at the number of horse-drawn vehicles on a main street of the state capital. Not just delivery wagons, but small, two-seat transportation buggies (?). I've never been to Albany; was it still surrounded by countryside in 1914?

[There is nothing unusual about city horses in 1914 (or even in 1917). In 1920, the horse population of New York City was around 56,000. - Dave]

I wonder if it lit a grand staircase spreading natural light through each descending floor, like the ones found on early 20th century ocean liners. if so, it must have been spectacular to see. I was always really impressed by the skylight of the Bradbury Building in downtown Los Angeles,

Impressive how they buried those telephone lines shown in the 1904 photo!

In both photos, we are looking north along Pearl Street. Everything in the foreground is gone. In the distance, two buildings are easily identified: a building with a witch's cap dome at 79 N Pearl, and The First Church in Albany at 110 N Pearl. The First Church is part of the Reformed Church in America, a mainline Protestant denomination and one of the oldest active denominations in North America with a continuous ministry since 1642. The church beyond that, with the impressive steeple, is gone; replaced by a block-shaped building in the modern international style.

Swing to your left to see the NY state capitol.