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20 Handsome Girls: 1904
... girls. As a youngster entering junior high school in Baltimore, during the late 1950s, I was surprised to find boys and girls were ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/24/2015 - 3:54pm -

1904. "Boys' High School, Philadelphia." Our titillating title comes from the Star Burlesquers billboard far right. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. Bob White - Quail SongWhen the leaves are falling And the quail are calling Bob White! Bob White! Steady, Don - no flushing! Hold, there! Don - you're rushing! Bob White! Bob White! Bang! Bang! Shots are ringing At the covey springing Bob White! Bob White! Come ere the sunshine has kissed off the dew Of the scent laying morn with it's bright Autumn hue Bob White my first love, to thee I'd be true Ah! little quail, I love you. Miss Bob White: An Original American Pastoral Comedy Opera in Three Acts By Willard Spenser That Funky Streetlight !The funky streetlight in the left foreground must be some sort of an arc lamp. It has a counterbalanced arm for lowering the lamp so that the carbons can be adjusted or maintained. The old-time arc lights required a lot more maintenance than an incandescent lamp. Gender segregationAs high schools became commonplace in public education, there were separate facilities for boys and girls. As a youngster entering junior high school in Baltimore, during the late 1950s, I was surprised to find boys and girls were separated in classrooms (boys on one side, girls on the other) and while moving between classes. Perhaps this was due to boys and girls becoming "interested" in one another. The school had separate gym facilities for the sexes. Broad and Green St.A search shows it was at Broad and Green St. and was torn down in 1961. The dome contained a 15 inch telescope. What a place to explore. I wonder what the students thought of it. Observatory atop the towerIn the 1922 Handbook of the school the opening photograph of the building from the Broad Street side (but from a different angle) shows that the dome atop the center tower is not decorative, but served as an observatory. The Handbook also reports that the observatory's original fifteen-inch telescope was ruined (along with most of the tower's apparatus) in a "disastrous fire on March 9, 1905," and a complete rehabilitation of the observatory had yet to occur. Just down the streetFrom the Baldwin Locomotive Works. I thought that observatory rang a bell. Location?It would be nice to know the school's location. As far as I know, it no longer exists. Any info would be appreciated. [A commenter below has identified it as Broad and Green Sts. -tterrace] Miss Bob WhiteOn 24 March 1904 the Cornell Daily Sun gave Miss Bob White an All American review. "Miss Bob White" Saturday. "Miss Rob White" Willard Spencer's successful pastoral comedy opera is perhaps the sole example of a work of that kind that ii thoroughly and exclusively American, not oniy as it regards its authorship and production but in theme, treatment and cast. It is thoroughly saturated with the Spirit of the Stnrs and Stripes. Its great success therefore surrounds Mr. Spencer with quite an atmosphere of patriotism. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia)
Local Heroes: 1940
... maroon and gold.) So Uncool In the late 1950s Baltimore, walking around town, or even your own 'hood, in your football togs, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 5:00am -

October 1940. "Football players. Minot, North Dakota." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Wonder if it was a Friday night?Did a bit of poking around this morning on Google Earth, and I think this might be the same spot on Main Street. No Spoiled JocksI'm guessing that in 1940 they were not provided with rides to and from the games but one would think the guy on the right would have taken his helmet off at least to walk down Main Street. Or perhaps they were in a parade or downtown pep rally. Vertical HoldPrecursor to the early 1960s Denver Broncos vertical-striped socks. Yikes. The Three MagiI would guess this photo was taken on the afternoon of October 18, 1940, before the Minot High Magicians lost 28-6 to the Bismarck Demons. Minot High had designated Oct. 18 as "Loyalty Day," involving Homecoming-like events. Going into the game, the Maroon-and-Gold Magicians (or "Magi" for short) were tied with Bismarck atop their division of the East-West Conference. With the possible exception of the next week's game against Williston, this was the only home game for the Magicians in October 1940. (They were only one of four football teams playing in Minot then. The others were the Minot Model High Beaver Kits, the St. Leo Lions, and a college team, the Minot Beavers. It is possible that these were players from one of those teams, but even in black-and white that sure looks like maroon and gold.) So UncoolIn the late 1950s Baltimore, walking around town, or even your own 'hood, in your football togs, was seriously frowned upon by your peers. The guy on the right goes the extra mile, even wearing his hat. Sheesh. [Ever wear a football hat yourself? Just wondering. - Dave] Before GPS"I thought you said the stadium was over here!" VarietyWe've seen a few of Vachon's photos [155. - Dave]; he had an interesting choice of subjects. The high, diorama like shots, then interesting signage and people. Nothing specific, like he looked up and there these three were, just trudging along. Spontaneous reaction shot. Same with the shot of the two kids coming home from school down that snow covered road. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Sports)
Hurricane Slams D.C.: 1933
... Road, just on the Md. side of the Anacostia. If it were Baltimore Ave., then the Indian Queen Tavern would be sitting at the right edge ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/04/2014 - 10:24am -

Washington, D.C., or vicinity. "Flooding." Aftermath of the "Chesapeake-Potomac" hurricane of August 1933, which led to the train wreck seen here a few days ago. Who can locate this water-logged crossroads, with "Goode Shoppe" hot dogs going for a nickel? Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Definitely Peace CrossBut the grade doesn't look steep enough to be Bladensburg Road south of the river. There are people in the distance behind the circular sign, and the water there doesn't seem any deeper than in the foreground. If this is that stretch of the road, the grade is the reason why the American troops dug in there to prevent the British from marching on Washington, leading to the Battle of Bladensburg (200th anniversary coming up next month), which failed to stop them. They were able to break through and burn most of the public buildings in Washington. Getting a pushIt looks like that big Cadillac is getting a push out of the water by a lowly Model A Ford. EnlargedI enlarged/clicked on the image, and see Peace Cross very well. I feel like I am right there, and how cool is that ? I recall Jerry's as a drive in in the early 50's. I grew up in Maryland. I will have to tell my retro buddies about this one. We thrive on such images. Thank you ! The view todayAs best I can tell this is about where the photographer was standing. (Yes, I'm standing suicidally in the middle of Bladensburg Road. Fortunately, Sunday afternoon traffic is light.) Biggest difference is that the road has been diverted slightly to the left and a bank has been created along the river, for flood abatement and to allow for a ramp up to the current bridge. A semi-related rant: I'm not only standing in the middle of the road, but in the middle of the battlefield of the Battle of Bladensburg, which is unmarked. The nearby dueling grounds get a historical marker but not the battlefield, and I'm sure that tens of thousands of people drive up and down Bladensburg Road on a typical day without realizing that they're driving through the middle of the battlefield of one of the pivotal battles of the War of 1812. Bladensburg or Cottage CityI think I spy Peace Cross in the distant background. Full ClassicThat 1933 Cadillac plowing through the water is a full CCCA classic. Hard to tell if it is a V8, V12, or V16, but I'm guessing V12. The Standard of the WorldLovely 1933 Cadillac convertible coupe getting a free wash. Today, it is a full Classic and similar ones sell for 100K plus. In Maryland2Jim is right. The Peace Cross is in the background, so this has to be in Maryland, not D.C. Judging from the distance and angle of the cross, this was taken on Bladensburg Road just beyond the Anacostia River, looking northeast. Jerry's HotdogsYes Bladensburg area, saw the sign on shop for Jerry's. Exact spot where the drive-in was. Rearranged roadsI'm going to have agree with WoodsidePark Bob: this has to be on an old alignment of Bladensburg Road, just on the Md. side of the Anacostia. If it were Baltimore Ave., then the Indian Queen Tavern would be sitting at the right edge of the frame; also, the street is way too wide. There's another clue in the map in that if you look at the current bridge approaches on the DC side, you can see that the current route swings just a little bit to the left before crossing (there's a stub of the old route still there). If you street view in the middle of the intersection along the projection of the old route you get exactly this angle. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Fires, Floods etc., Harris + Ewing)
National Tube Works: 1910
... and Michigan Southern hopper cars in the company of the Baltimore and Ohio units. I wonder what track arrangement got that solitary LS ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 1:32pm -

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, circa 1910. "Furnaces, National Tube Works." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Tube City King's Handbook of New York City, 1892. The National Tube Works Company, the New-York office of which is at 160 Broadway, conducts one of the gigantic industries of the country. It was originally a Boston institution, and the office of its Treasurer remains there. The New-York office is that of its General Manager. Its principal works are at McKeesport, Pa. The establishment there covers forty acres, thirty being occupied by buildings. The product includes every variety of wrought-iron pipe, boiler-tubes, pipes or tubes used for artesian, salt, oil or gas wells, rods and columns used in mining, grate-bars, hand-rails, telegraph poles, gas and air-brake cylinders, drill-rods, Converse patent lock-joint, wrought iron kalameined and asphalted pipe for water and gas works mains and trunk lines, and locomotive and stationary injectors. An important branch of manufacture is that of sap pan iron, kalaineined and galvanized sheet iron, cold rolled iron and steel sheets, and corrugated and curved sheets, for roofs and ceilings. Another speciality is the celebrated "Monongahela" brand of Bessemer, mill and foundry pig-iron. The company finds a market for its goods not only in the United States but also in Central and South America, Mexico, Europe, Australia, and Africa. The works have a capacity of 250,000 tons of tubes and pipe yearly. The company was one of the first to use natural gas as fuel in the manufacture of iron. The gas is brought from its own wells, through twenty miles of pipe, to the works. The Monongahela: River of Dreams, River of Sweat, 1999. McKeesport became a heavy-industry town. It was home to the largest producer of steel pipe and tubing in America, National Tube Company, which opened in 1852. The city's nickname was Tube City. … Mckeesport is one of the small cities that suffered because of the decline of the steel industry. For a long while after U.S. Steel closed the plant in 1984, the riverside complex was a mass of rubble, grass, trees, and unused buildings. Now much of the old plant has been razed. A mini-mill and a couple small companies have moved into the area, but there is still much vacant land. The former docking facility, from which a bargeload of pipe was shipped every day for so many years, is still idle. Glazier Wantedfor large Tube and Pipe Factory. Must have own tools and access to large quantities of glass. Estimated replacement of 200 panes of glass. All inquiries to Mckeesport Factory site. LS & MSI've often hoped to stumble across a railroad car marked LS/MFT, but here we see a couple rather new looking Lake Shore and Michigan Southern hopper cars in the company of the Baltimore and Ohio units. I wonder what track arrangement got that solitary LS & MS car snugged against the bumper? Hardly looks like room for a turnout and a turntable seems unlikely. Those new coal ''gons''belong to the Lake Shore & Michigan Railway which was mostly owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt and was absorbed into the New York Central in 1914, the LS&MS logo seems to be a large (mail sack) with a lock. Note the small NYC logo before the NYC amalgamation. (The Gallery, DPC, Factories, Pittsburgh, Railroads)
Parcel Post: 1914
... been dispersed as follows: Atlanta, Ga., 2 Whites; Baltimore, 3 Whites; Brooklyn, 3 Whites, Buffalo, 2 Whites; Columbia, S. C, 1 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 6:47pm -

Washington, D.C., 1914. "Post Office Department -- parcel post." A scene outside the post office on Pennsylvania Avenue in its final year of operations before it moved and the building became known as the Old Post Office. View full size. U-shaped bracketsNice truck! I'd love to have it in that condition right now. My question is, what are those big u-shaped brackets in front of the radiator? Maybe for headlights? If so, what are the smaller lights mounted on either side of the dashboard? Oh, and of course, what make and year is the truck? [The small lamps are running or parking lights. - Dave] In the DarkWhere are the headlights? Parcel Post serviceThis was the year after the Post Office Department began domestic Parcel Post service. Originally, a series of special stamps was issued. "Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow"Only darkness will stop them from their appointed rounds. Notice the headlights seem to be missing from the bracket holders. Dark of Night"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds". I think the "gloom of night" might stay this one. Righty?Right hand drive? Was that common in those days? [Still the case for mail delivery vehicles. -tterrace] KisselKar truckThis is a 1913 KisselKar truck, made by the Kissel Motor Car Company of Hartford, Wisconsin. In July 1913, to prepare for the domestic Parcel Post delivery service that tterrace mentioned, the United States Post Office Department's Committee of Award accepted a bid by the White Company for 20 vehicles rated at 3/4 ton capacity. They cost $2,060 each and had to be equipped with either pneumatic or cushion tires, depending on what the Post Office decided. The Post Office also ordered 21 Wagenhals Motor Car Company three-wheeled vehicles that had 800 pounds capacity. Powered by a 20 hp water-cooled four-cylinder engine, they cost $625 each (visually similar to the less expensive electric version below). Located in Detroit, the Wagenhals Motor Car Company would reorganize just a month later as simply the Wagenhals Motor Company. Both the Whites and the Wagenhals had to be delivered to Cleveland, Ohio within sixty days. A year later the Post Office was advertising for bids for spare parts for these vehicles, which included: "Transmission and cup grease, horn bulbs, cylinder and heavy oil, blow out and tube patches, pressure gauges, cushion and pneumatic tires, inner tubes, tire tape, valve parts and tools, vulcanizing rubber, etc." The winner of the bid had to supply each individual post office named in the contract, and the parts just couldn't be dumped in front—the bid proposal stipulated that "All the supplies must be delivered at and within the doors of the post offices." The bid proposal noted that the Whites and Wagenhals had been dispersed as follows: Atlanta, Ga., 2 Whites; Baltimore, 3 Whites; Brooklyn, 3 Whites, Buffalo, 2 Whites; Columbia, S. C, 1 Wagenhals; Columbus, O., 2 Wagenhals; Detroit, 2 Wagenhals; Louisville, 2 Whites; Memphis, 3 Wagenhals; Minneapolis, 4 Whites; Nashville, 3 Wagenhals; Norfolk, Va., 2 Wagenhals; Philadelphia, 6 Whites, Richmond, Va., 2 Wagenhals. Two possibilitiesThe headlamps are, being actual brass lanterns, probably on a bench getting cleaned and filled (or re-carboned). No reason to rattle around with them on the truck all day long. Or maybe they just don't drive this truck at night. [Many if most trucks of the era didn't have headlights. The brass fixture illustrated below is an acetylene gas lamp. - Dave] Believe it or notIn the early years of the auto business the lights were optional. I suppose driving after dark was pretty dicey even with the improved illumination provided by acetylene. For a business that normally operated during daylight hours I imagine that the expense and hassle of the lights was not worthwhile. Speedy Delivery Washington Post, March 2, 1913. Five Kissel cars, bought by the government for parcel post in the city of Washington, D.C., have been placed in service after a thorough inspection by Postmaster General Hitchcock and Postmaster Merritt, of Washington. They are 30-horsepower wagons of 1,500 pounds carrying capacity, and are painted a brilliant red. On its initial run one of the cars made 152 stops between 8:30 a.m. and 12 noon. Brilliant red was not what I was picturing for this vehicle when first looking at the photo. I had thought a more institutional green or dark blue, but with enough squinting I can begin to imagine red, perhaps a color chosen to express speed and priority. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Crusty Schmidt: 1917
... owned (run by their great-grandson) and has bakeries in Baltimore and Fullerton. Schmidt's potato bread is, by the way, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/26/2012 - 11:43am -

"Camp Meade, Maryland, 1917." Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Mmm Crusty breadI'm guessing that "Crusty" is a good thing, back then anyway. BTW, put some air in those tires, will ya! Look at those tires!Dear Lord, look at the tire on the truck. It appears to be solid rubber. This means a bone-shaking jolt for the driver every time he runs over so much as a nickel. Worse: the wheels will frequently be out of contact with the pavement, making skids far more likely than with pneumatic tires. Having to lug 100-pound crates around may be the least of our nattily-dressed driver's issues. Truck's wheelsI'm fascinated by the fact that the truck appears to have no tires. I haven't seen many (if any) trucks from this period. It must have been a nightmare to drive. [The truck has solid rubber tires. - Dave] Camp to FortI spent the last 6 months of my Army service during the Vietnam War at what was had been upgraded to "Fort" Meade, and was discharged in July 1967. At the time I was living with my wife in Arlington, Va., and commuted daily 40 miles each direction in my Renault Dauphine to make early formation. Speed , not comfort I can't imagine the spine shattering ride on those tires. Civilian breadCivilian Bread being delivered to the cook? When I was in during the Korean mess, all of our bread was made at the Fort Jackson Army bakery and always seemed to be day old. Got pretty used to it until one happy day the camp bakery broke down and they supplied us with "civilian" bread. Man, that was real eating and I have never forgotten that day. Yummmm! Also, look at all those sacks of taters that some poor KPs are going to have to peel though I was never assigned to that detail. Fort Jackson (SC) used coal fired ranges while I was there that had to be cleaned once a week by rubbing them internally with brickbats so they would pass Saturday inspection. Schmidt'sThe Schmidt Bakery is still around, though they no longer hawk "crusty bread". Started in 1886 by German immigrants, it is still family owned (run by their great-grandson) and has bakeries in Baltimore and Fullerton. Schmidt's potato bread is, by the way, outstanding. Yum. Bread for the troopsBread for soldiers from civilian sources is, or was not unusual. My father was an employee of Colonial Bakery in Fort Smith, Arkansas during WWII. The bakery provided bread for nearby Camp (later Fort, now closed) Chaffee. The draft board (or other authority) declared his job as essential to the war effort. As a result, he could not quit his job, the bakery could not fire him, he could not be drafted, nor could he volunteer for the Armed Forces. He was to bake bread for the duration of the war. Since gas was rationed tightly, he sold our car and rode a bicycle to work until the end of the war. He stayed with the bakery for a 49-year career. Lift That BaleHere we have another guy in a necktie doing some heavy lifting. That crate looks like it's made of wood. His life could have been easier with some sort of cardboard or masonite container. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Harris + Ewing, WWI)
Drivurself: 1925
... Sun Cab Company and the old Black and White Cab Company in Baltimore, died yesterday aboard the Cunard Adventurer. The ship was returning ... 1930's [sic] , he became the owner and operator of the Baltimore cab companies. He sold those companies in 1967. At the same time he ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 8:41pm -

Washington, D.C., 1925. "Glassman (Rent-A-Car Co.)" Former motorcycle cop Herbert Glassman and a Hertz sedan. 5x7 inch glass negative. View full size. Yellow HertzThe Hertz automobile was a short-lived product of Mr. Hertz's Yellow Cab Manufacturing Co. Note the "Y" logo on the wheel hubs. I've never seen a picture of one of these before. Deer In The HeadlightsNotice the expression on Mr. Glassman's secretary, as seen through his storefront window directly over the car's radiator cap. In real life1925 Hertz D-1 five-passenger touring car at Auctions America. Needs some TLC. Police OfficerHerbert Glassman was cited for bravery during the race riots of 1919. In 1929, he was arrested for leading the city's largest liquor ring out of his rental car agency. DrivurselfAd from the June 13, 1925, Washington Post. The thrust of the headline seems to be: DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A TAXICAB. Taxi Boss Washington Post, June 17, 1972. Herbert Glassman dies on cruise at 73. Herbert Glassman, former owner of the Sun Cab Company and the old Black and White Cab Company in Baltimore, died yesterday aboard the Cunard Adventurer. The ship was returning from a cruise to Bermuda. Mr. Glassman, who was 73, died following a long illness. He was a resident of Norfolk. Born in London, he came to this country as a youngster and served for several years on the Washington police force. During World War I he served in the Army. After the war he became on of the early operators of a rent-a-car business, affiliating his company with the Hertz organization. In the 1930's, he became the owner and operator of the City Cab Company and the General Cab Company in Washington. In the 1930's [sic], he became the owner and operator of the Baltimore cab companies. He sold those companies in 1967. At the same time he was active in real estate in Washington and at one time owned the Dorchester House Apartments and the Commonwealth Building. … (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Hoboken Public Bath: 1905
... 1881 by the Skinner Shipbuilding & Drydock Company at Baltimore for the Weems Steamboat Company as the Mason L. Weems. It operated between Baltimore and Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock River in the passenger and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/13/2017 - 10:44am -

1905. "Holland America line piers, Hoboken, N.J." Points of interest include the Hoboken Public Bath at center and S.S. Potsdam. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The steamboatat the upper right is the William F. Romer, launched in June 1881 by the Skinner Shipbuilding & Drydock Company at Baltimore for the Weems Steamboat Company as the Mason L. Weems. It operated between Baltimore and Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock River in the passenger and freight trade, one of the largest and fastest in that trade at the time. In 1890 Weems sold the vessel to Romer & Tremer Steamboat Company which had taken over the Cornell Steamboat Company route between Rondout and New York City on the Hudson and was renamed Willliam F. Romer. In 1899 Romer & Tremer sold out to the Central Hudson Steamboat Company and the Romer entered that firm's employment. It ran until the fall of 1918 when laid up at Newburgh. In 1920 the vessel was dismantled there and its hull sold to a brick manufacturer at Eavesport who intended to use the hull as a dock facing. That was never done, and the Romer's remains can still be seen there. The Potsdam, built at Hamburg in 1900 by Blohm & Voss, became the Stockholm of the Swedish-American line in 1915 and was converted into the Norwegian whale factory ship Solglimt in 1928 and served as such until seized by Germany in 1940 and transferred to the German Navy, renamed Sonderburg. It was sunk as a blockade ship at Cherbourg, France, 29 June 1944 and destroyed by British bombing soon after. Its remains were raised in 1947 and broken up at England. Remains of the DayThe remains of the William F. Romer can barely be seen at low tide in the cove formed by Eves Point at the end of Emerick Road, on the west bank of the Hudson (now part of Bristol Beach State Park), just over a mile up river from the Village of Saugerties. More visible is the better known M. Martin (1863-1918, scrapped 1920), named for Milton Martin, a prosperous Hudson merchant and banker. She was built at Jersey City for the Romer & Tremper Steamboat Company to run day passengers and freight from Catskill to Albany. Pressed into service during the Civil War, she became known as the Union Army's "greyhound" (not to be confused with the Union troop transport Greyhound, which was sunk by a Confederate "coal torpedo"). She served as General Grant's personal dispatch boat on the Chesapeake Bay, and carried messages and troops across the bay and river. Early in 1865 the Confederate peace commissioners, led by the Vice-President of the Confederacy Alexander H. Stephens, were quartered for several days as guests (without guards) on board the M. Martin at City Point, while they waited to negotiate terms of peace with someone that President Lincoln would designate for what became known as the Hampton Roads Conference. The conference, which ended in failure, was held on the River Queen and the Union was represented by Lincoln himself. Click on the photo to enlarge. SS Potsdam sailed from RotterdamThe "NASM" on the flag you see on the mast stands for "Nederlandsche-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij" or "Netherlands-American Steamship Company", the original Dutch name for the company. Like many other passenger ship lines, it was assimilated by the cruise line Borg -- Carnival Cruise Lines -- and continues zombie like as the "Holland America Line". The ship itself ended up being scuttled in the Cherbourg harbor by the Germans in 1944. NABISCOOver yonder across the North River (well, ok, Hudson River), is the Uneeda Biscuit bakery on the west side of Manhattan. Uneeda Biscuit later became part of National Biscuit Company, aka NABISCO. The Oar WeathervaneThis image is rich in salubrious period nautical detail. The bowsprits in the right foreground belong to Hudson River Sloops, of which the late Pete Seeger's Clearwater is a replica. These sailed up and down the Hudson carrying bluestone, hay for the city's horses, and, especially, bricks from the many brickworks of the Hudson valley. The steam yacht in the left foreground has beautiful flowing lines and a clipper bow. Modern yachts are clu8nky in comparison! The second building has a charming weathervane shaped like an oar. It must be a rowing club! The Uneeda Biscuit factory on the Manhattan shore in the left background later became part of Nabisco. Uneeda biscuits, which lasted until about a decade ago, were like thick matzos or unsalted saltines; basically "hardtack". Among other things, they could be used to make a truly excellent poultry stuffing. The real prize might be the side-wheel steamboat in the right background. Can't make out her entire name: Looks like William F. Bower or Rower. Have not been able to find a reference. The pier to which the S.S. Potsdam is tied has some sort of cargo rigging strung between heavy poles. It would be interesting to learn how this worked! Wireless Technology The Potsdam's wireless antenna was strung from the stack to aft. State of the art for its day. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC, Railroads)
Ruby: 1915
...         The couple were married in Baltimore in 1913. Well, that's just plain dental cruelty Nipped ... was just passing along a hello from Bela Lugosi. Here in Baltimore where the songbirds tied the knot, word in the crab cake houses was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2012 - 5:40pm -

New York, December 11, 1915. "Mrs. John Charles Thomas." The singer Ruby Rothnour, wife of the noted baritone. In 1923 she got a divorce in Reno. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. EeekGotta say those creepy dolls probably caused the divorce. Naked BreakfastNew York Times, Feb. 5, 1923. BARITONE'S WIFE OBTAINS DIVORCE Mrs. John C. Thomas Charged Husband's Cruelty Caused Her To Lose 28 Pounds         RENO, Nev., Feb. 4 -- Ruby Thomas, wife of John Charles Thomas, an American baritone, obtained a divorce in the District Court here late yesterday. Cruelty was charged in the complaint, Mrs. Thomas testifying that his treatment caused her to lose weight from 130 pounds to 102 pounds, at which figure she now tips the scales.         Thomas was temperamental, Mrs. Thomas testified, and on one occasion he bit her until the blood ran from her shoulder, she said. On another occasion Thomas did not like the gown she wore at the breakfast table, and, in the presence of a male guest, is alleged to have torn the garment from her body, leaving her almost nude.         The couple were married in Baltimore in 1913. Well, that's just plain dental crueltyNipped her on her shoulder, did he? Maybe he was just passing along a hello from Bela Lugosi. Here in Baltimore where the songbirds tied the knot, word in the crab cake houses was JT was spending too much time painting that damn car of his and fooling around with the Graduola device on his "fancy-schmancy" Aeolian-Vocalion phonograph. Good for herKnowing that divorce was very uncommon in those days, my hat goes off to her for getting one in order to get away from an abusive husband. He sounded like a horrid man. Those ShoesI couldn't tear my eyes away from them. Her shoes I mean. (The Gallery, DPC, G.G. Bain, Portraits)
Ice Palace: 1942
... This pic brings back memories of a fond place of Old Baltimore ... Carlin's Iceland. We were a fiscally conservative family ... left ... bent ankles all day long. A few years later Baltimore was awarded a franchise in a very minor hockey league and the games ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/17/2018 - 6:56pm -

November 1942. "Chevy Chase Ice Palace, Washington. D.C. Skating in ballroom." Photo by Edwin Rosskam for the Office of War Information. View full size. That ice is about due.Somebody get the Zamboni! Rough IceThat ice is in dire need of a Zamboni. Too bad it won't be invented for another 7 years. Clear the iceIt’s well past time to crank up the Zamboni! WMALWas the ABC station using this building, located on Connecticut Avenue, when I lived on Yuma Street near the old Bureau of Standards in the late '50s. You've shown pictures on Shorpy taken at the old Hot Shoppe that was also located in this block. Ice is a messThat ice is badly in need of resurfacing. Trouble is, they're seven years shy of Frank Zamboni's first resurfacing machine, the Model A and 11 years away from the first distributed "Zamboni", the Model C. Gone in 2013The Ice Palace was built in 1938 and lasted all the way to 2013: http://www.streetsofwashington.com/2010/01/chevy-chase-ice-palace.html Shades Of Carlin's Ice Rink 1948This pic brings back memories of a fond place of Old Baltimore ... Carlin's Iceland. We were a fiscally conservative family so before my first trip there I had to try on my older sister's skates and they fit. I was naive to the meaning of the colors (black-boys white-girls) so I proudly walked past the rental booth and put on "my" skates blithely oblivious to any snide comments possibly made by my fellow skaters. Today I would have been unmercifully shamed on Instagram or Periscope. My style of skating was similar to the young lady forefront left ... bent ankles all day long. A few years later Baltimore was awarded a franchise in a very minor hockey league and the games there were fantastic. I never knew if the hockey being played was any good but the small seating arrangements and inexpensive tickets usually led to an almost full house each game and since all seats (actually wooden benches) were general admission all one had to do was show up early to get a front row seat. There was no Plexiglas protection and if you happened to be sitting front row when two players checked each other on the boards you usually wound up covered in rink ice and player sweat. An extra bonus would be if they started fighting in front of you. Years later I would go to AHL & NHL games and the games seemed so calm and antiseptic compared to the condensed frantic quarters of the unheated Carlin's rink. (The Gallery, D.C., Edwin Rosskam, Kids, Sports)
Smokeboat: 1918
... "Burned at Washington September [2,] 1918. Rebuilt at Baltimore and renamed Norfolk & Washington Steamboat Co. 'Midland' on ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/14/2011 - 3:37pm -

September 1918. "Norfolk & Washington Steamboat Co. fire at Washington docks." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. You all have it wrongIt's supposed to look like that. It's the Smoking Lounge. LITERALLY. A little dustingA bit of sweeping and it will look as good as new. BedframesJudging by the number of bedframes, this ship must have offered overnight accommodations - rather than just simple ferry service across the Chesapeake Bay. Since ships are usually near a ready supply of water, a sprinkler system would have been worthwhile. ButtsWas this a case of smoking in bed? Bad luckThis was the N&W steamboat NEWPORT NEWS, built in 1895. "Burned at Washington September [2,] 1918. Rebuilt at Baltimore and renamed Norfolk & Washington Steamboat Co. 'Midland' on November 11, 1919". Steamboat MIDLAND. "Rebuilt from old Norfolk & Washington Steamboat Company 'Newport News' in 1919 after burning of September 1918. Burned and lost at Washington in March 1924". [Google Books: Richard E. Prince, Seaboard Air Line Railway. Steam boats, locomotives, and history.] Mysterious Steamer Blaze Washington Post, Sep 3, 1918. Dock and Steamer Blaze Mysterious Officials of Norfolk & Washington Co. Puzzled by Fire. Officials of the Norfolk and Washington Steamboat Company are endeavoring to ascertain the origin of the mysterious fire which early yesterday badly damaged the steamer Newport News and destroyed the company's general offices, warehouse and dock and which for a time threatened the entire water front. "All we know about the fire is that it started in the linen room of the offices, and resulted in the loss of about $125,000," said William H. Callahan, traffic manager of the company, last night. "We consider it mysterious," he said, "because the fire originated in a part of the office where it could least be expected. The Newport News is our emergency ship, and is only used when either the Southland or Northland is out of commission. It could have been possible for some one to have intentionally set the office on fire, but I doubt if that was the case. The Newport News had been docked for some time, and there practically was no freight no board. The vital parts of the vessel are intact, and just as soon as we can secure the necessary labor, reconstruction work will begin. There will be no interruption of the passenger business." The fire was discovered by C.O. Abbott, night watchman, and clerk of the company. He said he was sitting in his office about 3:30 o'clock, when he smelled smoke, and walking to the back part of the building, discovered the flames pouring out of the linen room. He immediately turned in an alarm, but before the engines arrived, the whole building and the Newport News were on fire. A general alarm was sounded, and the firemen had great difficulty in extinguishing the blaze. Among the destroyed and damaged freight on the dock were several chasses, two automobiles, two airplane engines, bed springs and mattresses, thousands of bottles of soft drinks, 100 sacks of peanuts, fourteen barrels of tar, two marine engines and several tanks of carbonated water. All records of the company were locked in metal cases and were saved. Fifty barrels of oil, 75 barrels of tar and other government stores on the dock, awaiting shipment to the naval operating base at Hampton Roads, Va., were not damaged. The company's loss is entirely covered by insurance. The American Marine Engineer, September, 1918. Atlantic Coast Notes The work of raising and restoring the steamer Newport News, of the Norfolk and Washington Steamboat Company, which burned at her dock in Washington a short time ago, has been undertaken by the Merrit and Chapman Wrecking Company. It is stated that the hull and machinery are practically undamaged, but the entire super structure will have to be rebuilt. The steamer had been used as a reserve boat, and therefore, the loss to the traveling public is not great. InflationNow let me get this straight: the damage to the ship we see in the photo, plus that described in the contemporary article in the office building, warehouse, and dock, including customer cargoes awaiting shipment, is all going to be set right by only $125,000? Is there any way I can get some of those 1918 dollars? Sigh. No, I guess not. I'm SorryI’m afraid that this may void your warranty. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, D.C., Natl Photo)
Odd Fellows Temple: 1921
... cannot come during the day. Sunday hours 10 to 4. Baltimore Office: 36 West Lexington St Philadelphia Office: S.E. Cor. 8th and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 2:25am -

Washington, 1921 or 1922. "Mayer & Co." The Mayer furniture store in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Temple at 419-423 Seventh Street N.W. between D and E. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Kneessi Leather StoreI've been adding content from the Washington Post to this site for a while now. The following article is one of the worst written with the lowest ratio of information-to-words that I have come across. Also the opening run-on sentence is a doozy. More information on Kneessi is at Brettuns Village website. Washington Post Dec 15, 1912 Firm is 40 Years Old Kneessi Leather Store Promises More Good Service On of Washington's oldest, largest, and best known leather goods stores is today passing its fortieth anniversary, without any special notice save announcement of the continuation to the public of the former prompt and efficient attention and high standard of service that has characterized the establishment since its organization in 1872. The store is that of K. Kneessi's Sons, located at 425 Seventh street northwest. The now prosperous and well-known leather goods shop was established by K. Kneessi. It started in a small was at 422 Seventh street, and its business increased until today it stands as Washington's leading leather shop. At the time the business was started only one floor was needed, and the work consisted in a great measure of repair work. However, Mr. Kneessi, who had long experience in the leather business, was progressive, and soon started to manufacture small articles for sale. With the beginning of manufacturing in a small way, the establishment had to be enlarged and machines installed. The business grew until the store at 422 had to be abandoned after ten years, and quarters were found at the present location. When the store was first moved to the new quarters, the entire building was not needed, but with the installation of new and modern machinery for the repair work and manufacturing, one floor after another was added to the establishment until it now occupies the entire building of four floors and a basement. The present store has a depth of 132 feet with a frontage on Seventh street of 25 feet. In 1887, G.A. Kneessi, a son, who had worked in the store for some time, and had learned the business from the bottom of the ladder, was taken into the partnership with his father. It was but three years after this that K. Kneessi died and left the operating of the then growing establishment to his son, who has had entire charge since. ... The KneessisI've done extensive research on the Kneessi firm over the years (after all, I'm family) but left unsaid is that Gus became the owner of the firm upon the death of Kasper in 1890 with his brother Fred and his two sisters. Why the widow of Kasper didn't retain more complete ownership is unknown; she lived until the 1920s. Apparently at some point Gus sold his interest upon opening his own store about 1916. When Fred retired in 1927, he had to split the proceeds with his sisters. That is a public record. Going back to when Kaspar first moved to Seventh Street at 422, which had been 500 before the streets were renumbered going the other way away from Pennsylvania Avenue, it was because the former owner James Topham had outgrown it. Topham built a new factory across the street on the left side of the I.O.O.F. at an address of 499 Seventh Street. That became 425 after the renumbering. Soon, though, Topham wanted to moved to Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House and sold the building to Kneessi, who needed more space, and the Lansburgh department store made Kneessi an offer he couldn't refuse. Lansburgh's ended up with most of the block where 422 Seventh Street is. He's a really slow readerSo is the guy standing in front of the furniture store part of the picture taking event or is he just really interested in that sign in the window? There are hordes of ghosts in the image and he's crisp as can be. Ghosts!I love the smoky ghost trails of all the people on the sidewalk that were walking too quickly for the exposure. Painless DentistryI'm not sure what his "painless" methods were. Perhaps it was a relative statement or perhaps he used vast quantities of ether. Washington Post Dec 25, 1910: Advertisement All Pain Ceases The moment Dr. Wyeth's work begins. His unrivalled ability as a dentist, his great care and skill restore strength and soundness to your aching teeth without experiencing the least vestige of pain. Dr. Wyeth's popular prices make your dentist bills very small indeed. Cool Attractive parlors assure utmost comfort to patrons. My Patent Suction Teeth: $5 a Set They Never Slip or Drop Fillings in Gold, Silver Platinum and Porcelain Gold Crowns Bridge Work: $3, $4, $5 Dr. Wyeth, Painless Dentist 427-429 7th Street N.W. Largest and Most Thoroughly Equipped Parlors In Washington Appointments May Be Made by Telephone We keep open until 8 p.m. for the accomodations of those that cannot come during the day. Sunday hours 10 to 4. Baltimore Office: 36 West Lexington St Philadelphia Office: S.E. Cor. 8th and Market Sts. I'd be interested to knowwhat Dr. Wyeth's secrets were. How in the heck can a 1921 dentist claim to be painless when my 2008 dentist, using all of the latest techniques and equipment, still hurts like heck. Perhaps Dr. Wyesth's techniques included the use of a large wooden mallet applied to the skull. Smoky GhostsI agree, the smoky ghost trail of people in motion during a long exposure is pretty cool. I like to see the smoky ghost trail in modern photos, but this is now very rare. Not so special deliveryThe coal(?) truck double parked in front of Mayer's is incredible: so old and beat to hell. Appears to have solid rubber tires (rather than tires with air in them) and an entirely open cab. No tarp to keep the heaping payload in place over bumps. Bet this truck was very, very unpleasant to drive in the winter (which is the only time you would need coal. You don't heat a house when it is already 86 degrees). Of course that dump truck could be full of dirt from a demolition site instead of coal. But why would you double park with dirt in your truck? That's why I think he is delivering it, and that it is coal. [It's a Chapman coal truck. For customers who used coal-fired boilers for hot water or had coal stoves for cooking, deliveries were year-round. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
NA-TI-ON-AL LIFE: 1905
... had dozens of freight agents representing various lines. Baltimore & Ohio apparently has the largest offices and they served ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2013 - 4:21pm -

Circa 1905. "Williamson Building, Cleveland." Bonus points to the first person to transcribe all those windows. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. I'm impressed by how clear these old photos are.Can anyone tell me the type of camera that would have taken this photo? The edge to edge clarity is pretty remarkable for something 100+ years ago. [This photo was taken with a view camera on a photographic glass plate that measured 8 x 10 inches. -tterrace] Boom!Imploded in 1982 to make way for the Sohio (later BP) skyscraper. It served as the headquarters for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland from 1914 to 1923. Final MinuteMy son and I watched and photographed the final moments of the Williamson Building but, as the huge dust cloud rolled across Public Square we, and hundreds of others, became quite alarmed. There was a telephone booth nearby so we ducked into it and continued to shoot photos of the bewildered spectators. Scan of prints from 35 mm color negs. ImagineSignage such as this on a 'modern' skyscraper. I can just imagine the dentist's office on the 25th floor with a nice, hand painted tooth in his window, touting his painless services. Euclid AvenueThis photo overlaps this recent one. Euclid Avenue exits to the right in the current photo. The big arch on the Williamson Building is at the extreme left edge of the previous photo. The "Otis" building was home to the Painless Dentist and Weiss Credit, as can be seen by matching up the upper Moorish windows. The streetcar switch on the upper (westbound) track at the far right of this photo would be the one controlled by the trolley wire contactor in the previous photo. Come & Go awayFew people gather to admire the beauty in the construction of old buildings. BUT Implosion!!! they gather in the hundreds. Railroads, coal and moneyWonder about the dominant businesses of the day? More railroad offices than I've ever seen in one place; bankers, brokers,insurance; and so much coal. (And some ice.) This was clearly commerce central. Rail officesThe cluster of rail offices are offline freight agents. I have no idea what they actually did or how one went about determining how to route freight shipments but almost all cities had dozens of freight agents representing various lines. Baltimore & Ohio apparently has the largest offices and they served Cleveland through a branch line but had multiple routes through Ohio and neighboring states. Great photo! Because I have no lifeI transcribed all the windows in the Corner Building -- as much as was readable. The pdf is here. (The Gallery, Cleveland, DPC, Streetcars)
Shipshape: 1898
... with the crew. In the mid 1960s my ship was dry docked in Baltimore. Some of us were sent to Fleet schools and some stayed aboard. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 4:22pm -

Circa 1898. "U.S.S. Massachusetts in dry dock." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by Edward H. Hart, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. It's where they liveUnless the crew needs to be removed due to safety concerns, life aboard a man-of-war continues whether the ship is afloat or up on blocks. PropulsionI see the drummer entering into the lower bow and, of course the oarsmen are already seated on their benches, dreading the coming order for "Ramming Speed!" Scrollwork and swabbiesI love the scrollwork on the bow - you won't see that anachronism on a modern destroyer. For those who are/were in the Navy - why would sailors be actively on a boat that's inactively in dry dock? "Cat head"Interesting that this ship retains the method of securing the anchor used by wooden sailing ships of previous centuries. Much more pronounced on the old sailing ships, but here it is in stubby form. High and DryThey keep some men on board to do work that the shipyard workers would not do. Also if there were not billets for all the men some would be quartered aboard the ship. I have a friend who spent the last 18 months of his four year enlistment aboard a submarine that was in dry-dock for refitting. There were still watches to stand and regular day to day activities that go on aboard ship. Someone has to push the papers around on the desk. Parked Depending how long the ship in dry dock will dictate what's to be done with the crew. In the mid 1960s my ship was dry docked in Baltimore. Some of us were sent to Fleet schools and some stayed aboard. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, E.H. Hart)
Always Be Careful: 1942
... a "Cow and a Herd". [I'm not kidding...] They were sent to Baltimore where one unit was taken taken from the set and assigned to another ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/14/2013 - 9:48am -

November 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. Giant diesel-electric locomotive at Illinois Central rail yard." The safety message comes to us courtesy of Engine 9205A. Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Two engines, single cabDirectly behind the lead engine, there is what was known as a "mule". These cabless units were used when the consist dictated that more motive power was needed, but not necessarily more crew power. Novel idea, and something that couldn't be done with steam engines because of the manpower needed for each engine. This locomotiveis actually 2 locomotives called a cow and calf, they are A & B, the A being the cab unit the B has no cab and is controlled by the A unit, I think IC had only two of these locomotives and were used in switching duties. I am amazed from this photo to find out these type of diesel locomotives even existed let alone the cow/calf type. Forward or backward?It is usually not difficult to tell which way a steam engine is pointed, but when diesels came along things got more complicated. Out on the road, a train has a designated direction, and when it moves in that direction it is considered to be moving "forward," but what about engines doing switching, either out on the road or in a yard? They have no overall direction, they shift back and forth constantly. Hand signals, whistle/horn signals, even verbal instructions are based on either "forward" or "reverse." But looking at an engine like this one, how do you know which is which? In this case, you could tell by which half has the operating cab (the "A" unit), but that would not work in most cases. The solution was to label one end of every diesel locomotive with the letter "F", signifying that as the "front" or "forward" end. On this engine, it would have been on the outside corner of the frame, right next to the steps, hand railings ("grab irons"), and that old, anachronistic "pole socket." I think you can just barely make it out in the full-size view. Cow and CalfAn EMD TR1 cow and calf unit. One of only two pairs built by GM Electro-Motive, both purchased and used by the Illinois Central. Giant?Hardly. The units are switchers being used in duty on the hump. The cab-less unit behind is known as a slug, or less commonly as a calf, and is controlled by the other using a primitive multiple unit connection, these being the nascent days of diesel technology. Such cow/calf lash-ups never became a common sight in American railroad yards. EMD TREvidently with a B unit attached. It's a switcher, I wouldn't call it "giant". Locomotive and slugWhat you're seeing here is two locomotives. Illinois Central 9205A is a 1000hp EMD NW2 built sometime after 1939. The trailing unit is almost certainly an NW2 but without a control cab and it remains attached to an "A" almost all the time. No milk from this cowThese are Electro-Motive model NW-2 locomotives, rated at 1000 hp each. Note the trailing unit has no cab. This combination was known as a "Cow and Calf". They were kept together, with the engineer seeing equally well in both directions. The Chesapeake and Ohio Rwy had a set of engines, nos. 9552-9554-9557 just like this, only theirs had two "calves"; thus they were called a "Cow and a Herd". [I'm not kidding...] They were sent to Baltimore where one unit was taken taken from the set and assigned to another controlling unit. They were powerful, but I didn't care for them otherwise. No more footboards.The safety slogans are located just above the footboards, which are now illegal due to the inherent danger of crewmen riding at the end of a locomotive. Southern Pacific also used this slogan above their footboards, in addition to "Think Safety Always," "Watch Your Step," and "Look and Live." TR1 Cow and calf mountainrev's identification of this loco is correct, it's an EMD TR1. Two sets were built in April/May 1941 for the IC, rated at 1350 hp for each unit. They had the machinery of EMD's pioneering FT cab-unit freight locos in a switcher carbody. Later renumbered 1350A&B and 1351A&B, they were scrapped in 1967. Multiple unit control technology was hardly primitive by 1941 - it had been around since the 1890s, and applied to diesel locos since the 1920s. (The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Sic Transit: 1910
... a quarter to four, read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore. Another Rooftop Riddle Did you notice what looks like someone ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/08/2019 - 10:44am -

New York circa 1910. "Bird's eye view of new Pennsylvania Station." Demolished in 1963. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A little later and farther uptown ...Mrs. Kennedy Onassis, who regretted the destruction of Pennsylvania Station and may have contributed to preservation efforts, was a citizen of New York by the time destruction of Grand Central Terminal was imminent. One proposal for the new station was "Grand Central Lanes," a bowling alley to be built above track level! Jackie wrote a beautiful, persuasive letter to Mayor Beame urging the preservation of GCT. There were other big and biggish names advocating preservation. Betty Furness is one name that comes to mind. The tragedy of Pennsylvania Station's destruction became more apparent in retrospect and this awareness helped energize opposition to Grand Central's destruction. A great lossI remember reading that among the notables who campaigned to stop the destruction of the architectural gem was Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The loss of the station was instrumental in kickstarting the preservation movement in New York City. What is she doingon the rooftop at the Rikers Drugs building?? Pardon Me BoyBack in the day you could apparently leave here 'bout a quarter to four, read a magazine and then you're in Baltimore. Another Rooftop RiddleDid you notice what looks like someone sleeping on top the building, near bottom left? How did it get there?Think about this: Most of what you see in this building was delivered either by train, or horse and wagon. That goes for the interior too. No snakesBut plenty of ladders. The PitDoes anybody know what was constructed in the excavation pit? I have searched for images of that side of the station and have only found evidence of a green-grass park that existed; however, I believe the park must have been excavated to build something else. Many thanks! Another McKim, Mead & WhiteYou can see the glass roof covering the train platforms at far right. That would make Seventh Avenue the street in the foreground, at left. Across the avenue the site being excavated is now occupied by the Hotel Pennsylvania, opened in 1919 and designed by the same architectural firm as the (sadly, now gone) station. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Railroads, Streetcars)
Hop In: 1919
... magazine in 1911 and 13 and was a feature writer for the Baltimore Sun in 1914 and 15. Between 1917 and 1920 Mrs. Boeckel was the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/28/2012 - 3:10pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1919. "Mrs. Marsh, Mrs. Boeckel." Eleanor Taylor Marsh and Florence Brewer Boeckel of the National Woman's Party. View full size. Cool RoadsterLooks like two nice women out riding in their sporty little two seat roadster. What is that car anyway? V for victoryA card in the window on the right appears to say "V [for] Victory." I'm surprised, I thought that was a World War II slogan. I am old but...I have been married twice and never wanted to be called "Mrs." How times have changed! Love the pic. Miss Eleanor TaylorMiss Taylor appears to have dropped her early insistence on retaining her own name in marriage. I hope she wasn't so easily swayed to abandon other progressive notions she espoused. The following article is striking for the tone of wonder at a marriage based on equal partnership. Additionally, its hard to imagine a contemporary reporter questioning a woman about birth control. Washington Post, Feb 21, 1917 Pretty Vassar Girl Keeps Own Name As Party to "Individual Marriage." Bride and Bridegroom Pay Share-and-Share-Alike for Everything from Laundry to Movie Tickets "Mr. Marsh and Miss Taylor" is Legend on Doorbell. New York, Feb 20. — Pretty 21-year-old Eleanor Taylor, as attractive a girl as ever helped carry the daisy chain at Vassar College, has given prosaic Greenwich Village its latest excitement. From the quiet of the halls of the ancient seat of learning she has walked with bold and undaunted step into the very center of the "village" Bohemians. What has she done? She has entered into the latest of marital contracts with Benjamin Marsh, war correspondent, radical and seventeen years her senior, in what now becomes famous as the "Individual marriage." The "individual" clause of the contract was added when Miss Taylor and Mr. Marsh — not Mr. and Mrs. Marsh — found themselves sipping tea in the cheerful home they had previously fixed up in the environs of Washington square. In a word, the clause that makes a marriage in "individual" one is nothing to be scoffed at by the struggling artist who finds both ends hard to meet. True, it robs him of what many men glory in — dominion over his spouse — but it makes life less worrisome. It seems that the wife is to retain her individual rights, including everything. She does not even have to give up her name, her position, her thought, her work; nor does such a marriage permit a husband to support his wife. She supports herself, and Miss Eleanor Taylor and Benjamin C. Marsh are carrying their contract out to the letter. Each contributes equally toward the morning meal. Each has a job in New York. At night they wend their respective ways home to 11 Vandam street. After comparing expenses for the day they go over to the Greenwich Settlement House, where they dine sumptuously for 35 cents each. As they stop at the cashier's desk on the way out, Miss Taylor pays her own check, Mr. Marsh his. To the "movies," a lecture or the theater, Miss Taylor pays for her ticket. Mr. Marsh pays for his. "I met Mr. Marsh a year ago at the Greenwich Settlement House," said she. "Neither of us wanted to impose his belief on the other. We agreed in purpose, though. We decided on our mode of living, because we knew it would make us happier; all the more because each has his own work. We decided that each contribute to the support of the household. We figure out the cost of breakfast — just now it is 15 cents — and we divide the amount. We pay our laundry and other bills separately. No man, husband nor anyone else could make me change my individual thinking, and my name? On our doorbell we have Mr. Marsh and Miss Taylor." "Do parties in individual marriages believe in birth control?" asked the interviewer as a final question. "I do," said Miss Taylor, frankly, as she bent over her desk to resume her work. Washington Post, Dec 9, 1968 Eleanor T. Nelson, Crusader, 73, Dies Eleanor Taylor Nelson, 73, an early crusader for women's suffrage, died yesterday at George Washington University Hospital after a stroke. Mrs. Nelson was a publicist for the National Woman's party, which was instrumental in getting Congress to pass the 19th Amendment in 1919. In the early 1920s she was a public information officer for the U.S. Children's Bureau and was a founding member of the Women's National Press Club. Mrs. Nelson moved to New York City in 1927 and worked for many years as a copy writer for the J. Walter Thompson Co. advertising agency. She was married to the late Benjamin C. Marsh, the late Horace Wylie and the late Ralph Nelson. She returned to Washington several years ago and lived at 2101 16th st n.w. She is survived by a son, Michael Marsh, of Washington; a daughter, Mrs. Wallace Scott, of Bennington, Vt.; a brother, James I. Taylor, of Philadelphia; two sisters, Mrs. Ira Keller, of Portland, Ore. and Mrs. George K. Hourwich of New York City, and five granddaughters. The caris a Reo. Florence Brewer Boeckel Washington Post, Oct 17, 1965 Florence Boeckel, 79, Suffragist and Editor Florence Brewer Boeckel, a crusader for woman suffrage, who was an education director of the National Council for Prevention of War from 1921 to 1935, died early Saturday morning in Mar-Salle Convalescent Home, She was 79. Mrs. Boeckel was born in Trenton, N.J., and graduated from Vassar College in 1908 before doing graduate work in Paris and Dresden. In 1910 she became a special investigator in the Poughkeepsie, N.Y., schools, and in 1911 joined the Poughkeepsie News-Press as a feature and editorial writer. She was on the editorial staff of Vogue magazine in 1911 and 13 and was a feature writer for the Baltimore Sun in 1914 and 15. Between 1917 and 1920 Mrs. Boeckel was the publicity director of the National Woman's Party, aiding their drive for suffrage and from 1919 to 1920 she edited The Suffragist. Mrs. Boeckel wrote two books: "Across Borderlines," 1926 and "Between War and Peace," 1928. Two earlier books, "Study of Occupations Open to Young Women" and "Through the Gateway," were published in 1911 and 1920. In the 1930s Mrs. Boeckel wrote a weekly newspaper column called "Between War and Peace," and in 1936 was American delegate to the World Peace Congress in Brussels and attended the opening session of the Council and Assembly of the League of Nations in Geneva. Mrs. Boeckel also was a founding member of the Women's National Press Club. She is survived by her husband, Richard, of the home at 2137 Leroy pl., nw., and by a son, John Hart of College Park Woods Md. Washington Post, Jan 11, 1916 Licensed to Marry ... Richard M. Boeckel, 24, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Florence M. Brewer, 30, Washington. The Rev. E.S. Dunlap. ... REO AutomobileThe car is a 1916 - 1918 REO Four Passenger Roadster which cost $1250 in 1916. By 1918 the price was $1550. For comparison, a Model T Runabout (2 Door) base price was $345 in 1916 and $500 in 1918. A Packard 2 Door Passenger Coupe was $2,700 in 1916 and $3,450 in 1918. Prices went up because of WWI and post-war inflation. The REO is a six cylinder model. A Ford Model T is only a four cylinder engine and the Packard is a 12 cylinder. The radiator with the front sloping forward is unique to REO. The 1918 REO slogan was "The Gold Standard of Values." The illustration below is from their 1916 Prestige brochure. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Safety Patrol: 1959
... soda and free admission to Memorial Stadium to see the Baltimore Orioles (minor league variety in 1952) on Safety Patrol Day. Your ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/19/2018 - 4:37pm -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1959. "School Safety Patrol." 4x5 inch acetate negative from the Shorpy News Photo Archive. View full size. I Did!Boy, the memories. At about that age I was on a safety patrol. It was a lot of fun. We directed traffic in the parking lot (stopping cars so buses could back out) and at the gate (letting traffic in and out). Administration got rid of our fun when someone realized it might not have been the best idea to let 10-year-olds be traffic directors. I did the same thing in high school a number of years later. That was entertaining. Especially when being ignored by a teenage driver since Mom was yelling at him. Rear-ended the car in front. Lots of laughs. Cool kid IIMy thought, too. Maybe daddy, uncle, older brother or so just returned from his guided tour to Southern Germany (courtesy of the Uncle Sam Travel Agency) and that felt hat was a souvenir? The Land of WynnThis is Wynnton Elementary School, on Wynnton Road near Wynn's hill and the house known as "Wynnton". School's outI remember bobby sox and penny loafers, saddle shoes, dresses, skirts and cardigan sweaters. Not a backpack in sight. The styles change, but the fun of school's end never does. The hat kidAs a military brat who lived in Germany for two of my dad's tours, that looks like a Bavarian hat to me. I'm guessing this kid, who is about my age, is an Army kid who recently lived in Germany and whose dad is stationed at nearby Fort Benning. Future cop?In 8th grade I was appointed captain of the crossing guard. My job was to assist fellow students and an occasional adult through my dangerous intersection by placing my body in the middle of the road only holding a sign and a whistle and a snazzy belt with a badge that said CAPTAIN. The highlight of my deployment was when a habitual criminal insisted on performing a U turn right at my intersection every morning without regard for life and limb. I reported him to the principal and the next morning a policeman was sitting nearby and promptly gave the driver a ticket. After that incident, my mornings became hum drum with no excitement. I never did pursue the crime fighting career. It was passed to my younger son who is a security forces Sergeant in the USAF. Cool kidI love this youngster only because of his hat! Me TooFlash forward 20 years from this picture and I too was on Safety Patrol. We had red windbreakers and hard hats and we were coooool maaaan. (Or so we thought.) We were also responsible for raising and lowering the flag. I was the designated flag-folder because of my many years folding Greek tiropites (cheese triangles). Like Juan de la Cruz, I marvel that the administration allowed 12 year olds to direct traffic. Granted all we did was "reinforce" the existing stop signs and prevent kids from crossing until it was safe. But it was years later before they decided actual adults should monitor the proceedings. PerksThe advantage of safety patrol was that you could leave class early and return late. This is the city. I work here. I carry a flag.My law enforcement career began and ended in 1976 when, as a 6th grader with good grades, I was asked to be a member of the elite Kiwanis Junior Police. We were responsible for holding a mustard-colored canvas flag when our fellow students were crossing the street before and after school. We did not have helmets, but we did have those odd sash-belt things that I never got the point of. Absolutely no one waited for us to step out in the road and hold the flag like they were supposed to. They just crossed whenever and wherever they wanted. To my chagrin, we also had no authority to arrest people or issue citations. As a reward for our service we were surprised by a hotdog picnic lunch at Kiwanis Park one day with our fellow brothers-in-arms from the other elementary schools in the city. My friend Bill ate 3 hotdogs, then vomited on the bus on the way back to school. You see a lot of gruesome stuff when you're a cop. It's just part of the job, but after that scene, I knew it was time to hang up my sash and turn in my flag. Also because school was out for the summer about a week later and it was on to Junior High. Another PerkA free soda and free admission to Memorial Stadium to see the Baltimore Orioles (minor league variety in 1952) on Safety Patrol Day. Your Safety Patrol belt was the badge of your admission to a general admission seat which was a step up from my usual bleacher seat with my father. Dad wasn't cheap but the right field bleachers were where he would meet his friends for an afternoon of betting .05 whether the next pitch would be a strike, ball or base hit. Dad would take me to the ballgame but I had to promise him I wouldn't tell Mom about the betting. It was a good deal all around since Dad got points with Mom for taking me to a ball game and I got to see the ball game with plenty of sodas, peanuts and Cracker Jack. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Education, Schools, Kids, News Photo Archive)
Big Wheels: 1917
... attorney" had a long and occasionally eventful career in Baltimore and Washington. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/23/2012 - 5:35pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1917. "Soterios Nicholson in auto." This "well-known Greek attorney" had a long and occasionally eventful career in Baltimore and Washington. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Driver overboard!Who knew cars used to come with life preservers? Spokes personInteresting,, the back wheels have 12 spokes , the front only 10. You would think the brakes would stress the front rims too. Or are there no front brakes? [Probably not. - Dave] BrakesVery few cars had front and rear brakes in the teens. Many cars were capable of high speeds but 25 to 30 mph was about the average cruising speed so rear brakes were considered adequate. On Model T Fords, the service brake was a band inside the transmission. Photo OpI guess he had this picture made to impress his clients. Sitting in his expensive touring car before entering the White House to advise President Wilson about the situation in Greece. Hornblower!Note the electric horn. That's quite early for this period, when most horns were still bulb-style. Presumably then it had electric lights and a starter too. A well-optioned car indeed. White Car, White HouseThis car is a White, of circa 1913 vintage -- a milestone year for many cars as they not only made the switch to electric lights and horns, but also did away with brass lights, radiators, etc. Not all cars made this evolutionary jump, most notably the Model T Ford, which didn't go electric till 1915 and didn't lose its brass till 1917, but the majority "got modern" in that year. 1913 also saw the beginnings of a cowl, extending over the firewall and dashboard, which afforded a bit more protection from the elements. A Weighty MatterThe additional spokes of the rear wheels allow these wheels to bear the additional weight of both multiple passengers and their luggage. The front axle and wheels will bear a smaller proportion of any passengers and luggage. Put another way, if three 150 pound men and two heavy trunks are transported in the rear and on the back, suddenly you have 500 plus pound of additional load that is mostly over the rear axle. The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost (40/50) was another automobile that used a different number of spokes front and rear for the same reason. The longer the wheelbase the more weight the rear axle will have to support for passengers and luggage. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Fare Maiden: 1943
... and 1 for dimes. Also, Gunther's beer was brewed in Baltimore City, MD. [You're right about the half dollars. She has a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/16/2014 - 7:24pm -

June 1943. Washington, D.C. "Hattie B. Sheehan, a streetcar conductor for the Capital Transit Company." And if all you have is bills, no problem. Photo by Esther Bubley for the Office of War Information. View full size. Change?Pennies, Nickels, Dimes, Quarters ... and what? [Half dollars. Or not; see comment above. -tterrace] Streetcar Nellie Washington Post, October 10, 1943. Hillbilly Songs of Motorwomen Resound Through Car Barns Providing leisure-hour entertainment for their fellow “motormen” at their lounge opposite the carbarn at 14th and Decatur sts. nw., are four women operators of the Capital Transit Co., all of them girls from the hills who break into rollicking folk tunes when the day’s streetcar run is ended. Mrs. Hattie Sheehan, known to her friends as “Streetcar Nellie” is a smiling 30-year-old operator, who breaks into songs learned back home in Harrisonburg, Va. Although “I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad” is not confined to the mountains, it is a favorite with Mrs. Sheehan who explained yesterday that “it was a good theme song for us.” … Non Cents!There were no tubes for cents or half dollars on those belt changers as a general rule. That changer most likely had 2 tubes for quarters, 2 tubes for dimes and 1 tube for nickels or 2 for nickels and 1 for dimes. Also, Gunther's beer was brewed in Baltimore City, MD. [You're right about the half dollars. She has a Johnson Universal Changer, which could accommodate five tubes in any combination, though according to the original patent not halves: "The coins according to their particular denominations are deposited in the coin tube elements... element 1 being designed for dimes, the element 2, for pennies, the elements 3 and 4 for nickels and the element 5 for quarters. Of course, any number of elements of a particular denomination of coins may be used..." -tterrace] Glen EchoThe amusement park was still a popular streetcar destination in 1943. Hattie probably kicked up her heels at the Spanish Ballroom on more than one occasion. Don't forget to buy tokensTwin City Lines Minneapolis/St. Paul changers had pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and a double height section that stuck out above the top for tokens. More on HattieAt age 18, Hattie Lucas Bennett married Emory P. Sheehan in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in their home county of Rockingham. By the 1940 census they were still living outside Harrisonburg, with Emory working as a bookkeeper and Hattie in a shoe factory. According to records of Woodbine Cemetery in Harrisonburg, Emory died April 9, 1945, when he was about 44. She lived until July 2, 2000. Her brief obituary in the Harrisonburg Daily News Record the following day notes that "she was a bus and streetcar driver for D.C. Transit during World War II." How Sweet It IsAs attractive as Ms Sheehan is, she brings back memories of the TV show "The Honeymooners". It starred, as Brooklyn's most famous Bus Driver, Ralph Kramden, brought to life in hysterical performances by Jackie Gleason. The sitcom played from 1951 through 1955, initially on the DuMont network and later on CBS. The cast included Art Carney as Kramden's Sewer working Buddy, Audrey Meadows as Gleason's gutsy wife and Joyce Randolph as Mrs Norton. A local TV station WPIX will show some of the Honeymooner episodes every so often as a fill in or inserted into a NY Yankee's rain delay. On Christmas Day after their Yule Log burns out, they'll have a Marathon of these shows. As old as they are they're still very funny. Attached is an ad for a Ralph Kramden children outfit, not unlike Hattie's. DestinationFrom the window route sign, it appears that this streetcar is from the 14th Street line, Route 50 (Short or cutback service) from the Bureau of Engraving to 14th & Decatur Street. (The Gallery, D.C., Esther Bubley, Streetcars)
Ye Olde Mall: 1958
... Highway, a full access road that connected Annapolis to Baltimore. It was a huge thrill. I remember spending a whole day there with my ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 10:49pm -

1958. "Harundale Mall, Glen Burnie, Maryland. Interior view." The first enclosed shopping center on the East Coast. Nirenstein Collection print. View full size. Harundale 1947The construction of the houses in Harundale was the subject of an article in Popular Science in November 1947: The factory for constructing the houses was located on the site of the future Harundale Mall. Nearly all the little houses constructed per the above article are still standing. Now Harundale PlazaThis is a mile away from my house. The site is now a strip mall with a Burlington Coat Factory, some crap stores, empty storefronts, and an Outback. Not a prime location. Hasn't been for decades. Though I do remember it still being somewhat viable in the 80s, as my school chorus traveled there to sing at Christmas one year. Delightful versus frightfulI don't believe Mr. Loewy had his elegant hand in this particular project. We have recently seen good examples of 50's style done right, put in perspective by this more typical sample. But I suspect there are few complaints about the decor on this cold December day, when the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. Harundale MallThis is the first mall I ever went to. It was on Ritchie Highway, a full access road that connected Annapolis to Baltimore. It was a huge thrill. I remember spending a whole day there with my mother Christmas shopping. They played Christmas music all through the mall, and they must have played "The Christmas Song" by the Chipmunks a thousand times. We ate lunch at Read's Drugstore (you can see it down on the left). On the way home, we ate dinner at the White Coffee Pot. Several years later, a huge Two Guys discount store and an EJ Korvette store opened nearby. An early mall with kiosksIt's interesting to see an early mall like this with lots of interior kiosks housing smaller stores -- while these are quite common in modern malls, in the other early malls you've shown on the site (like Southdale), as well as the malls I grew up with in the 1970s, these were rare -- the central hallways were pretty open except for the occasional fountain and the like. (The Gallery, Stores & Markets)
Dentist Gas: 1921
... which Dr. M.M. Whitehurst is president, has four stores in Baltimore, and has met with success there. The new establishment will ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 12:17pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1921. "Louis & Co., Seventh and G." A convenient grouping of Victrolas, painless dentistry and patent advice. View full size. What We Have, You Get Washington Post, Dec 20, 1914 Gets New Drug Store Company Begins Business Tomorrow at 7th and G Sts. The opening of the Washington branch of the Associated branch of the Associated Drug Stores, Seventh and G streets northwest, tomorrow morning, marks the acquisition of one of the finest and most modern establishments of its kind here. The drug company, of which Dr. M.M. Whitehurst is president, has four stores in Baltimore, and has met with success there. The new establishment will feature its opening tomorrow by giving away souvenirs, including candy, flowers, perfume, and other things with purchases of 50 cents and over. Flowers will be given tomorrow and Tuesday to ladies. There will be various departments of the new establishment, including the prescription, cigar, soda fountain, candy, as well as general drug department. The prescription department which is especially well fitted, will be in charge of two registered graduate pharmacists, and will be able to fill prescriptions on short notice. Another feature is the 30-foot soda fountain, said to be the largest in this section of the country. It will be in the charge of competent men, and is strictly hygienic. Sterilized glasses, filtered water, and fresh fruits will be attractions. The management will make a specialty of guaranteeing everything that is sold in the store, and if anything is not entirely satisfactory it can be returned and either money refunded or another article given in its place. "Best goods at the lowest prices," is the motto of the company. The new store building, which is centrally located, was formerly occupied by a branch of the United States Trust Company. The inside of the structure was torn out, and handsome new fixtures substituted at great expense. The interior finish of the store is in white. Wall showcases have been used throughout so that the customer may see everything. This is sad to be an innovation for Washington. The proprietors will make a specialty from time to time of great bargains in the drug, candy, and other departments. What We Have, You Get Count 'EmI see about 28 Nippers. There are a couple more suspects, but I can't tell without more magnification (or younger eyes). Street ViewAmazingly similar today... View Larger Map Hardest working dentistAmazing, Dr. Truett's hours are 8am-9pm! WhereIs the Drug Store? [To the left of Louis & Co. - Dave] The Moran BuildingThe Moran Building at 501-509 G Street NW in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington was built in 1889 by J.E. Moran (first three floors; fourth floor and mansard roof added in 1890 by George Bogus) and is an example of Second Empire architecture. In 1983 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Current tenants include a Burger King restaurant. [As noted above, the Moran is not the building in our photo. - Dave] Misplaced MoranThe Moran Building with the Burger King is actually a block over, on the other side of Verizon Center. +95Below is the same view from May of 2016. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Union Traction: 1907
... own or steam railroad freight cars on some lines. In Baltimore was an express company running their own cars on the city car lines ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 1:41pm -

Indianapolis, Indiana, circa 1907. "Union Traction Co. -- Union Terminal Building." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Union Terminal interurbansThis was the largest interurban terminal in the world. Indianapolis was the epicenter of the traction industry, with routes leaving the city in virtually every direction, with all the lines terminating here. An interurban was not a streetcar, but a long distance, heavy duty electric railway running between distant cities. They ran limited express, milk run locals, some sleepers and diners and even carload freight trains. Union Traction merged with a number of other properties to form Indiana Railroad. The tax-supported highways killed the IR off in the 1930's. Many cities had at least one or two interurban lines, and with few exceptions were all gone by Pearl Harbor. Few American industries rose so high and fell so far so fast. About the last old interurban still under wire is Chicago, South Shore and South Bend RR. Is that a mail delivery trolley?Or an early UPS truck in the barn? Pretty cool, whatever it is. Express carThey sure do seem to be loading express parcels, likely from the Terminal's basement. Note the elevator is up. But I don't think this car was going any great distance. Those four wheels would preclude making any time on a high speed run. Probably making local deliveries around town. Interurbans ran parcel express cars, Railway Post Office cars, and as I said earlier, hauled their own or steam railroad freight cars on some lines. In Baltimore was an express company running their own cars on the city car lines for a time; Indianapolis may have had a similar outfit. Someone with more knowledge of I'polis might tell us. Market & IllinoisWest Market and North Illinois Street. The building in the background is the Indiana Statehouse. View Larger Map "The standard of perfection"Long before Cadillac adopted that motto! [I think Cadillac's was "Standard of the World." - Dave] Changing modes of transportSomewhat later, this was the Greyhound Terminal. See Terminal Lunch:1943 and Indianapolis: 1943. (The Gallery, DPC, Indianapolis, Railroads, Streetcars)
The Pamphlet: 1922
... Charm City I'm certain that this photo was taken in Baltimore, not in Washington. Behind the heads of the two women at right, ... A bit of research reveals there was a Hotel Rennert in Baltimore in the narrow block bounded by Saratoga, Liberty, Clay, and Sharp ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/11/2015 - 10:26am -

Easter and Holy Week in Washington, D.C., 1922. "Group of pages." Plus an usher. 4x5 inch glass negative from the Harris & Ewing Collection. View full size. Huge buttonsFor her hat, tasseled belt, collar clip, two-tone brogues with low heels, and, of course, those outsized buttons, my vote for Most Stylish goes to the page second from the right. Chain beltMy vote is for the sweet gal wearing the chain belt and criss cross shoes. Love her smile and her hair. All of these young ladies are lovely. GrandmothersThis photo was taken the week that my father was born, so these girls are of my grandmother's generation. Gives me a different perspective, since I only knew my grandmother as an "older" woman, but she was once a young girl, too. Lovely laceI remember this generation of women wore lace collars their whole lives. My grandmothers and great-aunts donned them at formal events until their passing in the 70's. I miss that beautiful fabric. Charm CityI'm certain that this photo was taken in Baltimore, not in Washington. Behind the heads of the two women at right, we see a painted sign reading "[HO]TEL [...]NERT". A bit of research reveals there was a Hotel Rennert in Baltimore in the narrow block bounded by Saratoga, Liberty, Clay, and Sharp Streets. A handsome dome topped its southwest corner at the intersection of Clay & Liberty. A 1903 photo of the hotel's west façade -- detail below -- is an exact match for the dome seen above & behind our pages. The dome's balcony and the pointed pediment next to it also match, further confirming the location. Thus, the cameraman was looking west, capturing the Rennert's narrow southern façade. The women in the photo seem to be standing on a balcony or terrace on the south side of Clay Street between Sharp and Charles. Perhaps they came from St. Paul's Church, which lies one block to the east across Charles St. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Fast Woman: 1908
... Roadster as manufactured by the Sinclair-Scott Company of Baltimore, a company far better known for their apple peelers and food canning ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 11:24pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1908. "Maycliffe, R., Miss." The Broadway ingenue Ruth Maycliffe. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. 1907 OaklandYou can see part of the last name on the radiator. Here's a picture for reference. Not identical, but a lot of the details are strikingly similar, like the horn, running lights and headlights. Backwards DriverJudging by the tire tracks is looks like the car was reversed into position for this shot. Where was she?Can anyone identify the location and the buildings in the background? [The big building is the Willard Hotel. - Dave] AH-OOGA.Where do I get me one of them horns? Multiple Air Valves?I am no car expert, and have no idea what kind of a car this is. BUT, I notice that the tires seems to have a whole lot of air valves, if that's what they are, whereas today's tires have only one per tire. Does anyone know why? [Those are rim clamps. See the comments here. - Dave] LocationFor the individual curious about the location of this photo. Thanks to Dave's identification, the Willard Hotel is located at 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, DC. Just down the road from the White House. It's a MarylandMiss Maycliffe's car was a rarity even when this picture was taken. It is a 1908 Maryland Roadster as manufactured by the Sinclair-Scott Company of Baltimore, a company far better known for their apple peelers and food canning machines. The Maryland started out in 1905 as the Ariel, made by the Ariel Motor Car Company of Boston (not connected with the Ariel Motor Company in England or its New York partner The Ariel Company). Sinclair-Scott had ventured into the manufacture of car parts a few years earlier and Ariel became one of their customers—in fact Sinclair-Scott was soon not only producing most of the car, but assembling it as well. There were few sales of the $2,500 tonneau however, and Ariel was unable to make good on their debts. Sinclair-Scott acquired the rights to the vehicle in 1907 (Ariel Motor Car Company was officially dissolved that same year), gave it a bit of a face lift—the oval radiator was given a sleeker redesign—and renamed it the Maryland Car. They next added a 6-passenger limousine and a 2, 3, or 4-passenger roadster to the lineup while retaining the dash and Briscoe oval radiator on all three models. The Briscoe Mfg. Co. badge can be seen at the top of Miss Maycliffe's radiator. Sinclair-Scott also carried on the Ariel tradition of equipping each vehicle with a tool box, a Nonpareil brand horn (used by 2/3 of American automobile manufacturers) and a full set of Atwood lamps (2 oil side lamps and 2 acetylene head lamps). The new models were a vast sales improvement over the Ariels—albeit still fairly low volume when compared to the best-sellers of the day—and for 1908 the only changes made were some body refinements and to the finish. Given the low production volume, it is possible that the roadster Miss Maycliffe purchased was the very one used for the promotional photographs appearing in national magazines (above). Even with the increased volume, the vehicles were never profitable enough for Sinclair-Scott and in 1910 they discontinued the Maryland Car line. I am unaware of any Ariels or Marylands in existence today—making them both extinct cars. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Bumper to Bumper: 1941
... there were large parking lots at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore that packed cars in just like that. You had better have been prepared ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/20/2020 - 1:03pm -

July 1941. "Parking lot. Chicago, Illinois." This is what you call being in a tight spot! 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Why no older models?There are usually some from the early '30s in the mix, but the oldest cars here seem to be from 1936 or so. Someone who knows more about antique autos than I do will be along shortly to educate me, and that's OK, too. [After around 1935, when cars began to be made with steel roofs and all-steel bodies, the number of older vehicles in these photos drops off sharply. - Dave] Do believe it is a normal parking lotThese cars seem to have come from some transport or are waiting to go on one, a ship or maybe a train since they look like they are all the same manufacturer. You can see photos like it of arriving Japanese verhicles that came off a ship. ["The same manufacturer"? I see a Pontiac, a Plymouth, an Oldsmobile ... - Dave] The one in the middle!"Yeah, here's my tag - it's the two tone coupe, the one in the middle. And make it snappy, fella, I got a hot date!" I'd actually assume this is a dealer or distributor lot. Can't be a downtown parking lot! [It is downtown, one of several such scenes photographed by John Vachon. Note that the cars have license plates, a smattering of windshield stickers, and various parcels visible through their windows, some of which are open. I would imagine this is the kind of lot where you have to wait till the end of the day to get your car. - Dave] Been there, waited for thatAs late as the early-70s (and maybe beyond) there were large parking lots at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore that packed cars in just like that. You had better have been prepared to stay for the whole game because unless you were lucky there was no way out 'till it was over. Fake ViewsDear Dave, Something's wrong with this picture. All these cars are like, really old. Not even that black Dodgein dead center trapped between a Chevrolet and Pontiac could ram its way out of that crowded lot! The old saying when backing up"Keep going till you hear the crash" must have been employed here. As for older vehicles, I'm fairly sure that of the 40 or so in the parking lot at work, my 2008 Ford pickup is the oldest. The root of the term "bumper"It seems to me from images such as these, and old movies, that bumpers were once meant to be literally bumped. What happened? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chicago, John Vachon)
Les Jeunes Étudiants: 1924
... grade class at Shrine Of The Little Flower grade school in Baltimore in the 50's I head the dubious pleasure of occupying a seat ... The worst time was at the start of the day when the Baltimore Catechism was the study subject. The combination of boring religious ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/08/2013 - 12:13pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1924. "Maret French School." Our vocabulary word for the day: Ennui. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. FarsightedThe boy in suit, tie and white shirt straining to see the book and paper in front of him looks as though he needs glasses, but none of these kids have them. The girl in the first row closest to us appears to be wearing authentic pilgrim shoes from 300 years earlier. L'Jumeau?On the front row: twins? BandeauWhen you're so cool that you can wear anything... wear a headband! Maret SchoolThe Maret School still exists in Northwest DC. Radiators On The Wall.Desks aligned near the windows and radiators brought back memories of my 7th grade class at Shrine Of The Little Flower grade school in Baltimore in the 50's I head the dubious pleasure of occupying a seat inches from both windows and radiators which caused me all kinds of trouble from my seventh grade teacher Sister Mary "Crunchy" Crescentia. The windows were landing platforms for all kinds of birds and insects which no self respecting 11 yr old boy could ignore. The radiators emitted warmth to the whole room but if you sat next to it after a 15 minute recess break in the winter it could put you to sleep better than any sleep tablet on the market. The worst time was at the start of the day when the Baltimore Catechism was the study subject. The combination of boring religious instruction and radiant heat after marching from morning mass to the classroom would put you to sleep faster than a Prozac. Within seconds of nodding off an eraser or piece of chalk would be whizzing my way and usually did the job of waking me up. Those were the days before your parents would sue the Archdiocese for child abuse because than if you said a nun had thrown something at you your parents would say, "If she threw it, you probably deserved it." so there was no way you would complain to Mom since you would get punished for upsetting the good Sister. (The Gallery, D.C., Education, Schools, Natl Photo)
Good Humor Boys: 1941
... Humor man who patrolled the crowded streets of northeast Baltimore in the early and mid-1950s. I couldn't afford the Good Humor Bar, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/16/2018 - 10:58am -

March 1941. "The Good Humor man comes to trailer camp on Saturday afternoon. These children are sons of torpedo plant workers in Alexandria, Virginia." Medium format negative by Martha McMillan Roberts. View full size. Hot Time, Summer in the Citywas when we most appreciated Earl, the Good Humor man who patrolled the crowded streets of northeast Baltimore in the early and mid-1950s. I couldn't afford the Good Humor Bar, ice cream sandwich, fudgesicle (pronounced fudge-a-cul locally), creamsicle, or dreamsicle, but for a nickel the popsicle, which was frozen sherbet (sherbert, locally), hit the spot. Ice cream memoriesThis picture takes me back to my own childhood in Alexandria, though nearly 20 years later than these young guys. We heard the bells ringing, ran inside to get money from our moms, and gathered around the Good Humor man in his white uniform. I was always fascinated by the way the cold air spilled out of the truck's compartments as he reached in for our frozen goodies. Most coveted itemThe thing I remember most and always wanted was the coin holder on the ice cream man's belt. Our bus driver also had one, and for some reason it was something I always wanted. That is, until I actually got one, at a yard sale many decades ago. Since I never had to make change for a crowd, it seemed silly to wear one and I was already 50 by then and would have looked like a moron, so now it sits in my "storage closet" as a constant reminder that most of us really think we desire some material item until we actually get it and then wonder why we wanted it so much. If the kid on the extreme left threw his popsicle wrapper on the ground, as it appears, since he is the only one eating both sides of his treat all at once while the others have all saved their other half in the wrapper for later, we would have called him a litterbug. We had to buy our ice cream from an independent, local peddler because they were always a few cents cheaper than the official Good Humor man and with four kids, my mom could save 4 nickels by using the generic ice cream man and we were just as happy. This photo sure brings back some good summer memories. Summer RitualThe only difference between these folks and me was that my Alexandria was in Louisiana, but all else brings back those memories. Thanks, Dave! Little fella forlornMy favorite thing about this photo is the wistful gaze of the poor tyke who missed out. [I had to look to find him! - Dave] Still AroundWe still have of couple of these trucks rambling around my area in Connecticut. I assume they are new trucks, but fitted out the same ( and with the bells!) and with 2018 prices. I get goosebumps when I see them -- they were such a welcome sight on hot summer nights when I was a kid. Play Ball!But if the Good Humor Man drives off with the catcher's mitt still on his running board, they'll have to cancel the game! Alexandria's Old Torpedo FactoryThe Architect of the Capital's author Elliot Carter reports: The station's main weapon system was the Mark-14, a submarine launched anti-ship torpedo. Unfortunately the Mark-14 was a dud, and repeated and well documented failures produced what the press dubbed a "Great Torpedo Scandal." According to Theodore Roscoe's history of WWII submarine warfare, "the only reliable feature of the torpedo was its unreliability." The Mark XIV green torpedo, currently displayed in the main hall of the Torpedo Factory Art Center, was produced there in 1945. It was painted bright green so that the Navy could find it in the water when it was tested. Maybe they couldn't find it after all after the test? (The Gallery, Kids, Martha Roberts)
La Dolce Vespa: 1955
... (1954). Steve Barclay of Operazione Mitra was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1918, had minor roles in US films in the 40s, then ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/20/2015 - 6:18pm -

July 1955. "Vespa motor scooters in Rome, Italy." From photos taken for Look magazine. View full size. Hype, Italian Style"You will be torn from your seats - Taken into the screen - Become actors in the film!" sez the Cinerama posters. This Is Cinerama opened at the Sistina Cinema on June 28, 1955 and played for 49 weeks. Other films: L'ultimo ponte, a 1954 Austrian production released as Die letzte Brücke and later in 1957 in the US as The Last Bridge; Operazione Mitra (1951); Le vacanze del Sor Clemente (1954). Steve Barclay of Operazione Mitra was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1918, had minor roles in US films in the 40s, then apparently worked exclusively in Italy starting 1949, even once co-starring with Sophia Loren. IMDb lists his last film in 1956, and his death in 1994 in Rome. I couldn't find if he rode a Vespa. Wasp MinorityLambrettas outnumber the Vespas (Italian for wasp). There are two LDs and a naked D along with the Benelli, the MV and the mystery bike at the end MV AgustaThe bike with the tag numbered 4951 appears to be a 1955 MV Agusta 125 cc TR. Power came from a single cylinder four stroke. Race prepared MV Agustas were formidable competitors well before 1955, and the brand is still available today. The Sweet WaspI bought a (new) red 1965 Vespa when I was in high school...not much different from the ones pictured here - cost a little over $300, and it's still in the family! Nice to see these '50's models with original, authentic Italian accessories. LOVE the roll bars on the Vespa in the center. Wish I'd had a set on mine...(ouch!) Here's mineI bought mine from Sears, Roebuck & Co. about 1962 for about $300. Repaid my dad with earnings from a Roswell Daily Record paper route. LambrettaI have a 64 Lambretta that I rebuilt from a barn recovery...It'll get refreshed this winter... (The Gallery, LOOK, Motorcycles, Movies)
Mo and Mammy: 1927
... 2756 Woodley pl. nw., and Mrs. Gertrude Sollod of Baltimore, and three grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 12:30 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 5:05pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1927. "Al Jolson's parents." Rabbi Moses Yoelson and wife Ida, the actor's stepmother. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. I'd walk a million miles"Mammy!" The sun shines east, the sun shines westI wonder what her smile looks like. I'd like to know if it really is worth walking a million miles for. My MammyBefore Jolson latched onto it, the song had been introduced on the vaudeville circuit by William Frawley, decades before he achieved sitcom immortality as Fred Mertz on "I Love Lucy." From scratchThis picture looks like it had some retouching, like scratching on the faces and hands. Also, the eyes look kind of unnatural. Their facesSomehow she looks like the stern one. He seems to have a soft kindly quality in his expression, and what looks like a nice little smile. Just the opposite of the parents in "The Jazz Singer." Ida Yoelson Obit Washington Post, Jan 9, 1951 Al Jolson's Stepmother Dies at 80 Mrs. Ida Yoelson, stepmother of the late Al Jolson, died yesterday at her home at 1787 Lanier pl. nw., at the age of 80. She had been suffering from hardening of the arteries for several months. Mrs. Yoelson died without ever having been told of the death of her famous stepson last October 23. She was too sick to be told, her son, George Jolson, said last night. The famed singer and comedian used to write home every week and Mrs. Yoelson constantly asked if his letters were coming in regularly. To keep the news from her, George and the other children kept answering yes, even after the letters stopped coming. She was actually the only mother Al ever knew, according to George. Al's mother, Emma, died when Al was an infant. Ida Yevels came here with her mother from Russia to be married to Al's father, the late Rabbi Moses Reuben Yoelson, when Al was only two years old. The two Mrs. Yoelsons were cousins. A devout, Orthodox Jew, Mrs. Yoelson did not attempt to divert Al when he decided to enter show business. Instead her devotion to him remained steadfast and she followed his fortunes with unwavering loyalty. "We had to read Al's notices to Mom and Pop over and over again." George said last night. Robbi Yoelson died about five years ago. Earlier in her life. Mrs. Yoelson was active in numerous charities and social organizations. In addition to George, a pharmacist who lives at 2527 14th st. ne., she leaves three other children, Meyer Yoelson, of the Lanier pl. adress; Emil Yoelson, a Post Office Department employee, 2756 Woodley pl. nw., and Mrs. Gertrude Sollod of Baltimore, and three grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 12:30 p.m. today at Danazansky's funeral home, 3501 14th st. nw. She will be burieded near her husband at the Talmud Torah Congregation Cemetery. Beloved, indeedConsidering that Al Jolson was, by most accounts, an egomaniacal tyrant to most people (he ran water in his dressing room, for instance, so as not to hear the applause for others onstage), it is interesting to note that his father was a rabbi! Perhaps he should have walked those "million miles" a bit more often for some heart to hearts with dear old dad! (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Movies, Portraits)
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