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Five Ways of Going: 1908
... up to their ears. They were called "pocket watches". Omnibus? I believe the fifth mode is the Omnibus or autobus. I think there is one in the far distance, to the left. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/03/2013 - 9:55am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1908. "South facade, new Union Station." At least five modes of transportation represented in this detailed view. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. "Contemporary pose" then as nowNothing "impossible" whatsoever about someone "checking out a hand held device" in 1908. Most sophisticates of the era carried them, often pulled them out to look at them, and sometimes held them up to their ears. They were called "pocket watches". Omnibus?I believe the fifth mode is the Omnibus or autobus. I think there is one in the far distance, to the left. You got me again!My tired old eyes can only find four modes represented: tram, bicycle, motorcar/truck, and Shank's mare. The edifice represents railway transport, but no locomotives or rolling stock are in evidence. I suspect that the fifth would be horse-drawn conveyances, which would have been more common than motorcars in 1908, but I cannot spy any. Contemporary poseThe gentleman standing along the wall to the left seems to be striking an all too familiar pose for modern times - he appears to be checking out a hand held device. Of course this is impossible. Perhaps he's reading the back of the Honus Wagner baseball card that he just pulled from of his package of Old Judge cigarettes? Walking, bicycle, streetcar, car. What else?I see no train Did I get them all?1. Walking 2. Streetcar 3. Auto 4. Bicycle 5. Train (station) 6. Flying (eagles) Where Eagles DareThe near-eagle is keeping a sharp eye on the photographer. Pray or prey, or both? Don't forget the horse-drawn carriage.Back near the main entrance. I noticedboth the dapper dude strolling across the street (lower right) and the plainclothes detective keeping an eye on the potential troublemaker behind him. Dapper dudeThe aforementioned dapper dude is dressed about 30 years ahead of his time. (The Gallery, D.C., DPC, Railroads, Streetcars)
Omnibus Stop: 1951
... to see and be seen. Ablative The dictionaries say "omnibus" is the dative plural of "omnis" "all," implying it's "for all." I'd ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/09/2021 - 11:47am -

June 1951. "Times Square street scene." Now playing at the New York Theatre: Skipalong Rosenbloom. 35mm acetate negative by Angelo Rizzuto. View full size. On the TownSailors in Times Square? I'm reminded of Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin, trying to see all of New York in just twenty-four hours. They never did get to the Hippodrome, the Aquarium, or the Woolworth Tower. Hey, sailors!Check out those bellbottoms. (I also attach a movie poster.) Dorothy!When she escaped Oz and discovered Walgreens. Shorpy BusinessIs that the Shorpy Dentist (Painless, of course), Shorpy Accountants, or Shorpy Insurance advertising in the window? Alice, or Times SquareI say it is Alice (as in Wonderland) and not Dorothy. But the main thing is this: I shall never again go to New York. This is chaos enough for me. I was there in 1999 for four days and never again! Though I had a very pleasant stay at Crystal's Bed and Breakfast in Harlem! That Rex Allen action film... is probably "Silver City Bonanza" with Buddy Ebsen as his sidekick. 43rd at Broadway on Times Square1,000 seat Toffenetti Restaurant. The place to see and be seen. AblativeThe dictionaries say "omnibus" is the dative plural of "omnis" "all," implying it's "for all." I'd go with ablative plural if the bus takes everybody away. New York TimesI need to know more about that cast iron appendage to the Walgreens corner. Is that the Times building? Deep thoughts by the sailor on the left:"In twenty years everybody will wearing the pants like mine." Out of UniformIt appears there is one sailor on the corner that is out of uniform. He is in 'blues' and al the other sailors are in "whites". In June the uniform of the day would have been whites. (Blues are for winter months.) I am also impressed with the size and complexity of the Budweiser billboard. Being able to look behind it shows a remarkable infrastructure. Big BeerLove the 3-D Budweiser sign. Sailors, Dress Whites and Dress BluesCan someone clear this one up for me. We have sailors in dress whites and dress blues. When I was in the Navy the uniform was dictated by the season. Any thoughts? Walking next to the sailoris what appears to be a navy Chief Petty Officer. I can't see their left arms, but they could be wearing SP armbands signifying Shore Patrol. I'm a retired Navy Chief, and ran Shore Patrol on my last two ships, including going ashore in New York City. Great times indeed. Thanks for the memories. (The Gallery, Angelo Rizzuto, Movies, NYC)
Omnibus Stop: 1913
July 10, 1913, New York. "Fifth Avenue Omnibus." View full size. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 1:00pm -

July 10, 1913, New York. "Fifth Avenue Omnibus." View full size. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. Click here for a closeup of the bus on the right. Radiator nameplate reads "De Dion Bouton." The ArchI seem to forget, was the archway situated on the right hand side in Washington Square Park, designed by Stanford White? Stanford White's ArchIt sure was designed by him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_White The arch would have been about 21 years old at the time of this photograph. De Dion-Boutonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Dion-Bouton Starter mechanismNote the crank handle below the radiator. Did these beasts really start in 10 degree weather? The non-pneumatic tires against the cobblestone were handy at keeping one awake if the air horn didn't do it. All the modern conveniences too - lights, fire extinguisher, well appointed interior and ambient air conditioning. De Dion BoutonBoth Fifth Avenue Coach Company buses were built by De Dion Bouton, a French manufacturer. The double decker, No.67, was one of 67 with 34-seat bodies by J G Brill of Philadelphia supplied between 1907 and 1910. The 23-seat single-decker, No. 201, of 1912, had a Paris-style open rear platform and was converted to a double-decker in 1914. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, G.G. Bain, NYC)
Fifth Avenue Stage: 1900
... they have in many cities these days. Also, the wagon/omnibus/ whatever, has no through braces so it must have been a bear to ride in. Last days of the omnibus What a fantastic image! The street railway had largely replaced the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2018 - 4:02pm -

New York circa 1900. "A Fifth Avenue stage." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Cat in the windowHe seems to be watching the world go by. Wonder what he thinks of two horses being harnessed and forced to pull a lot of humans around the streets of New York. Might be, "My peeps can't even get me to walk on a leash with them." BreechingIt certainly looks strange that there is no breeching on the harness. Maybe they never thought they would have to back up the wagon. At least no one had decided to put diapers on the pretty horses like they have in many cities these days. Also, the wagon/omnibus/ whatever, has no through braces so it must have been a bear to ride in. Last days of the omnibusWhat a fantastic image! The street railway had largely replaced the horse-drawn omnibus in most cities by the dawn of the 20th century, but they persisted in places, like Fifth Ave., where tracks couldn't be laid in the street. The horses were retired when Fifth Avenue Coach became one of the country's earliest motor bus routes in 1907. I love the details of the building, the street lighting, etc. -- truly the "City Beautiful." A real New York bargain!The townhouse in the former Mark Cross building at 210 Fifth Avenue is yours -- for $18,500 a month! http://www.prudentialelliman.com/Listings.aspx?ListingID=1059501 Left, right, leftWhich horse is out of step? This is what the ride to hell feels likeI don't know what amazes me more, how high the thing rides or how low it is sitting on the axles. 210 Fifth AvenueThis shot was taken just one block south of where Detroit Publishing had its offices (seen here and here previously). The building with the ornate details and "Cross" in the window still stands at 210 Fifth Avenue. View Larger Map Sic transit gloria mundiYou wouldn't see these magnificent (if dangerous) horse carriages galloping up and down Fifth Avenue much longer at the time this photo was taken. 1900 was the year that the NY State Senate approved a bill allowing the Fifth Avenue Stage to run automobiles along the length of its newly-extended route (up to 110th St.) By 1903, the horse carriages had been retired for "motor buses." This was a relief to the residents of the apartment blocks near the "big stable" of the Fifth Avenue Stage located uptown. The stables took up the whole block between 88th and 89th Streets, were four stories tall, and housed over 250 horses. Its neighbors were continually filing complaints with the city because of the "noxious odors", as well as perpetual stamping and neighing of horses in their stalls, which made sleep impossible. Cross Chambers, with its shop cat in the window, 210 Fifth Avenue, was a 12 story building with the Cross business establishment on the four lowest floors, and "Bachelor Apartments" above. While considered imposing at the time of its opening, it was soon to be dwarfed by the first iron-framed "skyscraper," that would soon be constructed a block away. Construction of the Flatiron Building, at 175 Fifth Avenue, began in 1901 and was finished a year later. The Manhattan skyline would never be the same. Cross ChambersAccording to New York Songlines site, the Mark Cross store/Cross Chambers dates to 1901. And the building next to it on the corner of 26th Street would have been Cafe Martin, formerly Delmonico's. An interesting wideangle view of the corner can be seen here dating from around 1911. Unfortunately not in as high a resolution as the images here. A Gripping TaleI kind of feel sorry for the guy in the middle up on top. The men to either side of him are clearly gripping the side rail, but he doesn't have anything to hold onto except ... wait a second -- is that an iPhone he's holding? Perfectly in stepBeautiful team of horses who know exactly what they are doing. Whenever a team of two (horses or humans) is carrying or pulling a shared load they must be in step so far as stride and gait are concerned, but must be a mirror image or each will be fighting the other for control of the load. It's not at all the same as the "in step" we learned in the military for marching. Demise of the 5th Avenue Coach Co. That firm went bankrupt back in around 1955-1960, and with it, all of the pensions of former and existing employees. The grandfather of a friend of mine was a victim. Whoa!I passed this image along to my wife, as I do with many which have horses and carriages. She drives a couple of carriages herself and so has a bit of expertise. Her comment: "WOW...or more rightly WHOA...Never ever seen a "big rig" driving harness WITHOUT a saddle, side straps, britchen, etc...these horses just have the neck collar. Good grief Charlie Brown!" (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, NYC)
Skyscraper: 1909
... no less than 20 streetcars. Is it 1912 rush hour? Omnibus Ok, I'm the first to spot the motorized bus! It looks more like ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2012 - 10:52pm -

New York circa 1909. "Panorama of Madison Square." This glass plate, part of a nine-exposure panorama, affords yet another view of that enduring architectural icon, the Flatiron Building. 8x10 dry-plate glass negative. View full size. SprintLast time I was there in 2005, Sprint occupied the first floor of the Flatiron Building. Kind of sacrilege, really. 6 E. 23rdThe FDNY suffered its largest loss prior to 9/11 on the site of the Bartholdi Hotel. On October 17, 1966 a fire spread from an adjoining property on 22nd street to the basement of 6 East 23rd street. Twelve firefighters were lost that night when the floor of the Wonder Drug Store collapsed. http://nyfd.com/history/23rd_street/23rd_street.html Manure guyIn the foreground, white uniform, big shovel. Awful AwningsBeautiful building, but the aesthetic is somewhat spoiled by the awning obsession of the era. S.S. FlatironWith that puffy plume at the top, it looks like it's steaming up Broadway. Deja Vu All Over AgainWe return to Madison Square Park (bottom left) and the back of the statue of William H. Seward, he of the folly. Also we see the Hotel Bartholdi, named after the Statue of Liberty sculptor. The corner storefront of the Flatiron Building appears to contain our old friend the United Cigar Store. On the next block, East 22nd Street, the corner is occupied by the VanGaasbeek Oriental whatever. That corner now houses a usually deserted Restoration Hardware, which appears to be in the original building that we see in the photo. 1 of 9Please don't leave us hanging; we want to see all 9 negatives! As always, thanks for this. And I wouldn't describe it as an awning obsession, more like a necessity on those hot New York August afternoons. Ahhh summer!I am sure that the awning helped to keep the stores and offices cool in the summer. All the open windows (at least even one with a curtain blowing in the breeze) in skyscrapers! How odd to today's eyes of closed up buildings. That sign selling cordial sure gave me a start. Look at the TimeThe first thing that stuck out to me was the standing clock, which is very recognizable. It still stands there today. Also interesting is that that 200 Fifth Avenue, or International Toy Building (to the right of the Flatiron, next to the clock), was just built in 1912. It recently underwent an interior overhaul. Awnings were a necessityThis was long before air conditioning was prevalent so awnings were a common method used to cool down a building while still maintaining the view out the window. 23 SkidooLegend has it that the unique winds created at this intersection (Fifth and Broadway at 23rd Street) would lift many a lady's skirt, much to the delight of the male audience that would congregate here (at least when women still wore dresses). Awnings againThe main advantage of awnings (as opposed to, say, shades or venetian blinds) was that they let you keep the window open in the rain. Open windows were necessary probably as much for ventilation as keeping cool. [Although they do seem more prevalent on the sunny side of the building. - Dave] American ParthenonAlfred Stieglitz also saw the Flatiron as a kind of steamship: "With the trees of Madison Square covered with fresh snow, the Flat Iron impressed me as never before. It appeared to be moving toward me like the bow of a monster ocean steamer, a picture of new America still in the making. The Flat Iron is to the United States what the Parthenon was to Greece." 98 Years AgoIn the great span of history, 98 years isn't really all that long, and the march of history in centuries past wasn't all that brisk. But here we have a 1912 street scene from midtown Manhattan, less than a century ago (almost), within living memory of at least a few souls still among us, and the horses still outnumber the motor vehicles. I'm guessing that in another five years, by 1917 or so, the cars would outnumber the horses, and that in 10 more years -- 1927 or so -- the number of horses would be very small indeed. This is really a glimpse at the very last days of the pre-automobile world. We haven't lived with these infernal, gas-guzzling contraptions for very long. M&L Hess Real EstateSign was still somewhat visible as of 2003. http://www.14to42.net/20street1-2.html From 1 to 9, slowly.If I look at the panorama too quickly, I may get dizzy. Hotel BartholdiI am fascinated to find that this is the location of the Hotel Bartholdi. A few weeks ago I posted an image in the members gallery, of an electric charabanc parked, I assume, in front of the hotel. The streets are full of peopleThat's something you don't see these days. People are afraid of speeding cars. I assume that horse-drawn carriages weren't quite as dangerous. EntrancesComparing this picture with StreetView, the building entrances in the middle of each side seem to have been remodelled. Instead of the pillars supporting the canopy being proud of the main building, they are now just a relief on the surface. White WingThe Department of Sanitation's "White Wing" sweepers did their level best keeping those NYC streets clean. I don't know if white was the best color for their uniforms though! Google Clock ViewView Larger Map The streets are full of streetcars, too!Including the blurry end of one on the extreme left, and off into the distance, I count no less than 20 streetcars. Is it 1912 rush hour? OmnibusOk, I'm the first to spot the motorized bus! It looks more like someone chopped the back off a 1920s bus and shoved an open cab on the front with an engine. Neat! Also, notice the peculiar way of routing with a lampstand in the middle of the open street and ropes and posts in a line from it. The clockWho maintained it? I know there were lamplighters during the times when gas lamps lit city streets, but the clock must have been mechanical. Did someone wind it, or were they electric even back then? Pach Brothers StudioIf you look close at the building behind the Flatiron you can see a billboard (on the roof) for Pach Brothers Studio. I took portrait classes from the last owner of Pach Brothers, Oscar White. When he closed the studio it was the oldest operating studio in North America. He had an amazing archive of famous clients' images. President Ulysses S. Grant was involved in getting the studio started. Re: S.S. Flatiron and American ParthenonSomething as glorious as this had to appear sooner or later. (The Gallery, DPC, Flatiron Building, NYC, Streetcars)
Seeing New York: 1904
... OK, so I want to know: Who killed the electric omnibus? Tourist Destination At what point did NYC become a tourist ... ascend and descend the bus? How far could an electric omnibus go before needing a recharge? Duck Tours These remind me of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 9:51pm -

Circa 1904. "Seeing New York." Electric omnibuses at the Flatiron Building. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. In living colorColorized version of a very overloaded one used by the Fifth Avenue Coach Company: PricelessThis is one of my favorite Shorpy pics ever. The expressions on all the faces speak volumes. Great. I believe it's called a charabancThere's a picture of another electric charabanc at https://www.shorpy.com/node/7251 . The name is a good description: charabanc = char-à-banc = bench carriage. According to Wikipedia, mostly used for sightseeing and daytrips, safety record not great. How very usefulA Telephone Connection is mentioned on the omnibuses - but not the number. OMGWhat about the ghost lady in the back? The choice of the futureIt was a time when there was not yet a clear choice on which energy would propel the cars and trucks. You had electric engines, gasoline engines and even steam engines in almost equal numbers on the streets. Hard work.It must have been a real handful to navigate that beast through the streets of Manhattan. TouristsI can't get over how well dressed this visiting group is. If you wander over to Times Square, or even the Flatiron these days you see a lot of people in shorts and T-shirts, many overweight and continuously munching. The more formally dressed 1904 crowd may have been a bit much, but somewhere in between there is an answer. The Case of the Toppled TouristsWow, no sidewalls, safety belts or anything. I don't imagine those bus boats were in service for very long. Electric?From what's visible of the undercarriage, it looks like these are driven by electric motors. [Hmmm. Maybe that's why they are described in the caption as "electric omnibuses"! - Dave] Guess I really ought ro read 'em once in a while, eh? A warning for the ladiesDon't visit the Heel Building! QuackThese sightseeing contraptions are as ugly and ungainly as the "duck" amphibious sightseeing vehicles which are seen in many cities, these days. Ottawa has a number of these monstrosities blocking traffic during tourist season. Nothing beats making tourists stick out like sore thumbs. Fred MacMurray You can't hide behind that mustache. Smart to have your hat attached by that wind trolley too. People were just so civilized back then. Being clean and proper was the order of the day. Lady in Row 5 seems to be making sure her companion is up to snuff. OK, so I want to know:Who killed the electric omnibus? Tourist DestinationAt what point did NYC become a tourist destination, where people come just to see the city itself, as these people are doing? I guess that sort of thing doesn't just happen at a "point in time," but gradually. Timely questionsI surmise that the doors on the sides of the cars open up to allow for artfully placed hidden steps for boarding? How else would a lady's delicate and well turned heel ascend and descend the bus? How far could an electric omnibus go before needing a recharge? Duck ToursThese remind me of the Duck Tour vehicles in Boston and other cities. Refurbished WWII amphibious vehicles. It's also neat to see the guy in the last row with his hat clip attached so he won't lose it in the wind. Vehicle Equipment CompanyThese “Automobile buses” were made by the Vehicle Equipment Company of Long Island City, New York. Their literature called them “A combination of the commercial and pleasure types.” The Vehicle Equipment Company was started in Brooklyn in 1901 by Robert Lloyd and Lucius T. Gibbs. By 1903 they had relocated to Long Island City. Up until mid-1906 they built a large number of commercial electric vehicles. From 1903 to 1905 they also built a 3-seat electric car called the VE Electric. Almost all of their vehicles were single motor shaft-drive. The company went into receivership in 1906, and the General Vehicle Company (owned by the General Electric Company) purchased the factory and reorganized to build both gasoline and electric vehicles, as well as replacement parts. Vehicles built from mid-1906 on were known as GV Electrics. By 1915 there were some 2,000 GV Electrics in New York City alone, representing more than 25% of all trucks of all types working daily in the city. The style of “Automobile bus” seen above was also very popular in Washington D.C. and other cities as well. General Vehicle Company ceased production around 1917. AdvertisementFrom the Daily News Tribune of June 26, 1904. This ad occurs only in June and July issues. Most likely, they did't work so long. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, Flatiron Building, NYC)
Made in America: 1937
... modern English -- it's as antiquated as "aeroplane" or "omnibus." Back in the age of airships when it was in currency, the word was, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/26/2012 - 11:43am -

June 9, 1937. "Congress sees model of new proposed American-designed dirigible. Rep. Edward A. Kenney (right) of New Jersey, Chairman of the House Interstate Commerce Committee, viewing a model of a new American designed dirigible displayed at the Capitol today. Roland B. Respess, President of the Respess Aeronautical Engineering Corp., is pointing out the features of the ship to the House member. The House Interstate Subcommittee is hearing the witness on a bill recently introduced to authorize the loan of $12 million for constructing two eight-million-cubic-foot dirigible airships, a large American airship plane, and Atlantic operating terminal with a view toward establishing twice-a-week Trans-Atlantic airship service." Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Full of ItWere they going to use all the "hot air" from Congress to fill it up? DirigiblesI can't say they were a total flop. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company seems to be happy with theirs. Opportunity KnocksThis was a month after the Hindenburg blew up. Not a blimpDirigibles are different than blimps. Goodyear and most of those balloons you see flying over stadiums are blimps, not dirigibles. [Not so. Dirigibles (steerable airships) include blimps. - Dave] Not Quite, DaveOriginally, "dirigible" DID mean "steerable," irrespective of the nature of the airframe. But, over time, its usage changed to mean an airship with a rigid internal skeleton (as in a Zeppelin), as opposed to an airship with no internal framework (Blimp). Both types of craft were indeed steerable, but the usage lost that distinction. [It may be common usage, but "dirigible" does not mean "rigid airship." It's a mistaken notion resulting from confusion over the similarity of the words "rigid" and "dirigible." Which still means "steerable." The only term properly used to refer to rigid airships is "rigid airship." - Dave] Several hundred man-hours of work,...and they stand it on the back of a few chairs? Hmmm, built with tax dollars, no doubt. The real questionis whether Rep. Edward A. Kenney of New Jersey, Chairman of the House Interstate Commerce Committee, really wanted history to remember him for wearing white shoes. He's A-Ok...Mr. Kenny's choice of footwear is protected because he is wearing them between Decoration Day and Labor Day. The unofficial White Shoe Season. Have a seat.I can see why Rep. Kenney was made chairman of the committee. Innovative DesignThe patent application for Respess's airship indicates that he was proposing a design to prevent the type of structural failure that had caused the crashes of several earlier US airships (USS Akron, Macon, Shenandoah). He had a number of interesting ideas about control systems and other features that would have brought airships up to late-1930s standards. But the Hindenburg was the nail in the coffin of any possible development of this thinking. His trip to DC with this model was probably a last-ditch effort. AmazingAmazing that this was still pursued regardless of the Hindenburg. All but one of the Navy's post-WWI airships were lost in foul weather, including the USS Shenandoah. I've got a small piece of its fabric in my desk right now. USS Akron, Shenandoah, and Macon all went down, and only the USS Los Angeles survived to see dismantlement in '39. Excellent DetailBeneath it are detailed scale models of the chairs that will be used to support it once it takes flight. Sometimes a dirigibleis just a dirigible. The value of ShorpyFor getting us (including myself) right on the definition of dirigible. My day isn't complete without my Shorpy. Thanks Dave. New form of suspensionThey've discovered a new way to keep dirigibles in the air -- bentwood chairs! No SmokingDo you suppose the No Smoking sign in the back is a safety measure intended to protect the honorable members of the committee in the event of hydrogen leaks? EtymologyEtymology is not destiny; that "dirigible" means "steerable" (or "directable" maybe?) rather than "rigid" does not change the fact that a blimp is NOT properly called "a dirigible" in modern English. ["Dirigible" is hardly modern English -- it's as antiquated as "aeroplane" or "omnibus." Back in the age of airships when it was in currency, the word was, for the most part, properly used. It's the airship fanbois of the modern era who got things mixed up. - Dave] Yeah, baby . . ."Fanbois" THAT'S what I'm talkin' about. Foy Las Vegas (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Zeppelins & Blimps)
Dearborn Street Station: 1910
... Depot Hack The Parmelee vehicle is a depot hack or omnibus, not a trolley car. My beholding eyes I dunno, it looks like it ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 3:44pm -

Chicago circa 1910. "Dearborn Street Station." Streetcar wires and a small ghost pedestrian not entirely banished by the retoucher's hand. View full size. Those RoofsThose sloped roofs got me busted cheating in architecture school. During my first year we had a sketch class and one of our assignments was to sketch this station. It was a particularly cold December morning so I bought a postcard of the station at a bookstore and sketched it from that. Unfortunately the postcard showed the station with the pre-fire sloped roofs, a distinction my professor was all too quick to point out. Top lopI'm sorry they lopped off the top of the tower. It was weird looking but interesting. It looked like there must have been little rooms up there. I wonder what was in them. Boxes with handles?Does anyone know what the boxes with handles located next to the curbs were for? [They're for getting into a carriage. Called mounting blocks when they're made of stone. - Dave] Somebody step upAnd identify that automobile. Make that one to beam up, Mr. ScottThat is just about the most hamfisted "retouching" work I have ever seen. It looks like someone from Starfleet is either transporting back to the Enterprise, or is about to materialize in Taft era Illinois. [Our image comes directly from the negative. Once it was printed, the results were probably more convincing. - Dave] Dearborn Station todayThanks for this great picture. This wonderful building is still standing and has been made into shops in the center of the Printer's Row area of Chicago. We were there this summer for the Printer's Row Book Fair. [They lopped off the top! And painted it orange! - Dave] How many [fill in here] does it take to change?That's one helluva a light bulb on that street pole. [What looks like a bulb is the glass globe covering the electrodes of a carbon arc lamp. - Dave] Parmelee SystemThe trolley was part of the conglomerate founded by Frank Parmelee in 1853. The company held franchises in many cities. I remember taxicabs in NYC in the 1940s & 50s that bore the legend "Parmelee System." In the 1930s his company was absorbed into the Checker Cab company and was around into the 1980s. Another interesting acquisition was the Yellow Cab Co., created by John Hertz, he of car rental fame. We'll discuss the Gold Dust Twins another time. Before the operationThat's an extraordinary tower. What a shame that it's since been - I'm afraid no other word will do - circumcised. You have to be kidding!They might have lopped the top off the building because they couldn't find a roofer to bid on retiling that wonderful but scary steep structure. The Station Got ScalpedThe "cuckoo clock" roof of the tower, and all the other pitched roofs on the building, were removed after a 1922 fire. The train shed in the back was demolished in 1976. Fortunately the rest of the station is intact. I remember going there with my father in 1969, when the station was still in operation, to see the the Flying Scotsman, the famous British steam locomotive. It was making a nationwide tour that year on this side of the pond. I got to blow the whistle! My company visits this building daily. I've loved this place since we've been visiting on a daily basis. Great pic, as always! Depot HackThe Parmelee vehicle is a depot hack or omnibus, not a trolley car. My beholding eyesI dunno, it looks like it got blotto at a party and stuck a lampshade on its head. TransposedThose steep roofs, especially the lamented steeple roof, look like the roofs you might see in Geneva or Bern, Switzerland. It is a shame they lopped off the steeple roof. Probably a cost or structural issue. [It was a fire issue. See below. - Dave] Adam's RibsWhere is the rib joint? Hawkeye ordered ribs from Adam's Ribs from Korea. It was across the street from the Dearborn Street Station. He forgot the coleslaw, though... He sidles up to the podium, clears his throat--I'll guess it's a 1910 Hudson, based on the firewall and windshield shapes, 3/4-elliptic springs, contracting brakes, radiator shape and steering-wheel controls. I know there were oodles of other makes that probably shared some of these features, so I'm prepared and eager to be corrected! A clean exteriorHard to imagine such an important public building owned by private companies not adorned with the name of the structure and who the tenants are. This was the very important East end of the Santa Fe as well as the Chicago terminal for the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, Monon, Erie, Grand Trunk and others over the years. We lost one ofthe "Gold Dust Twins" on that sign at the right of the frame. Adam's Ribs, anyone?I am surprised that no one mentioned the episode of M*A*S*H in which the Dearborn Street Station featured. Tired of having eaten a "river or liver and an ocean fish,"* Hawkeye had a hankering for BBQ from Adam's Ribs, which was "across the street" from the station. * "I've eaten a river of liver and an ocean of fish! I've eaten so much fish, I'm ready to grow gills! I've eaten so much liver, I can only make love if I'm smothered in bacon and onions!" AddressWhat is the physical address of this place? I visit Chicago often and would like to go there in person. [Click here. - Dave] Thar She GoesThe fateful day the roofs were lost. Sad. He sidles up to the podium, clears his throat--Well done, Watchwayne! I agree with you it must be a Hudson. At first I thought Overland then perhaps Mercer and even Buick because all have similar radiator shapes, but none of them have those distinctive rear springs, but I knew that I had seen them before. Congratulations! Hello, DaveJust to tell you how much I enjoy old photos like this of Dearborn Station. I am deeply appreciative of your time and talent. I especially like the scarcasm, as long as it's not directed at me. [Scarcasm -- so hurtful. Disfiguring, even. - Dave] That Beautiful Car Seems to be a 1911 Warren-Detroit. http://forums.aaca.org/f170/mystery-car-291988.html +107Below is the same view from June of 2017. (The Gallery, Chicago, DPC, Railroads)
Buffalo Bank: 1908
... The last charabanc we saw was here . A kind of open-air omnibus. Death by Buffalo Mark Twain once said, "To commit suicide in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 10:39am -

Bustling Buffalo, New York, circa 1908. "Erie County Savings Bank, Niagara Street." Another view of the imposing edifice previously seen here. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. I don't know, but --I think buildings can be both hideous and delightful, at the same time. Harry Potter's other school?I swear this looks like it should be a school of magic! What a GREAT building! The entire scene is cool. I love all of the business names painted on the windows and the detailing. The spires are simply amazing. Fare to Niagara and backFifty cents roundtrip! Last time I went to Niagara from Buffalo my niggardly tip was $20. I forget the fare. Inflation has come a long, long way. What were the Yellow Cars? With a name like Hazard . . . This time, Frank Williams has an officemate -- Willet E. Hazard. Corporate attorney Hazard and his brothers would incorporate a gasoline motor manufacturing company in 1909. First named Hazard Engineering Co., it would soon become Hazard Motor Manufacturing Co. The slogan in a 1912 ad in "The Rudder," a yachting magazine, claims "The 'HAZARD' is distinctly better." That is the last mention of the company to be found. Wonder why? Awesome!That's a great shot! I love the whole scene. The building is intense, why don't they make them like that anymore? What in the worldAre those little square things under the Swift's billboard? [An electric sign. Just wait till dark! - Dave] Looks like rainI count at least five gents carrying umbrellas. Erie Bank - This Is Your Lifehttp://www.buffaloah.com/h/eriebank/index.html I'm just one guyBut that hideous thing looks like a Kremlin prison to me. A Shorpy stapleThe last charabanc we saw was here. A kind of open-air omnibus. Death by BuffaloMark Twain once said, "To commit suicide in Buffalo is redundant." Or words to that effect. But it looks full of life to me! Love the long street view, and all the wonderful signage. The obelisk next doorAnyone know what the white monument is for down the street? Seven LampsWhen the term "architecture" is used, this is the type of structure they are referring too. Anything else is just another building. "To commit suicide in Buffalo is redundant"That was a quip by Neil Simon, used in "A Chorus Line." OmnibusesJust checked out the previous photo of the same bank. There are two omnibuses in front, one like that seen in this pic (probably electric; right-hand drive, too) and the other, just nosing into the lower left corner, is definitely gasoline-powered if that hood is any indicator. So I guess these things were pretty common. Imagine Winter!This same scene would be filled with Horse Drawn Sleighs...what a fun way to get around! No WordsI don't know what to say other than that is one of the most beautiful buildings I have seen on Shorpy. The thought of the wrecking ball plowing through those gorgeous granite walls makes me want to cry like a baby. Charabancs!Here's why I love this site. I never heard of a "charabanc" until Shorpy. I just thought they were funny little buses. You can read all about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charabanc The obeliskis the McKinley Monument in Niagara Square. Pay your dimeand climb up to the top of the tower and choke to death on the emissions of that nearby smokestack. A testimony to the air quality of the time is that the upper floors of all the buildings are blackened with soot. It's an electric signProbably a static illuminated letter board, vs. the Times Square style "crawl" which I think was beyond the technology of the day (though not TOO far beyond). The bulbs aren't really bright enough to work well in daylight. The message may have changed nightly, each letter was controlled by a large rotary wafer switch housed in a wooden box, that when turned would cause the bulbs in the sign to display a different letter at each position. High technology, 1908 style. Shorpy, keep these images coming, I love poring over them. America near its peak as the industrial power of the world, with no end in sight. The age of coal, steam and steel. Weird coatThere's a man on the right side of the street, to the left of the cigar store awning, his back to the camera. What are all those white things hanging off the back of his coat? And is he holding a banjo in his right hand? [Those are scratches and blotches in the emulsion. - Dave] Nothing remainsEssentially everything in this image except the McKinley Monument was destroyed in "urban renewal" in the 1960s. The site of the bank now appears to be a boring late-Sixties state office building. I can't find any trace of any other original building in this image. There was a good story written in 1967 when the Erie County Savings Bank was demolished. (The Gallery, Buffalo NY, DPC, Streetcars)
White Line: 1924
... hat Is that a smashed hat in the foreground? Very nice omnibus. Location I think it's right in front of the Atkinson Garage ... appear that there was a great deal of ventilation for this omnibus. In a time before antiperspirants and in wool clothing, no ventilation ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 12:10pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1924. "Continental White Line bus." Who can pinpoint the location here? National Photo Co. Collection glass negative. View full size. That hatIs that a smashed hat in the foreground? Very nice omnibus. LocationI think it's right in front of the Atkinson Garage Company. Air!It doesn't appear that there was a great deal of ventilation for this omnibus. In a time before antiperspirants and in wool clothing, no ventilation would be a bad thing. I can just imagine some of the tours were rather ripe. It could smell like the Lancaster County Farmer's Market on a rainy Friday in July after the Amish have been picking corn all week. The kind of smell that's nearly visible. [The four-section windshield is hinged and opens for ventilation. Deodorants, which go back to the 19th century, were well established by the 1920s. - Dave] Atkinson GarageAccording to an ad in the Washington Post (May 7, 1922), Atkinson Garage was in "Blagdon's Court" between 9th and 10th, M and N Streets NW. [That didn't take long! Now called Blagden Alley. - Dave] 1244 Blagden Alley NWView Larger Map Little has changedBetween the photo and the Google pic. Can even see where the drain cover in the foreground was -- the dark circle on the left in the Street View. [Wouldn't it be funny if that hat was still there. - Dave] "Auto Repair Inc."Another view of the old garage in Blagden Alley. Note the ghost lettering on the beam across the garage door. Google Maps goofed on the street name's spelling! PsssssstI don't think I'd have a lot of faith in that right front tire. It looks like a bad "re-capping" job is about to delaminate - blowout! You Da' Man, Cranch!This is the sort of thing that makes Shorpy the best website ever. Re: That HatBy day: dutiful civic transport. By night: wanton destroyer of ladies' millinery. Gorgeous!I'm not usually very interested in vehicles of that age but that's got to be one of the most beautiful bus bodies I've ever seen. The designer was obviously someone who saw coachbuilding as an art rather than a job; just look at the sweep of the roof line - there's not a straight section in it. I'm so lucky!How lucky am I? My software business is located directly across the alley from this building. Blagden Alley rocks; we love being there amongst the history, trying to build something new. The New Blagden AlleyAtkinson Garage is soon to be open as R.J. Powers' restaurant Rogue24. The back doors of Wagtime and Long View Gallery are straight ahead. It's gratifying to see what is happening in DC these days, and wondrous and to see what was happening in DC those days. With a few decades of disrepair in between. Truck MarqueWhat is the name on the radiator/grille below the fluting on top of the radiator? It appears that the manufacturer's name might be written diagonally below. Also, note the interesting mechanical device attached to the door. When the door opens up, the step automatically goes down. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Park Hotel: 1905
... Marie, but "transfer" lines almost always referred to omnibus services that ran between the railroad depot and local hotels. The far ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 4:21pm -

Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, circa 1905. "Park Hotel." An interesting cast of characters in less than parklike surroundings. Detroit Publishing. View full size. VacancyThe Soo still has a lot of old buildings, but this one was torn down in 1972. In the early 1900s, most people came to the Soo via ship and occasionally rail, and most if not all hotels were down by the river. Today there are only a few still hanging on for the tourists, and most motels are franchises up on the business spur near the highway and fast food. Grain Belt export?Seems a long way from home in Minneapolis for 1905. [Minneapolis Brewing Company operated a regional network of brewhouses, bottling plants and storage depots. By the turn of the century, Grain Belt could be had from Michigan to Montana. - Dave] That hot, stuffy gable roomIf it's not a "box room" (the name is self-explanatory), it might well be a room for servants, cooks, and/or staff. The rooms closest to the roof are always the least desirable, and thus relegated (even today) to the help. After all, the workers aren't supposed to be in their rooms very much anyway! What I'm wondering about is the collection of courtly, retired, mustachioed gentlemen on the porch. In the winter, would they gather in a public parlor with a coal stove? They all look as if they could easily reminisce about the cold and muddy bivouacs they endured "tenting tonight on the old camp grounds" during the Civil War. Gable RoomThese old buildings (of course it wasn't old then) always have what I call "fun" or "mysterious" rooms jutting up out of them that make me wish I knew what they were like inside. In this one it's is the gable room -- that's where I would want to stay if in fact it's a used room and not just a decorative add-on. There can't be much of an attic because the rest of the roof is flat. Transfer? From what? To where?Now here's a picture full of questions. I see two very proper ladies in waiting standing next to one or two gentlemen who "moved." One shoe shine man. Three newsies and one non-newsie. Five gents on the porch. Three drivers and four and a half horses. What I'd like to know is what kind of "transfer" is indicated by the sign over the ladies and the printing on the sides of the coaches. I see rails in the street but no overhead wires. Maybe for horse drawn rail cars? (There is definitely horse evidence between the rails.) Or maybe it's a steam railroad? Have the ladies been brought to this point by one of the transfer coaches and now await a train? Looks like there are short stairs midway down the hotel's hallways where the building addition starts, as the windows don't match up. Add a "grain belt" sign, a mailbox, a fireplug, a decrepit bill on the "telly-pole," the electrified transfer sign, and you have a fascinating scenario. The only thing we don't see is the photographer. Who was he and why was he taking the picture? [There is a big thick streetcar wire overhead. The sign says FREE EAGLE LIVERY TRANSFER (scroll up). The photo is one of many thousands made by Detroit Publishing Company for use as postcards and prints. - Dave] Here It IsI like the sign across the middle of the street that helps you locate the Park Hotel. From the position of the sign, I'd presume that the majority of folks are heading there from the left side of the picture. Interesting. Soo Memories, NOTFunny - I lived in the Soo from '67 to '70 and drank in a hole-in-the-wall bar right next to where Google says the Park Hotel was, but I have no recollection of it. Maybe I should have drunk less. Then again, the Soo was pretty down at the heels back then and the hotel may have been just another derelict building. The Eagle Suffers Little Birds to SingThe sign says EAGLE LIVERY TRANSFER. The wagons belong to the Eagle Transfer Company, who held a concession with Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway. It might not look parklike to us, but the camera was on the edge of a nicely landscaped park overlooking the locks. Plenty of shots exist on Library of Congress site. Acme Inc.That phone pole looks like one of Wile E. Coyote's props, cocked to flatten the Road Runner. Of course that's not how things will turn out. The hotelIt's down at the end of Lonely Street, or was that the Heartbreak? Much in need of a First Class shoe shineEspecially with all the mud, etc., on that street. I shudder to think how shoes shined in a Second Class Manner would turn out! Ghosts of years pastI like the ghostly shoe by the shoe shine sign, very apropos and there are two apparations beside the ladies. I think this should give us pause to slow down in life and watch for photographers so that we don't end up as a blur in the background in the future. Back in '71I was stationed at nearby Kincheloe A.F.B. My buddies and I spent many an evening "painting the town", mosquitoes and snow permitting. I'd sure like to know exactly where this building was so I could search my memories. If it was near the locks and was indeed still standing in 1971 I might remember having seen it. [The Park Hotel was at the southeast corner of Douglass Street (later Osborn Boulevard) and West Portage Avenue, according to this book. - Dave] Transfer LineI'm not familiar with the situation in Sault Sainte Marie, but "transfer" lines almost always referred to omnibus services that ran between the railroad depot and local hotels. The far was usually 25 cents round trip, and typically a traveler was given a token or ticket to use for the return trip back to the railroad depot after his business was done in town. (The Gallery, DPC)
Rubberneck Auto: 1911
... and Walker of Philadelphia to a modified London General Omnibus Company design. One of the series was previously posted on Shorpy . ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 5:48pm -

New York circa 1911. "Grant's Tomb. Rubber-neck auto on Riverside Drive." To your left, General Grant. To your right, the Inter-Net. View full size. Fifth Avenue Coach CompanyThe bus is one of a series of 20 French DeDion Bouton chassis' bought in c1910/11 by the Fifth Avenue Coach Company, with bodies built by Fulton and Walker of Philadelphia to a modified London General Omnibus Company design. One of the series was previously posted on Shorpy. Solid Rubber TiresThe hard rubber tires on this truck, combined with the cobblestone paving common in this era, must have made for a bone jarring ride! Big enough for both of themDoesn't matter on which side of him his wife is sitting, her/their hats are certainly large enough for both of them.... "Isn't this exciting Harry, and next we go to the Opera..." No comments yet!OK, I'll have a shot at it, cliched as it is. That poor man doesn't have a hat, and in the presence of Ladies (presumably), wonder if he was arrested on morals charges after the tour? Self DefenseAs the bus has been moving at the breakneck speed of 25 (gasp) MPH, the gent has obviously removed his boater to prevent loss. The ladies of course are equipped with hatpins. Solid MausoleumAn overlooked treasure. Visiting Grant's Tomb is one of my strongest memories of Manhattan. Siting the monument in Riverside Park was controversial at the time: from a previous panorama. The New Century Book of Facts, 1909. Book IX: Fine Arts. Grant's Tomb, New York City. Grant's Tomb, New York.…A huge and solid mausoleum of white granite erected near the north end of Riverside Drive, between the years 1891 and 1897 from designs by J. H. Duncan, and at a cost of $600,000. The lower story, 90 feet square, is in the Doric style; while the cupola, borne on Ionic columns, attains a total height of 150 feet. The interior is arranged similarly to the tomb of Napoleon at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris. In an open crypt below the center of the dome the bodies of General Grant and his wife rest side by side in sarcophagi of red porphyry. Bas-reliefs on the pendentives of the dome are emblematic, of events in Grant's life and were made by J. Massey Rhind. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Civil War, DPC, NYC)
Chicago Fog: 1942
... and the Fifth Avenue Coach Company were both owned by the Omnibus Corporation and shared the same paint scheme. And the Omnibus Corporation and the Yellow Truck and Coach Manufacturing Company were ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/13/2017 - 1:03pm -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. An unusually heavy fog in the early afternoon." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. After That Bus, Watson!Save for the street furniture and bus markings, this could be London on a clear day back when everyone heated with coal. The buses' position on the street gives nothing away because they appear to be driving roughly in the middle -- a tendency toward which has not infrequently been ascribed to bus drivers on both sides of the water. Royalty in the MistThe double-decker bus looming out of the fog is a Yellow Coach Model 720, which was nicknamed Queen Mary in a nod to the famous Cunard superliner RMS Queen Mary, launched in 1936. The Chicago Motor Coach Company had 100 of the Series 2 that were built in 1936, and 40 of the Series 4 (fuel tank and battery location moved to eliminate fire hazards) that were built in 1938. They proved to be very useful and many of them were rebuilt several times before finally being retired in the early 1950s. The Fifth Avenue Coach Company bought 25 Series 3 and 35 Series 5, which were the New York versions of the Series 2 and Series 4 respectively, with some body changes. According to New York Fifth Avenue Coach Company: 1885-1960 by Oliver J. Ogden, bus Number 104 (seen in the bright sunlight below) was: the Yellow Coach demonstrator for the new Queen Mary Design. After it was shown in New York, it kept the No. 104 but was relettered "Chicago Motor Coach." It stayed with Chicago and then was sold to Coast City Coaches of New Jersey in 1945. [Via Motor Bus Society] Actually, it was destined for Chicago all along as it was intended to replace No. 103—the 1933 Model 706 prototype that was the basis for the Model 720 (and which, after retirement, appeared in several movies). The New York Model 720s were numbered in the 2000s. No. 104 was actually the only Series 1, built in 1934 and used in 1935 as a demonstrator on Route 5 in New York City before being sent to Chicago to be put into regular service. Why all the swapping around? Because both the Chicago Motor Coach Company and the Fifth Avenue Coach Company were both owned by the Omnibus Corporation and shared the same paint scheme. And the Omnibus Corporation and the Yellow Truck and Coach Manufacturing Company were the brianchilds of John D. Hertz, along with Hertz automobiles, Hertz Rent-a-Car, Yellow Cab Company, etc., etc. The Model 720 were visually similar to the Yellow Coach Model 735s, but Chicago Motor Coach Company did not acquire any Model 735s. A 1936 Series 2 is seen below. They were so popular that kids got to get in on the action. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chicago, Jack Delano)
Radio Highlights: 1957
... command post of the Strategic Air Command.” WRC “Omnibus: Composer Conductor Leonard Bernstein with highlights from the stage ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/02/2017 - 12:50pm -

December 1957. Washington, D.C. "Man with broadcast listings; woman tunes radio." The console set, seen earlier here, is evidently a portable, or maybe this is a two-radio household. News Photo Archive 35mm negative. View full size. Military family?That Turkish tray and the camel saddle could be found in the living room of almost any U.S. Army or Air Force family back in the '50s and '60s that had spent time in Germany. They sold those things by the thousands in base exchanges all over Germany. My wife and I, both military brats, both have the camel saddles our parents bought back then. Turkish DelightThis couple has visited Turkey - or loves Turkish accessories. The first photo had a Turkish tea tray mounted on the wall; this photo has a "camel saddle" seat. Radio/TV December 1, 1957: Cold War, Classics, Comedy, & SportsSome of the Washington, DC television programs that the newspaper Washington Star recommended for viewing for Sunday, December 1, 1957: WTOP “Red Telephone: A first look at the heart of this country’s powerful retaliatory striking force - the underground command post of the Strategic Air Command.” WRC “Omnibus: Composer Conductor Leonard Bernstein with highlights from the stage production of “Mary Stuart” and a narration of his musical tour through Israel.” WTOP “Conquest: Eric Sevareid narrates with his customary perception the story of a balloon ascent to over 100,000 feet, blood cell research, and deep ocean exploration.” WTOP “20th Century: Vertijets” examines the attempt to construct a plane that can take off and land without an airstrip and some of the weird airplanes that the Air Force has tested. Interesting Show.” WRC “Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour: features talent from Albania and Yugoslavia.” WRC “Dinah Shore Show: features Jimmy Durante and Italian film star Rossano Brazzi.” WTOP “Ed Sullivan Show: features Polly Bergen, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and as much rock and roll as any group should be expected to take, Sam Cook, Bobby Helms, and Ray and the Crickets.” Washington DC radio highlights included: “Invitation to Learning: David Hume’s Inquiry Into Human Understanding.” “Concert Hall: works by Haydn, Brahms, and Bizet.” Washington Redskins versus Chicago Bears and Baltimore Colts versus Los Angeles Rams “Fact the Facts: Belated kudos to the late Senator Joseph R. McCarthy - Developed in retrospect, how his Senate Investigating Committee instigated house cleaning in Government.” “Hillbilly Hit Parade: Don Owens plays top ten songs.” “Meet the Press: Guest Dr. Simon Rymo, chief scientist for the Air Force Ballistic Missile Organization.” “Leading Question: Basic Soviet foreign policy is discussed by Professors Buce C. Hopper and Robert C. Tucker.” Bursting your bubbleAngus, Hate to burst your bubble but these people were not world-travelers, just stylish. Those camel saddles and trays were extremely popular and were mass-produced right here in the U.S. of A. Antique malls are full of them. Also, I doubt they were a two-radio family. One of the popular pass-times for bored housewives was re-arranging the furniture. My mother used to get up and re-arrange the furniture in the middle of the night if she couldn't sleep. Not popular with my bare-footed dad the next day when he stubbed his toe on chairs that had mysteriously moved overnight. Better location for the pricey radioIt was blocking access to part of a bookcase and jutting out into the doorway between the living room and dining area in the previous photo. Newspaper radio logsOne can look up the radio programming for any day from 1930-1960 at this website: http://www.jjonz.us/RadioLogs/ And it may just be an artist with a similar technique, but that caricature looks like an Al Hirschfeld. Casual Friday?Because everybody lounged around the house in 1957 dressed it sport coats, skirts and high heels. (Technology, The Gallery, D.C., News Photo Archive)
Modern Family: 1900
... Virginia looked on as she was left behind for the family omnibus outing. I LIKE MY CAR That's what I think every time I see a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 3:14pm -

Circa 1900. "Admiral Sampson's family." Young relatives of William T. Sampson, a hero of the Spanish American War. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Once again,little Virginia looked on as she was left behind for the family omnibus outing. I LIKE MY CARThat's what I think every time I see a picture like this. No, wait, make that, I LOVE MY CAR. Sorry Darlin'There just isn't any room for you in the carriage. You'll have to stay home alone while we go out for ice cream and a Sunday ride. Have fun. Kudos to the stable handsThat's a very well-tended carriage and pair, evidence of much hard work. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses)
Park Avenue Hotel: 1905
... At least one of the fancy carriages appears to be an omnibus, a public conveyance, and may have a regular run from the hotel to a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/17/2014 - 10:19am -

        This Second Empire edifice opened in April 1878 as the Working-Women's Hotel, only to close eight weeks later due to an acute case of insolvency. Reopened as the Park Avenue Hotel, the cast-iron marvel at 34th Street lasted until 1924, when it was replaced by an office tower. New York Circa 1905. "Park Avenue Hotel, Fourth Avenue entrance." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Re: FocusedThink "f/64"! There were very good, rectilinear lenses, and with perspective control in the camera, architectural photos could give a true representation of the lines, but to get such clear focus across the plane, it takes a small aperture, and either long exposure or lots of light. Fourth AvenueFourth Avenue is one of Manhattan's shorter avenues today, extending only to 14th Street. It stops a mile short of where this hotel once stood. Way back when, however, it ran much of the length of Manhattan and into the Bronx. Starting in the 1850s, the city began renaming the sections north of 34th Street "Park Avenue," the much grander moniker by which it's still known today. Being located between 32nd and 33rd streets, the Park Avenue Hotel wasn't actually on Park Avenue at all, as at the time the roadway south of 34th was still called Fourth Avenue. One would have to assume that the hotel's owners were eager to latch onto the cachet that even then was associated with Park Avenue. In 1924, the builder of the office building that replaced the hotel got the city to agree to extend the Park Avenue name two blocks farther south, to 32nd Street, so the building would get the vanity address of One Park Avenue. It's still around today and still has that address. In 1959 the city cut back the Fourth Avenue name still further, renaming the stretch between 17th and 32nd "Park Avenue South." It is Union Square East between 14th and 17th. Much more about Fourth Avenue here. FocusedThe lens used for this must have been the best lens in the world in 1905, tack sharp from corner to corner! Better than most people get even now. Picture in pictureThese photographs are amazing, but the real jewels are contained within. Zooming in on the main entrance gives you a glimpse of life in 1905, with the guests arriving and departing in their fancy carriages and the baggage handlers on call to the left. Click to enlarge. Those hatches?Who can identify the purpose of the two propped-open hatches along the side of the building? I first thought they were coal chutes but that didn't seem plausible (wouldn't the building be steam heated from a central supply? And they're too far from the curb) Ventilators? Maybe... any ideas? VehiclesAt least one of the fancy carriages appears to be an omnibus, a public conveyance, and may have a regular run from the hotel to a ferry slip or railway stop. The other two may be for hire as well. Of course, for those inclined to save a penny or ten, there's always that convenient subway kiosk. Upon a closer lookIt appears that the carriage drivers are being professionally stoic. The buildings architecture is quite beautiful. Still Fourth AvenueTo many of us older New Yorkers (even if we no longer live there) it is Fourth Avenoo, not Park Avenue South; just like it is Sixth Avenoo, not Avenue of the Americas. Today's ViewThis view is from my office window, looking north up Park Avenue. The building directly across from my window is the current One Park Avenue, which replaced the Park Avenue Hotel. It was quite a jolt to see the hotel photo on my computer screen and realize I was actually looking out the window at it's replacement! (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Out and About: 1905
... A nice day for a carriage ride, and look out for that omnibus. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Out and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2014 - 10:03am -

Nov. 22, 1905. "Lake Shore Drive, Chicago." A nice day for a carriage ride, and look out for that omnibus. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Out and About: 2014The row of Chicago lake-front mansions in the Shorpy photo have been replaced with Chicago lake-front high-rises. Although nestled in among the skyscrapers, a handful of the old stone homes exist. (The Gallery, Chicago, DPC)
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