how they worked. Jackson and the Indianapolis 300The Jackson Car was made in Jackson, Michigan from 1903 - 1923. This appears to be a circa 1908 Model C with a handmade leather Maryland license plate. The next year a standard Jackson car was leading the 300 mile long Wheeler-Schebler Trophy Race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (not yet paved with brick) by more than 10 miles when the race was called off because of poor track conditions and a deadly crash. No winner of the race was declared, but Jackson announced their win in at least one ad and showed a picture of the trophy in the ad. They had covered 235 miles (94 laps). Since Jackson was not declared the winner they sued for the trophy, but the company lost in court. It was not until many years later they they were acknowledged as the winner of the race. Only six cars out of 19 were still running when the race was called. One of those six drivers was Roy Harroun who would later go on to win the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911. He was also the first person to be presented the Warner-Schebler trophy when he won a 200 mile race at the Speedway the next year. The 7 foot tall trophy was made by Tiffany and valued at $8,000 by its donors. The trophy was only the property of the winning company/driver for a year. When Harry Hartz won the trophy three years in a row, per the deed of gift for trophy, it was permanently awarded to him. He donated it to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum when it opened in 1956. It is still on exhibit there today. A circa 1908 Jackson can be seen in the movie Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962). (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Harris + Ewing)
Spiked: 1952
... is Freddy Morgan. Six Jumping Jacks Spike, born in 1911, was greatly influenced as a young man in the late 1920's by the madcap ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/05/2017 - 11:13pm -

April 1952. "Bandleader Spike Jones and his City Slickers performing in Grand Forks, North Dakota." From the Look magazine photo assignment "Spike Jones: There's a Method in His Madness." Musicians in the band include Sir Frederick Gas, George Rock, Guy Raymond and Dick Morgan. View full size. "Musical Depreciation Revue"I've always admired the musicianship and showmanship of Spike's troupe. Times were different then--record sales were 15% classical (10x today's percentage). Here's the tour ad, from not-too-far-away Burlington, Iowa: Spike Jones!What a talented group of musicians. They really knew how to have fun. It's weird that I was watching YouTube clips of the band and came here afterward, and here he is on Shorpy! The Last King of CornGlad to see Spike finally get a little time in the spotlight here! I don't see George Rock in this particular picture (unless he's the one behind Spike's head) - or Sir Frederick Gas, for that matter - but the drummer is Joe Siracusa and the banjo player is Freddy Morgan. Six Jumping JacksSpike, born in 1911, was greatly influenced as a young man in the late 1920's by the madcap antics of banjo player Harry Reser's Six Jumping Jacks, one of his many groups which recorded on the Brunswick label between 1926 and about 1931. The horns, the whistles and cymbals were all mainstays of the earlier group and were integrated into Spike's wonderful arrangements 15 years later. Musical chair?You can see Spike's leopard skinned "latrinophone" at the right edge of the picture. It was a catgut stringed toilet seat which was one of his many gag instruments. I have a few of his enjoyable old recordings, and just wish I could have had the pleasure of seeing him perform live. A real surpriseFirst saw Spike Jones on TCM. I was shocked by the hilarity of it all. Then I thought, WOW!, the cartoon man! Very funny! The coordination between the group members was definitely outstanding. (The Gallery, LOOK, Music)
Desperado: 1941
... Very nice inventory, I am partial to the pearl handled 1911. General Patton would not approve ... of pearl grips on a cap gun. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2020 - 12:15pm -

July 1941. "Store with cap guns and fireworks for sale, Fourth of July, Vale, Oregon." 35mm acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Regrets"If only I hadn't spent all my money on licorice twists!" I give upWhat in the world is on the front of this young man? [A dog. - Dave] Cap RollsThe "ammo" for a cap gun is a roll of red paper with small amounts of explosive powder. The smell of the smoke emitted along with the shot was part of the experience. "A dog"A plaster dog, at that. I bet his mother just loved it! Well, at least it didn't need to be housebroken. HubleyA first-rate brand. Ask the kid who owned one. Very nice inventory, I am partial to the pearl handled 1911. General Patton would not approve ... of pearl grips on a cap gun. And while I like a good Hubley, I'm a Fanner 50 man. (The Gallery, July 4, Kids, Russell Lee, Stores & Markets)
Wayne Avenue: 1908
... #53 trolley up stately Wayne Ave. In just 3 years, in 1911, the riding public along Wayne Avenue should begin to be riding on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/02/2014 - 1:37pm -

Philadelphia circa 1908. "Germantown -- Wayne Avenue." With, for all we know, Wayne himself. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. I found the street addressThe shingle roof and stone house on the left is located at 5128 Wayne Ave. It is now the Sally Watson Center, a Child Care Center. It was built in 1889. The architect was Wilson Eyre. In this picture a corner of the next house can be seen: View Larger Map Where are the leaf blower guys?The streets were rather quiet in those days, I think. The passing of coaches, wagons, the clip clop of the horses were part of the daily rhythm. Kids would likely run up and down the street yelling and having fun. People walking by could think their thoughts in peace. You could hear a piano or people singing in their parlor on any given evening. A horseless carriage showed up now and then to disrupt the quiet. That was just a sign of what was to come. And the leaves...someone raked them up, I suppose. Remember rakes? Interrupting the quietThe 5100 block of Wayne Ave. did have trolley cars in 1908, but they may still have been the open summer variety this time of year. For want of a time machineAnd a PRT token to take a relaxing ride on the #53 trolley up stately Wayne Ave. In just 3 years, in 1911, the riding public along Wayne Avenue should begin to be riding on the "latest thing" in comfortable and speedy public transportation, the Near-side car. Then again in 1938, the Wayne Avenue trolley line would be the first in the city to utilize the new PCC streetcars, of which many of us consider the best urban mass transportation vehicle ever produced. Chicken wire?I enjoy the detail captured in this photo. Each time I look more is revealed. The mail carrier down the side-walk. The granite slab curbs. Anybody have a idea about the purpose of the chicken wire on the maple tree? (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia)
Opening Day: 1908
... same team would go on to win the World Series in 1910, 1911 and 1913. I'm sure I'm not the first Phila A's fan to point out that ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/05/2008 - 12:08pm -

Opening Day at Hilltop Park, April 14, 1908. New York Highlanders and Philadelphia Athletics. View full size. George Grantham Bain Collection. Philadelphia AmericansLegend on Photo says Phila. Americans, instead of Athletics. [Philadelphia Americans is short for Philadelphia American League team. As opposed to the Philadelphia Nationals. - Dave] Hilltop ParkSome photos of Hilltop Park can be seen here. Seems it existed as a ballpark and a home for the Highlanders/Yankees for just over ten years; it was demolished in 1914. Denny Gill Chugiak, Alaska Chief Bender et alHey! I think that's Chief Bender (1st Athletic in from the right; dark hats) Also on the A's that year? Eddie Plank and Frank "Home Run" Baker, all Hall of Famers. They finished 6th in the AL that year actually ahead of their arch rivals, the Highlanders (Yankees). Mostly this same team would go on to win the World Series in 1910, 1911 and 1913. I'm sure I'm not the first Phila A's fan to point out that 11 years later, the 1929 A's won the pennant AND the world series by beating the Yankee's famous murderer's row. That year's AL pennant race had 14 Hall of Famers between the #1 and #2 teams, including both managers, Mack and Huggins. Must have been a chilly April 14 as they all have their jackets on. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Sports)
Mary G. Powers: 1903
... 1891 Sheffeyid out of Gloucester, Mass as listed in the 1911 Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States. (The Gallery, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/04/2015 - 7:59am -

Circa 1903. "Fishing schooner at 'T' wharf, Boston." With ice at the ready. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. $300,000 schoonerThe owner of the schooner appears in an 1893 petition asking that "a channel be dredged around Jeffries Point, East Boston, to increase the market for fish." The petition lists 19 owners together with the values of their boats. The Mary G. Powers came in at $13,000, which online calculators show as about $300,000 in 2015 dollars. Arthur BinneyMary G. Powers was designed by a relatively little known naval architect, Arthur Binney, in 1891, and built in Essex, Mass., in 1892. So she was relatively new at the time of this photo, about 11 years old. However, I wonder about the curvature of the main boom -- doesn't look at all secure. Mary Powers was 109 by 25 by 10.8 feet register dimensions, a large vessel for the type and time period. In Chapelle's "American Fishing Schooners" (1973) the author says 15 Binney fishing schooner designs (and some other vessels) were actually built. This was between 1892 and 1912. Note the crewmen fishing over the rail. If someone was paying me to fish from a dory at sea, that's about the last thing I'd want to do in harbor. Essex builtMary G. Powers was built in 1892 at the A.D. Story Shipyard in Essex, Mass. Designed by naval architects George A. Stewart & Arthur Binney. It Went AshoreIn “History of Newburyport, Mass., 1764-1905” by John J. Currier published in 1906, on page 25, he writes: “June 30, 1895, the schooner Mary G. Powers went ashore on Plum island. The vessel was only slightly damaged, and the officers and crew, consisting of twenty-three men, were saved.” Stack-o-doriesA lot has been said about the shape of a dory's hull, as to its sea-keeping abilities and its capability of supporting a heavy load of both fishermen and the ground fish they caught. Both true, but here we see perfectly another key attribute of that shape -- five dories stacked like paper cups using the deck space of a single hull! Sheffeyid schoonerThe schooner at the left seems to be the 1891 Sheffeyid out of Gloucester, Mass as listed in the 1911 Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Boston, DPC)
How to Be Cool: 1912
... this was the "dead ball" era). He played for Chicago in 1911 and 1912 which dates the picture. He died in 1920 at the age of 40. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 1:30pm -

Matty McIntyre of the Chicago White Sox against a backdrop of sales pitches in 1912. View full size. George Grantham Bain Collection. Mac's StatsAccording to BaseballReference.com, Matty McIntyre played between 1901 and 1912. He had a lifetime batting average of .269 and hit 4 home runs (remember, this was the "dead ball" era). He played for Chicago in 1911 and 1912 which dates the picture. He died in 1920 at the age of 40. Re: wonderThe phrases "10 for 10 cents" and "Why pay more?" were used in ads for London Life Turkish Cigarettes, circa World War I. http://siris-archives.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?uri=full=3100001~!176429!0#focus wonderwhat was 10 for 10cents.... MittGet a load of that "mitt!" (It's certainly not a "glove" by today's standards!) And check out that leather belt holding up his pants. But I wonder: what's the device around his right ankle? A brace of some sort? A pouch for his 'baccy? Yep: definitely "cool." Denny Gill Chugiak, Alaska B.V.D'sLove those sales pitches! "Be COOL...wear loose fitting underwear" !! WOW 1912 was sure upfront and personal! Tires, alcohol, and Cigs! (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Sports)
Dark or Light?
Two Thanksgiving maskers circa 1911. View full size. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 9:09pm -

Two Thanksgiving maskers circa 1911. View full size. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. Dark or LightNever ever knew such a tradition existed, interesting. And I like that you are not afraid in this politically correct world to let these photographs and history just speak for themselves, good or bad. MaskersI wonder if this is related to the tradition of mummery. The masks!Those masks are absolutely terrifying! Much scarier than anything we have for Halloween nowadays! SoulingI wonder if this tradition is related to "souling" in England. Kids went house to house asking for soul cakes. Remember the Peter, Paul and Mary song -- "an apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry, anything good to make us all merry." I was born in the Midwest in 1950 and never heard of this tradition. My mother however perpetuated the tradition of St. Nicholas night, Dec. 12, where we were to leave a small plate on the floor by our bed to find an orange, gum and candy the next morning. I never understood why! Wonder how many other odds-and-ends traditions are lurking out there in America. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Kids, Thanksgiving)
Overhill St. School: 1892
... Street School" as an elementary school that closed in 1911,in Louisville. Some further searches indicate that the school was replaced in 1911 by the Broadway School. Thanks Harold! Thanks for the info! ... 
 
Posted by Retrophile - 12/07/2012 - 8:35pm -

I bought this photo at a flea market at the Alabama State Fairgrounds sometime in the seventies. It is a school class picture taken presumably in 1892. I have been intrigued with the photo since I first saw it. Where is Overhill St School? Why was the lady on the first row defaced? What do you think fellow Shorpyites? View full size. What lady?I see the remains of an unsettled spirit. School locationThe Jefferson County Public School System website lists "Overhill Street School" as an elementary school that closed in 1911,in Louisville. Some further searches indicate that the school was replaced in 1911 by the Broadway School. Thanks Harold!Thanks for the info! School LocationOverhill Street was changed to Rubel Avenue, so the address is now 639 Rubel Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Bathhouse Row: 1910
... -- the oldest bathhouse still standing is the Maurice from 1911, which doesn't appear in this photo. Most of these pictured wood framed ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 3:07pm -

Hot Springs, Arkansas, circa 1910. "Bathhouse Row." At right we have the Horse Shoe, which boasts "solid porcelain tubs." 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Replaced by the Quapaw - 1922The Quapaw Bathhouse was built in 1922 on two lots that were previously used for two Victorian style bathhouses (the Horseshoe and the Magnesia). Designed by George Mann and Eugene John Stern, the building was originally to be named the Platt Bathhouse after one of the owners. However, when a tufa cavity was discovered during excavation, the owners decided to promote the cavity as an Indian cave, and the bathhouse was renamed Quapaw Bathhouse in honor of a local Native American tribe that briefly held the surrounding territory after the Louisiana Purchase was made. Good shot!With most of the frame in focus this is a tribute to the photographer. Current BathhousesI've spent quite a bit of time working inside (and under) the various bathhouses as part of a NPS renovation/stabilization project in the past several years. The photo posted is totally changed today -- the oldest bathhouse still standing is the Maurice from 1911, which doesn't appear in this photo. Most of these pictured wood framed structures were replaced by concrete structures. (The Gallery, DPC, Hot Springs)
Semmes City: 1926
... one of six children, to Christopher Columbus Semmes (1844-1911) and Symphronia Coombs Bryan (1847-1918). The 1910 Census lists ... manager of a garage. He married Mary McClearon (b 1895) in 1911; their first child, Mary Jane, was born in 1914. By 1930 Raphael is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/22/2018 - 11:28am -

Washington, D.C., 1926. "T.A. Cannon Co. truck at Semmes Motor Co., Florida Avenue N.E." Dealer in Dodge Brothers cars and Graham Brothers trucks. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. NICESimple, straightforward façade design. Well done. The SemmesesRaphael Semmes, president of the Semmes Motor Co., was born 1889 in D.C., one of six children, to Christopher Columbus Semmes (1844-1911) and Symphronia Coombs Bryan (1847-1918). The 1910 Census lists 21-year-old Raphael still living at home at 336 10th Street working as a manager of a garage. He married Mary McClearon (b 1895) in 1911; their first child, Mary Jane, was born in 1914. By 1930 Raphael is president of the company, living at 336 Raymond Street in Bethesda, Maryland, with his wife, four kids and mother-in-law. 1940 sees him as a real estate salesman in Miami Beach, with most of his children still with him, but no mother-in-law. Mary died in 1963 and Raphael in 1972, both interred at Congressional Cemetery in D.C. And Dave, honest, I am not making these names up! Handsome BuildingNot so sure its later replacement at 1424 Florida Ave. NE is an architectural improvement. ConnectionsMr. Semmes was well connected, I believe, the grandson of a Confederate admiral and a chum/colleague of George Patton in the two World Wars. Or else I don't have my Semmeses straight. Is there more to this?I'm no old-time car buff, beyond admiring them. I was, ahem, captured by the title, Semmes Motor Company, of Washington, D.C., and started speculating. Raphael Semmes, former U.S. Navy officer, born in nearby Maryland, switched allegiances in the Civil War and captained the famous commerce raider CSS Alabama, which was finally sunk in a French harbor after creating havoc to Union shipping on various oceans. Whether that Semmes was any relation to the motor company family, I have no idea, but it's not a common name. Half the fun of Shorpy is the speculation that it creates in me. More on the SemmesesAs far as I can tell from this, the maritime and the auto Semmeses don't appear to be related. Admiral Semmes' book is here. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Johnny Evers: 1910
... were used for the "gold border" baseball cards issued in 1911 by American Tobacco. Even better, more than two dozen of the original ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 7:11pm -

Chicago Cubs second baseman Johnny Evers. December 16, 1910. Gelatin silver print by Paul Thompson. View full size. well, where's Tinker?well, where's Tinker? Tinker to Evers to Chance These are the saddest of possible words: "Tinker to Evers to Chance." Trio of bear cubs, and fleeter than birds, Tinker and Evers and Chance. Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon bubble, Making a Giant hit into a double -- Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble: "Tinker to Evers to Chance." Paul Thompson's baseball portraitsThe October 2009 issue of Smithsonian magazine has an article by Harry Katz about these marvelous early baseball photos. Very little is known of Paul Thompson. His photos were used for the "gold border" baseball cards issued in 1911 by American Tobacco. Even better, more than two dozen of the original closeup photos are preserved in the Library of Congress. Five have made their way to Shorpy so far! (The Gallery, Paul Thompson, Sports)
A Tattered Tire: 1922
... located. The appearance of this building, erected in 1911, has been altered according to the Auto Row Survey. The Auto Row ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/28/2014 - 12:23am -

Circa 1922 in San Francisco, this aging Chalmers touring car needs a new shoe. Since we're at the Maxwell-Chalmers dealer, why not take a look at the new models? 6½ x 8½ glass plate from the Wyland Stanley collection. View full size. Maxwell is still with usMaxwell-Chalmers was having a roller-coaster year in '22, sales had been growing fast but bad word-of-mouth from some less than rigorous engineering, cash flow issues from the Chalmers merger, and the '21 recession all worked together to put the company in deep doo-doo. Thankfully the board recruited a first-rate Automotive guy to turn things around, Walter Chrysler took most of his pay in stock options and had the finances solid enough inside a year that he could launch a new line with his name on it. Hurry it up, boysLet the men replace the tire; she's got places to go! Rose and fellThe 1922 Crocker-Langley city directory lists exactly one dealer for Maxwell & Chalmers autos, the Lou H. Rose showroom at 1230 Van Ness. The printing of this directory must have taken place shortly before the ill-fated merger of the Maxwell & Chalmers companies. Perhaps Lou Rose could see the end coming, because the 1923 directory contains no entry for Rose's showroom or any other Maxwell dealer. Also, the survey of Van Ness Auto Row buildings makes no mention of Rose or 1230 Van Ness. This touring cardates from about 1913. Chalmers, located in Detroit, made quality cars from 1908 to 1923. Pictured below is a restored 1913 touring as well as a 1922 ad similar to the one in the dealer’s window. Would you guys get on with it!The expression on the face of the lady in the driver's seat says it all. Right hand driveWhy is this vehicle right hand drive? Didn't they change from RHD to LHD in California in the 'teens? Maybe it was a pre-change over model car? [It's a circa 1913 model. Cars of the era were a mix of right- and left-hand-drive. By 1920, most auto makers had settled on left-hand drive. - Dave] A Rose By Any Other NameRose's automobile business remained at the same location in 1923. In the 1923 Crocker-Langley City Directory the business is simply listed as "Campe-Rose Co 1230 Van Ness Av" without a marque name. The next year Rose's name is missing from the listing with the business shown as "Campe Geo 1230 Van Ness Av" in the city directory under the heading "Automobiles." Prior to the Chalmers Dealership the address was occupied by Steven G. Chapman's automobile business in 1914, and an Oakland franchise in 1915. The Chalmers dealership is listed there from 1916 - 1922. Although the Chrysler dealership in San Francisco is shown on Market Street in 1925, in 1926 it is at 1200 Van Ness, in the same block where Rose's business was previously located. The appearance of this building, erected in 1911, has been altered according to the Auto Row Survey. The Auto Row survey's purpose was to list the surviving automobile related structures that are present in the survey study area. I believe the survey fails to mention the 1230 Van Ness address because either the building that was there in 1922 had been torn down or the address was incorporated into an existing structure along the street and the address is no longer used. Looking on Google Maps there are now only two buildings in the 1200 block of Van Ness on the even numbered side of the street. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
Liberty Bonds: 1918
... have looked like before the Triangle Shirtwaist fire in 1911, with the consequent workplace safety laws. Can't seem to do it ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/26/2020 - 1:14pm -

Washington, D.C., 1918. "Liberty Loan bonds -- Bureau of Engraving and Printing." Financing the war effort. 8x10 inch glass negative, Harris & Ewing Collection. View full size. Visual AidTo see what all that activity is about, here's an example of a Liberty Loan bond from WWI, courtesy of Heritage Auctions. Railroad Engineering/Signal Dept. Test?As a retired railroad special agent, experience makes me wonder if the railroad is conducting tests to determine whether or not a human body laying across track will have any effect upon railroad block signals. Possibly railroad defense attempt involving a litigated suicide incident? Nothing conclusive here, however several items of note, such as the particular track location where there appears to be permanently mounted trackside electrical apparatus from which Dave pointed out an electrical conduit which appears to connect such apparatus to the track at an insulated track joint. Also, it appears to me to be an attempt by the man who is obviously contacting both rails with his body, however making a very deliberate attempt to electrically insulate such bodily connection by his "dress shoes" on the one rail, and his jacket collar pulled up under his head to insulate where his head and neck is resting on the opposite rail. None of the three men appear to be dressed as train crew members, but more like RR Engineering Dept. members, and the man laying across the track wearing (as previously pointed out) "dress shoes", but would naturally (except for dress shoes) put on old clothing he did not care about for repeated laying down across track for testing procedures. Mostly conjecture here, but that's how it looks to me. [Pro tip: If you can't see the train, try crossing your eyes. - Dave] Neat and TidyNo errant bits of paper, no piles of discard. I wonder what it would have looked like before the Triangle Shirtwaist fire in 1911, with the consequent workplace safety laws. Can't seem to do itNo matter how hard I try, can't see the train. Am I the only one? Gullible me!I actually followed your suggestion, Dave. Then I went to the next picture. I see the train!Just above the snipe. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, The Office, WWI)
Daydream: 1905
... in the photo) did. The dreams of Dreamland died in the 1911 fire and the park was never rebuilt. Meet me tonight in Dreamland ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/28/2020 - 2:47pm -

New York circa 1905. "Dreamland Park and tower, Coney Island." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Preview Of Coming AttractionsThe attraction partially seen in the far right of the photo was particularly popular at Dreamland. In a world made up still in 1905 by millions of wood and veneered buildings, fire was an everyday danger and occurrence and, let's be honest ... entertainment for the public as well. So what better to draw them in than an attraction featuring thousands of firefighters battling a new inferno every 20 minutes? Ironically, Fighting the Flames exhibit wasn't what did in Dreamland, but a hot bucket of pitch left in the appropriately named Hell Gate attraction (which is screen left in the photo) did. The dreams of Dreamland died in the 1911 fire and the park was never rebuilt. Meet me tonight in DreamlandOne of the most mesmerizing documentaries I have ever seen is the American Experience episode on Coney Island. It first aired in 1991 but if you can find it to watch, watch it. I've seen it several times over the years and it never fails to deliver that feeling of actually stepping back in time. Truly haunting ... in a good, if slightly creepy, way. Moxie Sighting... bottom right. Just wanted to mention it. Great photo! Hats, hats, hats!I looked long and hard, and there is not a single bare-headed person in this picture! Panchromatic emulsion?There is much more texture and contrast in the image than in other posts from this period, particularly some sky detail. Was it from a panchromatic emulsion? [The sky is courtesy of Photoshop's Shadows & Highlights filter. - Dave] (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Central Furnace Works: 1908
... The smaller furnace to the south was built in 1911. The plant was shut down in September 1978 in part due to EPA issues and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/12/2012 - 5:52pm -

Cleveland circa 1908. "Central Furnace Works." Foundry of the American Steel & Wire Co. on the Cuyahoga River. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Just another piece of vanished history.The USS Central Furnaces plant was demolished in early 1984; by April only the 2 stripped and gutted furnaces themselves were still standing. Just about everything else, including the last 2 surviving 10-ton capacity Hulett unloaders, was gone or in pieces. This plant was the first major iron/steel producing plant to be demolished as a whole within the industrial flats of Cleveland, a sign of things to come. The large furnace at the north end of the plant, "A" furnace, was built in 1953-54 by the McKee company, it being the second last blast furnace to be built in Cleveland. The smaller furnace to the south was built in 1911. The plant was shut down in September 1978 in part due to EPA issues and declining business, among other reasons. I read that this plant originally started at this site in 1881, but the earliest photographic evidence of the plant's existence that I have come across dates back to at least 1901. In addition to unloading ore for its own use, this small plant unloaded ore and limestone for other local blast furnaces that were located on the east side of Cleveland just north of the intersection of what is now Broadway and Harvard Avenues, along the old Cleveland & Pittsburgh line of the Pennsy road. The location of these obscure blast furnaces was known as Emma Furnace plant, according to an old city street map from 1905 that I saw at the Cleveland Public Library. The Central Furnace plant unloaded the ore/stone and then railed the materials to Emma via the Newburgh & South Shore railroad. I read that rail service to the Emma furnaces was discontinued in the early 1930s, which indicated that the Emma plant was shut down at least in part by the Depression. I have never located any photos of the Emma furnaces but the literature and street map indicate that this plant existed. The 2 10-ton Huletts were built in 1908 at a brand new ore dock and storage yard that was located south of the Central Furnace plant, the Hulett dock being located between the Erie railroad right of way and Jefferson Avenue. These unloaders were equipped with weighing hoppers for loading ore into trains and a complete description of these Huletts can be found in The Iron Age, October 1908. A former neighbor who worked with the demolition crew that tore down the plant told me that the Huletts were detonated(!) with charges but that the 2 blast furnaces were pulled down by cables attached to D-9 or similar type of bulldozers, after the furnaces' foundations had been torn or jackhammered away. Most other Hulett demolitions usually began by cutting large pieces off the machines or by knocking the trolleys off the main girders of the bases. Story Here American Steel & Wire co.A link to a diagram of the facility: American Steel & Wire Company, Central Furnaces & Docks, General Plan of Works Showing Trestle How the area looks today, not much left! Birdseye view from Bing maps: http://binged.it/QDdtaV (The Gallery, Cleveland, DPC, Factories, Railroads)
Washington Noir: 1926
... the camera) was designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh. Built in 1911 and demolished in 1964, it must have been caught up in the JFK-initiated ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:14pm -

"Pennsylvania Avenue at night." A wintry Washington, D.C., scene circa 1926. View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Creme de la CreamVelvet Kind was involved in a trademark dispute between Chapin-Sacks Manufacturing and Hendler Creamery. Chapin-Sacks is likely the owner of this electric sign. They had the Washington market. Hendler was out of Baltimore, and took up the "Velvet" name and much of the product identification, but in Maryland. Once Chapin-Sacks expanded out from D.C., the lawsuits flew. Wallpaper NoirThis is another of the "Shorp" shots that I am putting in my wallpaper rotation. I would be curious about how many people around the world have distinctive wallpapers due to your hard work Dave? I thank you once again. The Willard's fraternal twin The tall building on the north side of Pennsylvania is the Hotel Raleigh, which along with the Willard Hotel (behind the camera) was designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh. Built in 1911 and demolished in 1964, it must have been caught up in the JFK-initiated renewal of the Avenue. It's one more reason why I wish the historic preservation movement had arrived a decade or so earlier. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
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