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Duluth Incline Railway: 1905
Circa 1905. "Minnesota Point from Incline Railway, Duluth." Our third look this week ... Co. glass negative. View full size. Gravity: Duluth's frienemy Beautiful photo and great choice, Dave. Would there ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/03/2018 - 2:20pm -

Circa 1905. "Minnesota Point from Incline Railway, Duluth." Our third look this week at the Zenith City. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. Gravity: Duluth's frienemyBeautiful photo and great choice, Dave. Would there happen to be any side shots of the car? Too much to hope for, I suppose. [Fraid not. - Dave] UpdateWe need an update of these wonderful pictures to see how things have changed. Does the Incline Railway still exist? If not, when did it stop operations. Great shot. Is Detroit Publishing Co. still around or have they been absorbed by someone else? DuluthLike many good movies these pictures sent me googling to learn what I could about this place.. Duluth I had never heard of.. more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world. Largest Finnish population outside of Finland.. a port larger than New York.. the place has quite a history. Like so many American cities it has suffered a precipitous decline due to the decline of our manufacturing base, suburbanization, etc. Nowhere but ShorpyOnce again, Shorpy makes me gasp. Nowhere else would I see such a spectacularly unexpected viewpoint from such an out-of-the-way time and place. The full view has something dreamlike in its details: the figures on the bridge near the railway car, the angles and brilliant white of the house on the right, the rough slabs of rock and the conic rooftop beyond them, the blurred buildings and shipping in the distance... I am almost lost for words (but not quite, as you see). You look familiar.Two people wearing hats peering over the top of the funicular. On the right between the poles. Same as the Radio School building. Something fishy here. Superior Street to Skyline DriveA Duluth Public Library page has two photos and some commentary. It dates the railway from 1891 to 1939. The "Incline" ran uphill from Superior Street at 7th Avenue W. to Skyline Drive. Two sets of tracks were elevated on concrete footings. The cars were pulled by a steam engine at the top. Hi Def imageThanks to the HiDef image - What I thought was birds on a pile of wood in front of the house at the right side of the Railway turned out to be a man either holding a long stick or resting his hand on a rail while a woman and child are exploring the slope near the rocks. The two persons between the crooked poles just about to walk under the railway now, because of the hats, look like ladies on thier way to ride to rail instead of a couple of men out for a stroll. Thank you for the pictures and the opportunity for us to get acquainted with our history and heritage. Duluth SkyrideThere are some other photos that show two cars, and trolley wire over both tracks, and very narrow stations between the tracks. Click to enlarge. so apparently the incline's operation changed over time. Possibly this was before or after the big 1901 fire that destroyed the summit pavilion and sent the flaming car flying down the incline. Another photo from the Duluth Transit site, showing trolley wire on both tracks: The old postcard posted recently shows the single-car operation, with the station platforms bridging the counterbalance car track. One wonders why the trolley wire, since the cable was apparently driven by the head house. In some photos, the poles are down. I suspect the trolley wire just ran the car lighting. The right side of the tracksCan't help but note that the dwellings on the right seem in a tad bit better condition than those on the left. The house in the right foreground, in particular, seems to have a fresh coat of paint and seems to be in much better repair than its counterpart immediately across the tracks. Could also be because it's newer construction, though. Also take note of the utility poles. This was before the advent of the chainsaw, when trees were felled by sturdy men with axes. The poles all sport the telltale wedge-shaped tips made by the blade of an axe. I love this site! Superior ViewWhat I like so much about this picture is the sense of distance. The Incline Railway sets the tone, of course, with its straight lines heading away down the hill. The foreground, with the geometrical black and white shadowing, and the car with the figures, are in clear focus. Look down the line to the docks in the middle distance and you can see the distance haze, with the muted greys. Further off, past the spit of land, the far shore is barely visible at all. Wonderful. CounterbalanceA funicular usually has two passenger cars, cabled together - one goes up when the other goes down. This one just has a dummy car on the left, low enough to fit under the pedestrian bridges. Double the wait times, half the capacity. Detroit PublishingThe company went into receivership around the late 1920s and never recovered. An excellent history of the company can be found here. FunicularsPittsburgh has two funicular railways that are in operation and heavily used. The other well-known funicular is Angel's Flight in downtown Los Angeles, which has been out of service for several years but may reopen at some point. Look What I SawRegarding the comment on the utility poles not having flatly sawn ends (as if by a chainsaw): human-powered saws have existed for hundreds of years. These particular poles were shaped with pointed ends (probably by an ax) so that they would shed snow and rain and therefore not deteriorate as quickly. [There were of course also the circular and band saws found in sawmills powered by water, steam or electricity. - Dave] Side View hereSide view of the incline car from AmityCreek.com Lone sailorIn the midst of all this, see the lone sailboat out in the harbour? If he only knew he'd been caught on camera and seen by us. 7th Avenue West InclineAfter the 1901 powerhouse fire and resulting crash, the incline railway was rebuilt with only one car between 1902 and 1911. More here. Grandma's House!From 1915 to 1960 the white house to the right belonged to my grandmother Clara Oleson Landstrom Magnuson. She was from Sweden and had three boys who all grew up in Duluth. The house is still there, but in horrible shape. My houseThe white house was my home from 1961 to 1972. My 5 children were born there and went to Emerson school; now it's apartments. We were married at St. Peter's church, now closed. Do not live in Duluth anymore but still make a trip up there to visit family. (The Gallery, DPC, Duluth, Railroads)
Duluth: 1905
Duluth, Minnesota, circa 1905. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Familiar ... than 100 years. Armour Foods, Quaker Oats, Coca-Cola, Duluth Paper, both Pabst and Hamm's beer, National Biscuit (Nabisco), probably ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 7:04pm -

Duluth, Minnesota, circa 1905. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Familiar facadesMany of the buildings in this photo still exist. The large stone building in the upper left is the old Central High School, now the Central Administration Building for the ISD. It was built in the 1890s. I wonder if the Pickwick sign is a company associated with the operators of the Old Saloon at the original Fitgers Brewery. This turned into the Pickwick restaurant, which is still in operation. One of the train cars is a Fitgers Beer reefer. Railyard playgroundI find the variety of people and animals hanging around the railyard in almost every photo on here interesting. Here we see a bunch of kids playing around the freight cars. The days before Thomas the Tank Engine! The other day it was free range chickens! Just interesting is all, how different we are today. Hey you kids!Look at all the little boys running around! Plus the barefoot kid on top of the boxcar and his friend down below. Doesn't seem prudent but I bet it was fun. Ol' swaybackSeriously overload gondola car, on our far left. So many still aroundMany of the companies and products seen on signs in this picture are still around after more than 100 years. Armour Foods, Quaker Oats, Coca-Cola, Duluth Paper, both Pabst and Hamm's beer, National Biscuit (Nabisco), probably others. Must be JulyNo snow and the water isn't ice. School TimeThe Old Central High School with its two wings and clock tower was, and remains, a very imposing building. Duluth TodayAs a Duluth resident,I greatly enjoyed this photo! Many of the buildings in the photo are still around - notably the tall-spired one in the left-center. That's the former Central High School. Duluth is undergoing a renaissance today and appreciation of the old buildings, the spectacular setting on Lake Superior and the rugged hills has never been greater! I love living there! Old downtownLooks to be a shot across Main Street in what is today's old downtown section. Houses are built all the way to the top of the bluff today. Note the boatsNot only trains but boats here. A lot to see. American Plan! It's so cool to see this outdated term on a hotel sign. FloatingSeems like the photographer must be situated somewhere on the waterfront. Any ideas on his vantage point? [Many of the Detroit Publishing city views were taken from water towers. - Dave] Duluth & Iron Range R.R.The reporting marks on what appear to be early hopper cars and the much abused gondola are for the Duluth & Iron Range Railroad (predecessor of the current Duluth Missabe & Iron Range). Presumably the ore cars are hauling ore from the Soudan Mine, which makes me wonder if some idiot filled a gondola with iron ore. Probably not though. My guess is that it's an old car filled with stone, coal or clinker. Lake AvenueThe bridge crossing the tracks appears to be South Lake Avenue. The tracks have since been replaced by I-35. The stone building to the left with the clock tower is the (still standing) historic Central High School. Can you spot the cannon?What a great photo, so much going on. I'll keep coming back to this one. Thanks to all who provided the local updates and building identification. Is the cannon still there? AwesomeThanks once again for a picture of my local area. Like others said some of these buildings are still around. Amazing to see this area when it was a real working class place rather than the tourist area it has become. Thanks again Shorpy About face, perhaps?It would be wonderful if, before climbing down, the 1905 photographer had also turned his camera in the opposite direction (east), to capture the sparkling new Aerial Lift Bridge over the just-renovated Duluth Ship Canal. [This photo is part of a six-frame panoramic view. There's a photo of the bridge here. - Dave] FunnyI'm hoping the lumber sash and door place sold better stuff than what was on the building. RecyclingThe cannon was sold as scrap iron in 1942 and was melted down and used during World War II. Because there was so much protest over the sale of the cannon, a flag pole was erected in 1949 on the spot where the cannon stood. Details here. Boy of the North CountryWhere was Bob Dylan born 36 years later? Saved the BestCentral High School Building is fantastic. You could get lost in the details and beauty of this Architecture. Sorry about the cannon, but the Building survives! Railroad NutBecause I am a nut about railroad history, I just love those old railroad cars. Love these Duluth photos!Its hard to believe my grandpa was 16 years old and living in Duluth when these photos were taken. Maybe he's one of those kids playing by the tracks A lonely survivorWho would have guessed that the Tremont, along with its ghost sign, was a survivor? We can fix ol' swaybackThat old gon could be straightened out by adjusting the turnbuckles under the car. Those cars had truss rods supporting them. If it's not too far gone a big wrench and a level will fix it. So Much to See I have one of these panoramas framed in my home. Everytime I look at it I see something new. The tram, the Central Tower, and down by the Steam Plant, which used to be the place to stay away from (bowery area). Wouldn't the photographer be shocked to see Canal Park today! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Duluth, Railroads)
Duluth Again: 1905
Duluth circa 1905. "Minnesota Point from incline railway." Another piece of the Zenith City ... benefit of incline railway riders. Under construction: Duluth's trademark How wonderful to see a photo that captures the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 6:49pm -

Duluth circa 1905. "Minnesota Point from incline railway." Another piece of the Zenith City panorama. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. Written in stoneNote the advertising painted on the rock in the foreground, presumably for the benefit of incline railway riders. Under construction: Duluth's trademarkHow wonderful to see a photo that captures the construction of the first iteration of the bridge linking the City with Minnesota Point, across the ship canal (upper center). The initial version was not the lift span that exists today but rather a rare transporter bridge, with a street-level gondola that moved side-to-side rather than up. World in a frameEach one of these Duluth photos contains an incredible variety of human endeavors, from railroads to ferries to lighthouses to flophouses to cigar factories to Mysterious Ladies In White. Purely wonderful. Thanks again!Amazing shot - No light tower at the end of the pier yet and the lift bridge is not completed in its first form. I'm amazed how many of these buildings are still standing. Thank you for the great shots of the city less than 10 miles from my home. Incline RailroadMy mother's Uncle Nick, who worked many years as a city bus driver in Duluth, started his career as an operator for the incline railroad. As a kid, I didn't have the faintest idea what the "incline railroad" was or whatever happened to it. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Duluth, Railroads)
Duluth Cont'd: 1905
Circa 1905. Our second installment of the Duluth, Minnesota, panoramic series. ... from this angle like a long toboggan chute is actually Duluth's Incline Railway. The author of a photo book on Duluth's history claims ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 7:01pm -

Circa 1905. Our second installment of the Duluth, Minnesota, panoramic series. Collect all six! Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. So inclinedWhat looks from this angle like a long toboggan chute is actually Duluth's Incline Railway. The author of a photo book on Duluth's history claims that it, too, was dismantled in the thirties and sold to the Japanese as scrap. http://www.cityhistory.us/duluth/photos/photos03.htm e.e. cummings could not be reached for comment. TransportationIs the trestle structure in the upper right related to the short-lived tram or funicular that operated in Duluth? The Union Railroad Depot in the far left middle of the photo near the Selz sign exists now as a museum and arts center. The railroad museum has a nice collection of locomotives and rolling stock. Everything else at that corner is gone. Conveyor Belt? Aqueduct? Does anyone know the function of the long elevated structure running diagonally down the hill from the top left of the photo? I'm speculating that it is a conveyor belt used to carry ore to waiting RR cars, but I can't see where it begins or ends. (Maybe it will be shown in another frame of this photo series?) [It's the Duluth Incline Railway. - Dave] Zenith CityThanks for another great shot of "The Zenith City on the unsalted sea"! Mt. EerieHardly a soul on the streets. Almost deserted. Thanks ShorpyThe building on the far left is The Depot -- now a museum, art center and railroad museum. My grandpa used to ride the incline railway to church when he was a kid. He'd walk a few miles to get to the top, ride it down to church and then ride back up to buy a pound of Fig Newtons to eat on the way home. (The Gallery, DPC, Duluth, Railroads)
Zenith City: 1905
Duluth, Minnesota, circa 1905. "Elevators and harbor," along with a view of the Incline Railway and many other points of interest, make up our daily dose of Duluth. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 6:55pm -

Duluth, Minnesota, circa 1905. "Elevators and harbor," along with a view of the Incline Railway and many other points of interest, make up our daily dose of Duluth. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. The Old BallgameAre those guys playing baseball in the lower right? They're spread out like they're playing something very similar. (Click to enlarge.) Let us venture back to a timeWhen Railroads ruled the Earth. Are they birthing Orcs in that roundhouse? The same scene today.Despite all the changes, this scene is still recognizable. Alluring Alliteration "Daily dose of Duluth." Gotta love it. ImprovementsDuluth really looks much, much better today! Rail lineA mid 1880s source cites the "St. P.&D. and N.P. Round House." That's the biggestroundhouse I've ever seen! Any bigger and it wouldn't have a way to bring locos in. Here is a shot of a current Duluth roundhouse from above (Google). Re: The Old BallgameYep. I think we've stumbled onto some Duluth-variety hardball. And from the outfield alignment, we can only guess our batter is not a pull hitter. Baseball?Good catch. Who's on second? This is why we look at the ShorpyAnother truly amazing photo. It's deeply three-dimensional: From the busy shirtwaist lady in the foreground, to the slouchy men hanging out by the steam laundry, to the (obviously) baseball people, to the infernal roundhouse, to the ships in the harbor... Visually they're all stitched together, front to back, by the power poles: you can see individual insulators on the nearest ones, behind the Clarendon Hotel (New!), but they merge into infinity as they march to the shining harbor. This is surely one of Shorpy's best. Apart from the swimsuit girls, of course. Duluth & Iron RangeThe boxcars lower left look like they might have "D.&.I.R." on them. That would make it the Duluth & Iron Range, which merged in 1938 to become the D.M. & I.R. There are some more boxcars above those D&IR ones that look like they might be Great Northern. But the owner of the roundhouse is definitely not clear. Re: What's MissingIndeed, they probably walked to and from work. I grew up in Beech Grove, Indiana, home to a large repair yard for Penn, Penn Central and Amtrak that dates back to 1910 or a little before. In the early '60s it was astonishing to see hundreds of workers in overalls, kerchiefs and the traditional engineer cap (with its distinctive narrow gray striping) as they walked westward down Main Street after work. Each carried a lunch pail and most seemed to have a newspaper under the arm. They would crowd the sidewalks on both sides for several blocks, from a distance looking something like a pair of giant centipedes. Not surprising, Main Street was also lined with taverns which surely enticed many men to stop for a quick beer as they made their way home. Big SkyCan anyone comment on why many of these old photos have so much "head room"? Photographers today compose their shot to get the most matter and keep the sky to a minimum. (Not to mention having to deal with the contrast ratio.) What's Missing!!!If this photo were made today there would be employee cars parked everywhere. That roundhouse surely employs quite a number of people. In 1905 I assume that most folks either walked to work, like the folks walking on the viaduct, or rode the streetcar. There isn't even a horse and buggy to be seen. It does look like there might be a couple of streetcars way down the street. For the birdsI like the big bird house in the back yard of the place across the street from A. Larson's "General Arthur" store, or whatever that says. It looks just as ramshackle as the rest of the buildings. Being on a crookedstump doesn't help -- the eggs'll roll out! Unfortunate use of quotes"The Best" Beer in Milwaukee, eh? For some reason I don't believe you. Why'd you have to use the quotes, huh? The RoundhouseLots of comments about the roundhouse, and it is a big one: 36 stalls if I count right. It's interesting to see photos of such buildings when they were comparitively new as opposed to how they looked by the end of the steam age. Question I have is which railroad did it belong to? Has to be either C&NW or DM&IR, but I can't tell by the locomotives parked nearby as I'm not an expert on either road's power. I'm guessing C&NW, a far larger road who would need a roundhouse of this size. Selz Royal BlueFantastic details. This world of busy, grimy character has a real appeal for me. And what a great opportunity to see newly-painted side-of-building advertising in all its glory. Today one sees mostly faded "ghost" images. Across the way from Miller Beer, Selz Royal Blue was a shoe brand advertised all over the country. This ad in the Arizona Journal-Miner is from 1905. Rices PointThe rail yard is the Northern Pacific Railways's Rices Point Yard and roundhouse. The elevated tracks on the left are Great Northern Railway. Actually, that looks like cricketAs to the ballgame being played at the right, the people don't seem arrayed correctly for baseball, but it looks like it would work for cricket, which, as I understand it, was actually played in parts of the U.S. at the time. [Duluth -- "Cricket Wicket of the Unsalted Seas." - Dave] Iron AgeA portion of the fancy iron railroad bridge off in the distance still exists -- the first truss span -- visible on Google Maps and Street View from the freeway bridge next to it (its concealed by the freeway bridge in the modern view in the first comment). Its the only landmark I can find that exists from the original picture. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Duluth, Railroads)
Devine's Place: 1905
Circa 1905. Our latest installment from the Duluth, Minnesota, panoramic series. ... an ice cold Battle Ax! Battle Ax -- The beer that made Duluth, well, Duluth! Well gosh Now I have an urge to go grab me a chew ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 6:57pm -

Circa 1905. Our latest installment from the Duluth, Minnesota, panoramic series. Anyone for a round of Blatz? Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. That street in the foregroundis probably the kind of place that your mom would tell you to never walk down. Trolley wireI have never seen a trolley wire suspension system like the one in the photo. Maybe there weren't enough wooden poles so they resorted to the iron poles and arches, but it would seem that insulation of the wires from the ground would be difficult. Anyone seen this system in any other Shorpy photos? WonderfulThere are two really superb looking Victorians at the middle horizon that would be well worth a second look. Charles Addams could have been the architect! Grand! Is that Andy's place? I'm buying but ...it'll have to be the hometown Fitgers, or at least the cross-port rival, Superior. I'll take a passon that Blatz. But I could really go for an ice cold Battle Ax! Battle Ax -- The beer that made Duluth, well, Duluth! Well goshNow I have an urge to go grab me a chew of "Mail Pouch." Isn't advertising wonderful? Still standingThe dark church and the Fitgers smokestack are still there in this panorama: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Skyline-Duluth-200603... Now I have a hankering to visit Grandma's Saloon again for old time's sake. It was a day trip from my home town of Minneapolis, but it's a long ways from where I live in Texas now. Sigh. I'm surprisedthat Dave didn't name this photo "(S)hoes and rubbers" but that might have been just a too bit racy. Pleasantly SeedyNotice how The Builder's Supply building in the foreground has a first floor below the road. I wonder if all of the buildings on the other side of the bridge approach - including Devine's Place - at one time had first floor storefronts and then the buildings were modified once the bridge was built. Just a wonderful, wonderful picture. The beer made in Superior...was Northern. Duluth had a couple other breweries besides Fitger's Brewing (Fitger's & Rex Beer). Duluth Brewing & Malting (Royal Bohemian, Stag, Moose & Karlsbrau Beer) & Peoples Brewing (Peoples, Regal Beer, Olde English 600 Stout). All brand are gone except Olde English 600, which still lives on as Olde English 800 Malt Liquor. Battle Axwas a brand of chewing tobacco. If "Mail Pouch" wouldn't turn off chaw customers, why would "Battle Ax"? A complete version of a wall painting, courtesy of Olivander's Flickr site, is below. Well engineeredThe guy who designed the elaborate chimney flu on the building next to the hotel was determined to not let one tiny bit of rain or snow get down into the house. [Achoo. - Dave] Luxe accommodationsIn just a single-block stretch of seven or eight storefronts there are the Scandinavien Boarding House, Zenith Lodging and the Sven (?) Hotel. And they all look a little rough around the edges. I imagine these fine establishments were most often frequented by merchant seamen coming ashore after crossing Lake Superior, before reloading the next day to head back east through the Great Lakes, perhaps all the way to the St. Lawrence Seaway. They were probably a little rough around the edges as well. Great photograph. [The St. Lawrence Seaway didn't open until 1959. - Dave] City GasDuluth must have had a municipal gas system in those days. Above the Blatz building you can see the frame for storage. Norse StreetThis looks like a real Scandinavian street, with the Scandinavien Boarding House, Svea Hotel, Northland restaurant and A.W. Anderson's shop. Maybe that's one of my immigrant great-grandfathers sitting under that awning. I'm curious where the dirt road that goes under the bridge leads to, though. Fire!In the middle left are the ruins of a building that looks like it burned down. Duluth had what this country neededA good 5 cent cigar! Star of DavidI see a Star of David symbol in three locations: on the Blatz Brewery sign, on a storefront just to the right of the Northland Restaurant, and on the side of the large white building at upper left. Was there a significant Jewish presence in 1905 Duluth or does the symbol indicate something else? [In Germany, the hexagram or Bierstern (beer star) was a symbol of the brewers' guild. - Dave] Flimsy trolley polesThe trolley poles are amazingly flimsy. They look like they're made out of steel water pipe. The insulators look about the size of those used for low voltage telephone wires. I can only see one street light (at the right) so it must have been dark at night. I don't think the trolley poles would survive a midnight collision with a hefty Scandinavian dock worker full of Blatz. ChurchvilleI can see at least four steeples in this shot as well as the building with the onion dome might be one (I am inclined to think it's a hospital or a school). Just how much "churchin'" did one town need? Did anyone notice the Coca Cola sign on the left? Also, judging by the size of some of the mansions in town, there was some serious money in Duluth at this time. Stables!Finally spotted a stable! J. Hammel & Co, sale and exchange stables. Would love to see a close up of it or other stables from long ago for that matter! Points of interestThe large white building with the Star of David at the left edge of the photo is the local Orthodox synagogue in Duluth, still standing and in service. The onion dome sits on top of the Masonic Temple Opera Building, built in 1889 on Superior Street. The dome was later removed so as not to "mock the Classic purity of the Orpheum Theater" being built next to it on the avenue, according to a local architectural guide. Those trolley polesI saw a couple of comments about the trolley wire infrastructure and I've lived in a city that still has streetcars my whole life, so hopefully I can clear a bit up: The insulators don't look that big in the picture and they don't look that big from the ground either, when you're standing on the sidewalk looking up. The are substantial pieces of porcelain when you're holding one in your hand. Also, they only need to insulate against 600 volts DC, which isn't that high. With respect to the support poles, they're probably painted steel poles. Notice that they are only carrying the span wires and trolley wires above the tracks as well as some DC feed circuits. They aren't carrying nearly as many circuits or heavy objects like transformers that the electric utility poles are. Poles like the ones in the picture have lasted between 60 and 80 years at home. The support poles have to be installed on a slight angle, leaning away from the street, when they're installed because the tension of the overhead wires above the tracks and the span wires supporting them tends to pull the poles in towards the street. If you look closely at the support pole at the far right of the picture on the sidewalk closest to the camera, you can see it bending in towards the street. That suggests that it either wasn't installed correctly or (more likely from the way the pole appears bent) the span wire' tension's much too high... Streetcar wire like that's one thing that hasn't changed much over the last 100 years and the stuff hanging above the tracks a block from where I'm writing this looks the same in 2009 as it does in the picture from 1905. A Battle Ax in Indianapolishttp://www-lib.iupui.edu/static/exhibits/circle/exhibit3_1.html While on an entirely different expedition, I just came across another old photo showing a 'Battle Ax' mural, right here in my hometown. Thought I'd share... http://www-lib.iupui.edu/static/exhibits/circle/exhibit3_1.html Did the streetcar company have one of these?I've just come back from holiday in Greece. Trams and trolley buses are alive and well in Athens and Pireaus. The modern trolley poles look pretty substantial, but here is a delightful 1910 photo (courtesy of the ISAP archives) of a horse drawn tower wagon for inspecting the tram wires on the Pireaus waterfront. The Duluth trolley poles at the right of your picture look very similar to the one on the left of this one and the insulator is indeed very small. I wonder if the Duluth streetcar company had such a handy vehicle? Panoramic Duluth1890s. Click to enlarge. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Duluth, Railroads)
Duluth Panorama: 1898
Duluth, Minnesota, circa 1898. "General view from bluffs." Panorama of two 8x10 ... to be a train station. [Nevertheless, it is the Duluth Railroad Depot , still there.] Daily commute The bridge to Park Point(over the canal into the lake) didn't open until 1905. I guess a short swim in Superior would be invigorating. (Panoramas, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/03/2018 - 6:41pm -

Duluth, Minnesota, circa 1898. "General view from bluffs." Panorama of two 8x10 inch glass negatives, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Building?What is that beautiful building (and its purpose) in roughly the center of the picture in front of the train shed? It seems too elaborate to be a train station. [Nevertheless, it is the Duluth Railroad Depot, still there.] Daily commuteThe bridge to Park Point(over the canal into the lake) didn't open until 1905. I guess a short swim in Superior would be invigorating. (Panoramas, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Duluth, Railroads)
Duluthorama: 1905
Circa 1905. "Duluth, Minnesota." Another view from the Zenith City panoramic series. ... Baseball The other photos in the "daily dose of Duluth" series seem to have more people visible. I only see four people in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 6:53pm -

Circa 1905. "Duluth, Minnesota." Another view from the Zenith City panoramic series. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Camera shy.Duluthians heard they were being photographed, so they went inside. No Trackside BaseballThe other photos in the "daily dose of Duluth" series seem to have more people visible. I only see four people in this shot. Maybe it has something to do with the time of day. Great backdropfor a model train. Great pic! Duluth in the winterThis is actually a nice shot to follow the icy accident photo. In the winter Duluth's steep hills and purposely unplowed side streets re-create the preceding photo many times over each year. Driving in this city during the winter months builds nerves 00 nothing like sliding down a slick road with the icy vastness of Lake Superior below. No-one outFinlanders don't like their picture taken! (The Gallery, DPC, Duluth, Railroads)
Duluth Panorama: 1905
I had a go at the Duluth 1905 photos posted earlier on Shorpy, using the panorama stitching function in ... 
 
Posted by Lenelg - 01/19/2011 - 10:01am -

I had a go at the Duluth 1905 photos posted earlier on Shorpy, using the panorama stitching function in Photoshop. I reduced the original photos to 50% size, and used the cylindrical projection option. Post processing includes improving contrast (a gradient map adjustment layer) and a small amount of high pass sharpening. View full size. A fine marriage of old and new!This is an outstanding piece of photo restoration that goes far beyond the basics, while in no way compromising the integrity of the source images. Good work spotting this gem hiding among the separate originals. Doubtless the photographer had some vision of assembling these individual photos. Perhaps he wished he a Cirkut Camera for this shot, and was improvising as best he could. What a surprise this ripple-free realization would be! I have looked fruitlessly through countless of my old images for such accidental panoramas. Sad to say I lacked such anticipatory vision as this. But oh, I do like this shot! Thanks for the effort. ["The photographer" was the Detroit Publishing Company. - Dave] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
William E. Corey: 1905
South Chicago, 1905. "Steamer William E. Corey , stern view on the ways." 8x10 inch dry ... install the rudder before they slide it down the ways! Duluth? Not exactly what I think of when I think of shipping hubs. ... was launched by the Chicago Shipbuilding Co. on June 24, 1905. It was the first flagship of the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. of Cleveland. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2011 - 1:11pm -

South Chicago, 1905. "Steamer William E. Corey, stern view on the ways." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Forgot something!Hope they remember to install the rudder before they slide it down the ways! Duluth?Not exactly what I think of when I think of shipping hubs. RidgetownThe Corey is still around, renamed Ridgetown, sunk in 1974 as a breakwall at Port Credit, Ontario. Gone, but not forgottenhttp://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?143633 It ran aground 5 months after launchThe $475,000 William E. Corey was launched by the Chicago Shipbuilding Co. on June 24, 1905. It was the first flagship of the Pittsburgh Steamship Co. of Cleveland. The steamer ran aground on a reef in western Lake Superior in a severe storm on November 28. She was salvaged and repaired at a cost of $100,000. After years of operation and several structural changes, the William E. Cory was sold to Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd., a British company, in 1963 and renamed the Ridgetown. It was operated regularly until near the end of 1969. The Ridgetown was sold to the Canadian Dredge & Dry Dock Co. in 1970. It was eventually towed to Nanticoke, Ontario, and loaded with stone to settle as a temporary breakwall. It was later refloated, towed to Port Credit Harbor in early summer 1974 after wintering at Toronto, and again loaded with stone and sunk as a breakwater. She is presumably still there. This is a pic of her taken in 1997. TexturesNoticed that the building on the right seems have had another structure to its left, you can see what appear to be an outline of it. Taken down to make room? And I wonder if the exterior stair on that building was the only way to get to the upper level? Still not sure if I'd wanna be wandering around under the "Corey' while she's only held in place by those pieces of wood. If it did let go, those chaps on the opposite side would get a royal drenching! Lower East SideWow, I've been here. Near 98th street right? I think this is now a tug boat yard. 1905 - 1970William E. Corey (1905) Later names Ridgetown (1963) Builder: Chicago Shipbuilding Company South Chicago, Illinois Year Built: 1905 Launched: June 24, 1905 Type: Bulk freighter Completed: August 1905 Fate: June 21, 1974 Sunk as breakwater. Location: Port Credit, Ontario, Canada. 43.32N - 79.34W Dimensions, machinery and performance Length: 569' Engines: 1 Triple expansion Beam: 56' Boilers: 2 Scotch Marine (coal fired) Draft: 19' 6" Shafts: 1 Gross Tons: 6,363 HP: 1,800 IHP Speed: 10 knots Funnels: 1 Masts: 2 Construction notes 1937 rebuilt, 6,485 GRT 1937 Babcock & Wilcox water tube type boilers fitted. Maiden voyage. Nov. 28, 1905: Grounded in storm at Gull Island Reef in the Apostle Islands, Lake Superior. Refloated on Dec. 10, 1905. June 1970: Sunk as breakwater at Nanticoke, Ontario, Canada. Later raised. Corey / RidgetownGoogle satellite indicates that she's still there. No streetview, but many photos of her on the site. There are large signs warning against boarding her, as seagulls have her thoroughly contaminated. The rudder was probably left off to prevent damage during side launch, and installed later. Otherwise, rudders are clamped full over for side launch. The battleship posted a couple days later has a wooden clamp on her rudder for the stern launch. Drydocking is very expensive and time consuming, so a great deal of underwater work such as hanging a rudder or propeller blade is done either by divers, or by ballasting one end and pumping out the other. Freighters have multiple large ballast tanks to allow any trim condition. View Larger Map (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Chicago, DPC)
Aerial Bridge: 1908
Duluth, Minnesota, circa 1908. "Aerial bridge car, Duluth Ship Canal." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing ... ferry, or transporter bridge, and was originally built in 1905. When it was completed in 1905, the Aerial Bridge's gondola had a capacity ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 6:47pm -

Duluth, Minnesota, circa 1908. "Aerial bridge car, Duluth Ship Canal." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. UnbelievableJust how rare is such a bridge. That's quite amazing! Wonder how it is if there's a good, strong wind blowin'! High and the MightyWhat a tremendous amount of engineering for such a small passenger load. I've never seen anything quite like this. You'd think it would have been much, much easier to have engineered a drawbridge. I'm especially charmed by the whimsical little paddle wheels. Were they there to make queasy passengers, used to sidewheel ferries, more comfortable during their aerial passage? [The faux paddlewheels turn the cables that move the car. - Dave] About this bridge:This bridge began life as an extremely rare transporter bridge—the first of just two such bridges ever constructed in the United States and what you see in this picture. This type of span, which is known variously as an aerial transfer, ferry, or transporter bridge, and was originally built in 1905. When it was completed in 1905, the Aerial Bridge's gondola had a capacity of 60 short tons and could carry 350 people plus wagons, streetcars, or automobiles. A trip across the canal took about one minute, and the ferry car moved across once every five minutes during busy times of the day. However, a growing population on Minnesota Point, a greater demand for cars, and an increase in tourism soon meant that the bridge's capacity was being stretched to the limit. The bridge was upgraded in 1929–30 to the current lifting design and continues to operate today. A quick look at the New Duluth Bridge A much cleaner design. The entire center section travels up and down with the roadway. Another oneSited in Middlesbrough, England. This one is still working too. So few remainThis one in Rochefort, France, Europe is still operational. They built them at a time and in places when they still had to fit sailing ships underneath but were not yet able to build or pay for high rise regular bridges, or traffic load didn't warrant the expense of such a bridge. Films with Transporter BridgesThe transporter bridge in Rochefort, France can be seen at work in Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, and the one in Newport, Wales can be seen at work in Tiger Bay. A system like that gets close to the boundary of being recognisable as a bridge. It could plausibly have been called a "low-slung cable car" or a "suspension ferry." Cape Cod Canal Railroad BridgeThis is the railroad bridge over the Cape Cod Canal, maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers and in continuous operation since built sometime in the early 20th century. As a child, I always wondered how the trains got up there, despite having traveled over the bridge in a train at canal level. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Duluth)
Great Northern: 1905
... of the past few days with this ultra-detailed circa 1905 view of the Zenith City. Detroit Publishing. View full size. Ideal ... are great! I live in the Twin Cities and get up to Duluth every couple of years. Many of the old buildings are still there, so it ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 6:51pm -

We're making up for the Duluthlessness of the past few days with this ultra-detailed circa 1905 view of the Zenith City. Detroit Publishing. View full size. Ideal Beer Hall.As if there could be a bad beer hall. Go-togethersPaine and Nixon. I ExcelI see that the Thompson Produce Co. is a proud purveyor of the "IXL" brand of foods. Originally an Australian fruit and jam company, IXL was later bought out by Smuckers, and then by Coca Cola. Evidently the brand name was a play on the owner's personal motto of "'I excel in everything I do'. IXL? OU812! I love the detail in this oneWhat strikes me is that there's so much commercial activity in relation to the number of residences. Was the main residential area behind the photographer? [Only if you're a fish. - Dave] Todas las casitas iguales. Todas mirando para el mismo sitio.Es impactante la persistencia de un módulo específico de edificación y la consistente orientación de casi todas las fachadas. Otra cuestión, este trozo, ¡parece un barco fluvial! Gracias Shorpy. These are great!I live in the Twin Cities and get up to Duluth every couple of years. Many of the old buildings are still there, so it would be fun to find a current panorama of the city and make some comparisons. The ones I can find are shot from up high out toward the harbor. Superior SlabsThe slabs in the railcar would have been locally quarried Wisconsin brownstone, which was in vogue at the time. There were a number of brownstone quarries operating along the Lake Superior shore. Variety of rolling stockNot many railcars are visible in this picture, but there's quite a variety: regular boxcars, coal cars, refrigerator cars, flat cars carrying logs, flat cars carrying what look like cut stone slabs, and even a livestock car. Deja vu all over againThe swaybacked coal car returns. This time one of the kids has jumped on top of the coal. The other is on the roof of the boxcar. Well, Professor Harold Hill's on hand...Is that a brass band walking along the tracks, front and center? Looks like the 2 lead walkers are carrying baritones or euphoniums. And further along to the left is a man carrying what might be a tuba. Re: Well, Professor Harold Hill's on hand...A lot of organizations had brass bands in the 1890s, so I wonder if this is someone returning from "Northern Pacific Brass Band" practice. But I don't see enough instruments to make up the full band, so maybe this guy retreated to the rail yards to practice, where any bad noises would be drowned out by the trains (kinda like when my brother was learning bagpipes and he was banished to the basement to practice.) Horse on the roofIs that a horse on the roof of the Minnesota Candy Kitchen? [It's on the street. - Dave] A trip to the candy storeExcerpts From "Panders and Their White Slaves" By Clifford Griffith Roe, 1910, pages 29 & 30: The case of the girl from Duluth, Minnesota, which I recalled during the trial of Panzy Williams, came to the notice of the courts December 15, 1906...Morris Goldstein, alias Leroy Devoe, in the latter part of 1906, met Henrietta B__ in front of the St. James Hotel in Duluth, Minnesota. Goldstein approached the girl and said: "Good-evening. Where are you going?" The girl told him that she was going home. He answered: "Well, can't I talk to you a little?" The girl said, "I don't know you." He then explained that he was the manager of a play and would like to get some more girls for his company... He made an appointment to meet her on the second night after that at Second Avenue and Superior Street, near the Roller Rink. The rest of the story I quote in the girl's own words. "I met him that night at the appointed place and he walked home with me. On the way home he talked about the play and asked me if I had ever had any experience. He said nothing out of the way that night and I then made an appointment to meet him the next Saturday night at the Minnesota Candy Kitchen at six-thirty p.m. I had told my folks that I was to meet the manager of a play before I left home Saturday..." PuzzlingI would love to see a puzzle made out of this picture. It would be intense. Pile DriverThey must have run out of pilings for the pile driver as I see no smoke or steam coming from the hoisting engine. Nice Duplex pump beside the hoisting engine. Groceries Wholesale & ConsumerWere those windows punched out after the sign was there, or...? I can't come up with another explanation for the placement of that sign. A nice townOh how I hate driving up that hill in the winter. Coming down it in the spring, summer, and fall is another story, though. Driving down you get a great view of the lake and will often see boats. During the shipping season you see a lot of bulk carriers, which we usually just call ore boats, even though they sometimes carry other things. They're thousand-footers that look dwarfed by the vastness of the water, but so big for a lake all at the same time. Northern Minnesota, especially along Lake Superior, is such a beautiful part of the country and I feel blessed to live here! Directions to DuluthFor those who've wondered at there being no people around, and how gritty everything looks, you're looking at the south end of a city facing north. In downtown Duluth the streets go east and west, and the avenues go up and down the hill. In the six photos of the panorama on Shorpy (so far I've found four), west is to the left and east is to the right. The viaduct in the far right of "Duluth 1905" is Lake Avenue, which is the starting point for the numbering of avenues. The Union RR Depot at the left edge of "Duluth Cont." (just left of the "SELZ" sign) is on Fifth Avenue West and Michigan Street. The row of buildings between the two face Michigan Street, but you are looking at the backs. One block up the hill is Superior Street, the main drag of downtown. That's where all the people are. I'm another RR fan, fascinated at the rolling stock. Coal was the principal heating fuel and it was everywhere. When in doubt presume a gondola is filled with coal. Like so many other cities, Duluth had its industry concentrated at water's edge for transportation. After Ike's Interstate Highway system developed, the city needed to spend many years cleaning up the coal dust on the waterfront for the tourism industry. Ideal Beer HallI have a puff piece newspaper article on the opening of the Ideal Beer Hall. They carried "Bud." It was supposed to be a classy place. My g-grandfather's brother had a sleazy saloon downtown, but it was on the avenue and can't be seen. Drat. It's probably too long to post here. I'll find a place to post it and get you a link. (The Gallery, DPC, Duluth, Railroads)
Strange Span: 1907
Circa 1907. "Aerial bridge. Duluth, Minnesota." Suspended Car Transfer over the Duluth Ship Canal. The gondola could carry 60 tons of cargo across the 300-foot ... Any suggestion is welcomed! [News articles from 1905 describe the "aerial ferry" as being electrically powered. - Dave] ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 3:19pm -

Circa 1907. "Aerial bridge. Duluth, Minnesota." Suspended Car Transfer over the Duluth Ship Canal. The gondola could carry 60 tons of cargo across the 300-foot channel with minimal obstruction of the shipping lane. After modification for service as a vertical lift, the span became known as the Aerial Lift Bridge. 8x10 dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Les Demoiselles des RochefortThere's a bridge just like this in the marvelous opening sequence of the 1966 Jacques Demy movie "Les Demoiselles des Rochefort." Technicolor and dancing; it's really something to see. TodayThe same bridge, now modified as a vertical lift. Note the navigation light tower is still there are are the spires at the top of the towers. More of the sameThere are two such bridges here in the UK. The one at Middlesborough is still operational, while that at Newport is closed for repair. WowI have lived near Duluth almost my entire life and this is the first time I've ever seen a good picture of it, before it was converted. It is the symbol of the city - Thanks Shorpy! Pont transbordeurYes, only one Aerial Lift Bridge (pont transbordeur) still remains in France. It is at Rochefort on the Charente River. Images 1: Bernezac Images 2: Structurae But the most famous french one is that of Marseille which was destroyed in 1944 during WWII. Don't forget also the Biscaye Bridge in Spain. Great picture, Dave! Do you have such great pictures about the old Duluth Incline (1891-1939) which was going up to the Beacon Hill Pavilion? Paging Mr. FerrisReminds me of a Ferris wheel and it's only marginally more efficient in moving cargo... Steve Miller Someplace near the crossroads of America SchwebefähreI believe the only construction of this kind that moves under an actually used bridge is this one from 1911 (incidentally in my hometown of Rendsburg, Germany) I heart Shorpy! Aerial Bridge GondolaI was wondering how the gondola moves. After doing some research I found this photo (click to enlarge): What was the energy to move these two vertical cables? Steam engine? Electric engine? Where was located the engine? How it was possible to turn these two lateral pulleys? Any suggestion is welcomed! [News articles from 1905 describe the "aerial ferry" as being electrically powered. - Dave] (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Duluth)
Buffalo: 1905
Buffalo, New York, circa 1905. "Looking up Main Street. Steamer North Land at Long Wharf." 8x10 inch ... at 1 p.m.; the ‘North West’ goes to (3 days) Duluth (comp. p. 372), and Chicago passengers must change at (1½ day) ... to Mackinac Island, $8.50; to Sault-Ste-Marie, $10.75; to Duluth $17.00. These steamers are admirably appointed in every way and afford ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 7:17pm -

Buffalo, New York, circa 1905. "Looking up Main Street. Steamer North Land at Long Wharf." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Splendid New SteamshipBuffalo Enquirer. January 5, 1895 SAFELY LAUNCHED. The New Northern Steamship, NORTH LAND, Launched in Cleveland. A Sister Ship to the NORTH WEST and Similar in Construction and Equipment.         Cleveland Jan. 5. -- The splendid new steamship NORTH LAND was successfully launched at 2:30 this afternoon at the shipyards of the Globe Iron Works.         As the launching signal was given by Miss Gertrude Hanna, daughter of President M. H. Hanna, cheers went up from the thousands who had gathered to watch the great vessel slide into the water. The christening ceremony over this magnificent steel vessel, now the finest on the lakes, was performed by Mrs. F. P. Gordon, wife of the Assistant General Manager of the Northern Steamship Company. For the purpose a large platform had been built under the bow of the big vessel, and here the traditional bottle of wine was broken by Mrs. Gordon. The boat was launched sidewise, room being insufficient for a direct plunge.         The new vessel, which, both the Globe Company and the steamship people say is the finest that ever left these yards, dropped gracefully into the water amid repeated cheers of the crowd. The launching was carried out successfully, and now the Northern Steamship Company has two exclusive steel passenger steamboats, the best constructed and speediest vessels on the lakes.         The NORTH LAND is quite similar in beauty of design and in elegance of interior construction to the NORTH WEST. The Globe Company had the advantage of the experience gained in the building of the sister vessel, the NORTH WEST, and have made some improvements over what was last year supposed to be pretty nearly perfect in the way of construction. As one of the representatives of the steamship company said, the builder made improvements just as an architect is able to do when he builds a second house. He can learn to perfect his work after the first production. This experience has assisted the company in another way; it has enabled them to have the new steamer ready for launching 30 days earlier than last year.         This morning the Globe Iron Works were inspected by the officials of the Northern Steamship Company and the representatives of the Buffalo, Cleveland and Detroit newspapers, guests of the steamship company. At these works are built a great many vessels for lake traffic, and the facilities for the purpose are unexcelled. The works are among the largest industries in Cleveland, and employ a large number of men.         The NORTH LAND, which was launched today, is built of steel throughout, and its hull has been strengthened and subdivided through transverse and longitudinal bulkheads into numerous water-tight compartments. Strength and safety were as much requisites in building the vessel as are speed and comfort. The hull is of novel design, and is constructed around the shafts, giving as little resistance as possible, and also great strength.         In general the dimensions of the NORTH LAND is 383 feet over all, 360 feet between perpendiculars, the molded breadth is 44 feet, and depth 26 feet.         The interior arrangements of the boat are as fine as money and excellent taste can make them. Electricity is used in lighting, and one might fancy he was in the parlor of some elegant private residence on terra firma. Mahogany has been largely used in the wood work. I love the SteamerI admire the photo and I love the "North Land" at first sight. As i read about the steamer a little bit and I know she has an interesting story. The steamer was built in 1895 by (as we all see) the Northern Steamship Company. Mark Tawin wrote about her, whilst travelling on his own tour of America: "All that has been said of this fine ocean ship on the Great Lakes is not exaggerated." "North Land" operated between Chicago and Buffalo, from June through late September. In 1919 she was sold and cut into two pieces at Buffalo and was towed to Montreal, Quebec. Plans to convert and operate her as an ocean liner or troop ship never materialized. She lay in her dock until 1921, when she was dismantled and scrapped. Unfortunately. Admirably Appointed The United States with an Excursion into Mexico, Handbook for Travellers, by Karl Baedeker. 1904. 46. From Buffalo to Chicago. e. By Steamer. It is possible to go the whole way from Buffalo to Chicago by water, through Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan, without change of steamer. — The ‘North Land’ and ‘North West’, the two magnificent steamers of the Northern Steamship Co. (each 386 ft. long, of 5000 tons burden, and accommodating 500 passengers), leave Buffalo (wharf at foot of Main St.) every Wed. and Sat. in summer at 8 p.m. (central time). The — The ‘North Land’ goes through to Chicago, which it reaches on Sat. at 1 p.m.; the ‘North West’ goes to (3 days) Duluth (comp. p. 372), and Chicago passengers must change at (1½ day) Mackinac Island. Through-fare to Chicago $13.50, berths extra (to Mackinac from $3 up). Luggage up to 150 lbs. is free. Fares to Cleveland, $2.00: to Detroit, $4.75; to Mackinac Island, $8.50; to Sault-Ste-Marie, $10.75; to Duluth $17.00. These steamers are admirably appointed in every way and afford most comfortable quarters. BeautifulAmazing view of Buffalo in its prime. You can see several landmarks that are still standing, including the Ellicott Square Building, and the old post office (now ECC city campus). Looking forward to more photographs of Buffalo! She's YarHow beautiful she is. It's a shame old ships and old buildings don't live forever. 1895-1921Built in 1895 by Globe Iron Works of Cleveland, Ohio for the Northern Steamship Company. One of two sister-ships. Originally built with three funnels. By 1910 she had new boilers and two funnels as shown in this picture. In 1905 was running a passenger service between Buffalo and Chicago. The North Land had been built to undertake the round voyage between Buffalo and Duluth in a week and her owners, the Northern Steamship Company, became the first to introduce seven day cruises. Scrapped in 1921. ElegantGrowing up in Western New York State, I passed through Buffalo many times. I've always loved the graceful lines of those Lake steamers. They had to be a little narrow to get through the Welland Canal, which enabled them to bypass Niagara Falls (the direct trip was a little precipitous). Just about all gone now. Like ghosts. Sherwin WilliamsI didn't realize the Sherwin Williams logo was that old. I figured maybe 1940's or 1950's. It's changed in 100 yearsI live in buffalo and looking at this is a bit odd. Most of what you see there was torn down to make room for RT5 and the I190. First, that's not Main Street anymore, it's looking east down Church Street. The new Main Street would start around were the tall flagpole is, I think. The large white building to the right of the street looks like the Ellicott Square building (completed 1896, the largest office building at the time). The large tower to the right of that is the old post office, now Erie Community Collage. The problem is it should be closer to the Ellicott Square building. The steeple to the left of the street is Asbury Delaware Methodist Church. Now it's the home of Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center. The clock tower left of that is the old town hall. SpiresSadly, I've never been to Buffalo. There are a number of interesting church spires in this photo. Do any of them still exist? Map linkThe street centered in this photograph is indeed Main Street. A map from 1894, depicting the buildings along the left side of the photograph and along Main Street up to Seneca can be found here. The trapezoid shaped building with the large overhangs is the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western passenger station. It is Main streetTo David_T It looks strange to you because it is in fact Main Street. Then the location of the landmarks make sense. For example, the Ellicott Square building is on Main street. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Buffalo NY)
Sault Ste. Marie: 1905
Michigan circa 1905. "Sault Sainte Marie Canal celebration. Reviewing stand and Indian ... Michigan and Essex. The Michigan, renamed Wolverine in 1905, was launched in 1844 as a sidewheeler. The Essex was launched in 1876 as ... in Erie, PA, and the wreck of the Essex does exist in Duluth, MN. See the work of Maritime Heritage Minnesota for more on Essex; we ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/27/2019 - 3:23pm -

Michigan circa 1905. "Sault Sainte Marie Canal celebration. Reviewing stand and Indian village." Dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. GunshipsThese two vessels are Navy gunships -- the U.S.S. Michigan and Essex. The Michigan, renamed Wolverine in 1905, was launched in 1844 as a sidewheeler. The Essex was launched in 1876 as a full rigged propeller steamer. Neither vessel survives. I'll betMany a pocket was picked that day. Dense crowds with plenty of teepees to duck behind. The Soo!Yes that is correct English. You can look it up! Colorful CelebrationThe Semi-Centennial Celebration, held on August 3, 1905, was evidently a very big deal. A commemorative book and history of the St. Mary's Falls Canal was published in Detroit in 1907 by the Semi-Centennial Commission, with this color frontispiece. Hats!You just never left the house without a topper. Any Shipshape Shorpsters...know anything about these ships? It looks like they are powered by steam and sail. Ahead of their timeNot only are the three young men walking toward us across the field flaunting flouting convention by going hatless, the lad on the left is clearly talking on a cell phone. First Class TravelThere are some baby carriages to die for on the right. Wave to the Canadians across the riverThat's Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada in the background. The clock tower of the Post Office (now the Sault Ste. Marie Museum) at Queen and East Streets is visible above the dory on the ship on the left. Slice of AmericanaWhat a terrific photograph for studying faces. The Indian LodgeIt is possible that not every Shorpy reader has had the privilege of camping in a tipi. Since I have done so at Mountain Man rendezvous, I can attest to the superiority of this ingenious abode. The lodges shown in the picture are canvas, which replaced buffalo hide covers once supplies became available in the 1850's. The upper right lodge shows evidence of much use, judging by the well-smoked top. Although it can be a considerable source of amusement to watch several inexperienced men erect a lodge, with experience the poles can be erected, canvas wrapped, and all tied down in no great length of time. Although mountain men of yore spent much of their time sleeping outdoors or under simple shelters, the man with an Indian wife and lodge lived in comparative luxury. Sheltered from wind and rain, gathered around a flickering fire, coffee or food cooking, lounging at ease with possessions hung from the poles at a convenient height, life is good. As they eyes go heavy and sleep is sought in blankets or buffalo robes, the final sight is the night sky as seen through the smokehole with its welter of poles. As may generally be known, the doorway is traditionally oriented to the east to catch the morning sun, by which we can infer this picture was taken in mid-afternoon, and the two flaps are directed by their poles to point downwind to encourage smoke to leave the lodge, or in the worst weather, to close up the smokehole. The circle of lodges with openings pointed inwards, as seen in movies were a director's artistic pretension. And of course, we now know where the lodgepole pine got its name. SteamshipsGreat picture, thanks! The ships in the foreground look rather older than 1905, but ships on the Great Lakes often live a long time because fresh water doesn't rust them as quickly as seawater. The one on the left is rigged as a schooner, the one on the right as a barque, but they obviously have main propulsion by steam with the size of the rig reduced because in light winds the iron tops'l would be doing the work. Note that sails are not bent except for the schooner's mizzen, but smoke is coming from the schooner's funnel. Maddeningly, the name of the schooner can be read easily -- but only the first 4 letters, GLOR, the rest obscured by bunting decorations. Perhaps GLORIANA, or GLORY? There was a sailing yacht by the former name in this period but she was totally different, it couldn't be the same one. Note the huge steering wheel on top of the barque's bridge and what is almost certainly a polished brass binnacle next to it. Among 19th C. sailors it was considered unseamanlike to steer a vessel from an inside station while under sail because the helmsman had to respond promptly to wind changes. There is a glassed in pilothouse on the level below that was doubtless used more often when under steam. The schooner is a side wheeler -- you can make out part of the paddle box -- but the barque is evidently equipped with the more "modern" propeller. On the right background there is a handsome steam yacht that looks like it could have been new or very recent in 1905. Hats! Hats! Hats!A picture like this makes you wonder how many milliners have fallen by the wayside. The TepeesThe Tepees were part of a "historical" demonstration purportedly showing the descendants of the Ojibwe Indians who lived on the site before being driven off my the white settlers. A troupe of Indians were brought in by Louis Oliver Armstrong, a Canadian, who was a minister and self-styled "expert" on Native lore and history. He worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway and was a proponent of opening the west to settlement. He was involved in mapping the west and eventually moved into filmmaking, which started with movies in the early 1900s designed to entice European settlement in the Canadian west. It was L.O. Armstrong who turned the tale of Hiawatha into a play and spread the mythic appeal of the story. This led to the wide fascination with all things "Red Man." He assembled several troupes of Indian actors - Ojibwe from the Garden River Reserve (which is near Sault Sainte Marie) and Mohawks from Kanewakhe, near Montreal. They put on tableaus, plays and did reenactments based on real historical events. However, because their traditional costumes often didn't register as "authentic" with the public, they were put into more theatrical costumes (buckskin and feather headdresses of the Plains Indians and used tipis instead of the traditional shelters of the area they were supposed to be representing. In this case, we see Plains Indian tipis, not the wigwams of the Ojibwe (dome-shaped structures made from saplings, bent wood, covered with bark and skins). The irony is that a good number of the crowd appear to be native, themselves, and are as well dressed as any other European in the crowd. May of them are the descendants of the Indians the troupe are supposedly depicting. Not the EssexFrom the comments section above: The vessel in the rear of the photo is not the USS Essex, she is the USS Yantic. We know this for many reasons; what little of the beak head can be seen is the Yantic (vertical slats vs scroll work on the Essex) and Essex wasn't painted white until after 1910. Also, depending on when this photo was taken, USS Michigan became USS Wolverine on 17 June 1905; so, if this photo was taken after that precise date, she is the Wolverine. She is not Gloria - that is a flag flying in front of the vessel and not her name. Her name would be on her stern. Also, parts of the Wolverine have survived in Erie, PA, and the wreck of the Essex does exist in Duluth, MN. See the work of Maritime Heritage Minnesota for more on Essex; we have digitized all her known logbooks and have been monitoring the wreck's condition yearly. USS Essex is the only known example of the work of shipbuilding Donald McKay known to exist anywhere in the world and the wreck of the Essex is on the National Register of HIstoric Places. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Native Americans)
Park Hotel: 1905
Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, circa 1905. "Park Hotel." An interesting cast of characters in less than parklike ... to the Eagle Transfer Company, who held a concession with Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway. It might not look parklike to us, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 4:21pm -

Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, circa 1905. "Park Hotel." An interesting cast of characters in less than parklike surroundings. Detroit Publishing. View full size. VacancyThe Soo still has a lot of old buildings, but this one was torn down in 1972. In the early 1900s, most people came to the Soo via ship and occasionally rail, and most if not all hotels were down by the river. Today there are only a few still hanging on for the tourists, and most motels are franchises up on the business spur near the highway and fast food. Grain Belt export?Seems a long way from home in Minneapolis for 1905. [Minneapolis Brewing Company operated a regional network of brewhouses, bottling plants and storage depots. By the turn of the century, Grain Belt could be had from Michigan to Montana. - Dave] That hot, stuffy gable roomIf it's not a "box room" (the name is self-explanatory), it might well be a room for servants, cooks, and/or staff. The rooms closest to the roof are always the least desirable, and thus relegated (even today) to the help. After all, the workers aren't supposed to be in their rooms very much anyway! What I'm wondering about is the collection of courtly, retired, mustachioed gentlemen on the porch. In the winter, would they gather in a public parlor with a coal stove? They all look as if they could easily reminisce about the cold and muddy bivouacs they endured "tenting tonight on the old camp grounds" during the Civil War. Gable RoomThese old buildings (of course it wasn't old then) always have what I call "fun" or "mysterious" rooms jutting up out of them that make me wish I knew what they were like inside. In this one it's is the gable room -- that's where I would want to stay if in fact it's a used room and not just a decorative add-on. There can't be much of an attic because the rest of the roof is flat. Transfer? From what? To where?Now here's a picture full of questions. I see two very proper ladies in waiting standing next to one or two gentlemen who "moved." One shoe shine man. Three newsies and one non-newsie. Five gents on the porch. Three drivers and four and a half horses. What I'd like to know is what kind of "transfer" is indicated by the sign over the ladies and the printing on the sides of the coaches. I see rails in the street but no overhead wires. Maybe for horse drawn rail cars? (There is definitely horse evidence between the rails.) Or maybe it's a steam railroad? Have the ladies been brought to this point by one of the transfer coaches and now await a train? Looks like there are short stairs midway down the hotel's hallways where the building addition starts, as the windows don't match up. Add a "grain belt" sign, a mailbox, a fireplug, a decrepit bill on the "telly-pole," the electrified transfer sign, and you have a fascinating scenario. The only thing we don't see is the photographer. Who was he and why was he taking the picture? [There is a big thick streetcar wire overhead. The sign says FREE EAGLE LIVERY TRANSFER (scroll up). The photo is one of many thousands made by Detroit Publishing Company for use as postcards and prints. - Dave] Here It IsI like the sign across the middle of the street that helps you locate the Park Hotel. From the position of the sign, I'd presume that the majority of folks are heading there from the left side of the picture. Interesting. Soo Memories, NOTFunny - I lived in the Soo from '67 to '70 and drank in a hole-in-the-wall bar right next to where Google says the Park Hotel was, but I have no recollection of it. Maybe I should have drunk less. Then again, the Soo was pretty down at the heels back then and the hotel may have been just another derelict building. The Eagle Suffers Little Birds to SingThe sign says EAGLE LIVERY TRANSFER. The wagons belong to the Eagle Transfer Company, who held a concession with Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway. It might not look parklike to us, but the camera was on the edge of a nicely landscaped park overlooking the locks. Plenty of shots exist on Library of Congress site. Acme Inc.That phone pole looks like one of Wile E. Coyote's props, cocked to flatten the Road Runner. Of course that's not how things will turn out. The hotelIt's down at the end of Lonely Street, or was that the Heartbreak? Much in need of a First Class shoe shineEspecially with all the mud, etc., on that street. I shudder to think how shoes shined in a Second Class Manner would turn out! Ghosts of years pastI like the ghostly shoe by the shoe shine sign, very apropos and there are two apparations beside the ladies. I think this should give us pause to slow down in life and watch for photographers so that we don't end up as a blur in the background in the future. Back in '71I was stationed at nearby Kincheloe A.F.B. My buddies and I spent many an evening "painting the town", mosquitoes and snow permitting. I'd sure like to know exactly where this building was so I could search my memories. If it was near the locks and was indeed still standing in 1971 I might remember having seen it. [The Park Hotel was at the southeast corner of Douglass Street (later Osborn Boulevard) and West Portage Avenue, according to this book. - Dave] Transfer LineI'm not familiar with the situation in Sault Sainte Marie, but "transfer" lines almost always referred to omnibus services that ran between the railroad depot and local hotels. The far was usually 25 cents round trip, and typically a traveler was given a token or ticket to use for the return trip back to the railroad depot after his business was done in town. (The Gallery, DPC)
Oops: 1905
Circa 1905. "Chicago Ship Building Co. Repairing a lake carrier after a collision." ... was christened and launched on March 18, 1905 for the Duluth Steamship Co. of Duluth, MN and entered service in April, 1905. The SYLVANIA was involved in a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 10:50am -

Circa 1905. "Chicago Ship Building Co. Repairing a lake carrier after a collision." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. "Confused passing signals"The SYLVANIA was christened and launched on March 18, 1905 for the Duluth Steamship Co. of Duluth, MN and entered service in April, 1905. The SYLVANIA was involved in a collision with the SIR HENRY BESSEMER on June 12, 1905 off of Whitefish Point on Lake Superior as a result of confused passing signals. Pardon me, sir, your capstan is showing.Wow, one of those ship cutaway illustrations, in real life! I love the Lakes and the ships which sail them.This is one way to get to see the innards of a Great Lakes steamship. Another, less destructive way is to visit the Valley Camp museum ship at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The Valley Camp is a rare example of a typical freighter of the sort which plied the Great Lakes (such as the one in the picture above) starting in the early 20th Century. Valley Camp entered service in 1917 and sailed until the late 1960s. Great Lakes freighters are things of beauty. What we see is the resultof a mix-up in passing signals that occurred off a foggy Whitefish Point on Lake Superior during the early morning of June 13, 1905, between the Sylvania and the Sir Henry Bessemer. The Sylvania, loaded with ore, was approaching the Soo with the Bessemer light upbound. The Sylvania received $8,000 in damages. A subsequent admiralty case and its appeal found the masters of both vessels negligent. The Sylvania had entered service only two months before, having been launched at West Bay City, Michigan, on March 18; she returned to service in July. The yard is that of the Chicago Ship Building Company at 100th Street and the Calumet River at South Chicago, the plant that built the second Pere Marquette 18 in ninety days, previously discussed on this site. She had an interesting lifeSunk in June 1967, The SYLVANIA returned to service on October 12, 1967. She sank at the Peerless Cement Co. Dock at Port Huron, Michigan in June of that year after being struck by the Canada Steamship Lines package freight steamer RENVOYLE. she had a few more good years in her. On October 31, 1983, the SYLVANIA was towed out of the Frog Pond by the harbor tugs ARKANSAS and WYOMING. She was handed over to the tug OHIO for delivery to the Triad Salvage Co. at Ashtabula, Ohio arriving there on November 1st. Dismantling was completed there in 1984. Thus ended 78 years of service. Ironically the SYLVANIA, the first built of the 504 foot class bulkers, was the last survivor of that class. During her career with Columbia Transportation, the SYLVANIA had carried over 20 million tons and netted over $35 million. There is a picture of her on the bottom at one of the great lakes web sites. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Chicago, DPC, Railroads)
American Steel: 1910
... came on September 14, 1915, when, just seven miles out of Duluth with a wheat cargo bound for Toledo, the Onoko sprang a leak on Lake ... Stmr. Onoko Washington Post, Jun 6, 1905. Great Lake Cargoes. Immense Growth of Steamers on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2012 - 7:20pm -

Cleveland, Ohio, circa 1910. "American Steel & Wire Co. plant." Your assignment: Create a diorama of this scene using toothpicks, cotton batting, string and cardboard. Panorama made from two 8x10 glass negatives. View full size. 1882-1915The carrier shown above on the Cuyahoga River is the S.S. Onoko, which found fame as both the world's first iron-hull bulk freighter and as the Great Lakes' largest vessel. Launched on February 16, 1882, at the yards of the Globe Iron Works in Cleveland for a group of investors led by Phillip Minch, great-grandfather of the late George Steinbrenner. At over 300 feet in length, the Onoko established a number of cargo-carrying records in the ore, wheat, and corn trades, and became the paradigm upon which virtually all subsequent Great Lakes freighters would be based. Her end came on September 14, 1915, when, just seven miles out of Duluth with a wheat cargo bound for Toledo, the Onoko sprang a leak on Lake Superior, the flood of icy water causing her boiler to explode. The ship's pumps unable to keep pace, she was abandoned by her crew, who were taken aboard the Standard Oil tanker Renown. A view of the Onoko's final minutes: My ProjectUpon presentation of my assignment, is kerosene an acceptable liquid to represent the Cuyahoga? [Yes! We will also allow the use of Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors. - Dave] Stmr. Onoko Washington Post, Jun 6, 1905. Great Lake Cargoes. Immense Growth of Steamers on the Lakes Amounts to a Revolution. From the Cleveland Leader. The first cargo of the new steamship E.H. Gary, the record freighter of the Lakes, exceeds the greatest load ever before carried on these inland seas by almost as many tons as any Lake vessel had ever floated twenty-five years ago. It was in 1881 that the Onoko, a steamer built and owned in Cleveland, brought down the first load which reached the 3,000-ton limit. Now the record is placed at over 13,440 tons. In the twenty-four years the increase in the largest Lake cargo has been nearly 400 per cent. Taking due account of the time required to handle freight at docks and the average speed of heavy vessels between terminals, it is safe to say that one steamer like the E.H. Gary is equal to six such as the Onoko, the latter was a famous and very profitable boat for many years. The rate of progress indicated by such facts is little less than revolution in the business of the Lakes. It is a development rare even in this age and country. American capacity for handling immense traffic is nowhere more strikingly illustrated than it has been in the traffic which has been built up largely by Cleveland men and Cleveland money, on the most remarkable chain of inland waterways in the world. Coal Age, 1913. Coal Shipping on the Great Lakes by J.W. Chamberlain The first big revolution of bulk-freight carrying on the lakes came with the steamer "Onoko" in 1882, built of iron. Though not the first metal craft on the lakes, it had such an enormous capacity as compared with most wooden vessels that there was a rush for this new type. Older metal crafts had solved few problems, the first of them being the "Merchant," built in Buffalo in 1862. The "Onoko" merely showed the new possibilities in the size; she had two decks and the old-style stanchions to interfere with bulk-freight handling. ... Steamers of this class were derisively called "tin pans" and it was predicted that they would collapse in stress of weather. They did not, however, and soon a further step was taken, all in the interest of less obstructed holds to facilitate unloading bulk freight. The ABC of Iron and Steel, 1915. Transportation of Ore on the Great Lakes By Ralph D. Williams In 1882, a departure from the use of wood as ship-building material was made by the construction of the steamer Onoko, at the Globe Iron Works, Cleveland, of iron. The Onoko was 287 feet long and 38 feet beam, and was for the time being the largest deadweight carrier on the lakes. In 1886 the first steel bulk freighter was built on the lakes — the Spokane, for the Wilson Transit Co., at the yard of the Globe Iron Works, Cleveland. Steel speedily became thereafter the only material used in the construction of bulk freighters. H C Frick Coke Co. BoxcarsThis was the company that belonged to Henry Clay Frick, who as chairman of the Carnegie Steel company was a integral part of the famous 1892 Homestead Steel Strike. As a result of his actions, he was dubbed "The Most Hated Man in America" (Panoramas, Boats & Bridges, Cleveland, DPC, Railroads)
Explorers Club: 1909
... on October 15, 1904. She was launched on March 23, 1905. Built using Maine lumber, the S.S. Roosevelt carried Peary and this ... Baker Wardwell (born 26 July 1899) was living with them in Duluth, Minnesota, working as a laborer in a shipyard where George was working ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/04/2012 - 9:49am -

New York, September 4, 1909. "Crew of Peary arctic ship Roosevelt: First Mate Thomas Gushue (far left), Chief Engineer George A. Wardwell and the men." The Roosevelt sailed in the Hudson-Fulton celebration shortly after this portrait was made. 8x10 glass negative, Bain News Service. View full size. They could use itSomebody pass the Cornhuskers Lotion quick! Met LifeThe nearly-completed Metropolitan Life Insurance Building appears to be in the background just to the left of the air intake (it was completed in 1909). The Ship's Cobblermust be on shore leave. Monster mittsLook at the hands on that first mate. One hand could easily palm a basketball. Uniform GrimeAll are equally dirty. Not a clean shirt or pair of pants anywhere. Is this one day's grime, a week's, a month's? Even the creases seem permanent. Peary-Roosevelt-CrewSame gang? Long-lost Cousin!Arctic explorer Admiral Robert Edwin Peary, Sr. (6 May 1856 – 20 February 1920) designed this vessel, the S.S. Roosevelt, to withstand the extreme conditions of the Arctic. Built with funds raised privately by the Peary Arctic Club, construction of the S.S. Roosevelt began at a small shipyard on Verona Island, Maine, on October 15, 1904. She was launched on March 23, 1905. Built using Maine lumber, the S.S. Roosevelt carried Peary and this crew on their successful 1909 expedition to the North Pole. My fourth cousin twice removed, Chief Engineer George Arthur Wardwell was born near that Verona shipyard in Bucksport, Maine, on 15 February 1861, and married Carrie E. Baker in Orrington, Maine on 18 Nov 1886. In 1920 their son Maynard Baker Wardwell (born 26 July 1899) was living with them in Duluth, Minnesota, working as a laborer in a shipyard where George was working as an engineer. George A. Wardwell died in his hometown on 3 July 1927 after a long career as a maritime engineer, and he was interred in a small rural cemetery in Bucksport. The photograph below depicts his monument; with him are his wife and parents. The era of wooden sailing ships was rapidly drawing to a close, and after George's death, his son Maynard became a telephone lineman. Back In The DayEvery new Navy recruit always hears sea stories from the old salts. One favorite start to a sea tale is the phrase "Back when the ships were made of wood and the men were made of iron" and these men seem to exemplify those men of iron. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, G.G. Bain, NYC)
Chili in Cleveland: 1905
Lake Erie circa 1905. "Freighters Chili & Wm. Castle Rhodes at Cleveland." After ... + Fairport Lighthouse (lake freighter photos + artifacts), Duluth (a lake boat to tour), etc. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2016 - 8:53am -

Lake Erie circa 1905. "Freighters Chili & Wm. Castle Rhodes at Cleveland." After half a century of service that included a number of sinkings, groundings and collisions, the Chili (renamed the Sarnian in 1913) was scrapped in 1944. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. The ChiliFrom the Great Lakes Maritime Database there is a clearer view of the vessel's name on the wheelhouse. However, the name on the stern still looks like "CHILL" in that pic. also. [There's a period after the "I" -tterrace] It's "THE CHILL"The tail on the 2nd "L" is obscured by the ladder. [Chili. -tterrace] Another Great Lakes vessel databaseThere is at least one other large Great Lakes vessel database. This other one is at Bowling Green State University (Ohio) They appear to complement each other. Their entry for the Chili. The BGSU collection is open to researchers, and it is common for someone with interest in lake boats to spend a day or several days there. Additionally, the marine museum that was in Vermilion OH has moved to Toledo, and includes exhibits and a very nice restored lake boat (ie a large freighter) to tour. Many ports on the Great Lakes have worthwhile marine museums, such as Buffalo (Navy ships), Erie (primarily early sail history, and the Battle Of Lake Erie), Ashtabula + Fairport Lighthouse (lake freighter photos + artifacts), Duluth (a lake boat to tour), etc. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cleveland, DPC)
Whaleback: 1910
... Corp. and then Pittsburgh Steamship Co., it was based in Duluth. This barge was part of a small fleet later sold to Great Lakes ... Michigan. It was badly damaged in a collision in October 1905, between the Soo Locks and Lake Huron. Before it was moved in 1912 from ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/30/2014 - 12:41pm -

Circa 1910. "Whaleback barge entering Weitzel Lock, Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. About whaleback barge no. 131This barge lasted over fifty years, from its delivery in 1893 to its scrapping in 1946. It was constructed by American Steel Barge in Superior, Wisconsin, when that company was under the ownership of the whalebacks' greatest friend, Alexander McDougall. When owned by Bessemer Steamship Corp. and then Pittsburgh Steamship Co., it was based in Duluth. This barge was part of a small fleet later sold to Great Lakes Engineering Works of Ecorse, Michigan. It was badly damaged in a collision in October 1905, between the Soo Locks and Lake Huron. Before it was moved in 1912 from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic coast for use in the New England coal trade, its length was shortened by 31 feet (from its original 292 feet). It was then renamed the Salem. Several decades and name changes later, its service came to an end in Houston. One Whaleback SurvivesThe S. S. Meteor is on display in Superior, Wis. Kodak MomentIt appears that the little girl dressed in her Sunday finest at the lower right is snapping a 'Kodak' of the whale. Clean seams?The seams look welded. 1893 seems early for the process on such a large scale. Any info? What is a Whaleback?Whaleback \Whale"back`\, n. (Naut.) A form of vessel, often with steam power, having sharp ends and a very convex upper deck, much used on the Great Lakes, esp. for carrying grain. Source: Free Dictionary whaleback (ˈweɪlˌbæk) — n 1. something shaped like the back of a whale 2. a steamboat having a curved upper dec Source: Dictionary.com Clean seamsWelded ship hulls started in 1917 or so, so this is way too early. Possibilities are flush rivets with countersinking and simply an optical illusion; the thickness of the plates exceeds the protrusion of the rivets enough that you don't see it. You can see this with many pictures of ships where a close up would clearly show rivets. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
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