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Old New York: 1913
... where that Quaker Oats sign was located? (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, G.G. Bain, NYC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 5:01pm -

Summer 1913. "Bird's eye view of N.Y.C. from roof of Consolidated Gas Building." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. The East VillageI used to live in the area a couple of years ago on East 12th between Avenues A & B. Can't quite make that building out in this shot, but there are some noticeable landmarks there. First is Tompkins Square Park (just left of center toward the top, which occupies the area between Avenue A & B on the east and west, and 10th street & 7th streets to the north and south), looking toward the Manhattan Bridge. The two steeples peeking up over the park, I think, are St. Brigid's Church on Avenue B across from the park. The shorter, broader steeple on this side of the park probably is St. Nicholas of Myra Church (1883) on the corner of Avenue A and 10th Street. Moving farther right across the picture, below where the bridge begins to fade off, is the steeple of St. Stanislaus Church (1872) on 7th Street, between Avenue A and First Avenue. Moving a little more to the right, closer to the photographer, is the steeple of St. Marks in the Bowery (its stark contrast jumps out at you) on the corner of 10th Street & 2nd Avenue. "The Bowery" was Dutch governor Peter Stuyvesant's farm, and his private chapel used to stand there, making this the oldest site of continuous worship in Manhattan. This church was erected 1795-99, with a Greek Revival steeple added 1828 and an Italianate portico completing the structure in 1854. The graveyard here has some of the oldest burials in Manhattan, including Stuyvesant himself. I see a handful of other steeples in there, but I need the time to identify those, these were the "easy" ones for me. Con EdHere we go again, another picture that is going to have my attention for many days. This one, taken from the Consolidated Gas Building, now the Con Ed (Consolidated Edison) Building is at 4 Irving place. I Guess the shot was taken looking southeast across 3rd Ave (the El is there). The Jefferson Theatre was a major vaudeville house at 214 East 14 St, which puts it between 2nd & 3rd Avenues and on the south side of the street. This places the photographer 1 block away from Union Square Park, the site of some previous, amazing Shorpy pictures. Today that block, houses among others, a high-rise NYU dorm and a very active Trader Joe's. It is an extremely busy street populated mainly by the college kids. TemperatureIs that temperature atop the Jefferson sign showing 25 degrees F? The pedestrians don't appear to be dressed very warmly. [The sign says 10-15-25 cents. - Dave] WaterThere's an amazing amount of cisterns on the roofs. Bad pressure or poor main lines? [Those aren't cisterns. (Cisterns, usually underground, hold rainwater. How would you fill a cistern on a roof?) Penthouse tanks tanks fed by the municipal water supply are common even today in big cities on buildings of more than a few stories. - Dave] Quaker Oats SignLots of interesting signage including Quaker Oats. Also to the right, a church steeple under construction. Painless Dentistry?In 1913, anything but, surely! [Local anesthesia (Novocain, procaine, etc.) was well established by 1913. - Dave] Water TanksToday, water pressure in NYC will only take the water supply up six stories, at best. To go higher, it needs a boost to pump it to individual units or to a tank where it can supply by gravity. In the past several years, the designers of some new quick and nasty condo buildings in Brooklyn were not aware of that. Hello! Up on the RoofAll those lovely roofs and no one up there tending a garden or reading or having a smoke. Water tanksAll buildings six stories and higher in New York City are required to have water tanks. The best, cheapest, way to keep water pressure up in tall buildings. Water TanksThe most amazing thing is that new water tanks are constructed virtually the same as the wooden tanks shown in this photo. The base is supported by parallel wooden joists sitting on a structural steel framework. A wooden floor is laid across the joists. Once in place, the floor is cut into to size of the tank's diameter. Then enough vertical staves are secured in place to permit some of the steel bands to be put in place. Once complete, the tank is pumped full of water. The staves and the wooden floor swell enough after a few days immersed in water that the tank no longer leaks. Most tanks have open tops - some have an additional weather enclosure around them. Wooden tanks like these last about 20 years. A replacement tank of this size can be made on site in less than a day's time. Con EdMy dad worked briefly for Con Ed in that building on the NE corner of 14th and Irving Place for a few months back in 1921-22. It's still there, just a few blocks south of Pete's Tavern on Irving Place, one of my old favorite pubs in that neighborhood. What Bridge?What bridge is in the foreground.....is it still standing? (I don't think so....but?) [That's the Williamsburg Bridge. Still very much there. - Dave] The "CLOTHES" sign, lower leftWhat is the sign that apparently displays 10:15 above the "CLOTHES" vertical sign toward the lower left of the photo? It couldn't be a digital clock, right? If it isn't a digital clock, I wonder what the 10:15 stood for. October 15th? [The sign says "10-15-25¢" And nothing about "clothes." - Dave] Thanks for replying! Sorry, I meant the sign on the photographer's side of the elevated train station that reads "CLOTHES," descending from the top. It looks a lot like the Jefferson Theatre's sign. Quaker Oats location?Can anyone tell me approximately where that Quaker Oats sign was located? (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, G.G. Bain, NYC)
City of Cleveland: 1908
... in 1956. Pleasure Cruiser This and other lake boats were enjoyed by thousands of people in the Great Depression, myself ... Dave] Side timbers The timbers on the side of the boats are wood fenders to prevent damage when side docking. When boat is away ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 4:33pm -

Circa 1908. "Steamer City of Cleveland, Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Co., Lake Erie Division." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Quite a ContrastThe elegant steamer dressed to the nines contrasted with the spewing soot from her boilers. Breathing on the afterdeck might have been difficult. Method of PropulsionI assume this steamer is propeller driven? I don't see a paddle wheel. [Look closely and you'll see that the boat is a sidewheeler. - Dave] Cleveland SteamerThat is a fabulous picture of the boat, but I always imagined a Cleveland Steamer looking a little different. A little historyCity of Cleveland III, US.204080, Sidewheel Overnight Passenger Steamer built in 1907 by the Detroit Ship Building Co., Wyandotte, Mich., as Hull #168. Launched January 5, 1907 as City of Cleveland for the Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Co., Detroit, Mich. Length 420 feet by 54 feet wide. Powered by a 6,500 hp three cylinder inclined compound steam engine and eight coal-fired Scotch boilers. Because of a fire in her cabins during fit out at the shipyard, her maiden voyage was delayed a year until May 1908. She was built for the Detroit and Cleveland overnight run. She was renamed City of Cleveland III in 1912. On June 26, 1950 the Norwegian freighter Ravnefjell collided with the City of Cleveland III in early morning fog in Lake Huron off Harbor Beach, Mich. The Norwegian vessel crashed into the D & C liner's cabins but did not penetrate her hull. Four passengers were lost in the collision. The Cleveland III was able to proceed to Detroit where she discharged her remaining passengers. She did not sail again and was scrapped at Buffalo in 1956. Pleasure CruiserThis and other lake boats were enjoyed by thousands of people in the Great Depression, myself included. Oars?Just what are those big timbers hanging from the side of the ship? [Pier bumpers. - Dave] Side timbersThe timbers on the side of the boats are wood fenders to prevent damage when side docking. When boat is away from the dock the bottom of the fenders are pulled up on deck hanging at about a 45% angle. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
Chicago: 1905
... there" photos. It is the one that is up. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Chicago, DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/05/2018 - 1:47pm -

Chicago circa 1905. "12th Street Bascule Bridge." Dinosaurs of the Carboniferous Period. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Bascule BridgesMore on the bascule ("seesaw") design here. These bridges used a system of counterweights to balance the span. Today's viewIt looks like this bridge is down, but the 2 in the background are still standing. View Larger Map Drainage CanalSomehow, a tour of a drainage canal sounds rather disturbing. Now that's marketing!Daily Excursions to the Drainage Canal! How could anyone resist that? Floaters.Daily Excursions. Step right up, buy your ticket to see the effluence. I.M. WestonDespite being in a canal, there was no smooth sailing for this steamer. The permit for its travels between Chicago and Lockport was revoked for the drunken rowdiness of its passengers. From Proceedings of the Chicago Sanitary District Board of Trustees. June 4, 1902 PRESIDENT DIRECTED TO REVOKE PERMIT ISSUED TO STEAMER I.M. WESTON FOR NAVIGATING THE DRAINAGE CHANNEL Under the head of new business Mr. Braden stated he had been informed that the steamer I.M. Weston plying between this city and Lockport is selling liquors and carrying boisterous crowds on its trips down the Drainage Channel and moved seconded by Mr Jones that the President of the Board be requested to revoke the permit granted said steamer until such time as the proprietors have given assurances that the boat will be properly conducted. The motion prevailed unanimously and it was so ordered. Steamer Weston: R.I.P. 1902 Port Huron Daily Times, September 6, 1902 The little passenger steamer I.M. WESTON which has been engaged in carrying excursionists down the Chicago Drainage Canal to Lockport for several years caught fire in the canal near Summit on Friday and burned to the water's edge. No one was lost. The I.M. Weston was built in 1883 as a passenger steamer, she later saw use carrying fruit before reverting back to passenger trade. 95 tons gross; 57 tons net. Zug IslandIs one of those bridges on Zug Island? Any kid growing up in Detroit was easily made to study harder by the threat of working on Zug Island. Cruising by it on the Bob-Lo boat was enough to scare a C-student into a B+ student by the end of the cruise. Bascule BridgeWe have two of those bridges here in Detroit! [Chicago wants them back right away. Or else. - Dave] Re: Today's view12th Street is today's Roosevelt Road (named for Teddy). I'm not sure if either bridge in the Google view is what you see in background of the photo. The top (north) bridge is no longer in use - it served the old Grand Central Station (B&O and others) at Wells and Harrison until the late 60's/early 70's. Follow the old right-of-way going north and you can still see traces of the platforms. The south(bottom) bridge connects Union Station and the BNSF with the Illinois Central mainline. Bascule Bridges - Zug IslandActually, one is at Fort Street and the other one is on Jefferson. I think there is one on Dix at the Ford-Rouge Plant, also. There might even be one on Zug Island. Uh, Dave, Chicago is out of luck -- we're not giving them back! Carboniferous DinosaursCouldn't be a more appropriate caption. Not only do we have the steamboat and steam switcher locomotive, but a steam-powered dredge in the background. Impressive! Dancing About ArchitectureMy wife and I took a two-hour river cruise sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Foundation a couple of weeks ago while visiting the Windy City. The tour was informative and relaxing and the expert commentary was provided by a docent from the CAF. We passed under several of these bascule bridges. We happened to be there during the Chicago Air Show, so we had the added fun of watching fighter jets and vintage aircraft screaming above the city. I highly reccommend the experience. More on the CAF's tours and activities: www.architecture.org Goober Pea Roosevelt Rd. BridgeThis is the "modern" bridge as it appeared in April 2008, view looking north from the river (click to enlarge): Hey...I used to live thereSo, as far as Chicago's development goes, I would say that this is an area that remains quite similar today. Until a few months ago I lived nearby in East Pilsen and I loved taking pics in the area. Here is a night shot of these same bridges from last winter. Over the RiverThe bridges in this area were all taken down and rebuilt between 1919 and 1921 for the straightening of the river. Chicago Drainage CanalAt the time of this picture, Chicago had recently reversed the flow of the Chicago River. Previously, the river and all of Chicago's sewage flowed into Lake Michigan, which is also where Chicago got its drinking water. A drainage canal was dug (some claim that more material was moved in the excavation of this canal than during construction of the Panama Canal). The drainage canal, along with a system of locks, caused the Chicago River to flow downward through the Des Plaines and Illinois River systems to the Mississippi. It was an incredible achievement, but maybe not so good for the people and fisheries downstream. Those bridgesThe two bridges shown prominently are long gone. They did provide access to Grand Central Station but were removed when the South Branch of the Chicago River was straightened in the 1920s. The railroad built a single leaf bascule bridge to replace the double bridge a few blocks to the south. That bridge is seen in the "today's view" and "I used to live there" photos. It is the one that is up. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Chicago, DPC)
Coaling on the River: 1906
... to the other side via her nifty Iphone 7 (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Memphis) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/05/2017 - 12:42pm -

Circa 1906. "Coaling a river packet underway on the Mississippi near Memphis." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Photos add weightButt I thought it was all over and not concentrated in one spot. MeasurementsThis lady is a great model for the "Hourglass Figure". Cell Phones Useless for Time TravelersI realize everyone is joking here but you don't have to look too far to find people who believe some of these time traveler stories. "Look, he/she is talking on a cell phone!". Talking to whom? On what network? The only thing you could do with a smartphone in 1906 is play a little Candy Crush while you are in bed dying of dysentery. Riding the railingQuite a bustle you've got there, ma'am! That lady sitting on the railLooks like she's talking on a cell phone. I am reassured.Now that I see Shorpy members are just as juvenile as the rest of the internet. Time traveler?The lady is using a smart phone! Is this another one of those "proof of a time traveler" photos that seem to be so popular on the web these days? Taking a quick callIs it me, or does the tiny-waisted woman who is resting on the rail look as if she is deeply engrossed in a call on her mobile phone? Not a PhoneShe's Probably listening to the game on her Transistorized Marconi wireless. Another OneWell at least she isn't using her "Selfie Stick" Hello Dear..Does this dress make my butt look big? Just a HaunchI believe that the lady sitting on the railing, at least by the evidence presented, seems to be an earlier era Karsdashian. Talking on her cellphoneThe lady in the right foreground, sitting on the railing. As for that left butt cheek, I’m not quite sure what I’m seeing there. Ahead Of Her TimeIt appears the fair waisted woman has a cell phone to her ear. Time travelerBeing out of the plane of focus, I can't tell whether it's iPhone or Android, but the woman is clearly on a smartphone. Hello?Who's the "cheeky" lady on the cellphone and what kind of reception is she getting on the river? Can you hear me now?I know it isn't so, but the lady lounging against the railing looks as though she is on her cell phone. Time TravelerIs that lady on the railing on a cell phone? What is the lady holding......while she sits on the railing? Looks like she's on her cellphone! ;-) It's all about the bassOh, and she seems to be talking on her cell phone. I Know Everyone Will Say ThisBut why is that lady leaning on the railing on her iPhone? PerchedFrom her perch, a lovely view. The girl on the railinglooks, as I should say; "comfortable" Time traveler alertLady on the rail chatting to the other side via her nifty Iphone 7 (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Memphis)
Official Business: 1942
... war labour transport needs. I'm a big fan of wooden boats, so the idea of beautifully varnished wood on a mechanical conveyance is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/16/2023 - 8:02pm -

October 1942. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "Women in war. Supercharger plant workers. To replace men who have been called to armed service, many young girls like 19-year-old Jewel Halliday are taking jobs never before held by women. Her job is shuttling workers between two Midwest war plants for Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co." Photo by Ann Rosener for the Office of War Information. View full size. Don't mess with me, mister!A wonderful shot, dramatically lit, conveying the sense of the subject being all about business. [Photographer Ann Rosener would be a Missus. As opposed to her assistant crouched next to the steering wheel. - Dave] The estate of affairsLooks like a 1942 Buick 40B Estate Wagon - for all your war labour transport needs. I'm a big fan of wooden boats, so the idea of beautifully varnished wood on a mechanical conveyance is not foreign to me. The US Army bought a ton of the 2-door and 4-door sedans for use as staff cars, and it would appear a few of the woodie estate wagons too. Jewell HallidayJewell (correct spelling) Halliday married Rudolph A. Pollak in Milwaukee, on June 20, 1946. He was a World War II veteran. Jewell passed away in Milwaukee on November 20, 1974. Rudolph died in Florida, on November 24, 1999. I was unable to determine if they had any children. It wasn't just womenIn 1944, my Dad (16 years old) was driving the street sweeper in Coronado, Calif. He had an hour between 5-6am, to sweep the downtown business district. The next hour was spent on a rotating basis thru the different residential areas. By 7am he was headed home to get ready for school. Restating "The estate of affairs"While looking very Buick-like, this is actually a 1942 Chevrolet Special DeLuxe Station Wagon. The wood panels and trim are different; the Buick's fender sweep into the front doors is longer; the thin wooden slats on the interior roof of the Chevy took the place of a headliner; and the shadow of the Chevy's rear door hinge can also be seen below the door handle. The Buick's hinge was above the window line. Chevy built 1,057 while there were only 327 of the 1942 Buick Model 49 Estate Wagons (including one for export). At $1,095 it was Chevy's most expensive model, and it was also their heaviest model at 3,425 pounds. Only three of these Buicks are thought to still exist, and half of the 1942 production is believed to have gone to the federal government for the war effort. Cost of the Buick was $1,450, and it weighed 3,925 pounds (500 more pounds than the Chevy!). Comparison photos from early 1942 catalogs are below. Note that because Chevy used two different body builders for the station wagon bodies the trim shown in the Shorpy photo is slightly different from the catalog drawing (which was also produced months in advance of actual production beginning). (The Gallery, Ann Rosener, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Milwaukee, WW2)
Bathing Girl Parade: 1920
... fishing boat rental, and a hot dog. A great "watch the boats" place. Home of John Wayne, Johnny Carson, and much more. (Pretty ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/03/2020 - 2:57pm -

Annual "Bathing Girl Parade," Balboa Island at Newport Beach, California. June 20, 1920. Panoramic photo by Miles Weaver. View full size. shoe envyOof. The gal on the left-hand side with the Spalding pennant is very Will Ferrell, no? On a positive note, I'd kill for any pair of pumps these ladies are sporting. //parenthetically.blogspot.com/ Oof indeedI am not nearly as hypercritical about yesteryear's looks as some commenters, but this is definitely the worst looking batch of "beauties" posted on this site. Amazing bathing suits, though. With so much skin nowadays, we don't get to see that kind of craziness on the beach. :(The poor little one sitting down in front of them doesn't look like she's having a good time. RobertoEstas sí que eran bikinis!! ooh la laooh la la... Oh to be born back then, maybe recycled back in future lifecycle I will wish to be born now...make sense!? working class girlsCome now, give these poor girls a break. in 1920, The OC was bean fields and orange groves and Hollywood was a days train ride away. any of these beauties would of been a trophy catch for some lonely orchard farmer...... Balboa ParkI believe the stairs are still there. Balboa Park Pavilion, as it's called now. A good place for a hour sailboat rent, cotton candy, fishing boat rental, and a hot dog. A great "watch the boats" place. Home of John Wayne, Johnny Carson, and much more. (Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Ten Rounds: 1899
... weren't carrying anything you shouldn't. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, E.H. Hart, S-A War, Sports) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/23/2012 - 6:47pm -

July 3, 1899, aboard the U.S.S. New York. "A 10-round bout, anniversary of Santiago." Photo by Edward H. Hart, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. He's a maniac, maniacThe shorts are disturbing in their own right, but the Flashdance stirrup leggings with what appear to be open-toed canvas espadrilles are a fin-de-siècle fashion disaster. Love thisLove the uniforms, the money for bets being flashed, the variety of faces, but please, someone buy the poor boxer a new pair of shorts - preferably a little larger! Great picture - love to study the intense faces! That HatI'd be in a fighting mood too if I had to wear a cap shaped like a pizza. Jeepers creepersThe young Marine on the left -- look at the puss on that gob looking over his left shoulder. StarboardWhat's with the guy squatting down at the right? Anyway, he's cute. I know why they're fightingOne of them made fun of the other guy's hat. No hitting below the beltHang on boys, because I'm yanking these shorts up as high as they'll go. Hanz & Franzare certainly pumped-up, but the ref looks like a gurlie mann. S. S. MinnowGilligan cheers on a young Skipper! Oh myWoolly leggings and shorts that are one breath away from leaving nothing to the imagination. The chap on the right seems to share my concerns. My moneyis on Kid Corduroy! Mad DogsIt looks like the cornermen are having a staredown. I wonder who blinked first. Short WorkIt's not hard to see why Germany lost the next two World Wars against fierce fighting men like these. Wouldn't want to run into them in a dark San Diego alley! Sports BriefsAs revealing as the costumes might be, they are the sort of thing (at least the gent on the right) traditionally worn for boxing. Quite apart from showing off the muscles to advantage and being relatively cool when you worked up a sweat, in competitive events, they showed that you didn't have any protection and weren't carrying anything you shouldn't. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, E.H. Hart, S-A War, Sports)
Smooth Sailing: 1936
... Golden Gate Park, San Francisco." A model family's model boats. 8x10 acetate negative. View full size. What a streamlined ... just ran around to the other side to get their wayward boats. Or maybe that nice lady will give them a ride. It is still home of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/04/2015 - 2:03pm -

April 8, 1936. "Pontiac convertible at Spreckels Lake, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco." A model family's model boats. 8x10 acetate negative. View full size. What a streamlined beauty!The Pontiac's nice, too! BA-BOOM! That NEVER gets old! ["At her best with the top down." Watch and learn, lads. - Dave] 7-Foot VoyageWhat did they do when the sailboats drifted beyond the reach of the bamboo? Nobody in this photo seems dressed for aquatic retrieval of wayward vessels. Boat chasersThe lake is only 950 x 420 feet so they probably just ran around to the other side to get their wayward boats. Or maybe that nice lady will give them a ride. It is still home of the San Francisco Model Yacht Club. Dress CodeHer ensemble seems better suited to leaning against a Cadillac ... or a LaSalle, anyway. Contrasting contemporariesI doubt that Steinbeck was spending much time hanging out with these folks. Two-seater?It must have been crowded when all four of them rode to the lake in that 2-seater cabriolet. [This four-passenger Pontiac DeLuxe Cabriolet has a rumble seat. -Dave] Weather GaugeLooks like the closest boat has what little wind there is (he's got the weather gauge) which means the others are trying to sail with nearly zip wind. In any case it doesn't look like there is much wind anyway. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco)
Powder Monkey: 1865
... gun looked more like a Coke bottle. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Civil War, Kids) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 7:17pm -

Circa 1864-65. "Powder monkey by gun of U.S.S. New Hampshire, Federal depot ship off Charleston, South Carolina." Wet plate glass negative. View full size. Faster than a speeding bulletThese young boys or teens were part of the military in the age of sail. They were chosen for their speed and earned little more than a cot and food. Old for his ageHe's probably 12, but looks 30. Boarding axeNote the boarding axe fitted into a bracket on the cheek of the gun carriage. Boarding axes found their main use on sailing vessels in chopping through fallen rigging to help clear the decks. Normally they were worn in axe holsters on the belts of sailors. I have seen this picture many times, but this is the first time I have noticed the boarding axe in that bracket. Shorpy of the Age of SailThis cocky kid, is, in his way, not unlike Shorpy -- a youngster working in an adult world sharing the same dangers as the grownups. CutlassesThose cutlasses on the bulkhead were not there for decoration. En garde!Is that a selection of swords ready for action on the wall behind the boy? Even for 1865, they seem like relics of the past. The Good Old DaysWhen ships were made of wood and men made of steel. Monster GunI noticed how big the gun is and also that there didn't seem to be a rear wheel on the carriage (although it's possible it was concealed behind the boy's legs). So I looked up New Hampshire in the official "Dictionary of American Navy Fighting Ships ("DANFS") and found some neat details: "The 9-inch [Dahlgren] broadside guns were mounted on the two-wheel Marsilly carriage rather than the four-wheel common carriage...." and also the shells weighed over 72 pounds! The boy must not only have been quick on his feet but also have been strong as a horse. The absence of scoring on the deck from the non-wheeled carriage, and the fact that the breechings and gun tackles are tied up out of the way of the holystone party to facilitate washing down decks shows that on a depot ship the gun was mainly a decorative object. I wonder if they ever had live fire drills or if they just practiced running the guns in and out? Our hero probably kept the elevating screw clean and well oiled in addition to his ammunition supply duties. New Hampshire, a 2600 ton ship of the line authorized way back in 1816 and kept under construction as a means of preservation until the Civil War, was armed only with four 100-pounders and six 9-inch Dahlgrens. Designed for a traditional battery of 74 guns, she was a sister of the USS North Carolina, probably our best ship of the line of the age of sail, according to Chapelle's "American Sailing Navy." Bag O' ShotLooks like a load of grape shot at the ready on the upper deck above the touch hole of the gun. Somewhere in AppalachiaA worried mother sewed that heart and border on what appears not to be a uniform top, and sent it off to her little man, far away from home, hoping that the top would help keep him warm and the heart would remind him that she loved and missed him. Pleasant SurpriseAt first glance I thought this to be a later photograph as it doesn't have the "look" of most Civil War era photos shown here. This is quite a piece of work in my opinion. And that young man.... and man he is .... is timeless. Wonderful. Jaunty and jadedLooks like he's thinking, "Okay, take your picture then move along." But the rakish angle of his tam and the heart embroidered on his chest belie his tough-guy swagger! I imagine he'd seen a lot for one so young. I "heart" his shirtSuch sweet embroidery. A going-away gift from Mama? C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerreA proud and handsome ship the USS Hampshire may have been but sadly in 1865 she was obsolescent. In 1859 France had built the first ironclad of the modern age, the La Gloire. By 1865 the major nations of the world were building ironclad screw or steamships as fast as they could. He looks confidentand well fed. Brave lad! Old CutlassThe cutlass was an official weapon in United States Navy stores until 1949. The last new model was the Model 1917 which is a popular collector's item. USN cutlasses made during World War II were the Model 1941, but they were only a slightly modified M 1917. In the Korean War, a Marine NCO was reported to have killed an enemy with a cutlass at Inchon. The Recruit Chief Petty Officer for each division at US Navy Recruit Training Command is still issued a cutlass. Change is slow in the NavyMany have mentioned the cutlasses, and other items as being dated for 1865, but they remained until after the Spanish American war of 1898. Hundreds of years at sea of crews having to repel boarders was well ingrained in any navy, and as steam and steel slowly developed over the years few things where given up on. Sails lasted for many decades after the advent of steam. Change was not only dragged down by traditions, but budgets as well, and also the new technologies were prone to constant breakdowns. Sailors could sew Back in those days sailors would embroider their uniforms themselves. You were considered salty if you had embroidery on your uniform and had it tailored just right. I am guessing he has a heart on his jumper top because he is BRAVE!!! Most sailors could sew, if not for the simple fact that they had to repair the sails and their own uniforms. If you get a chance read "My Twenty Years in the Navy" from the Naval Institute Press. Parrott RifleThe cannon in the picture is a Parrott rifle. A Dahlgren gun looked more like a Coke bottle. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Civil War, Kids)
Duquesne Incline: 1900
... River near Moundsville, W. Va., with an empty tow of coal boats and barges, broke her port wrist in crank, after cylinder head, bent ... is the same view from July of 2011. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Factories, Pittsburgh, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 4:15pm -

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, circa 1900-1910. "Duquesne Incline Railway." Mount Washington and the Ohio River feature in this view, which includes the Point Bridge, a paint and varnish factory, a riverboat and the Graham Nut Company. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. View of downtown from the Duquesne InclineTaken just a week and a half ago. After posting the photo on my facebook page a friend referenced this post by Dave. Shorpy is one of my favorite sites!! InterestingI'm wondering what is the white material that was used for sheathing the upper floor of that industrial building on the left. Looks like fabric. Not there anymoreis the Lawrence paint building. It had stood abandoned for many years and was finally torn down 2 or 3 years ago. Also not there any more are the barren hillsides lining the shores of Pittsburgh's three rivers. I believe this is a direct result of the closure of all but a few steel mills and the pollution abatement efforts for those that remain. Hoppin' TomThe Tom Dodsworth was a 182', 500 ton steamer built in Pittsburgh in 1871. She was called the "Hoppin' Tom" after setting a record time for the round trip between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. On Dec 2 1900 she was involved in a collision with the steamer "Volunteer" near Swan Creek, Ohio resulting in the the sinking of 22 coal barges. Perhaps the photo was taken during repairs after the wreck. Dismantled circa 1924, her boilers were repurposed to construct road culverts in Pleasant County, W.Va. Reports of the Department of Commerce and Labor, 1909 March 24 (1907).—Steamer Tom Dodsworth, while ascending the Ohio River near Moundsville, W. Va., with an empty tow of coal boats and barges, broke her port wrist in crank, after cylinder head, bent piston rod close to piston head, and threw pitman crosshead and piston overboard. No other damage done, and no one hurt. Estimated damage, $500. Coal Age, Vol 7., 1915 The steamers "Thomas Dodsworth" and "F. M. Wallace," of the Monongahela River Consolidated Coal & Coke Co. cleared for Louisville Feb. 27 with tows of coal totaling about 1,200,000 bushels, also two freight barges each carrying 1400 tons of manufactured iron and steel. IronsidesI'm pretty sure that the white top floor is sheathed in sheet metal. Gone Green I'm amazed at the desert like conditions on the hillside. Maybe clear cutting to make it easier for development? Isn't this also referred to as a vernacular railway? Or is that part of someone's vernacular? [Maybe you're thinking of "funicular." - Dave] Car safetyWere these cars pretty safe as far as reliable brakes and/or safety brakes? Was there ever a incident of them failing, to anyone's knowledge? Lost opportunity I lived in Pittsburgh for nearly two years, and never made time to go up one of the inclines. And I was as close as that bridge. On weekends I'd unwind by driving around the city in my Civic, crossing back and forth on the bridges and checking out the odd little neighborhoods. Really cool picture, Kilroy. I'm pretty sure that those buildings up top weren't there in 1997. Especially that modern one at top right. I bet the great big empty expanses that lined the south shore of the Monongahela have been built up since then. Up the creek... without a paddlewheel. Maybe removed to replace the paddles. The antlers on the pilot house indicate that the Tom Dodsworth won a steamboat race. This is an Ohio River sternwheel tow boat, small towing knees can be seen on the bow. Probably used in the coal industry. Improvement!This is one of the few scenic photos on Shorpy where the view has markedly improved since it was taken. In fact, Pittsburgh is a much more beautiful city now, too. A lot of this is still thereIncluding the incline itself, and Lawrence paint & varnish. In fact I remember the lettering was readable the last time I paid any attention to it. The odd-shaped building (a grain elevator, maybe for the brewery?) is gone, but I think the Nuts building is still there, too. Of course this is one of the two inclines preserved in Pittsburgh, and it's a great trip. SafetyI don't know about incidents at the Pittsburgh inclines, but there were a few accidents on the ones in Cincinnati. Since the two cars counterbalanced each other, if the cables snapped then both cars would fall to the bottom. That happened on the Main Street Incline in Cincinnati, when one car reached the top the cable pulled out of the front of the car and it plummeted to the bottom, killing many patrons. Since the other car was already at the bottom it was mostly unscathed. That said, extra cables and other safety measure were installed, and they tended to operate very safely and quietly overall. The 19 inclinesHere are the locations of the 19 inclines of Pittsburgh. Click on them to see they names. Zoom to see the exact location of their tracks. Lawrence Paint BuildingThat beautiful building isn't there any longer? What a shame. Seems like it would be prime loft space nowadays with such a picturesque view. My first (and only) visit to the downtown area was in '95 and we took the incline. I was very impressed with all of Pittsburgh. +111Below is the same view from July of 2011. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Factories, Pittsburgh, Railroads)
Nine Lives: 1910
... (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cats, G.G. Bain, Zeppelins & Blimps) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/09/2013 - 1:31am -

October 1910, aboard the steamship Trent off Bermuda. "M. Vaniman and cat." Melvin Vaniman, first engineer aboard the hydrogen airship America, with the tabby cat mascot of their ill-fated attempt at the first air crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Just As WellOur cat Diablo would be a dangerous source of static electricity were he on board a hydrogen filled airship. Patting him actually causes interference on an AM radio! Maybe it's just as well that the America's crossing was aborted. Vaniman's DemiseVaniman lost his life during his second attempt at a trans-Atlantic airship crossing when his airship, the Akron, exploded off the New Jersey shore on July 2, 1912. Filled with 11,300 cubic meters of hydrogen gas, his was the first American airship that could compare to the better known European manufactured models. Vaniman and his crew of four were killed when the airship exploded in front of the gathered crowd near Atlantic City, and gondola plunged 750 meters into an inlet. -- Wikipedia A more fortunate feline.... than the one that accompanied Shackleton and the crew of ENDURANCE to the south polar seas. R.I.P. Mrs. Chippy. Anyone got a lint brush?I love that the guy holding the cat is covered in cat hair. Some things never change... Never annoy a cat...That cat is definitely planning an act of revenge. Flying cat!I was hoping that we'd get to see the cat. Looks like he was leash trained. [Also rope trained. The New York Times reported that Kitty jumped out of the airship in heavy fog early in the voyage but was fished out of the Atlantic with a canvas bag attached to a lifeline. - Dave] What happened to the cat?Out of sheer curiosity, is it known what happened to the cat when the America was abandoned by its crew? [That''s what the photo is of. The crew after they were rescued by the Trent. - Dave] Lint RollerLooks to have cat hair all over his sweater and coat. Just like my clothes, my house, furniture and every damn thing I own. It was never my intention to love a cat and I swear, I will never love another one. Re: HELIUM, not hydrogen, DID NOT explodeWriting in ALL CAPS is irritating enough when people are "correcting" a previous comment. When the "correcter" turns out to be the one who needs correcting, it's ESPECIALLY annoying. Akron lost in storm, did not explode.The Akron was lost in a storm on April 3rd,1933, off the coast of New Jersey. It DID NOT explode as reported above. It was filled with 6,500,000 cubic feet of HELIUM, not hydrogen. US airships never used hydrogen. 73 men went down with her. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Akron_(ZRS-4) [Wrong. The very first sentence of that Wikipedia article notes that there was more than one airship called the Akron. Like my sixth-grade teacher used to say, it always pays to check your facts. - Dave] All according to plan?The cat's expression is so calm and cool. It's almost as if he may have had a paw in the ship's demise... To use the colloquial expression...BURN (pun intended) On a side note, I have decided personal Zeppelin would be an awesome way to travel. Provided hydrogen is not the source of one's lift of course. I wonder about that cat ....That cat looks downright diabolical. I wonder if, in two years, Kitty had something to do with the Titanic, and if he is plotting it even as this picture is being taken. One should never underestimate the power of a cat .... Cat Conspiracy TheoristsSo the consensus is that it was the cat's fault? My dog would buy that. Kiddo, the airship cathttp://www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/famous/kiddo.html Love the cat! And the cat hair!Frederick Murray Simon, the navigator of the airship America, from which this cat was rescued, was on the maiden voyage of the Hindenburg! http://www.airships.net/hindenburg/flight-schedule/maiden-voyage (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cats, G.G. Bain, Zeppelins & Blimps)
Wabash Bridge: 1908
... found this site and really love it. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Pittsburgh, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 4:13pm -

Circa 1908. "Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Wabash Bridge, Monongahela River." Back when Pittsburgh was sans H. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. SternwheelersIt's striking to me how low the river-level is compared to present times and construction of the modern lock-and-dam system. Of course, during flood, I'm sure the residents were appreciative of those tall banks. Of the pictured sternwheelers, I could find information, and additional photos, on three: M.D. Wayman: built 1891 in Pittsburgh; 125 feet long; could be hired for $50/day as tender for dredging operations in 1909. Isaac M. Mason: built in 1893 for the Mason Line; ran Belle Vernon-Morgantown on the Monongahela River; 122 feet long; burned Mar 4, 1913 Cooks Ferry, Ohio River. Keystone State: Built 1890; converted in 1913 to the excursion boat Majestic. Are you ready for some football?If that is the Monongahela in the foreground, then does that mean that in the background I see the Allegheny? If that is the case, then the Ohio river should be just to the left and this is the spot where they would someday build Three Rivers Stadium. I learned that from watching Monday Night Football. You see, you can learn something on TV! I see my apartment!Well, okay I see the area that was razed where my apartment building stands now, but still *sweeeet*! I'm working on finding a present view, but I stink at google-mapping. Hopefully someone can do it better than I, but I'll keep trying. Hausman & WimmerOh my gosh! My mother was just telling me that, before my great grandfather started W.F. Wimmer Company, he had another business with his cousin, whose name was Hausman. I'd never heard this story before two weeks ago and now here is a photograph of their building! How exciting! ----------------------------------------------------------- [Hausman to Wimmer: "Tarnation! Where in blazes are these confounded mice COMING from?" - Dave] Now You Knowwhere trolley poles come from. Three RiversIndeed that is the Allegheny in the background, and the warehouses and depots to the left where the cityscape starts to narrow is now what is Point State Park, where the Mon and the Allegheny join at the "Point" to create the Ohio. Three Rivers was almost directly across from the Point, between the Pirates PNC Park and the Steelers current home, Heinz Field. Only the supports left nowIt's interesting to get to see this bridge whole. I've never seen it. The supports are still left, and I always wondered about the bridge that used to be on them. Where's Heinz?Did this picture predate the dominant presence H J Heinz has had along the Allegheny River? Unless I have my bearings wrong, it would have appeared in the back right of the picture along the bend in the river. Boggs & BuhlThe Boggs & Buhl building on the far left was an upscale department store that catered to the wealthy and upper middle class who lived on the North Side or The City of Allegheny as it was known before it merged with Pittsburgh. A New WondermentThe need for such an elaborate lightning-rod installation on such a huge conductor? They sure are pretty though! Built in the U.S.A.What continues to amaze me about urban Shorpy shots is the enormous industrial activity one sees. You can almost feel the urban industrial power of the U.S. taking shape, at least in the North. By comparison, Canada was still a fairly quiet, predominantly agricultural country, except for Montreal and Toronto, which were still comparatively small urban centres. Of course WWI changed all that. Canadians went straight to the front in 1914, and supporting the war effort resulted in a huge wave of industrialization. Lightning rodsHave sharp points to 'bleed' off static charge in an effort to avoid attracting a strike. Drill, baby, drill!Also to be seen on the river bank just past the River Coal barge (right hand side of the pic) is the Oil Well Supply Company. Even though Pennsylvania oil production was already declining, business must have been pretty good. The name stretches across two buildings. Wabash BridgeThe railroad bridge is long gone but some of the stone piers remain at the bank. What's in a nameWhat strikes me is that the vast majority of business signs you see in these pictures are people's names, or the name of a recognizable location, often coupled with a real product - Boggs & Buhl, Glesenkamp's Carriages, Pittsburg Trolley Poles. Even the bank building is labeled in full "The Diamond National Bank", not "DNB" or (worse yet) "DiNat." Not a contraction or acronym to be seen. Thank you!I grew up in Pittsburgh. My grandparents would be born about five years after this was taken, so it's fantastic to look on the city as they knew it as children (and to realize that I recognize essentially *nothing* here.) The piers for the old Wabash are still there -- you can see them in Google maps, near Station Square (now a mall, but then a train depot connecting to the tracks in the picture) That would make the large street on the right side of the picture Market, most likely. So the center of the picture, right around the sign for "A.J. Logan & Co" would be the modern PPG Place, and the void that's behind and to the right of that building would be Market Square, which goes more or less back to the founding of the city itself. I wonder if the Buhl in "Buhl & Boggs" is the same Buhl in "Buhl Planetarium" that was around when I was a kid. And the Frick in "Frick & Lindsay" is probably the same Frick in "Frick Park" What a lovely photo. Extant ExamplesA number of the buildings shown here still exist. The Century building in the back, the Union Bank building, and many on the rightmost block along Fort Pitt still exist. The Conestoga building is the one cut in half. I would not be surprised if the twin stacks across the river belonged to the Heinz plant. Up the hill a bit on the North Side should be the old Allegheny Hospital. http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bo/?id=102614 Fort Pitt BoulevardMany of the row-buildings to the sides of the Trolley Pole Company are still standing on what is now Fort Pitt Boulevard. Including one of my favorite buildings in the city -- every day on my way home in traffic I marvel at the intricacy of the fire escape. It might be the one that is fourth over from the trolley pole factory. It's a shame downtown isn't really a "downtown" any more (the place shuts down at 5pm and all the action moves to the various outlying neighborhoods); it's such an underrated architectural gem. Pier TodayAlways love when Pittsburgh is on Shorpy! View Larger Map +103Below is the same view from July of 2011. Hausman & WimmerWhat a fantastic story!! I live in the suburbs and our library systems have been adding photos just like these to their website for everyone to enjoy. I have seen an inferior photo of this but nobody is alive to remember those type of details. Thanks!! Wabash Bridge PiersThe two piers that were left after the Wabash Bridge was demolished was purchased for a very fair price by a local politician who lived in Mt Lebanon by the name of Jim Corbett. Then later became part of the busway system that traveled from the Airport to downtown by entering the existing and renovated tunnel next to McArdle Roadway near the intersection of Route 51 (Saw Mill Run Blvd) that ran under Mt Washington and crossed the Mon River over the new bridge built using the same piers seen in the photo. I hope my memory is serving me well here. At 87 years young it can be a little unstable at times. I just found this site and really love it. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Pittsburgh, Railroads)
Jack-Knife Bridge: 1905
... are likely "low-profile" Great Lakes Towing and Salvage boats and were painted dark green on the hull with red deckhouse and white ... will make a fantastic family keepsake. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Buffalo NY, DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 10:39am -

Buffalo, New York, circa 1905. "Jack-Knife Bridge, City Ship Canal, foot of Michigan Street." Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Wonderful mechanical artWhat a great photograph, I just got lost in it. And that bridge! The lifting design is amazing. Look at those rolling counterweights, articulated steam-powered lifting arms, and the beautifully engineered iron-work that contains it all. I love it! From Google Earth photo: this the bridge at the end of Michigan Street now. (yawn): http://www.panoramio.com/photo/12074755 Smoke all overI just wonder what it has been to live in a city that time while smoke was in one's nose all the time. Many of these old city photos seem to reveal an air pollution problem. But I would still be happy to make a visit back to those times! Toot, toot!What a great photo! You can almost smell the smoke and hear the tugboat's horn! First built in 1873, apparentlyThere's a lot of interesting history about the Buffalo grain industry here. And I should really get back to work. And LoSteampunks and boatnerds across the land rejoiced. IncredibleGreat to see more pictures of Buffalo in its prime. AtmosphereI love the way the photo captures the steam/smoke from the tug under the bridge. The steam/smoke is enveloping the left edge of the bridge. Very cool. Long goneThe bridge in the picture here is no longer in existence. The bridge shown in the picture from the comment entitled "Wonderful Mechanical Art" is the Michigan Street Bridge that crosses the Buffalo River, not the Buffalo Ship canal. Lil TootThis must be the tug Disney based his classic cartoon on. I wish I was the captainOf that steam tugboat. What a beautiful time trip I would make. Thanks again for this fantastic photo. Kellogg BuildingsSorry Breakfast Clubbers, the Kellogg A and B Buildings didn't store or manufacture Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies. Spencer Kellogg & Sons compounded oils (cooking, vegetable and castor among others) from linseed. Scuffy the Tugboat.A colorization candidate! These squat tugs are likely "low-profile" Great Lakes Towing and Salvage boats and were painted dark green on the hull with red deckhouse and white trim, often named for a U. S. state. Note the trident steam whistle. It must have produced a beautiful a sound. They were very powerful tugs for their size and some were steered with a whip-staff rather than a large wooden wheel. Also note the Erie Canal style barge tied up at the foot of the Kellogg warehouse. Smoke all overIn days past a photo with smoke in the air denoted prosperity and industry going full steam ahead towards the future. The smokier the more prosperous an area was. Connelly Bros. Ship ChandlersThe business in the lower left, Connelly Bros., was a ship chandlery which served the equipment, etc. needs of Great Lakes freighters coming and going from the port of Buffalo. It was founded by my great-grandfather John Connelly. He was born in Ireland in 1853 and emigrated to the US. He and his brothers got started as young men buying and selling (used, I think) rope around the mouth of the Erie Canal and the Buffalo harbor. I believe that between the chandlery and the bride was the dock of the fire boat. The Connelly Bros. building in the picture was destroyed in the late fifties when a freighter that was tied up for the winter up stream came loose and collided with the bridge. The bridge tower came down into the business and all was destroyed by the collision and possibly a resulting fire. I'm not sure if it was the same bridge or a later version. I think the fire boat in service now(the Edward Cotter?) is still tied up there. The business was moved to 43 Illinois St. which is right across from the parking structure at the HSBC Arena (now known as First Niagara). Due to the opening of the Welland canal and the decline of steel and manufacturing in Buffalo, ship traffic became greatly reduced in the 1960s-80s. My father, John Connelly Norwalk, was forced to close the business down in the mid 1980s after operating for over 3 generations within our family. Almost every member of my dad's family my age and older had a hand in working there at some point. If you look closely you can see people, possibly my relatives, out in front of the building along the docks. Thank you for this. It will make a fantastic family keepsake. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Buffalo NY, DPC)
Navy Oarsmen: 1896
... absent, making these guys in 3 straight 4's, or coxless boats. To my knowledge, coxless 8's have never really been raced, they're too ... hair, and "look." Simply amazing. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, E.H. Hart, Handsome Rakes) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 7:14pm -

Aboard the U.S.S. New York circa 1896. "A champion boat crew." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by Edward Hart, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. ImmunityYou can see that most, if not all, of these fellows have been vaccinated for smallpox. "Friends," the early yearsIn the back and rising tall above his first set of Friends stands the inimitable Matt LeBlanc. Don't Say Cheese"OK, everyone hold still now for a sec ... you, too, flag!" Popeye LiedEven as a young lad I was somewhat suspicious of his claim that his "muskles" were the result of consuming massive quantities of canned spinach. He was probably on the rowing team as a young sailor, thus acquiring his huge forearms the old fashioned way. The spinach claim obviously a ruse to trick us boys into eating the stuff. He was probably a major stockholder in a spinach farm conglomerate of some sort. Smallpox vaccines?Not for another 70 years or so. [Smallpox vaccinations in the modern era go back to 1796. Edward Jenner. Milkmaids. Sound familiar? - Dave] Dapper DanChief looking very suave. Okay, girls - our turnTime to wade in the shallow end of the pool. It's a tossup between Crouching, Second from Left, and Standing, Second from Right. The former looks like a Ralph Lauren model and as for the latter - the muscles speak for themselves. Forever YoungAt first I had the odd sensation that this was not a photo from 1896. There was nothing except the mustachioed fellow, the uniformed chap hidden to the right and the hand-sewn emblems that made me think this photo wasn't of some university team today. The eyes are all so "young." YouthYouth is for all ages! It doesn´t matter whether the photos are old or modern. Congratulations Dave for this marvellous site. I visit this page every moment I can. It's simply a real time machine taking us all to better times. Greetings from Chile Álvaro Rodrigo Arévalo Strange number of athletes There are 12 rowers here. I row for a university team and can tell you this is at least 2 crews, an 8 and a 4. It could also be 3 crews, being 3 fours. This might make more sense, seeing that coxswains are absent, making these guys in 3 straight 4's, or coxless boats. To my knowledge, coxless 8's have never really been raced, they're too impractical. Bang.Jennifridge, I'm partial to Standing Far Left. And this is quite the gun show! Easy on the eyesSeconding #2 on the left -- bedroom eyes! [fanning self]. Also, recommend adding "handsome rakes" tag. Not Exactly RegattaAlthough the crew may have had some sporting fun, rowing is how goods and personnel were often moved around between ships afloat. Dating back to the era of the sailing ships, captains put great pride in how well their top crews could row. Navy RowersThese jolly tars would have been rowing either a ship's whaleboat, Captain's Gig or Admiral's Barge. Hence the number of hands. Now that all the above have been motorized, formal (and informal) races of small craft have just about disappeared. But I have it on good authority that Full Power "Test" runs between ships that just happen to be in the same place are still known to happen. You can almost get a full roostertail out of a cruiser going in excess of 40 knots. What a flirt!That (gorgeous) guy second from the left was flirting with Monica, and now he's flirting with me! I am seeing him at 20 and he can apparently see me at that age, too, judging by the gleam in his eye! 114 Years ago and yet so modern lookingWhat caught my attention immediately is that the people in this photo could be any university rowing team today. With the exception of the mustached-one they are all so modern looking, down to clothes, hair, and "look." Simply amazing. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, E.H. Hart, Handsome Rakes)
Topside: 1912
... Also. the upper deck overhangs the lower deck. [Boats change. Wooden pilot houses and decks get rebuilt; boilers, funnels and ... fewer than four times during its life. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Detroit Photos, DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/07/2013 - 2:09pm -

Circa 1912. "Steamer City of Detroit III, hurricane deck." Note the partly submerged wreck at left. The D-III was one of the largest sidewheelers on the Great Lakes. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing. View full size. Mystery Wreck SolvedIt is the steam screw Joseph C. Suit, built 1884, 318 gross tons. On May 30, 1912, the vessel collided with CITY OF DETROIT III, which was leaving the shipyard at foot of Orleans Street on sea trials on Windsor side of the Detroit River, and became a total loss. 11 persons on board; no lives lost. The vessel was later blown up to remove the wreck. The City of Detroit III, designed by Frank E. Kirby, was the largest sidewheel steamer in the world: Launched Oct. 7, 1911. 600 staterooms; speed of 23mph. Trial run May 30, 1912. Collision with JOSEPH C. SUIT, sinking her on the Detroit River. Maiden voyage June 26, 1912. Detroit to Buffalo. Sources: Loss of American Vessels Reported during 1913; Merchant Vessel List of the United States, 1889. Lifeboat numbersWere they odd/port, even/starboard? What a ship!! 477 staterooms, 21 parlors, and a cocktail lounge/wine cellar that cost nealry a quarter of her total. Compare that to flying economy on Southwest. Collision just happened?So, based on DrDetroit's post, was this picture taken immediately after the collision? If so, wow! The paint on the deck seems too worn for this picture to have been taken on its trial run, although maybe it got worn simply from being outfitted, etc., and was scheduled to receive another coat prior to the maiden voyage. Sign me up DaveSign me up for the maiden voyage in the Shorpy time machine. What a great time to be had walking on these decks and later walking the NYC streets of the early twentieth century. Joseph C. Suit?Comparing the photographs, it is clear that the sunken vessel is not the same ship as the image posted in the comments. The bridge on the sunken ship is smaller, the funnel is in not in the same place (or level) the front mast is not the same, and there is a deck below the bridge on the sunken ship with openings (dark in image) that does not exist on the comments photograph. Also. the upper deck overhangs the lower deck. [Boats change. Wooden pilot houses and decks get rebuilt; boilers, funnels and masts get replaced. No doubt the Suit went through a number of alterations -- the vessel was almost 30 years old when it wrecked. - Dave] It is the Joseph C. SuitHere is a snapshot taken from the deck of the City of Detroit III, just after the incident on 30 May 1912. The Suit had been rebuilt no fewer than four times during its life. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Maritime Manhattan: 1898
... toot!" and the next boat answers "Toot! toot!" Hundreds of boats blowing warnings and intentions to other boats. The Produce Exchange was replaced by 2 Broadway, a glass box ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/18/2020 - 12:22pm -

New York circa 1898. "Produce Exchange with tower, East River and Brooklyn from the Washington Building." 5x7 inch glass negative by William Henry Jackson. View full size. Toot, toot!Can you imagine the sounds? When my grandfather was telling me about arriving in NY harbor from Croatia in 1914 he said that one boat; "toot, toot!" and the next boat answers "Toot! toot!" Hundreds of boats blowing warnings and intentions to other boats. The Produce Exchangewas replaced by 2 Broadway, a glass box erected in 1958/59. 2 Broadway served as a backdrop for Billy Wilder's 1960 film The Apartment. I took this photo of 2 Broadway as I emerged out of the Bowling Green subway station back in May 2015. Still Sailing after All These Years Although the dominance of labor-intensive commercial sailing vessels may seem paradoxical in a scene dating from so late in the Age of Steam, the fact is that, during most of the 19th century, steamships were not efficient enough to cross oceans without having to devote a large portion of their capacities to the carrying of their own coal for fuel. Sailing ships, which had made significant gains in speed during this period, remained competitive on certain freight routes until the eve of the First World War. Sustainablility, sailsistance, sailstainablilityI am always fascinated by the fact of how long commercial sailing ships kept sticking around. Judging from this photo one would assume that sails still accounted for the bulk of all commercial maritime traffic at the time. A lot more merchies with masts and sails in sight than merchies with those (relatively) newfangled steam engines. Well, coal cost money, wind was free, and labor was cheap, I guess. There until 1957The interesting history of the Produce Exchange building can be found at this blog. Masts and steeplesChimneys and smoke. And three hatted gents on the observation deck of the tower. It must be a Monday in NYLooking at the roofs, there's a lot of wash on the line. Tower ViewThe view from the tower must have been a special treat - Like this https://www.loc.gov/resource/stereo.1s06658/ Raising cane Three on the right, one on the left with his cane in the air, seems they knew the photo was being taken. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC, W.H. Jackson)
Erie Canal: 1904
... very valuable when the bridge is up. While up, canal boats can pass underneath and pedestrians can use the stairs to cross without ... Canal Well, someone had to say it! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Syracuse) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 1:34pm -

"1904. Erie Canal at Salina Street, Syracuse, New York." Detroit Publishing Company glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size. Watch Yer HeadLow bridge, everybody down. For it's low bridge, We're coming to a town! You can always tell your neighbor, You can always tell your pal, If you've ever navigated On the Erie Canal. -- "Low Bridge" by Thomas S. Allen Clinton SquareLooks like this is now a large public fountain if, as it appears, this current shot is taken from almost the exact same angle. http://www.panoramio.com/photo/12595565 (Click the photo for Shorpyesque "Hi-Def Image") Stone GorgeousAll the elaborate stonework of the buildings along the canal makes the scene look something like Venice. Was that intentional, or not? I'd say that it was. I once spent a summer in Venice, And I had a yen to play tennis, But those darn canals were a menace, So I didn't play tennis in Venice. -- Frank Crumit (1931) Horse PowerIn 1904 I would have expected real horse or mule power to pull the barges but it appears there is no path on one side and, to the left, it stops. Is this a terminus or are they perhaps using coal? Stairway to HeavenLove the stairs to nowhere. But wait! Not to nowhere. The stairs become very valuable when the bridge is up. While up, canal boats can pass underneath and pedestrians can use the stairs to cross without having to wait for the bridge to come back down. I've never seen a bridge like that. Path to somewhereI live in Syracuse, the path on the left stops in Albany. They do have some steamers in this shot though. Behind the photographer, the canal split, the Erie to Buffalo, the Oswego Canal to, well, Oswego a port city on Lake Ontario. This scene lasted only 12 more years until the Barge Canal opened. Then the Erie thru Syracuse was filled in (with garbage)and became Erie Boulevard, one of Syracuse's main thoroughfares . The grassy knoll was replaced by the Soldiers and Sailors monument and the City of Syracuse recently place park at this same spot. Clinton SquareThe old Erie Canal as it ran through downtown Syracuse has been paved over (now Erie Boulevard). There is a small pond-like area in the view you see, also used for winter ice-skating and outside concerts when drained. In the Shorpy view to the left and right of the canal were unloading docks and an outdoor market. To the right is the beautiful old Onondaga Bank Building, in the middle the Gridley Building and to the left the old Syracuse Savings Bank. All of these buildings remain and form what is today known as Clinton Square. Syracuse Savings Bank"Main Street, U.S.A." notes that the 1876 Syracuse Savings Bank on the left is a steel-framed "textbook example" of High Victorian Gothic designed by Joseph Lyman Silsbee. A graduate of the first American school of architecture (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Silsbee is noted as mentor to to a generation of architects including Frank Lloyd Wright. Steam PowerBy 1904 they were probably using steam-powered barges on the Erie, as they were doing then on the canals here in Illinois. [News clips mention Erie barges being moved by tugboats -- electric and steam-powered. - Dave] Beautiful city and canal.I do like this area of New York. The money used to build the Erie Canal was well spent and then some. Erie CanalI have lived in Syracuse since 1933. Although the Erie Canal as it went through the center of Syracuse has been filled in, the essence of the canal remains. The circa 1845 Weigh Lock Building two blocks East of the photograph is a museum, and many of the engineering marvels of the Erie Canal still remain as mini parks and hiking trails along the towpaths, like the "water over water over water" display in the park on Butternut Drive in DeWitt. The citizens in the communities all along of the Erie Canal have done a great job preserving it and encouraging tourism. The 'Ear-I-Ee' CanalWell, someone had to say it! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Syracuse)
Smoke Monster: 1905
... Ice on Lake Michigan will sometimes "windrow" and boats could become stuck, calling for another ferry to help them get loose. ... rented out for that purpose. Some of the Lake Michigan boats, especially, even though single ended, had bow propellers, which also ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/22/2013 - 11:21am -

Circa 1905. "Transfer steamer Detroit of Detroit in the ice." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Brand new tractorsI love the brand new steam tractors out for delivery...can anyone see the make? IceCan some great lakers enlighten me as to how these steamers could navigate in thick ice without ruining their hulls? I thought even nowadays special ice breakers were needed to break up the ice around harbors, etc. Buffalo-Pitts TractorsThey're both Buffalo-Pitts tractors. A close up of this steamer was posted as https://www.shorpy.com/node/10517. Break The IceThe trick of breaking ice with the Lake Michigan (railroad) car ferries was their relatively shallow draft and the wide flat bottom. The boat would be driven onto the ice sheet and break through. The weight of the boat plus 30 or so railroad cars was generaly effective. Ice on Lake Michigan will sometimes "windrow" and boats could become stuck, calling for another ferry to help them get loose. Special ice breakersThe Great Lakes railroad train car ferries are also "special ice breakers," and some have even been rented out for that purpose. Some of the Lake Michigan boats, especially, even though single ended, had bow propellers, which also helped break the ice in front of them. The Detroit suckedTheir hulls were reinforced and many had prop guards of various sorts. The Detroit was considered by many to be the ultimate. She had four screws, two aft and two forward and they often ran all of them at once in ice. The forward screws would suck water out from under the ice as she headed into it, which would cause the resultant "shelf" to collapse into the void created below and break up under it's own weight without having to resort to ramming. The props on many of the car transfer river ferries were massive cast iron things that could grind up ice, rather than the more delicate (and efficient) marine bronze shapes found on some of their cross lake counterparts. Nifty tank carWe must have the granddaddy of all modern double hulled tank cars here. The reporting marks, ‘CTL,’ are a mystery, though. Cannot find any reference to such marks from the early 1900s. The “Association of Transportation and Car Accounting Officers,” Published in 1914 by the Railway Equipment and Publication Company, does list reporting marks of ‘CRX,’ for cars owned by the Cornplanter Refining Company of Warren, Pa. The X in any reporting mark represents individual or other non railroad entity ownership. My guess: the CTL marking, whatever it meant, was in place prior to the Association of Transportation and Car Accounting Officers implementing the X rule. Popular subject for ShorpyJust from memory this must be the fifth or sixth photo (at least!) of the Detroit. I remember a previous ice breaking, box car loaded photo as an interesting winter time screen saver. Also of InterestBehind the steam tractors sits a large water-tube boiler, presumably being shipped on a flat car. A better view of it is afforded in the closeup post of the tractors linked in a previous comment below. CTL = Cornplanters' Tank LineA quick Google search turns up Cornplanters Tank Line reporting to many state railroad and corporation commissions. Since on this same boat, Merchants Despatch Transportation Co. uses the reporting marks of M.D.T.Co., I think that I've solved the CTL question. The old boileris a Scotch marine boiler, which is a fire-tube type. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Detroit Photos, DPC, Railroads)
Old Iron Sides: 1907
... forward of the wheel and below the water line. Some boats had additional rudders aft of the wheel. More than one barge in the ... Does it has rudders? I'd love to know. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cincinnati Photos, DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/17/2016 - 12:50am -

Circa 1907. "Cincinnati -- Mount Adams across Ohio River from Covington, Kentucky." With a view of the sternwheeler Iron Sides pushing a coal barge. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Herancourt Brewing CompanyOpened 1881 but was meant to only last another 12 years after this pic was taken. The Church of the StepsThe only structure still in existence is the historic Holy Cross Immaculata Church atop Mount Adams on the right. Known as "The Church of the Steps" because of the 400 steps leading up to it. Newport Kentucky?Isn't this view actually from Newport? Seems like Covington is kind of far down the river for this view. Here's a link to some great old pictures of the incline railway you can see in this photo. Still StandingThe Rookwood Pottery, the large building to the left of the Incline, is now used as a restaurant. Riverboat ID'sCourier, Iron Sides, Georgia Lee. Looks good for her age.Iron Sides was built in 1869 at Pittsburgh, Pa. Rebuilt in 1912 and renamed W.K. Field. She ran until 1927. Courier was built in 1885 at Belle Vernon, Pa. and dismantled in 1918. Georgia Lee built at Jeffersonville, Ind. in 1898, destroyed by ice in 1918. She's seen some waterIron Sides may still be pushing, but her port decks are about to collapse. Re: SteeringStopping is accomplished by backing the wheel, which requires a bit of distance and good knowledge of the river and its conditions. Steering is done by 2 or more rudders located forward of the wheel and below the water line. Some boats had additional rudders aft of the wheel. More than one barge in the towIron sides is pushing at least 8 barges and has one on each side for at least 10 total. Also still standingThat large building (with the small tower) on top of Mt Adams is an old monastery. It's still standing. It's an event center - http://monasteryeventcenter.com Yes, the view is from Covington. SteeringHow on earth can you steer (or stop) a barge of that weight and length with a sternwheeler? Actually how do you steer a sternwheeler anyway? Does it has rudders? I'd love to know. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cincinnati Photos, DPC)
Erector Set: 1908
... on the Lethbridge High Level bridge. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 3:54pm -

Lethbridge, Alberta, circa 1908. "Erecting Lethbridge Viaduct over the Oldman River." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Bridge to NowhereWe almost built this in Alaska. At least Canada knew to complete this a century ago. Yay Canada! Stuck in the Mud.Well, three days ago, a teenager dove from a lower girder into the river and never surfaced. His body was found the next day. Years ago, a 39-foot length of railway rail fell from the deck and implanted itself 2/3 into the soil on the downstream side about eight piers out from the east shore. The rail is still there, and we have often visited the bridge to show it to children. Watch out for cactus, and rattlesnakes in hot weather. Being underneath is quite something when a train passes over. Years ago we would ride over the bridge in cabooses in the wind and everything would sway. Thank You. CorrectionElderlyman River. Thank you, Stan Freberg. 100 in 2009A short history. http://dcnonl.com/article/id34360 Detroit Publishing Co.How do you end up deciding which DPC photo you want to tinker with? Merely glancing at the enormous archive at the Library of Congress is a bit overwhelming. [I scroll through my big ol' folder of 6,000 DPC images! - Dave] It just keeps rolling.The river, that is, at least that's what the song says. Talk about a "can-do" attitude back then.Today you would have enviro-wackos protesting this first railroad tie being laid let alone the usual red tape just to get something this spectacular off the ground. Probably looks quite narrow from the topMy gawd. Agoraphobics everywhere cringe or run screaming. What a piece of work, though! [Acrophobes, too. - Dave] I could defend "agoraphobics" but yeah, you're right, brain fart. No peeps on footUnbelievable construction quality that early and the structure is still being used today. They did not encourage pedestrians with this bridge for sure. I would have been so tempted to cross that span as a 10 year old if I lived anywhere in the area. Better check out the train schedules first. Oldman RiverNow we know where Oscar Hammerstein got his inspiration for that song in "Show Boat." Best train video ever!This is magnificent: Wow, I'm six years old, waving to the engineer, longing to hear the whistle and take a nice long ride: Excellent long lens and tracking (so to speak) as it draws near. And then he blows the whistle!!! Cornstalks and beanpolesI couldn’t help thinking of President Lincoln’s comment upon viewing one of the quickly constructed trestles build under the direction of Herman Haupt to replace those destroyed by the Confederates: "That man Haupt has built a bridge four hundred feet long and one hundred feet high, across Potomac Creek, on which loaded trains are passing every hour, and upon my word, gentlemen, there is nothing in it but cornstalks and beanpoles." Why A Duck?Didn't really know what a viaduct was, looked it up, and learned something. Thanks, Shorpy. "A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. ... Viaducts may span land or water or both." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viaduct Lethbridge ViaductIt's still impressive today! AgoraphobicsPeople afraid of rabbit wool? I've walked on that!I walked on that as a kid, and dropped railroad spikes from up above onto the rocks below - it makes lots of sparks! Never did walk all the way across it though. As An Elephant Piles Teak The Technical World Magazine, 1909 Huge Viaduct For Continental Railway … The traveling erecting crane is almost a thing of rational thought and life, combining as it does the functions of the locomotive, self-contained power plant, air compressor, hydraulic riveting machine, crane and a dozen other utilities, but back of it all is the guiding hand of man, which controls each move. Crawling slowly back to the storage yard this monster reaches out its many-fingered hands to pick up one of the slender sections of the pier. Back it goes and as an elephant piles teak wood in the sludgy marshes of Ceylon, so this section is lowered carefully and accurately to its appointed position. Then back again to bring in its great claws one of the plate girders, one hundred feet in length and over a hundred tons in weight, which is slowly advanced across the three hundred foot opening, bridging it to a nicety. … Completed BridgeHere's a shot of the viaduct completed, shot circa. 1909 from Library and Archives Canada: Lattice workThe crawler crane is still used for bridge construction and has changed very little since this photo. What has changed is the manufacturing of standard section structural beams. When this bridge was built the only standard steel shapes were angle and plate all of these lattice work girders were comprised of these two shapes and assembled in the steel shop using enormous gang drills to drill the rivet holes and multiple riveters working on each section. These girders were then shipped to the job site where they were installed using a few rivets and perhaps a gusset plate at the connection point.I am probably the last generation who still remembers watching a rivet crew in action. The forge man would throw a white hot rivet to the catcher who would then place the rivet in the hole with tongs, the buck man would then hold the rivet in place with the buck bar while the riveter would peen the rivet head in with the pneumatic hammer. Take a modern day trip over the Bridge in Hi-defTake a modern day trip over the Bridge with a Canadian Pacific Railway freight train. Restored Canadian Pacific Railway Steam Engine 2816 An IMAX Movie Star "At Work", Lethbridge, AB High level Bridge Restored Canadian Pacific Railway Steam Engine 2816 crossing the Lethbridge high level bridge on a cool Canadian morning and she is heading west towards the Canadian Rockies. CPR 2816 Lethbridge Viaduct in the Summer, Lethbridge, AB Incredible photography of Canadian Pacific steam engine 2816 at Morants Curve in the Canadian Rockies west of Calgary, Alberta.... Just an extra treat for those that love steam. Did they ever have a serious derailment on this bridge?The sight of that thing being built scares me. The video of the freight entering the bridge scares me. The comment about riding cabooses in the wind, and everything swaying, bears out my feeling. The comment about checking the schedule before walking on this bridge isn't too helpful. Extra trains can come along at any time, although this line doesn't look too heavily travelled, judging by the weeds growing between the rails on land. High Level Bridge Still Record HolderVery interesting article on the Lethbridge High Level bridge. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads)
The Miantonomoh: 1892
... president certainly aided its progress. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, E.H. Hart, NYC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/07/2022 - 12:39pm -

The Hudson River, 1892. "U.S. double turret monitor Miantonomoh." Named after the Narragansett chief. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by Edward H. Hart. View full size. Often overlooked.As it were. In every sense. Yet somehow managed to survive 45 years (at least if you count from the launch date, not the 6-year-long - !! - fitting-out period) Low freeboardLooking at that, you'd suspect the least wave would swamp it. However, it made it across the Atlantic and back. [You're confusing this ship with the first Miantonomoh. - Dave] In and Out of ServiceUSS Miantonomoh (BM-5) was the second ship to carry the Narragansett sachem's name. She was one of four ships of the Amphitrite-class of monitors. She was commissioned and decommissioned four times during her life which has to be some sort of record for US Navy ships. Retirement AgeThe continued use of Civil War-era technology helps to explain why the U. S. Navy was rated well below that of several nations which would not even make the Top Ten list today. It would not be until the early 20th Century that America began to catch up with the big boys. Having Teddy Roosevelt, former Assistant Secretary of the Navy, as president certainly aided its progress. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, E.H. Hart, NYC)
Nautical New York: 1900
... the lower left corner of the aerial pic. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:39pm -

New York City circa 1900. "Shipping at East River docks." More maritime Manhattan. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Earl Of ???I'm having the hardest time reading the name on the transom of the vessel tied up to the south of the pier. I would guess the ship to be a commercial barque but hopefully someone more expert in rigging will step in to correct the record. Of the name, the left side looks possibly to be "Earl of" but I can't piece out the rest. It's a bit like trying to read the 7th line of the Snellen eye chart without my glasses. Earl of DunmoreIt was sunk by a German submarine in 1917 according to one source. I found this picture of the ship. There are small differences, but the paint scheme is the same. Opinions? British ship. "Earl of Dunmore"British ship. "Earl of Dunmore" in both pictures above, is on the left in top picture, where I believe she is lying at 19th street or pier 11, east river New York. the lower image is of this ship at Port Pirie S. Australia circa 1894. Earl of Dunmore was under command of a Shetlander (Capt. T. Kay) from her completion in 1891 - 1903. I am currently working on a scale model of this ship at 1-48 scale, and also writing up the history of ship and master, any one who has any information on this ship or information on anyone who sailed with her I would be delighted to hear from them, or if I can help anyone interested in the same I will do my best. my e-mail is. joekay18@gmail.com Barque Earl of DunmoreLaunched 1891 on the River Clyde. Rigged with double top and topgallant sails. Journal of the Royal Naval Reserve, 1892. Earl of Dunmore, ship; outbreak of fire at Chittagong, January 5, 1892, when laden with jute. Inquiry held at Chittagong, February 6, 1892. Fire apparently intentional. Conduct of stevedore suspicious. Round the Horn Before the Mast, 1902 By Basil Lubbock Friday, 21st July, 1899, San Francisco. — The four-mast barque Earl of Dunmore came into the wharf next to us this morning, fifty-two days from Newcastle, Australia. She is nothing like such a fine ship as the Royalshire; though her tonnage is greater, her masts and spars are half the size of ours. She is a Glasgow-built ship, like the Royalshire, and is overrun by a wild crowd of Scotch apprentices. The Hobart Mercury, August 15 1903. A London Ship on Fire in Sidney Harbour. A Sensational Scene. SYDNEY, August 14 … The barque Earl of Dunmore, which arrived from London on Sunday, and is lying off Chowder Bay, was discovered to be on fire at 2 o'clock this morning. Included in the cargo was 130 tons of dynamite and gunpowder, and the crew lost no time in attacking the flames, but in spite of their best efforts the fire, which gained a firm hold on the cargo of the forehold, spread fiercely and rapidly. In this hold was stored a large quantity of inflammable material including oils, turpentine, and tar. This caused dense pungent smoke in great volume, which hampered the efforts of the seamen. There are four hatches on the vessel, all of which have been nailed down, and nobody has been below for several days. Captain Menke, his wife and child were transferred to the pilot steamer for safety. A steamer with the Harbour-master on board arrived alongside the burning ship within half an hour of the receipt of alarm, and directed salvage operations. Powerful pumps on the Harbour-master's boat poured water equal to 2,000 gallons per minute into the hold In which the fire was raging, but the flames made headway. A lot of cargo was stowed on deck, and much of this caught fire. The sailors, in order to avert the danger where it presented itself of the fire running along the decks, seized burning bales and cases, and threw them over-board. When the deck cargo was cleared away there was a much better chance of getting at the seat of the outbreak, but the fire had the mastery for a very long time. Presently the flames spread to the vessel's rigging, and the decks began to grow hot. Captain Menke ordered that the decks should be cut away, in order to afford more access to the burning cargo, but as soon as the sailors chopped away some of the planking they found iron sheathing underneath. It was decided at 4 o'clock, as the flames stall raged with undiminishable fierceness and the weight of water poured into the hold was beginning to cause the vessel to sink at the bows, to beach her. Pumping operations were temporarily discontinued, and a steel hawser having been passed to the tug Hero, with some difficulty the vessels anchor was freed from the bottom, and partly lifted, and the Earl of Dunmore was slowly towed towards Rose Bay, where she was beached. The ship had in her forward hatch a quantity of wax matches and underneath was stored a quantity of oils and other cargo equally combustible. It is presumed that rats got at the matches, and caused the conflagration. The Melbourne Argus, December 19, 1908. Earl of Dunmore. Furious Gale. An adventure which is not likely to be soon forgotten by her crew befel the four-masted barque Earl of Dunmore, on her voyage to this port from Fredrikstadt, Norway. Whilst “running down her easting” across the Southern Ocean the barque was sorely tried by a terrific Westerly gale accompanied by seas which Captain Mencke describes as the highest and most dangerous that he has experienced for many years. Gigantic billows swept the decks from poop to forecastle at frequent intervals threatening serious injury to the ship, and necessitating extraordinary vigilance on the part of the crew to escape danger. The disturbance arose on the 20th November, in lat. 42deg. south and lon. 6Odeg. east, lasting, without abatement for a whole day The use of oil to quell the seas was freely resorted to, large quantities being poured over the vessels sides; but despite this expedient, heavy bodies of water thundered over her as she sped before the gale. All movable objects on deck were dashed about in the flood whilst some disappeared overboard on the receding billows. A complete clearance was made of the galley … pots, pans, and other cooking utensils being washed out of the apartment to the unspeakable dismay of the cook. Several of the crew were thrown down by the seas and narrowly averted meeting with serious injury, a few bruises and scratches being the only ill effects. In the meantime squalls of alarming intensity completely drowned the voices of officers and crew until ultimately the storm gradually “blew itself out,”and affording them breathing space. The Earl of Dunmore which is laden with timber met with such light and baffling winds in the earlier stages of her voyage that she did not cross the equator until the fifty-eighth day out. Quite a different experience, however, then awaited her, and she made a capital run of 46 days from the line to Hobsons Bay averaging 220 mile per day for this period, and thus converting what promised to be a protracted voyage into a good one. On her previous voyage to Melbourne the Earl of Dunmore accomplished a splendid passage of 78 days from New York. Captain Menke who is in charge of the vessel, is accompanied by his wife. One's still thereMost of those buildings are long gone, but the one at center, beyond the three closely-spaced masts in line with the right edge of the Earl of Dunmore, seems to still be there (mostly, anyway) at the SE corner of Broad St and Exchange Place. It's the bldg at the right edge of another Shorpy pic. The narrow slab extending toward the camera from that building has been demolished in the last few years. A 1927 view of the building, in the lower left corner of the aerial pic. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
Syracuse Panorama: 1901
... to the position seen in the photo, for passage of boats? It looks like there's nothing to keep a person from falling off the ... so many questions. Absolutely beautiful! (Panoramas, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads, Syracuse) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2012 - 4:16pm -

Syracuse, New York, circa 1901, in a panoramic view of the Erie Canal combining three 8x10 inch glass plates. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Jerry Rescue BlockThe building dead center (left of the lift bridge) is the Jerry Rescue Block. Wrote my Masters Thesis on the Rescue, too much to share, but the wiki entry is a decent if incomplete thumbnail: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Rescue Onondaga Coarse Salt AssociationWikipedia has a wealth of interesting detail on the Syracuse salt industry in general, and mentions the OCSA headquartered at No. 1 Clinton Block - 'Manufacturers and Dealers in all kinds of Coarse or Solar Salt." (Mid-frame, on the immediate right of the canal). Today in SyracuseView Larger Map The post office at the center is where the "Clinton Block" on the right side of the picture once stood. The canal itself has been filled in long ago and is now Erie Boulevard, which runs along the left side of the post office. Gone but not forgotten All of these buildings are long gone. The one on the left with the tower and long shed is the old New York Central station. The pre-concrete Erie CanalFor those not familiar with this area, the waterway with the bridge over it is the Erie Canal as it passed through downtown Syracuse (before it was paved over). You're looking essentially West. The bottom of the photo not seen is now "Clinton Square" (named for Dewitt, not Bill) where several majestic old buildings still survive. See https://www.shorpy.com/node/5501 Bridge explanation?That bridge across the canal has me puzzled. Did it raise with some sort of mechanism to the position seen in the photo, for passage of boats? It looks like there's nothing to keep a person from falling off the ends of the nearest walkway (can't tell about the one on the other side). At least one building is still there. Center of the picture to left of canal. The first building is gone (with white walls) but the middle building still stands. View Larger Map Lift bridge sidewalksThe far side of the lift bridge has stairs that connect to the sidewalk on that side when the bridge is in the up position. The gents apparently decided to take a ride on the side that has no up connection, which although frowned on, is still considered fun by some. Several bridges of this type have survived to this day on the Erie Canal: http://bridgehunter.com/ny/orleans/knowlesville-road/ http://bridgehunter.com/ny/monroe/washington-street/ http://bridgehunter.com/ny/niagara/adam-street/ Canals are so coolI think they should dig up the Erie Canal and open it to traffic again. Traveling around England and Europe on the canals is a fantastic way to see the countryside. A world of bikes at the end of the golden age of bikingIn the lower right hand corner, you can see what looks like a bike rack on the sidewalk. Of course the 1890s had been the golden age of bikes, and the Model T was still 8 years away from sale to the public. The world of the car was about to emerge, but not yet, not in 1901. When it did, sidewalk bike racks probably wouldn't come back for, oh, about 100 years, until about yesterday afternoon. Throughout the image I count 7 bikes, 2 with riders, 5 parked, although there may be more than 2 under the awnings of the bike store. And of course there is a bike store in the middle, on a prominent commercial corner, because bikes were still a bigger deal than they were about to become as auto production began to double every few years of the early 20th century. Peeking LiftThere's another lift bridge peeking out one street west ("up picture"). It is just barely visible on the north (far) side of the canal, in the up position. Look somewhat below the "Greenways" sign for it. A bridge in actionHere is a video of the same type of bridge in action. This bridge is located in Brockport, NY. Summer TrolleyThere's a very unusual double deck entirely open summer trolley car on the dead end tracks on Clinton St. that don't connect with the main tracks on Genesee St., lower right of the photo. Is the "one on the left with the tower and long shed" actually the New York, West Shore & Buffalo depot? Back then, New York Central passenger trains ran in the street downtown. Technically, both lines were under common ownership. Wish grantedThis photograph almost fulfills my wish to have lived in that great era just to feel, smell, and see our great city. I've been trying to piece together how the railroads ran through the city and this answers so many questions. Absolutely beautiful! (Panoramas, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads, Syracuse)
Twin Towers: 1900
... York river photos. The waterfront is packed with ships, boats and ferries. Except for South Street Seaport, there aren't any ships ... Thanks for an insight into my ancestry. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 5:35pm -

Circa 1900. "New York from East River." At right we see the dual domes of the 26-story Park Row building, at 391 feet the world's tallest office tower at the turn of the century. Dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. A Slew of ShipsI love these old New York river photos. The waterfront is packed with ships, boats and ferries. Except for South Street Seaport, there aren't any ships docked along the East River anymore. OvershadowedThe Park Row building is still going strong today, though it's been rather overshadowed by a much taller building under construction directly behind it. Mini PetronasAt first glance, it looks a bit like a miniature version of those other famous buildings. Great GrandpaMy great grandfather was a tug engineer working in the harbor and both rivers around this time. I've always wondered what it looked like to him. This is scenery he must have seen hundreds of times. Thanks for an insight into my ancestry. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
White Star Line: 1904
... pm Oceanic… July 27, 5 pm (Panoramas, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 1:01pm -

Circa 1904. "Troy Line piers; RMS Baltic at White Star Line piers, New York." At the time, the Baltic was the world's largest ship. Panorama of three 8x10 inch glass negatives, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. On 14 April 1912"the Baltic sent an ice warning message to the RMS Titanic" And we all know how that worked out don't we. What a DUMMY!On the right side, note the string of freight cars being pulled or pushed out of the White Star pier. Just above the hotel can be seen what looks like a diesel. It is a dummy locomotive. A dummy loco is a switch engine with a carbody covering the boiler and drive wheels to make it appear to be a horse car. Some horses would absolutely freak out at a steam engine, and so the RR's thought of this ruse. In later years most of the fake carbodys were removed. This ought to be New York Central & Hudson River RR. They had the usual collection of small switch engines for this work, but they bought a small group of Shay geared locos to work these street tracks at one point. If the photographer had shot the picture a bit sooner, we could see more of this dummy. [I'm guessing they're pulling these cars out of the pier, as I see no one in position to relay hand signals. The head brakie is likely protecting the rear of the loco, and the rest of the crew are riding the cut out.] Also note the cars, boxcars and reefers to supply the ocean liners. One of the best pictures ever!I am amazed at how this picture is saturated with detail. I looked this over for several minutes and cannot believe it was taken almost a hundred years ago. Thanks again for this and so many incredible inspiring photos. What a thrill.I remember when I was a kid driving down the elevated East Side Drive when the big ‘’liners’’ were at dock. Wow, both Queens, the United States and more. Boy, for me this was fantastic! I wish I could have seen the NYC fire department capsize that famous French luxury liner who’s name a can’t remember due to a senior moment… Normandy? She tried to warn her big sister...Baltic is one of the ships that sent a subsequently ignored ice warning to Titanic in April 1912. Five years after this photo was made, she rescued passengers of White Star fleetmate Republic, after a collision with the steamship Florida. Republic sank. The French liner's name was "Normandie" with "ie", not "y". I'd sooner NOT see the fire department sink her as I'd have liked for her to have lasted long enough to have gone somewhere on her. And captained byThe RMS Baltic was captained by Captain Edward John Smith, RD, RNR at the time of this picture. Actually, he served as captain from its maiden voyage in 1904 until 1907. Captain Smith is primarily remembered for being the captain of the RMS Titanic. not much left now...I can't quite figure out where this fits in the 1904 picture but the silent, rusting sign is one of the few things left on that pier 98 years later (look closely and you can still see the White Star written on it) Those archesKvenido: I was just at the same spot the other day, and tried, with equal lack of success, to get a shot of that arch with the White Star lettering. Not so long ago there were large limestone walls that surrounded those steel arches. I think they are a few blocks north of where the picture in question was taken, and are a few years newer. Sunny side upAmidst all the hustle and bustle, is someone sneaking a break up on the Troy Line roof? Location, Location, LocationPier 46 in this photo was located at The Hudson (North) River and Charles Street in what is now called the West Village. Pier 48 was at West 11th Street. Somewhere over these past 104 years they must have rearranged the pier numbers. Today Pier 46 is West 46th Street and the Hudson River. Pier 46 is now home to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum a major NYC attraction. The Shuttle "Enterprise" was awarded to the Intrepid by NASA and will, within the next few weeks, grace its flight deck. I don't remember what I was smoking when I made this comment but the pier numbers weren't changed and The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and it's newest acquisition, the Space Orbiter "Enterprise" remain where they've always been, at Pier 86, West 46th St and the Hudson River. No Radio - yet.The one thing I noticed was no radio aerials gracing the masts of any of the ships in this great picture. Yes, it was still a bit early but it was on its way and by the end of 1912 was to be standard equipment on all ships. Hundreds of tons of coal to load for the steam engines.Have a look to a special detail on starboard of the "BALTIC": The coal ports. You see three ports in work for stowing coal from the barges alongside into the coal bunkers of the ship. "BALTIC" were propelled by two propellers driven by two steam quadruple expansion engines and reached an average speed of 16 knots (30 km/h). Amazing!I have studied this over and over again. The detail is amazing. I love seeing all the varied activities involved in the commerce of the day. Thanks for your work! I truly appreciate it. I enjoy the photographs so much! Three survivorsNote the Western Electric bldg near the right edge of the pic-- still there between Bank and Bethune, and still with its flagpole. Out in the haze just left of the pyramidal cupola at the north end of Pier 49, the Weehawken water tower http://binged.it/IsKodh Just left of the cupola at the south end of Pier 48, St Michaels http://binged.it/IsKEsQ which isn't actually a survivor-- it burned (circa 1932?) and was replaced with a similar (identical?) structure. Wonder how often New York got a clear day back then. Maiden Voyage?If the 1904 date is accurate, this photo might record the completion of the Baltic's maiden voyage. New York Times, July 9, 1904. White Star Liner Baltic Completes Maiden Voyage. Made Trip from Liverpool in 7 Days 13 Hours and 37 Minutes — Brought 906 Passengers. Amid the tooting of hundreds of whistles and the dipping of flags, the new White Star Line steamship Baltic, the largest ever built, made her way up the bay yesterday, completing her maiden voyage from Liverpool to this port. Thousands of eyes along the shore watched the big vessel as she steamed slowly up the harbor on the breast of the tide, and every floating craft to be seen dwindled into insignificance beside the big liner. When the Baltic appeared in the upper bay ferryboats, steamboats, tugs, and sailing craft went out of their course to give those aboard better views of the steamship, and those vessels which were going down the channel as the Baltic came made way for her. The lines on which the Baltic is built give her the characteristic look of the Cedric and Celtic, the two other largest ships of the White Star Line, but she exceeds both these by about 3,000 tons. To those who went alongside her the Baltic's freeboard appeared tremendously high, the longest ladders on the revenue cutters, which are long enough for all other vessels, hardly reaching to the main deck. Her sides are painted black, and her two big smokestacks are light brown, except where they are circled near the top by board black bands. She has four pole masts. The great size of the Baltic, however, is minimized by the gracefulness of her lines. The steam yacht Corsair was waiting down the bay for J. Pierpont Morgan, her owner, who was aboard the steamship, and as the Baltic came up the bay the black yacht ran for a time alongside of her, the yacht ran for a time alongside of her, the yacht looking like a little toy beside the big liner. The length of the Baltic is 726 feet. In this respect she exceeds the length of the Kaiser Wilheim II of the North German Lloyd Line, which formerly was the longest ship, by 18.2 feet. Her width is 75 feet. In all she has eight decks, four of them being above the main deck. She is of 24,000 tons gross register, while her capacity for cargo is 28,000 tons, and her load draught about 40,000. The new steamship has accommodations for about 3,000 passengers besides her crew of 350. The first-class smoking room and library are on the upper promenade deck. The staterooms in the first-class cabin are so arranged that the passengers occupying them will feel very little of the ship's motion. Just abaft the first-class compartment is that for the second-class passengers, consisting of a large dining room, a smoking room and a library, besides the staterooms. With the exception of a limited space forward, the third-class passengers are provided for abaft the second-class. The Baltic is fitted with engines of Harlan & Wolff's quadruple expansion type, arranged on the balanced principle, which practically does away with vibration. The liner can attain a speed of about 17 miles an hour. The steamship was built at the yards of Harlan & Wolff at Belfast, and she sailed from Liverpool for this side on June 29, stopping on the next day at Queenstown to pick up mails and passengers. She is in command of Lieut. E.J. Smith, R.N.R., who has become well known to seagoers as Captain of the steamship Majestic, from which he was transferred to take command of the new vessel. The Baltic is the tenth command which Lieut. Smith has held in the service of the White Star Line. The first trip of the big liner was made in 7 days, 13 hours and 37 minutes, and both Chief Engineer H. Crawford Boyle, formerly of the Celtic, and Consulting Engineer Andrews of Harlan & Wolff, who made the trip for the purpose of watching the Baltic's behavior, declares that there was not the slightest trouble with her machinery, and that she has come up to all expectations. Her best day's run was 417 knots, made on July 4. She brought a total of 906 passengers, 209 in the first-class cabin, 142 in the second-class, and 555 in the steerage. Every one of the passengers united in saying that the voyage could not have been more pleasant. Capt. Smith was delighted with his ship. "I tried to see how she would work coming around the tail of the Southwest Spit," he said, "and, as the channel was clear, I sent her around at full speed. She behaved admirably. Pilot Johnson, who has brought up almost every one of the big vessels that come into this port, piloted us up." The officers of the Baltic are Thomas Kidwell, formerly of the Celtic, chief officer; W.E. Graham, surgeon; H. McElroy, purser, and H. Wovenden, chief steward. The ship will be open for public inspection on Monday and an admission fee of 25 cents will be asked from each visitor, the proceeds to go to the seamen's charities Washington Post, July 2, 1904. White Star Line, New York—Queenstown—Liverpool, Sailing Wednesdays and Fridays, From Pier 48, N.R., West 11th st. N.Y. Teutonic… July 6, 10 am Celtic… July 8, 1 pm Baltic… July 13, 5 pm Majestic… July 20, 10 am Cedric… July 22, 1 pm Oceanic… July 27, 5 pm (Panoramas, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC, Railroads)
City Point Wharf: 1865
... coal rather than ballast. There are two steam powered tug boats in the photograph, and what looks like the pilot house of a sternwheeler. ... I'd really like to see more pictures of nautical subjects, Boats, ships et al. Really nice and smoky. Post 'em if you got 'em. Other ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/23/2009 - 11:20pm -

1865. "City Point, Virginia. Wharf, Federal artillery, and anchored schooners." From photographs of the main Eastern theater of war, the siege of Petersburg, June 1864-April 1865. Wet plate glass negative. View full size. FavoriteI have been reading this blog since the beginning, and this one may be my new favorite. There's so much life in this picture. Life?I also am a loyal Shorpy follower, and I love this photo for it's portrayal of the Civil War, but I don't see any life at all. The trees are dead, the water is dead, there are no people anywhere, the artillery is on its way to kill people. I don't think life describes it. [There are easily at least a dozen people in this photo. - Dave] Schooners and BrigantinesI find the docked and anchored sailing ships to be very interesting. There doesn't appear to be a steamer among them which leads me to believe that the rubble piles on the wharves are indeed ballast. But who knows, flat bottomed river steamers also used these wharves. The four vessels that have two fore and aft rigged masts are schooners. The two that have square rigged foremasts are brigantines. Although any of these vessels could navigate the high seas, they are also typical of the coastal trade of the time. Life.It's Winter, see the long coats on the men by the close ship and the skeletons of trees. The water can't hold still for photograph, even river water in a harbor, calm and desirable for the men on the ships then and now ghostly for you to look at. And as we all know, artillery doesn't kill people, people kill people. Ballast or Coal?On the pier to the left, would that be ballast or coal? My guess would be ballast. Wooden WorldJust look at all the wood in this photograph. Human beings would never have created our modern world without mastering the use of wood. The pier appears new, as there is no staining on the deck, and the piledriver is still lashed alongside. Some of the piles even have their bark still attached, indicating the pier was erected in haste. I believe that is coal rather than ballast. There are two steam powered tug boats in the photograph, and what looks like the pilot house of a sternwheeler. Ballast would have been loaded on board at the shipyard, not at a small port such as this. Now THIS is a fantastic pictureWhat a gray, gloomy, cold looking mess. I love it! I'd really like to see more pictures of nautical subjects, Boats, ships et al. Really nice and smoky. Post 'em if you got 'em. Other uses for coalOn sailing ships, as on steam ships, coal could be used for cooking and heating. Cassions a RollingWhat you see here are caissons (a French word meaning box) and artillery cannons. Apparently the caissons and cannons were unloaded separately then assembled on the dock. I count a total of about 45 caissons most with their cannons. Early in the war this would have seemed like a very large number of cannon but by 1865 with the Union manufacturing base 45 was just another in a long line of cannon headed south. A Tale of Two WharfsThis is the new Munitions and Coal Wharf that was built to replace the one destroyed in August, 1864 by a Confederate Secret Service agent's "horological torpedo" (time bomb) that was planted in a munitions barge. The resulting explosion killed over 40, wounded hundreds (the raining debris barely missed Gen Grant) and wiped out the docks. The long curved wharf with the limbers, caissons and a traveling forge on it was the Ordnance or Munitions Wharf. The wharf to the left with the barge and schooner alongside is identified on a June, 1865 Military Railroad map as the Coal Wharf. The coal was often brought out of the holds in sacks, carried to the top of the pile via the wooden ramp and dumped out. To coal a steamer they would do it in reverse. It was a very dirty and labor intensive job. And the caissons keep rollingMost of the carriages lined up are caissons, not artillery pieces (although there are a couple of cannon interspersed). Caissons were carts which held the boxes which had the shot and powder for the guns. An artillery section would normally have a gun pulled by a six horse team and one of these caissons, pulled by another six horse team. It looks like in this photo that they had some of the guns attached, by their limber, to the caissons, so they could be pulled together while awaiting shipment. A modern replica of this is the Fort Sill Half Section located here. BallastI'm guessing the piles are ballast as well, which when you think about it is what you'd need at a port like this where ships would arrive with heavy cargoes but have very little being shipped out. I can't imagine City Point would generate much in the way of outgoing cargo. There is a small steamer in this picture, the Relief, just to the left of the building and below the brigantine. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Civil War)
Along the Levee: 1904
... numbers I've never seen that many paddlewheel boats in one shot. I see a lot of men drifting toward the nickel beer sign at ... bridge as well here . Directionality Stern wheel boats were sort of hard to handle in reverse, plus by coming up against the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/12/2012 - 3:22pm -

The Ohio River circa 1904. "Along the levee, Cincinnati." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Wrapper redemptionNote the painted sign on one of the buildings: "Ives Family Soap - Wrappers Redeemed." Soap wrappers aren't the sort of thing one thinks of as redeemable. All in a RowWhy would they all be moored facing the same direction? Random chance would dictate that at least a few would be preparing to go up river and a few down river, and they could load and unload from either side. Once secured, the river current wouldn't make a huge difference, would it? They're called"Pitman arms." Traveling on the Delta QueenThe noble steamboat Delta Queen (built 1926, since retired, but there are two newer sister "Queens") carried my mom and me up and down the Mississippi and adjoining rivers on a number of memorable trips in the 1980s. Yes, riverboats always nose upstream when mooring, turning around if required; the "mighty Mississippi's" current rolls along at a steady walking pace. The charm of a riverboat is the ability to nose to to the bank most anyplace there's a good tree to tie to, dropping the gangplank and letting the passengers off to explore a plantation or small town. Larger towns had paved embankments as shown here. Since the water level changes by many feet over the season, docks are not generally practical. In fact each boat sets out a specially painted stone near the water's edge to gauge changes in the water level, even during a relatively short stop. The Delta Queen's engine room was open to visitors. Steam pressure at 150 lbs was admitted to a first cylinder of about 12-inch bore and ten-foot stroke, the exhaust from this high pressure cylinder crossed over to the other cylinder of 26 inch bore, creating a dual compound engine coupled to both sides of a single stern wheel. The mechanism for adjusting steam inlet duration used a sliding cam riding on the giant pitman arm (crank) whose position was adjusted by an ingenious movable lever system that I think is called a Watts linkage. All of this produced visible mechanical motions with satisfyingly direct clanks and hisses whose effects would be obvious to any mechanically inclined lad of the 19th century. Meanwhile, passengers rode at ease in varnished lounges or open verandas, watching the riverbanks slide by. Right nowLooking east from here, you would see the edge of Paul Brown Stadium, possibly the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center at the end of the Roebling Bridge,a construction site (Banks Project)& Great American Ball Park would be right before the bend in the river. Paddlewheel driversThe two long tapering objects in the left foreground appear to paddlewheel cranks (or whatever you call them) -- the same size and shape of the ones that are connected to the paddlewheels on the riverboats. DejectedThe guy sitting on the Pitman arm looks like his dog just died, or is playing with his iPhone. Impressive numbersI've never seen that many paddlewheel boats in one shot. I see a lot of men drifting toward the nickel beer sign at the left end of the bridge. Purple People BridgeThe Subdivided Pratt truss in the background is the Old Louisville & Nashville Railroad bridge. Now its been rebuilt into a pedestrian bridge and repainted in a shade of purple. Hence the new more recognizable name of "The Purple People Bridge." Here is a nice aerial view from today looking at the same landing/levee area as in the picture above (it's the second bridge from the right): Some nice info on this bridge as well here. DirectionalityStern wheel boats were sort of hard to handle in reverse, plus by coming up against the current, they could make a much easier landing than by trying to hold against the current in reverse. The Hercules Carrel has the largest "scape pipes" I've seen. Apparently the boat also has some leaky poppet valves that are allowing steam to go to waste. Re: Traveling on the Delta QueenA slight correction: the high-pressure cylinder on the Delta Queen has a bore of 26" and the low-pressure cylinder is 52" bore, both with a 10-foot stroke. The boiler pressure is 200 PSI and the engine is rated 2000 horsepower at full power, with a typical rotational speed of 13 RPM. This cylinder arrangement is known as "cross-compound," and, I believe, was only used on the Delta Queen and Delta King, both built in California in 1927. When the Delta Queen used to operate out of Cincinnati, she moored at a "wharf boat," a sort of floating warehouse containing offices, parking and storage, with automobile ramps onto the levee. The Delta Queen is currently in use as a floating hotel in Chattanooga, but hopefully, if various political and business challenges can be overcome, she will cruise again. Re: DirectionalitySternwheelers are actually much easier to steer in reverse. The wheel wash acts directly against the rudders when moving astern. Re: Re: Traveling on the Delta QueenCross compound engines were used on other boats besides the Delta King and Queen. Capt. Frederick Way's famous Betsy Ann also used a cross compound engine. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cincinnati Photos, DPC)
Dual Fuel: 1910
... job with the fake smoke from 7501. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Detroit Photos, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/21/2018 - 2:41pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "Approach to the Detroit River tunnel." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Getting the Royal treatmentIn the center background you can see the rooftop sign for Royal Salad Dressing. It was mde by Horton-Cato Mfg. Co., which was founded by two English gentlemen (hence the "Royal") in Detroit in 1877. They also made Worcestershire sauce. Ether PowerThere does nor seem to be any overhead power feed to the electric locomotive, even though it has a very small pantograph. Was there third rail power in the tunnel? [If it was a snake ... - Dave] Diesel Fuel: 2018This railway tunnel from Detroit to Canada is still in use, although steam and electric engines have been replaced with diesel-electric locomotives. Not far away is the infamous Michigan Central Station, which is to be restored. You can check out photos of the station here. Deja VuWe've seen the sign for Royal Salad Dressing before. Oh, and Engine 7501 too. Love the different perspectives. https://www.shorpy.com/node/9257 Third RailWhile the tunnel track on the right has the third rail in shadow, you can see it pretty clearly on the other side, to the right of the incoming electric engine. The Detroit tunnel operation was with 600V DC until the diesel electrics took over. 3rd Rail & PantographsYes, GeeBax, this was a third rail system, and the power rail is seen 2' 4 1/4" outside the running rails to your left of the engine. The small pantograph was used in terminal switching areas where an overhead power supply was placed above complex track arrangements such as slip switches and double crossovers which made it difficult, or impossible, to place third rails to assure continuous power supply to locomotives. LIVE THIRD RAILClick here for an extreme close-up. All sorts of cargo traverse the tunnelSome on the rails - some on the lam https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/smuggling-humans-windsor-detroit-... Before Photoshopphotos were retouched by hand. In this case a masterfully subtle job with the fake smoke from 7501. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Detroit Photos, Railroads)
The Kaiser Comes Calling: 1912
... during warfare for night action (e.g., WWI against torpedo boats, WWII Battle of Savo Island). Radar changed the game and the need for ... fast and into scrap in 10 years. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Harris + Ewing) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 11:19am -

1912. "German port call. U.S. battleship in Hampton Roads to greet German squadron." Harris & Ewing Co. glass negative. View full size | More here. Searchlights GaloreIn the pre-radar days, men o'war sported lots of searchlights. [Were any of these used for signaling? - Dave] Two guns fired thereThat's one way to signal. How cool that the shot was taken at that time. Slop chuteThey're firing a saluting gun in honor of the dignitary. You'd think a visiting honcho wouldn't have to boat through the bilge discharge and they'd at least hoist the slop-chute inboard for the duration of the salute and coming up the side. Curious what ship this is. And yes, those searchlights all had radial shutters that could be opened to transmit blinker-messages in morse. There were a lot of them because they were subject to gunfire, being mostly glass. EnlightenedJughead may be on to something but most of the lights here have the main function of searchlights. They certainly could be for signaling but strict signal lamps were usually smaller, more nimble, and located in proximity to the bridge (or conning tower on this pre-WWI ship) or signal station. Even the smaller signal lamps could reach the horizon day or night though that was not always a good thing. The larger searchlights were generally for utility (e.g. cargo operations), emergency (e.g. man overboard or other search and rescue), or during warfare for night action (e.g., WWI against torpedo boats, WWII Battle of Savo Island). Radar changed the game and the need for banks of lights. Meeting the MoltkeWashington Post Jun 3, 1912 Norfolk Va., June 2 - The American battleships Utah, Delaware, and Florida exchanged salutes with the German cruiser-battleship Moltke this afternoon as the three former ships sped through the Virginia capes en route to Hampton Roads. The firing of the salutes on Sunday is not customary, naval officers say, and the fact the the Utah, which led the three American ships as they passed the capes, boomed a salute to Rear Admiral von Reuber Paschwitz, commanding the German squadron, was regarded as an unusual compliment for the German commander. The big guns of the Moltke answered the salutes from the Utah, and the officers and crew lined the decks and waved their hats to the American ships. Everything is in readiness for the visit of President Taft in the Hampton Roads tomorrow. The German ships are expected to leave Lynnhaven Bay about 7 o'clock tomorrow morning so as to arrive in Hampton Roads about the same time the Mayflower gets in with President Taft. U.S.S. FloridaThe battleship is either the USS Florida or the USS Utah. The Florida was scrapped in 1932. The Utah was sunk at Pearl Harbor. Lynnhaven BayJust wanted to put this out; the article quoted cannot be completely correct. There is no possibility that at the time a new capital ship such as Moltke or her two escorts could have entered Lynnhaven Bay; Lynnhaven Bay's shallow channel allowed sailing ships of 8-11 foot draft to enter, but Moltke would have drawn 16-18 feet, minimum, as a cruiser-battleship highbred (a type which would eventually be called a Battlecruiser). In addition, Lynnhaven Bay does not, technically, open into Hampton Roads, but is located almost literally at the mouth of the Chesapeake; Hampton Roads, proper, is some 5 miles further north, beyond the small bay at Littlecreek (which is now a US Naval Amphibious base, and is the the far right star shaped bay on the Wikipedia entry's photo of Hampton Roads). [Or, the fault may lie in incomplete knowledge on our part about the Lynnhaven Bay of 100 years ago. The "Movements of Naval Vessels" columns in the Washington Post and New York Times from 1900 to the 1920s contain dozens of references to battleships at Lynnhaven Bay. Below are some examples from 1910-1915. - Dave] "Firing Salutes back and forth"Somehow, I have this eerie feeling about reading the article and seeing the future foes, only 5 years from combat against each other, fired salutes back and forth at each other. I get the impression that hilarity would have ensued if the article had ended with something along the lines of: "After a rollicking 10 gun salute from USS Florida, followed by an additional 10 gun salute from USS Utah was answered by SMS Moltke's own 10 round salute, the enthusiastic friends continued to salute each other for the next few hours until Moltke lit off a massive pyrotechnic display near her forward armory and then slipped off, to the delight and cheers of the men of Florida, Utah, and Deleware. In an unrelated story, 1053 sailors from SMS Moltke were lost in a freak training accident off the Virginia Capes. The US Navy is currently enroute to look for survivors." The Main GunsThe ship looks relatively new. How big are the main guns? They look surprisingly small compared to the monsters that were on the WWII battleships. USS FloridaUSS Florida and USS Utah would have both been a year old at the time of the photo. SMS Moltke would have been the same age. They all had 10 280mm main guns for the main batteries. Cagy QuestionCan anyone explain what the purpose of the two cages on either side of the smoke stacks? What were used they were for? Just a fancy ladder? Cage Masts Cage masts, found on every battleship built in the USA from about 1910 to 1920, allowed spotters to direct artillery fire. The structure was designed to take multiple hits from enemy fire without collapsing. Big GunsUtah, Florida and Delaware all mounted ten 12 inch guns in five turrets. By comparison the last battleships completed for the US Navy, the Iowa class, mounted nine 16 inch guns in three turrets. The biggest guns ever mounted on a battleship where the nine 18 inch guns in three turrets on the Japanese Yamato class. In fact the Japanese were actually planning a "Super Yamato" class with 20 inch guns. I salute the battleship geeks!Seriously, the range of knowledge here is very impressive and much more interesting than the postings of the railfans (I'm one) when a locomotive photograph appears. U.S.S. FloridaThe U.S.S. Florida. Click to enlarge. Thanks Dave!It puts the top picture really into perspective. It's amazing the differences in design philosophy between the British/German dreadnought battleships and the Americans. Still didn't stop them from becoming ridiculously obsolescent fast and into scrap in 10 years. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Harris + Ewing)
Penn Varsity: 1914
... ... the coxswain dressed all in black. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, G.G. Bain, Sports) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/14/2022 - 1:18pm -

Summer 1914. "Penn varsity crew team in Poughkeepsie." Bain News Service glass negative. View full size. HmmLooks like Penn cut the jockstrap budget that year. Hah!Glad I'm not the only one who noticed the budget cut. Hmm againThey have all been looking at Rosie O'Donnell. More SupportActually, the jockstrap dates back to 1874, invented by the good people at Bike: http://www.bikeathletic.com/History.aspx SupportFrom About.com, history of clothing: In 1920, Joe Cartledge, the owner and founder of the Guelph Elastic Hosiery Company, invented the first jockstrap or athletic supporter, marketed under the name Protex. Another great photographThis is a great photograph on a few levels. Compositionally it is very interesting because of all the vertical and horizontal plains created by the oars, the bridge and the dock. The little guy dressed in black who I think would be called the coxswain anchors the bottom of the photo. The rowers are all rather glum looking while the guys in the background with the white hats and shorts look like a hive of activity. Another thing which is a little eerie is that all the rowers have a timeless look about them. They all look like the photo could have been taken last week. Considering that this photo is almost a hundred years old. The Boys, the Boat & the BookThough taken 20 years earlier, this image reminds me of one of the most compelling and inspiring books I've read recently, The Boys in the Boat, which is about the hardscrabble group of young men who comprised the 1936 Olympic rowing team. The individual stories are so engrossing that competing at "Hitler's Olympics" is not the climax of the book. The author also adapted the original book to a middle school audience, and it has been a favorite among the students at my school for several years, as well as an object lesson in how one chooses to confront the inevitable obstacles the life presents. https://www.danieljamesbrown.com/books/the-boys-in-the-boat/ The future they did not expectSince this is the varsity team, I'm guessing each of these nine men is around 22 years old. Most likely for them, the years just before and after the turn of the last century were pretty good in terms of peace and prosperity. Their futures were bright. But the summer of 1914, when this photograph was taken, is when World War I broke out in Europe. In four more years, the United States would join the English, French, and Russians to fight the Germans and Austro-Hungarians. As American soldiers crossed the Atlantic they very likely took what would be called the Spanish Flu with them. Young people in the prime of life was who the Spanish Flu killed most. But at least American forces and weapons helped bring the war to a close in November 1918 and by early 1920 the Spanish flu was done. Then, as these nine men entered their thirties a very vocal group shamed enough elected officials about the evils of alcohol that the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed, effective January 1920. For the families of these nine young men who made their incomes from the manufacture or sale of alcohol or from restaurants or hotels for which alcohol was and still is a major profit center -- they very likely faced bankruptcy. Double takeI assume we're all looking at the same thing... ... the coxswain dressed all in black. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, G.G. Bain, Sports)
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