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Wall Street: 1911
Wall Street east from Nassau Street, 1911. View full size. Irving Underhill. 15 flagpoles And only two ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2011 - 8:07pm -

Wall Street east from Nassau Street, 1911. View full size. Irving Underhill. 15 flagpolesAnd only two with flags. 38 Wall St?Might that two-story neoclassic building beyond Federal Hall be 38 Wall Street? Perhaps this is wishful thinking, but if it is, that's where Clarence Day worked. In any event, his building would have looked like that I suppose. (The Gallery, Irving Underhill, NYC)
Meeting Street: 1911
Charleston, South Carolina, circa 1911. "Meeting Street from St. Michael's Church." Our second installment of ... building, a Bearcat or a Raceabout? If we're sure of the 1911 date of the photo I guess it must be a Mercer, as I don't think the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2014 - 8:31am -

Charleston, South Carolina, circa 1911. "Meeting Street from St. Michael's Church." Our second installment of this multi-part panorama, with a nice view of the Fireproof Building and its Doric portico. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Six Degrees of Roadster SeparationThe unique drop axle on the front of that roadster eliminates both the Mercer and the Stutz, and instead points to the Empire 20. One trade journal singled it out for comment saying, "The front axle is one of exceptionally strong construction. The size of the steering knuckles would do credit to a car twice its weight." This Empire looks to be a 1910 and the two bucket seats make it a Model B, rather than the Model A which had a two-person bench seat up front, and a mother-in-law seat mounted in back. Introduced in 1909 by the same syndicate that built the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the diminutive Empire 20—known as The Little Aristocrat—was the first to circle the Indy track after it was repaved in brick. Still, there is a reason that moTthediesel thought of the yet-to-be built Stutz when seeing this car—Harry Stutz was the designer and factory manager for the Empire Motor Car Company at this time, having just left a similar position at Marion Motor Car Company. While at Marion he helped design their large roadster, the Marion Bobcat and raced the product as well. Before his stint at Marion, he designed the very first conventional-chassis car for the American Motor Car Company in their pre-American Underslung days. After starting his own company in 1912, he brought out the Stutz Bearcat, with a name styled after the Marion, a body style evolved from both the Marion and the Empire, and a size that fit perfectly right in-between the two. American, Marion, Empire, Stutz—Indianapolis companies all. As for the upstart New Jersey-built Mercer, they were the main competition for Stutz both on and off the track. Fireproof BuildingProminently shown in the right foreground is the County Records Building, better known as the "Fireproof Building," designed by native Charlestonian Robert Mills and built 1821-1827. The building acquired its nickname because the architect tried mightily to eliminate wood from every possible part of the structure, including the window frames and the floor construction. Only the roof has wooden members. Mills later moved his office to Washington, where he designed such important buildings as the Washington Monument and the Treasury Building. Stutz or Mercer?Which is it parked across the street from the Records building, a Bearcat or a Raceabout? If we're sure of the 1911 date of the photo I guess it must be a Mercer, as I don't think the Bearcat was available before 1912. Either way, just about the hottest performance cars available at that time. Look, over there!Couple of things. I can't quite figure out the statue just under St. John's that's pointing down the street. How does one zoom into a photo, even after it's been enlarged? I've always wondered. Also, I don't believe I've ever seen a cupola roof used for advertising as it seems is done here. I think it says "bar" at the bottom, but here again I can't zoom. [The "St. John" sign is on the roof of the white building in the foreground block. The "statue," here magnified from the full-size LOC scan, appears to be a kind of store sign. -tterrace] Trade Statue corner of Queen and MeetingI am a member of a historical group in Charleston SC. We are trying to determine what the statue pointing down Queen St is. It appears to be on a base as cigar Indians trade statues used. (The Gallery, Charleston, DPC)
Going Up: 1911
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1911. "Dime Savings Bank building under construction." 8x10 inch dry plate ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 10:05pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1911. "Dime Savings Bank building under construction." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Danger Mason fears nothingSome of the workers on the mezzanine(?) level look to be in peril of falling boards on the ledge above and any dropped bricks from the men farther up. In turn, some of those fellows look to be in peril of falling junk from the man working several stories above them. "I knew I should have worn my derby today instead of a cloth cap." PricelessWhat would the white collar guy in the middle window on the top floor of the building on the left pay for a pair of noise canceling headphones? TrackageThe rails in the photo -- would they have been built to ferry supplies to the building or are they exposed streetcar tracks? I agonizeat the poor guys who had to pile all those bricks and blocks inside the lower floors. I also surmise the cement(cinder) blocks are not a recent invention. Do the twistNot a single diagonal cross-brace anywhere in sight. Unbelievable. A fearless worker having a breakI wouldn't have selected the seat as the guy on the top of the building! Due to many visible risks on the site, the man standing at the street corner is apparently an undertaker. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Our Gang: 1911
... Orchard Mfg. Co. Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. September 1911. View full size. Where's Darla and Buckwheat? They seem to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2012 - 9:56am -

Young workers in front of Indian Orchard Mfg. Co. Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. September 1911. View full size. Where's Darla and Buckwheat?They seem to be missing from this very diverse group of Little Rascals! Google's Street ViewHere's the link to the now common google street view. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=mills&sll=42... Some googling for Indian Orchard Mills will turn up some interesting new tenants in the old mill. Including a photography studio with some current photos of the mill area mixed in with the many aspiring models. (The Gallery, Factories, Kids, Lewis Hine)
Game Day: 1911
... Washington, D.C. "Football -- Georgetown University game, 1911." CI years before Super Bowl XLVI. Harris & Ewing glass negative. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/14/2013 - 7:35pm -

Washington, D.C. "Football -- Georgetown University game, 1911." CI years before Super Bowl XLVI. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Speaking of XLVIMy wife and I live about three miles from Lucas Oil Stadium, and we'll be pleased as punch when XLVI is finally relegated to the mists of History. Let's have a Tailgate partyOh wait, we can't, the Tailgate hasn't been invented yet. A thoroughly modern innovation Drive-in football. "Enjoy the game without leaving the comfort or security of your carriage or automobile!" Game locationHere is a little history on the location of the game: http://www.hoyafootball.com/history/stadia.htm Tail gatesActually buckboard wagons had tail gates, didn't they? You could go to the game in your brand new Studebaker wagon. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Sports)
Serafino and Chub: 1911
January 1911. "Serafino driving Chub, his mule. Shaft #7, Pennsylvania Coal Company ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2009 - 8:55pm -

January 1911. "Serafino driving Chub, his mule. Shaft #7, Pennsylvania Coal Company mine at South Pittston." Bright spots are open flames of lamps on the boys' hats. Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Serafino & ChubThis photo is so surreal. Serafino's eyes are amazingly creepy! Looming up from the darkness. Sam KeysIt says Samuel Keys up the left beam. [Funny. Doesn't sound Greek. But yes. I think you're right! - Dave] S.K.While delta would be more sexy, I still think that if a girl was working down there, it'd read "S [heart] K [heart]". :) AhhhI think this is the most terrifying picture. Also, I think those are initials: S.K. You weren't being sarcastic, were you? [It's S-delta-K-delta. With the name "Sami" underneath. Looks Eastern European/Bulgarian/Serbian/Turkish. - Dave] Mule LifespanI wonder how long a mule lasted in a coal mine? Ghostly Images of a MineAmazing how this photograph seemed to capture a gathering of ghostly figures at a dark, almost misty looking part of the mine. (The Gallery, Horses, Lewis Hine, Mining)
Fair Warning: 1911
...     We missed it, and we regret it. Fall 1911. "The village street -- Lee, Massachusetts." Our title comes from the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/10/2019 - 2:02pm -

        We missed it, and we regret it. Fall 1911. "The village street -- Lee, Massachusetts." Our title comes from the handbill posted at left. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. It's still thereWish I knew how to embed an interactive image like the smart people do! Open Google Maps. Go to the Street View image you'd like to embed. In the top left, click Menu (the three dots). Click Share or Embed Map. Click Embed Map. To the left of the text box, pick the size you want by clicking the Down arrow. Copy the text in the box. Paste it into the HTML of your website. Great Barrington FairDon't miss it, or else. The bank is gone.. but the Municipal building remains along with some of the others. I Got There Before GoogleLong before Google Earth came around I had a similar photo of downtown Lee, Mass. in my historic trolley photo collection that I thought had been taken about 1902 when the trolley line first opened to Great Barrington. During a chance visit to Lee in 1982 I snapped the attached photo and was pleasantly surprised when I returned home and found that I had nailed the photo angle pretty accurately. In retrospect, based on the size of the trees, I'm guessing my photo was taken a few months after the Shorpy image. First read the comments ...before you intend to comment. [Or, click the links in the caption. - Dave] Below, a postcard of the Great Barrington Fair racetrack & judges' stand. Lee factoidFrom the Wikipedia article on the town: "Arlo Guthrie's court appearance before the blind judge and his seeing-eye dog for dumping garbage as described in the song 'Alice's Restaurant' took place in the courtroom at the Lee Town Hall." All Those ElmsOne of the reason these turn-of-the-century photos of Northeastern towns are so appealing is the presence of elm trees, which make that cathedral arch shape over the street. Even when none of the buildings are removed, the trees are now inevitably gone, as a result of the decimation caused by Dutch elm disease. Here's a picture from the Wikipedia Elm page showing an example from Salem, Mass., in 1910. (The Gallery, DPC, Small Towns)
Bessie Hicks: 1911
June 1911. "A Suggestion for Dependent Widows. Mrs. Bessie Hicks, a widow in the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 6:22pm -

June 1911. "A Suggestion for Dependent Widows. Mrs. Bessie Hicks, a widow in the mill settlement at Matoaca, Virginia. She has no children large enough to work in the cotton mill, so she is starting a little store in her home." View full size. Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. Young Mother?Bessie Hicks certainly doesn't look like a current day young mother. Then again....times were hard and people probably aged much earlier than now days. A little store...sellingA little store...selling children! Yes, Patty, they did. She'sYes, Patty, they did. She's probably not much older than 25. You must remember that these were the days of real natural medicine. No antibiotics, no antifungals, no immunizations other than smallpox, no cancer therapies, no antitoxins. Most people in the US didn't reach their 50th birthday and those that did were prematurely aged both inside and out. Imagine going through 10 or 15 life-threatening infections by the time you were 30. Imagine knowing that you had about a 5% chance of dying during or immediately after each pregnancy, no matter how wealthy you were or how clean your attendants were. Now add to that the debilitating effects of hard physical labour (the idiot who first said "hard work never killed anyone" obviously never worked hard) and you can see how someone at 25 could look so old. Bessie HicksThis is Joe Manning, from the Lewis Hine Project. I talked to one of Bessie's granddaughters for nearly an hour last night. Bessie lived for 81 years. It appears that the "store" she was planning was an at-home sewing and dressmaking business, which turned out to be her lifelong profession. She was remembered fondly. Some of the information will eventually be posted on my Lewis Hine Project website at: www.morningsonmaplestreet.com/lewishine.html Bessie HicksJoe Manning again. The link to my story has changed. http://morningsonmaplestreet.com/2014/11/26/bessie-hicks-page-one/ 100 Years too soonMatoaca is now a suburban bedroom community outside of Peterburg, VA. No sign of a cotton mill. Poor Bessie was born a hundred years too soon. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, Rural America)
Breaker Boys: 1911
January 1911. "Group of boys working in No. 9 Breaker. Pennsylvania Coal Co., ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/24/2021 - 11:20am -

January 1911. "Group of boys working in No. 9 Breaker. Pennsylvania Coal Co., Hughestown Borough, Pittston, Pennsylvania. Smallest is Sam Belloma, Pine Street." Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine for the National Child Labor Committee. View full size. One GloveI can see two of the boys are wearing gloves on their right hand only. I imagine they looked down the belt as the coal approached and tossed the rejects to their left. The dust most certainly shortened their lives. What's a breaker boy, you ask?I didn't know, so I looked it up. Breaker boys worked in anthracite coal mines in Pennsylvania. They hunched over conveyor belts, and would pick through the coal to remove contaminants, such as slate, before the coal was shipped out. A Vivid Reminderthat the "deregulated" good old days weren't really so good for so many. All but unbearableI made the picture as big as I could and looked long into each boy's eyes. It was hard to do. God bless their memory. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, Mining)
Columbus in Chicago: 1911
Chicago circa 1911. "Steamer Christopher Columbus ." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/12/2015 - 8:22pm -

Chicago circa 1911. "Steamer Christopher Columbus." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The One And OnlyAlthough several Steamships of the "Whaleback" style were built, The Christopher Columbus was the ONLY Passenger steamer of that design. Constructed in 1892-1893, it was exhibited at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, and eventually scrapped in 1936. What's Happening?Any idea what's going on here? The Columbus is under tow at both ends (apparently moving sideways). I don't imagine that was routine. Stability testingWhen in 1915 the SS Eastland capsized in while docked in the Chicago River with the loss of over 800 lives, officials subsequently ordered many passenger ships to undergo stability testing, which the Columbus passed easily. Even with 7,500 sandbags (simulating passengers) piled on one side, and tugboats pulling in that direction, she listed only 12 degrees. Below is a photo of the testing. I'm curious tooCould it be that the tug on the stern line is turning the ship while the tug on the bow line is holding in place until the ship is headed in the correct position to be towed to the dock. Realistic sandbagsIf they are doing the stability testing in the photo those sandbags along the rails sure look like passengers to me. [No one has said the Shorpy photo is of the stability test. -tterrace] Tugboat practiceForty years ago I worked at Grangemouth Docks and often saw tugs doing their thing. It's a long time ago and few clear memories remain, but I've always thought it quite normal for tugs to work in pairs, one ahead and one astern of the larger vessel. The one ahead provides the main towing force while the other can act as a brake, and either/both can swing the ship around as required. Overall, two tugs allow much more control than one. Swinging the shipI think the tugs are simply turning the ship around. It is usual practice to use two tugs, one on the bow and the other on the stern to swing a ship in confined waters. Malted Falcon mentions that the ship was tested for stability after the Eastland disaster but I don't think that is what is happening in this picture. The tug with the bow line is not the same one in the picture of the test and I don't think they would do the stability test with all those people on board. [No one has said the Shorpy photo is of the stability test. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Chicago, DPC)
Happy Face: 1911
August 1911. New Bedford, Massachusetts. "A group of workers in the Butler Mills. Kate ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/26/2009 - 3:18am -

August 1911. New Bedford, Massachusetts. "A group of workers in the Butler Mills. Kate McCormick, 10 Cleveland Street, the smallest girl in the picture, apparently 13 years old. The happy faces appear only when the photo is being taken." Photo and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. What's really going on here?According to Hine, they only smile for the birdie, I think he was wrong. These kids smiled because they thought it was fun to have their picture taken. This doesn't diminish the fact that at 13 years their school career was over and that they would work hard the rest of their lives. However we are a nation of optimists. Facing these young people was a World War in which some these boys would surely serve and a depression, that would affect everyone followed by another World War. Yet, we survived, as the strongest, most prosperous and just country ever. Let me go find a tissue...Dave, are you just trying to make us depressed with all these pictures of dirty, underprivileged, underage workers and children? Because it's working. [Dirty? Depressing? I don't see that here. - Dave] Step KidsThey certainly don't look like forced smiles. I love the demeanor of the girl in the middle with her hands on her hips. Oh the disappointmentThe nigh-palpable disappointment in Mr. Hines' commentary nearly oozes off the screen. Underprivileged kids, working, should be solid gold. And then they go and SMILE! AAAAUGH! Rotten kids. (The Gallery, Lewis Hine)
Thanksgiving Maskers: 1911
November 1911. Before Halloween came into its own as a holiday in this country, there ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/10/2007 - 6:24pm -

November 1911. Before Halloween came into its own as a holiday in this country, there was "Thanksgiving masking," where kids would dress up and go door to door for apples, or maybe "scramble for pennies." View full size. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. Links: Yahoo Xtra | Encyclopedia.com Thanksgiving MaskersGrowing up in the Bronx in the 1940-1950s, we also had kids in homemade disguises, singing for pennies in yards behind the rows of five-story apartment houses. This was like a holdover from Halloween. And the old folks say....I just wonder how many really old folks have remarked that they remember going Thanksgiving masking and nobody believed them, just winked at one another that the old guy or gal was obviously senile. I just wonder. Sadly. Hello ClariceThe little girl at the end looks like the spawn of Hannibal Lecter in that mask thing of hers! Goin' begginI have a few church members that say they used to "go beggin", as they called it, in the fall (1940 era). They would dress up in old clothes and put on a mask they made out of a paper bag. They would knock on doors and would be invited inside. They would get food items such as cake and apple cider. I thought it was just perhaps the beginning of trick-or-treating but they both said it was different. Perhaps it was Thanksgiving masking. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Kids, Thanksgiving)
No. 9 Breaker: 1911
January 1911. Boys working in the #9 breaker of the Pennsylvania Coal Co. mine at ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/10/2007 - 3:10pm -

January 1911. Boys working in the #9 breaker of the Pennsylvania Coal Co. mine at Hughestown Borough near Pittston, Pennsylvania. In this group are Sam Belloma of Pine Street and Angelo Ross of 142 Panama Street. View full size. Don't let anyone ever call them...the good old days. These boys would have grown up just enough by 1917 to get sent off to France and World War I. Doubtful..many of these were drafted. Draft age in World War I was 21. Draft AgeWhile the draft age was 21, there were plenty of examples of younger draftees due to fibbing about the age. Then plenty of time to regret it after the fact. My great-grand uncle Emmitt went into the Army when he was 22, and died the next year, of the Spanish Flu. They buried him the next day in a trench, with many others. This trench has no marker, no real idea where it is. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, Mining)
Colorful Cleveland: 1911
Cleveland, Ohio, circa 1911. "The Public Square -- Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument." A bustling scene, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 10:25pm -

Cleveland, Ohio, circa 1911. "The Public Square -- Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument." A bustling scene, patriotically decorated. View full size. Let There Be LightNote the all-window front of The May Co. Probably cutting-edge architecture and construction for the time. Even More WindowsLook at this view of the May Co. in 1900 from a previous Shorpy post. There's even more windows. It must have undergone a major renovation during those 11 years. I know I put it somewhere where is that ladder? (The Gallery, Cleveland, DPC, Streetcars)
Doffed All Summer: 1911
... school. Location: Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. September 1911. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. In a textile mill, the doffer removes the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2011 - 2:35pm -

Stephen Warren, 284 Main St., Indian Orchard. Has doffed all summer in Indian Orchard Mfg. Co. Quit a few days ago but expects to get another job soon. Says he will not go to school. Location: Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. September 1911. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. In a textile mill, the doffer removes the bobbins from a carding machine once they are full, having been wound with wool yarn or cotton thread. View full size. Indian OrchardStill there, almost down to the utility pole location he stood against. http://tinyurl.com/6x2rv2 jnc Indian Orchard - still thereWow! Thanks! 1966Worked my first job in that building during Summer 1966 waiting to go to college in fall. I read all three Lord of the Rings books that summer. Library is two blocks away. I read four science fiction books a week - most they would let you take out - until I read them all. (The Gallery, Factories, Kids, Lewis Hine)
Les Miserables: 1911
October 1911. Lowell, Massachusetts. "Pin boys in Les Miserables Alleys. Frank Jarose, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 9:09am -

October 1911. Lowell, Massachusetts. "Pin boys in Les Miserables Alleys. Frank Jarose, 7 Fayette St., Mellens Court, said 11 years old, made $3.72 last week. Joseph Philip, 5 Wall St., said 11 years old, and works until midnight every week night; said he made $2.25 last week and $1.75 the week before. Willie Payton, 196 Fayette St., said 11 years old, made over $2 last week, works there every night until midnight." View full size. Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. Those boys looks happy asThose boys looks happy as can be. $80$3.72 is about equivalent to $80 in 2007 when adjusted for inflation. Not so badI'd have to say that late hours and low wages or not, the bowling alley kids all look a lot happier than in the other jobs kids got stuck with then--including some of the farm kids we now often think of as having an idyllic existence. My dad did this back in the late 30sWe ran into a manual pin setting rig when I was a kid--those pins are heavy, and my dad said a lot of kids were hurt by flying pins. They were "supposed" to go behind a low wall when the bowlers were throwing, but there was a lot of pressure to get the pins up as soon as possible so kids would jump out while the pins were still flying, and sometimes drunk bowlers would roll the ball before the kid got out of the way. Even without that, just those small bodies lifting and setting those heavy pins as fast as they could, all night long... (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, Sports)
Magnolia Mills: 1911
March 1911. Magnolia, Mississippi. "Interior of Magnolia Cotton Mills spinning room. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/14/2012 - 11:48am -

March 1911. Magnolia, Mississippi. "Interior of Magnolia Cotton Mills spinning room. See the little ones scattered through the mill. All work." Our second look at this workroom. Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Nice and cleanAnd well lit. I'd rather work here than in a Coal Mine. The boy in the middle actually seems to be smiling. NeighborsI grew up in the town next to Magnolia: Liberty, Ms. Both are really small towns (Liberty's census count is below 700), but both are county seats. There was a small but persistent textile industry in the area until the last few years. My mom worked at a sewing machine for decades. The industry was one of the few jobs available for women anywhere around there. Wasn't that great for men either. But now that textiles have departed, jobs are harder than ever to come by for women. Sure, there was a lot of risks working in any kind of factory, but I'm grateful for all the meals in my belly that the work helped to provide. Water Buckets?Are those water buckets high on the poles? To be used in case of fire? Fire pailsI believe the fire buckets may have been filled with sand. Water evaporated and would require someone to top them off now-and-then. Note the round bottoms that pretty much made them worthless for any other use so don't even think of taking one for home. In a few years they will be replaced with carbon tetrachloride extinguishers that effectively put out the fire but killed everyone in the vicinity with phosgene gas! Live better through chemistry. Lewis HineMy daughter and I visited the Columbus Museum of Art recently and saw an exhibit called Radical Camera that had some Lewis Hine prints. The photos had a different feel when I saw them up close. They seemed more authentic and heartfelt. (The Gallery, Factories, Lewis Hine)
Oscar Weston: 1911
June 1911. "Oscar Weston, 1320 Berkley Avenue, South Norfolk. Has been doing 'toting ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2011 - 1:24pm -

June 1911. "Oscar Weston, 1320 Berkley Avenue, South Norfolk. Has been doing 'toting work' off and on for a year at the Chesapeake Knitting Mills in Berkley, Virginia." Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Jeez......the depth of field in this photograph is astounding to me. He practically leaps off the page. Staring at this picture, I get the feeling that for a nickel, he'd give me directions to the local druggist. Oscar Weston 1898-1966I did an archive search for any Oscar Westons in Virginia and got just one result. I bet it's him: SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION DEATH MASTER FILE WESTON, OSCAR Birthdate: 1/10/1898 Date of Death: 12/1966 RESIDENCE: VA 23506 (Norfolk) Oscar Weston1910 United States Federal Census about Oscar Weston Name: Oscar Weston Age in 1910: 12 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1898 Birthplace: North Carolina Relation to Head of House: Son Father's Name: Robert J Father's Birth Place: North Carolina Mother's Name: Fannie Mother's Birth Place: North Carolina Home in 1910: Norfolk Ward 8, Norfolk (Independent City), Virginia Marital Status: Single Race: White Gender: Male Household Members: Name Age Robert J Weston 48 Fannie Weston 38 John Weston 19 Gussie Weston 15 Oscar Weston 12 Oscar WestonThis is my grandfather. That is unbelievable that this picture existed so long without our family's knowledge. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, Norfolk)
Hotel Vermont: 1911
Burlington, Vermont, circa 1911. "Hotel Vermont." Last glimpsed here . 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... railroads. Below, an excerpt from "The Modern Railroad" (1911), and an example of an interline mileage exchange ticket stub. Selling the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2018 - 10:06am -

Burlington, Vermont, circa 1911. "Hotel Vermont." Last glimpsed here. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Gift cards, 100 years ago.To the left of the Western Union sign, a small sign that says "Mileages bought and sold" caught my eye. A little research reveals this phrase appearing in newspapers and photos from around 1900 to 1915. I couldn't find a definite explanation, but based on the context of some of those ads, I think it was possible, at that time, to buy a certain number of miles on a particular railroad - sort of like buying a gift card today. ["Mileages" were the coupons in mileage books, which allowed X miles' worth of "interline" travel over multiple railroads. Below, an excerpt from "The Modern Railroad" (1911), and an example of an interline mileage exchange ticket stub. Selling the remaining coupons to a broker before they expire lets the holder avoid a loss on his unused miles. - Dave]         In addition to the railroad selling its tickets there are also railroad passenger traffic organizations, half a dozen or more important ones across the country, which are engaged in selling various forms of railroad transportation. In some cases this takes the shape of a mileage-book which may be honored by fifteen or twenty different lines. The book will perhaps be sold for $25 and will permit of 1,000 miles’ riding at a saving over local fares, if the purchaser comply with its provisions. If he has complied with its provisions within the year’s life of the book, he will be paid $5 rebate upon return of its cover which has given him his riding at two cents a mile. Sometimes these books take the form of “scrip” which is silent upon mileage but which has its strip divided into five-cent portions, sold at wholesale, as it were, at a fraction less than five cents each. Edit, 31 July 2018: Today I learned, thanks! This also jogged a memory of reading one of those signs on the back of a hotel-room door, and seeing "mileage books" as one of the things you were supposed to deposit in the hotel safe instead of keep in your room. I'm still not quite sure why mileage books aren't mentioned much in publications after about 1915. I did find a law in New York State, still on the books, that requires railroads with fares between 2 and 3 cents per mile to issue mileage books for no more than 2 cents per mile. Maybe as fares went up, the laws weren't updated, and therefore the railroads were no longer obligated to issue mileage books. Hotel Vermont? Not with a bit of imagination.I do believe that to be Rick's Cafe with Sidney Greenstreet (Ferrari), wearing his fez hat and just crossing the street to enter as everything magically turns into Vichy-Casablanca of December 1941. Waiting inside, in addition to Rick, are Victor Lazo, Ilsa, Sam, Capt. Renault, Major Strasser and the lovable Carl (Cuddles Sakall). After all, everybody comes to Rick's, though not always for long as Peter (Ugarte) Lorre has already been eliminated. Academic CoincidenceThe Bowling Academy at left is where Lewis Hine, the man who made Shorpy famous, photographed two pin boys whose work kept them up late on school nights. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/nclc.03374/ [Coming soon to a website near you! - Dave] https://www.shorpy.com/node/23650 Loved the awnings back then!Still there! Went to a Brazilian Restaurant on the ground floor a few years back. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses)
What a Dump: 1911
November 13, 1911. "New York streets during garbage strike." Note ashcans full of actual ... eliminates Ninth, Third and Second avenues, and even in 1911 the avenues between Eighth and Lexington would have been more commercial ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/27/2014 - 10:02am -

November 13, 1911. "New York streets during garbage strike." Note ashcans full of actual ashes. Bain News Service glass negative. View full size. Department of Street Cleaning District IIThe side of the horse cart is bears the notation "D.S.C" which stood for Department of Street Cleaning. The "II" at the top was the District to which the equipment belonged. Not sure about the numbers(?) in the middle. DSC had jurisdiction over the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan, so the image could be from any of those Boroughs. But Manhattan or possibly Brooklyn are most likely. There is a map in the Map Room at the NYPL that shows the boundaries of the old Street Cleaning Districts, but it's not online. Today, Manhattan Sanitation District 2 covers the west side from I think Houston to 59 Streets, west of Broadway. So odds are, this picture was taken in the same area. Ash CansInto the early to early-1970s, NY City Board of Ed still had schools with coal fired boilers. Namely PS 129 Queens. When truck showed up to cart away ash, teachers on that side of building had to close the windows! Tenth Avenue Freeze Out, er, Ash Out?I'm speculating a bit, as there's not much to go on besides the No. 529 on the building at left, but my best guess is that this picture shows Tenth Avenue on the West Side of Manhattan. The wide sidewalks suggest an avenue rather than a street, and in addition there probably would be fewer people visible if this were a street. The lack of an elevated train eliminates Ninth, Third and Second avenues, and even in 1911 the avenues between Eighth and Lexington would have been more commercial than this mostly residential block. Eleventh Avenue would have been industrial. That leaves Tenth and First avenues as possible candidates. I'll go with Tenth because there's something about the buildings that seems more West Side than East. If indeed this is right, there are no traces of this scene remaining today as that part of Tenth is now the site of Lincoln Tunnel ramps. The area around 529 First Avenue is now occupied by hospital facilities. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Horses, NYC)
Let Us Have Peace: 1911
New York circa 1911. "Grant's Tomb and rubber-neck auto on Riverside Drive." 8x10 inch dry ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/11/2021 - 3:27pm -

New York circa 1911. "Grant's Tomb and rubber-neck auto on Riverside Drive." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Few reputations have shifted as dramaticallyThat's how Wikipedia sums it up: "Very few presidential reputations have shifted as dramatically as Grant's." Most of us learned to think of Grant as a successful general and a failed president, although the real story is more complicated. Ron Chernow's excellent biography has helped to restore Grant's reputation. Lin-Manuel Miranda, what are you waiting for? Same angle todayIt was Robert E. Lee who said, "It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it." Not a Very Iconic BuildingThe next time I'm in New York, I'm going to visit Grant's Tomb. I've wanted to see it for years, and pay my respects to one of the saviors of the Union. But jeez, it seems like a lost architectural opportunity. Something just seems weirdly out of scale, out of place or out of proportion to me in this design. Grant's TombI wonder who's buried there? Re: Not iconicThe architect of the tomb, John Hemenway Duncan, wanted "to produce a monumental structure that should be unmistakably a tomb of military character." He modelled Grant’s Tomb on the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (model below). Duncan also strove to avoid "resemblance of a habitable dwelling." So it does not look like your house or mine, Bumpkin. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, NYC)
Postal Boys: 1911
June 1911. Norfolk, Virginia. "A typical group of Postal Messengers. Smallest on ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:59pm -

June 1911. Norfolk, Virginia. "A typical group of Postal Messengers. Smallest on left end, Wilmore Johnson, been there one year. Works days only. The Postal boys are not nearly so young in Norfolk and also in other Virginia cities as are the Western Union boys." Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Real fixies without brakes?Although the coaster brake was invented a little more than ten years before this picture was taken, they weren't ubiquitous yet, but the second bike from the right does appear to have some kind of band on the left rear stay, possibly to secure a torque arm... recycled board racers?Except for the center bike with the auto horn and spring seat, these bikes look like they had earlier been board track racers. Bare bones frame with serrated metal pedals, smooth tires, sans chain guard and rigid racing seats. Just reset the handlebars downward to racing position. Tuck in, and ride like the wind. A grand old nameAdams Express continues in business today. Like other express companies of past centuries, such as American Express and Wells Fargo, their principle business became financial services. The kid on the leftThe look on his face tells me that the bike frame just might be causing him a wee bit of discomfort. Perhaps he is telling Hines to "Hurry up and take the picture.....this is killing me!" Adams EtcAdams Express, American Express, Southern Express and a few others were merged into the Railway Express Company (REA) in 1917. The Feds needed to control the railways for the WW1 emergency. It was accomplished by the United States Railway Administration (USRA) to assure that that the Rail Systems operated efficiently during wartime. Railway Express was with us until 1975 when it went out of business. The Interstate Highway System became their downfall when UPS et al went into the over the road delivery business. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Kids, Lewis Hine)
The Pecans of Wrath: 1911
December 1911. "3:30 P.M. -- Picking nuts in dirty basement tenement, 143 Hudson Street, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/13/2017 - 6:56am -

December 1911. "3:30 P.M. -- Picking nuts in dirty basement tenement, 143 Hudson Street, New York. The dirtiest imaginable children were pawing over the nuts, eating lunch on the table, etc. Mother had a cold, blew her nose frequently (without washing hands) and the dirty handkerchief reposed comfortably on the table and close to the nuts and nut meats. The father picks now -- 'No work to do at any business.' (Has a cobbler's shop in the room.) They said the children didn't pick near. (Probably a temporary respite.)" The Libertine family, seen earlier here. 5x7 inch glass negative by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Pecans ForeverA long, long time ago a road running through the Florida State campus was lined with pecan trees. During harvest time there were lots and lots of pecans for hungry students to grab. Had a roommate who filled a large bag to take home at Christmas time. Pecan pie is still a huge favorite of mine. Niche PictureDoes anyone know what the curling picture in the niche is of? Squalid conditions. Were they picking nuts for pay? One low ceilingThis picture is not only a graphic image of how food-borne disease is spread, even today (sick food workers are the chief source), but also why I don't seriously consider a lot of older houses. The ceilings in the basement, and often above the first floor, are just way too low. I'd guess Dad is only 5'6" or so and he'd still have to duck. Thanks anyway, but no nuts for meRe the question about pay from russiet: they were paid for this home work, but a mere pittance. See Manufacturing of Foods in the Tenements but be forewarned, squalid doesn't begin to describe the conditions. Ingenious!I love how the boy's pants are kept up by being hitched to the third button of his shirt. Aaahhhh ... the art of making do. Niche interestrussiet: The curled-up image in the niche looks like a Madonna with Child painting. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, NYC)
Indian Orchard Mills: 1911
September 1911. Group in front of Indian Orchard Mfg. Co. Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. September 1911. View full size. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. (The Gallery, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/20/2007 - 3:48am -

September 1911. Group in front of Indian Orchard Mfg. Co. Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. September 1911. View full size. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. (The Gallery, Factories, Kids, Lewis Hine)
South Pittston: 1911
... Pennsylvania Coal Company's South Pittston mine. January 1911. View full size. Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. Pittston Miners ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 9:06am -

Shaft No. 6 workers at the Pennsylvania Coal Company's South Pittston mine. January 1911. View full size. Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. Pittston MinersThese photos wowed me because my Granddad, an immigrant, went to work in a Pittston coal mine at the age of 14 as a water boy, and lived in Pittston for 18 years before moving to Utica, New York. He "worked his way up," becoming a miner ... Does anyone know if the Pennsylvania Coal Company had the only coal mine in Pittston at that time? Or were there others? These photos may well have been the very place where my Grandfather started out his life here in the USA. Who knows, one of those kids in the pictures might be him! [Very interesting! What year was your granddad born? - Dave] American DreamGranddad was born in 1870 in poverty-stricken southern Italy and came to the USA in 1894 to Youngstown, Ohio, where he stayed only a very short time. He was then brought to Pittston, Pa., by his father, who had immigrated earlier and was working in the coal mine. Granddad started work there at the age of 14 as a water boy, then as a miner as he got older. He saved enough over the next 18-20 years to open a small grocery and then a private bank in Pittston, lending to new immigrants from different countries. Sort of the "American dream" story. So young, so very young.So young, so very young. Their eyes have no light left, only reflecting. What a world. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, Mining)
Seventeenth Street: 1911
Circa 1911, our third selection from the panoramic series "Washington from Washington ... White . The stables were razed in the summer of 1911. (The Gallery, D.C., DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/14/2014 - 12:30pm -

Circa 1911, our third selection from the panoramic series "Washington from Washington Monument." Landmarks include, from left, Memorial Continental Hall (headquarters of the Daughters of the American Revolution); the Corcoran Gallery of Art; State, War and Navy Building; and White House West Wingtip. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. More LandmarksA tiny sliver of the Pan American Union Building (Paul Cret, architect, 1908-1910) at the extreme lower left margin, and the Octagon House (designed by Dr. William Thornton, 1799-1801), just to the left of the Corcoran Gallery and across New York Avenue. Constitution Hall?Isn't the name of the Daughters of the American Revolution auditorium Constitution Hall, not Continental Hall? I could be wrong, but I lived in DC for a short time and I seem to remember Constitution Hall. [Constitution Hall wasn't built until 1929. -tterrace] WH StablesAlso visible are the White House stables, a portion of which were glimpsed at The President's White. The stables were razed in the summer of 1911. (The Gallery, D.C., DPC)
The Libertines: 1911
New York, December 1911. "Mrs. Lucy Libertine and family: Johnnie, 4 years old; Mary, 6 years; ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/13/2017 - 12:10am -

New York, December 1911. "Mrs. Lucy Libertine and family: Johnnie, 4 years old; Mary, 6 years; Millie, 9 years, picking nuts in the basement tenement, 143 Hudson Street. Mary was standing in the open mouth of the bag holding the cracked nuts (to be picked), with her dirty street shoes on, and using a huge dirty jackknife. On the right is the cobbler's bench used by shoemaker in this room. They live in dark inner bedrooms, and filth abounds in all the room and in the dark, damp entry." Photo and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Tribeca143 Hudson Street was replaced by a 14 story commercial building in 1929, it was then numbered 145 Hudson Street. Located at Hubert and Hudson, the building has undergone a change to residential lofts and is now known as the Skylofts at 145 Hudson Street. They're around 5,000 square feet and sell in the $5 million range. The area is now called Tribeca and what you get for the 5 mil is raw space. How marvelousWhat a marvelous old photo. Love your site. JJ Lucy LibertineYou have to be at least mildly amused that the hardworking folks shown here were blessed with the surname of "Libertine"! "Lucy Libertine" sounds like a good name for a racy comic strip character. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, NYC)
Bat Nelson: 1911
Lightweight boxing champ "Bat" Nelson in 1911. After retiring from the ring, Bat (short for Battling; aka the Durable ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 5:52am -

Lightweight boxing champ "Bat" Nelson in 1911. After retiring from the ring, Bat (short for Battling; aka the Durable Dane, born Oscar Nielsen) dabbled in fight promotion and vaudeville. In January 1954, "a pathetic little man of 80 pounds, his mind a complete blank," Bat was committed to the Chicago State Hospital; a month later he was dead of lung cancer at age 71. With 68 wins, 19 draws and 19 losses, Bat once said that although he had "lost several fights," he had never been beaten. 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. The Durable Dane"Bat" was a real brawler, evidently. More here, including great tales and quotes. Batty NelsonIt also proves you can only take so many hits before your mind quits. Anyone can brag all they want to about how tough they are but it gets you soon enough. How many of his 71 years were spent in a mindless state? I don't see how anyone could call boxing a sport when the goal was to knock someone senseless. If this Extreme Boxing fad that now exists goes any further we'll see even more of it. [Bat was put under psychiatric observation in 1927 for stealing a fight film and resisting arrest. He was released after doctors at the Psychopathic Hospital found him to be not insane, just "a trifle eccentric." - Dave] From the New York Times, 2-26-1927: CHICAGO, Feb. 25 -- Oscar "Battling" Nelson, the famed "Durable Dane" of Hegewisch, Ill., former world lightweight champion and one of pugilism's outstanding characters, tonight is under psychopathic observation, with a charge of grand larceny hanging over him. The Dane's greatest ring contest -- his battle seventeen years ago in which he lost the championship to Ad Wolgast -- has risen from fight history to plague him. He faces a charge in Butte, Montana, of stealing the motion pictures of that fight and bringing them here. Nelson has developed numerous idiosyncrasies since his ring days. He often gesticulates with rights and lefts, his posture while talking often becomes a weaving, swaying motion, like a crafty ringman in battle, and he has eccentricities which, his friends say, may be traced to the terrific punishment he took while battering his way to a world title. When officers went to Nelson's home to serve the warrant the Dane barricaded himself and surrendered only after some discussion. When Nelson was taken into court to face extradition proceedings today, his unusual demeanor caught the attention of Judge Max Luster, who ordered him under psychopathic examination. Battling Nelson vs Eddie LangMy great-uncle Eddie Lang fought Battling Nelson for the title in Nelson's last fight before losing his title to Ad Wolgast in about 40 brutal rounds. My grandfather (father's father) and Eddie's brother was in his corner -- he gave Nelson a scrappy fight and was KO'd in the 8th from body blows. The crowd actually cheered my great-uncle on for mixing it up and the papers called him "The Ghetto Captain." He fought the best around, and his brother Ira Lang (under the name Young Sweeney) did as well -- another great-uncle. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Sports)
Sailor Burke: 1911
New York, 1911. "Sailor Burke." The Brooklyn-born welterweight champion known to his ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/26/2015 - 9:52pm -

New York, 1911. "Sailor Burke." The Brooklyn-born welterweight champion known to his mother as Charles Presser, and someone you wouldn't want to meet in a well-lit alley. 5x7 glass negative, Bain News Service. View full size. Feel the Pressure of PresserJudging by his muscle tone, he is definitely not one to mess with in any alley. I remember my dad's boxing days in the RAF when I was growing up and he had a similar stance when we got naughty. Another twilight zone picture.Something is wrong in this picture, I plainly see an Ipad someone forgot to move out of the picture. (right side resting against the barn.) You can even see the home button. [That's the photographer's plate holder. - Dave] Watch out Lois!Keep some kryptonite handy. He seems to be in the Superman position ready to take the flying leap necessary to become airborne. He even has the (slightly different) curl on his forehead and he doesn't need a cape, leotards or tights. Pretty intimidating. GobsmackedWell someone should tell "Cholly" to buy a dance belt before getting his picture took. The Sailor demonstrates that his fleet is in harbor and at anchor. The Great White NopeHe must have been a heckuva fighter because he battled the future heavyweight champ, African-American puncher Jack Johnson, in 1907, despite giving away 20 pounds to his bigger foe. It didn't go well for the Sailor. From the L.A. Herald: JACK JOHNSON BEATS SAILOR BURKE BEFORE 5000 In Six Rounds Negro Floors Opponent Several Times In Fierce Battle BRIDGEPORT, Conn., Sept. 12.— Jack Johnson, the colored heavyweight, outfought Sailor Burke before the Liberty Athletic club tonight before 5000 spectators. The flght was of six rounds, and the colored man, who outweighed the sailor, landed some terrific blows, flooring his man several times. Burke weighed 165 and Johnson 185. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Sports)
Hotel Vermont: 1911
Burlington, Vermont, circa 1911. "Hotel Vermont." Now the Vermont House condominiums. 8x10 glass negative, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/20/2014 - 1:40pm -

Burlington, Vermont, circa 1911. "Hotel Vermont." Now the Vermont House condominiums. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Still there at Main & St PaulView Larger Map RoofI wonder what those two ladies are doing up on the roof. Sidewalk skylights?I used to work in a department store building that had ones like those in front of Hotel Vermont and remember the distinctive sound and shadows of pedestrians passing by above. I always wondered if they had a specific name, or if they were just known as sidewalk skylights. Though there were many old examples in downtown San Diego at that time (early 1960s) I don't think there are any now. [Sidewalk skylights are among Shorpy's most popular street scene sightings, joining arc lamps, precarious building-ledge people and drug store rubber goods signs. -tterrace] A pair of fine-feathered friends....... are roosting on the roof. Look closelyon the long side of the building for the Hotel Vermont sign( paint or brick?) one floor below the iron balcony, it is visble on both google and the original photo. Ghostly Maidens on the RoofVisitors from the Overlook Hotel maybe? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC)
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