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Ragged Point: 1950
Chesapeake Bay (Maryland) ca. 1950. "Water scenes. Boat in foreground, lighthouse in distance. Made for Mr. Sharpe of Potomac ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/02/2021 - 11:15am -

Chesapeake Bay (Maryland) ca. 1950. "Water scenes. Boat in foreground, lighthouse in distance. Made for Mr. Sharpe of Potomac Electric Power Co." Ragged Point Light in the Potomac River. 5x7 inch nitrate negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size. Une barque sur l'océanI suppose it is appropriate a fine exemplification of littoral imagery would be captured by a man named Theodor Hydroczak. [my apologies] Y thoThe Shorpy logo going down to the depths? Never! Chesapeake Bay, MarylandWell that's kind of vague. [Try reading the rest of the caption. - Dave] Not a Screw Pile AnymoreThe lighthouse is now a traditional light house on dry land. Screw-pile lighthouseRagged Point Light was a so-called screw-pile lighthouse. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, D.C., Landscapes, Theodor Horydczak)
Rotterdam Canal, 1904
... meaning "water" in Dutch as well and "boot" meaning "boat". "Spui" used to be an old name for a water outlet (the best-known "Spui" ... a photo showing the water of a canal named "Spui" with a boat in it. The most probable candidate for this photo's location might be ... 
 
Posted by billinmn - 09/21/2011 - 12:10am -

Spuiwaterboot Canal in Rotterdam as seen from a bridge. One of a series of images taken in Europe in 1904 by an unknown photographer. Scanned from the nitrocellulose negative. View full size. Not Rotterdam?In my opinion this photo cannot be from Rotterdam, for the simple reason there has never been a canal with that name in Rotterdam. "Spuiwaterboot" is a strange name anyway, "water" meaning "water" in Dutch as well and "boot" meaning "boat". "Spui" used to be an old name for a water outlet (the best-known "Spui" is a now a square in Amsterdam). So most probably what we have here is a contamination of terms used to catalogue a photo showing the water of a canal named "Spui" with a boat in it. The most probable candidate for this photo's location might be the Spui Canal in The Hague, which actually existed until being filled-up and changed into Spui Street between 1900-1905. In that case, this might be a photo that was made just before the canal was changed into a street. Rotterdam Yes, this is Rotterdam: The Spuiwater canal. Spuiwater - RotterdamIn an article about the eldest locks of Rotterdam (in Dutch) I found a post card, taken more or less from the same viewpoint, the filename of the picture was "spuiwaterboot," so someone probably once took that filename as the name of the canal. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Pittsburgh: 1956
... of its 1950s urban renewal. First of all, it's shot from a boat in the Monongahela, which is unusual (especially since, given the steam ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/28/2013 - 11:58am -

"Pittsburgh Nov 1956." From the Kermy Kodachrome cache. View full size. On a clear dayYou wouldn't be in Pittsburgh. I remember all the references to air pollution in Pittsburgh when I was a yute, believe it has cleaned up since. Sans spanLooks like the Fort Pitt Bridge under construction, a few years prior to its completion. Really unusual viewThat is indeed the Fort Pitt Bridge under construction. As a Pittsburgh native, I love this view--one I've never seen before, with the city in the midst of its 1950s urban renewal. First of all, it's shot from a boat in the Monongahela, which is unusual (especially since, given the steam that appears to be rising from the river surface, it must be wintertime.) And I've never seen Gateway Center--the silver buildings to the left--without the Hilton Hotel that was built in front of them a few years later. The "PRE" and other brick buildings to the left must be the last vestiges of the warehouse and railroad district cleared out during the "Renaissance" of the 1950s that brought Gateway Center, the Hilton, the Bridge... Anyhow, if you have more Pittsburgh Kodachrome, please post! Indeed JeffI grew up in Bridgeville and didn't leave PA until I married in 1963. I remember seeing all of what you describe - including my first time I drove over the bridge. And as young teens we spent many an hour up on Mt. Washington looking down at the city. (The Gallery, Kermy Kodachromes, Pittsburgh)
Knotty Gobs: 1899
July 3, 1899. "U.S.S. New York , apprentice boat crew, anniversary of Battle of Santiago." Photo by Edward H. Hart, Detroit ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 12:30am -

July 3, 1899. "U.S.S. New York, apprentice boat crew, anniversary of Battle of Santiago." Photo by Edward H. Hart, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Field CannonAdmittedly, it was long before I was in the Navy but I've never seen or heard of a field cannon on a capital ship, or any ship for that matter. It would have been very difficult to fire accurately and the range would have been much less than the ship's large rifles. Pretty useless I imagine. It could have been cargo I suppose. Macho looking bunchNone of those fakeunz muscles either. Navy apprentice knotWe have previously seen in photos of US Navy sailors of this period the square knot, known as the Apprentice Knot. DecisionsShould I use the bathroom or take a picture? Oh well, might as well kill two birds with one stone. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Dogs, E.H. Hart)
Trailer Life: 1941
... years and spending time with my brother who pulls his boat and camper down to the park and goes fishing. Obvious comment It's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/17/2019 - 7:49pm -

January 1941. "High class trailer camp at Sarasota, Florida. Sweeping up in front of trailer home." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Trailer parkBefore my parents checked into an old folks’ home on the west coast of Canada on their way to the Final Beyond, they lived for a few years in a comfortable trailer in a park with other retirees. At first, I made the same type of condescending remarks about trailer parks as many others might make, but it turned out to be a wonderful community of active, engaged people who thought nothing of helping neighbors, especially older ones like my folks. It was really an excellent place for them to live, far preferable to an apartment or house, and less socially lonely. And like the gal in this photo, the residents kept their grounds clean and welcoming. SAME NOWThis could easily be now. Some things don't change. The “camping trailers” are more modern with more conveniences but people are still loading up their camping trailers and going down to campgrounds and State Parks in GA and FL for vacations. I have been going down to a campground in at a State Park in South GA for the past several years and spending time with my brother who pulls his boat and camper down to the park and goes fishing. Obvious commentIt's a "high class" camp because it sweeps away the trailer trash. High class clean sweepI love the trailer. I love the wooden-surfaced sitting area and the awning. But I especially love this woman, dressed in a stylish coverall, sweeping away grass clippings while wearing high heels. High class, indeed! Where’s Lucy and Desi?Turn left right here. (The Gallery, Florida, M.P. Wolcott)
Spar Deck Swabbies: 1898
... comment from Capn_Jack, thanks! I also noted four (4ea) boat support pads mounted above the spars with turnbuckles for adjustability. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/01/2014 - 10:46am -

Circa 1898. "League Island Navy Yard, Philadelphia. U.S.S. Brooklyn spar deck." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The large intake tubesLandlubber here so might be a dumb query. What are those huge tubes used for on these old ships? I assume air intake for down below? [Yes. Ventilator ports. - Dave] What are those "pads" called?Very interesting comment from Capn_Jack, thanks! I also noted four (4ea) boat support pads mounted above the spars with turnbuckles for adjustability. I wonder if they have a name. Vampire ShipThe Photographer caught Nosferatu coming up the stairs. Devil's in the detailsLots of neat details in this one. The intake ventilators TonyB asked about,-- usually these big ones are for the boiler room combustion supply as well as to cool the stokers as they fed coal into the furnaces -- are adjustable. There is a drive pinion shaft running up each one with a ring of gear teeth around the exterior (see the one top center). This would allow the crew to trim the ventilators to the wind direction so they could scoop as much air as possible. On some ships in this period boilers worked by natural draft -- the ventilators were not being helped by mechanical fans -- and this arrangement was much more common on cruisers that could handle the very tall funnels natural draft required. It seems likely Brooklyn was using wind to help her boilers get more air. More air, faster combustion, more power. The second detail is the spars resting on the beams overhead. These spars might have been for the ship's boats. In this period, ships' boats were often sail and/or oar powered, with one or two steam launches. Cruisers had a large complement of boats since they often did service in remote areas. The "string of beads" thing at the end of a spar is a parrel -- a feature from the age of sail that slid (rolled on the beads actually) up and down on a mast to allow a gaff or yard to be hoisted smoothly. The shape of the jaws suggests a gaff, and the size of the wire loop suggests it's for one of the boats rather than for the ship itself. Intake tubesWe still have them on some older ships; they're called scoops. At one point you could find them on cabin portholes too, which could be adjusted to redirect air into your living space, primitive "A/C" for the mariner! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Philadelphia)
Color Wheels: 1943
... and rationing. Those boys are happy to be sending another boat on the way to fight Hitler and Tojo, I think. They're also happy because ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/16/2017 - 12:03pm -

May 1943. "Bethlehem-Fairfield shipyards, Baltimore. Ship painters loaded on a truck." Photo by Arthur Siegel for the Office of War Information. View full size. PopeyeThe truck is a circa 1937 International D300 COE. No raises in 1943...due to price controls and rationing. Those boys are happy to be sending another boat on the way to fight Hitler and Tojo, I think. They're also happy because a few years ago, a lot of them were unemployed. Did they just get a raise?That's the happiest group of workers I've ever seen. A customer of mineWay back in the mid 70s/early 80s time frame, Maryland Shipbuilding was one of my customers on the B&O RR. We'd leave them a few cars about every night, just inside their gate. They moved them around in their facility with self-propelled cranes. Of course, the amount of work there in my time was a fraction of what it was for these fellows in the photo. Maryland Shipbuilding folded about 1996. The last time I was down there, Toyota was using the large lot to store new autos. Armstrong Cork?Looks like that sign on the truck's side could be Armstrong Cork. I think they used a lot of product as insulation on USN ships. Power steeringI drove a flatbed of the same vintage when I worked in a tannery. The power steering worked the same way as the power brakes, and the non-synchro transmission, muscle power. Notice the wide arc of the steering wheel. (The Gallery, Arthur Siegel, Baltimore, Cars, Trucks, Buses, WW2)
First of the Mohicans: 1904
... at Point Vivian, near the International Bridge. Our only boat was a double oar-lock skiff very similar to the ones pictured. It was a beautifully made and maintained wooden boat, but I yearned for something with an outboard motor and drooled over the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/11/2016 - 8:02pm -

1904. "Sagamore Hotel dock, Green Island, Lake George, N.Y." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. SkiffsThose row boats are what we called St Lawrence skiffs when I was a kid. My family had a cottage on the St Lawrence River at Point Vivian, near the International Bridge. Our only boat was a double oar-lock skiff very similar to the ones pictured. It was a beautifully made and maintained wooden boat, but I yearned for something with an outboard motor and drooled over the Chris-Crafts and other inboards seen at the public docks in Alexandria Bay! Mohican I (1894 - 1908)"The first Mohican [shown here] was built in Lake George Village on Pine Point. She was launched in 1894, she was 93 feet long and 17 feet wide and weighed 150 tons (the current Mo weighs 200 tons). She was propelled by a single 200 horsepower steam engine which worked a single propeller. "She wasn't originally built for the Steamboat Company, but she was later purchased by the company. The company then improved the main deck, added steam heating, carpeting, and toilets among other things. "She sailed daily from Baldwin (Ticonderoga) at 7:20 am, stopping at all of the landings when signaled to, and arrived at Caldwell just in time to catch the 11:25 am southbound train. She then left Caldwell to head back up to Ti at 2:45 pm and (once again after making all her landings) arrived in Baldwin at 6:30 pm. During busy times in the summer, she also made stops in Paradise Bay and the Narrows. "After 14 years of faithful service the Mohican (I) was retired on 1908, just as the new steel-hulled Mohican (II) was rolled into service to replace her. The first Mohican was dismantled in Ticonderoga that same year." Source: Lake George Steamboat Company. The Lake George Steamboat Company turns 200 years old in 2017. The Mohican II, which is still in service and is on the National Register of Historic Places, also has the antlers mounted at the top of the wheel house. The Mohican II is shown in the first photo below, and the other photo shows another view of the Mohican I. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
Down and Dirty: 1910
... drowned trying to save the lives of others after the boat ran into a rock. (The Gallery, Lewis Hine, St. Louis) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/28/2013 - 1:24pm -

May 1910. St. Louis, Missouri. "Burns Basement Branch. A dark dirty cellar, 3518 Evans Avenue." Newsies picking up their papers from the St. Louis Times news agent. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. This Location TodayLike the St Louis Times, this location no longer exists today. It's a vacant lot, like much around it. Time marches on. Burned lipsThe chap receiving a stack of papers is going to burn his lips if he doesn't soon pitch the cigarette! The young man behind the agent seems shocked by the flash powder. What an interesting picture of hard-working young men! A Hard Life!You have to feel bad for these poor kids. You can see the poverty in their clothes, and on their faces. The BIG kid in the center of the picture sure has a dirty right hand, allright, hopefully just from newsprint. Good Thing it Wasn't in a BarThe kid matted his cigarette as he called-out the News Agent, "Hey Mack, my paper-count should be seven, and you're only giving me six. You better give me back the one you glommed into your pocket, or there's going to be trouble." All eyes widened. As the tension mounted and nerves began to shudder, Lewis released the shutter. Coroner's VerdictThe newspaper headline visible upside down regarding the "Unavoidable Accident" likely refers to the City of Saltillo wreck on May 11, 1910. Six men, 5 of them crewmembers drowned trying to save the lives of others after the boat ran into a rock. (The Gallery, Lewis Hine, St. Louis)
A Higher Power: 1937
... from Wall Street where he was sworn in, to St. P's by boat - as it was faster. At the time, the graveyard was on a gently sloping ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2019 - 1:03pm -

March 2, 1937. New York City. "St. Paul's chapel and churchyard, Broadway and Fulton streets." Overshadowed by two proto-skyscrapers from the 1890s, the Park Row and St. Paul buildings. Photo by Arnold Moses for the Historic American Buildings Survey. View full size. 3:11 PMIt's odd to see a church tower with a clock. Clocks are more often seen on banks or government buildings. My very first thought on this imageIf I lived in the building on the back left, I really would have loved to have a friend in the opposite building so I could walk back and forth across those steel beams each day to hang out. Other than that, it's an amazing photo. Time and Time againSt. Paul's and Trinity, just down the street at the head of Wall Street, both have clocks. The clock at St. Paul's was stopped by the dust of 9/11. (same parish). The one in Trinity's tower was used to signal the start of the New Year. Before Times Square, people would gather at Trinity on New Year's Eve and celebrate when the clock struck midnight. Matter of perceptive (pun intended)Even meets the traditional city ordinance that no profane building shall be higher than the church spire. Still haunting meI had the privilege of visiting and photographing this cemetery in 2011. It's across the street from Ground Zero and the new World Trade Center, which was still under construction then. All of the trees are grown tall now; most of the gravestones are under leafy shade. Nothing was harmed in the terrorist attacks, and they used the church building as a place of refuge and refreshment for the first responders. There's a pew where George Washington worshiped ... back in the day. WOW!Love the new look! [Thanks. It is a work in progress! - Dave] BackwardsYou are looking at the front of the chapel. While you now enter on Broadway, the front is shown here - the altar is on the Broadway side. Most people think the Broadway side is the front. The archivist for Trinity/St Paul's theorizes that after his inauguration, Washington who famously worshiped here, traveled from Wall Street where he was sworn in, to St. P's by boat - as it was faster. At the time, the graveyard was on a gently sloping hill that lead led to the Hudson River. I was in there the Sunday after 9/11. It was dusty, but there wasn't a crystal off the chandelier, or a crack in the ceiling. The only loss was a single tree, an insignificant sycamore, and not a very old one at that. Barnum's American Museum was once across the street. When it burned for the last time, he put the show on the road, and under the big top. (The Gallery, HABS, NYC)
Colossus: 1904
... ft. and two single-ended boilers 13 x 11½ ft. The boat will carry 28 cars and is expected to be put in commission next winter. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/28/2011 - 2:58am -

Ecorse, Michigan, 1904. "Steamer Detroit, Michigan Central Transfer, broadside view." Another view of this railcar ferry abuilding at Great Lakes Engineering Works. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. How many people work here?About half of them. Four Independent Wheels The Railroad Gazette, Nov 18, 1904. General News Section The large car ferry, Detroit, built for the Michigan Central Railroad for use on the Detroit river, was recently launched at the Ecorse yard. The Detroit measures 308 ft. on deck, has 64 ft. beam and is 19½ ft. deep. There will be four independent wheels, two at each end, operated by compound engines, and two double-ended boilers 13 x 22 ft. and two single-ended boilers 13 x 11½ ft. The boat will carry 28 cars and is expected to be put in commission next winter. More on the Detroit of Detroit at this previous post. Screwed at either endScrews at both ends, that's something different, will making a decision much easier. And count the amount of workers on this project. A Beautiful Piece of WorkUp until now I knew diddly about railcar ferries and had never seen a big "modern" one like this, especially out of the water. It is truly an impressive design, a thing of beauty. The props and rudders at both ends are the clincher, though this might have been a standard feature for all I know. I wondered in the bow-end photo about the odd profile of the propeller blades, but apparently they worked double duty as ice breakers. Wow! A rudder at both ends would have made this monster at least a little more maneuverable in tight spots, but it must have required a skillful pilot to captain this vessel! These "Detroit" steamer pictures go under the heading: When ships were ships and men were men! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads)
Merchants & Miners: 1917
... Today's view I think the image was taken from a boat or barge -- love the rail cars on barges. Where the barges are in the ... was either in "P-town" (as it's referred to now) or on a boat in the Elizabeth River, which is the water that you see here. It is less ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/10/2018 - 11:42am -

Norfolk, Virginia, circa 1917. "Merchants and Miners Wharf." Over at the pants factory: GIRLS WANTED. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Today's viewI think the image was taken from a boat or barge -- love the rail cars on barges. Where the barges are in the image is now residential homes - really nice right on the water. At least two buildings survived. Big and emphaticWow. That sign must be huge to be seen so clearly at that distance! Girls WantedI work right about where that sign was. I will have to look on Monday if any of these buildings are still there. It will be easier to go across the water to Portsmouth and look from there. The photographer was either in "P-town" (as it's referred to now) or on a boat in the Elizabeth River, which is the water that you see here. It is less than a half mile across at this point. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Norfolk, Railroads)
Jax Landing: 1897
... 'shortsighted' of me to overlook the back half of the boat. Shingles? Are those roofing shingles on the dock? Lake ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/11/2015 - 3:36pm -

Florida circa 1897. "Sidewheeler City of Jacksonville at Beresford on the St. Johns." 8x10 inch glass negative by William Henry Jackson. View full size. Sidewheeler?Looks to me like a sternwheeler. [Nevertheless, it's a sidewheeler. -tterrace] Rather 'shortsighted' of me to overlook the back half of the boat. Shingles?Are those roofing shingles on the dock? Lake BeresfordIs about 130 miles South of downtown Jacksonville, near Deland. Photo from Lake Beresford Yacht Club dock. Spanish mossI'm pretty sure what you thought was bundles of roof shingles was actually bales of Spanish moss. Between 1900 and the 30s Spanish moss was produced by southern states like Florida, Lousiana, etc. and shipped north to be used as stuffing and packing material and such. Spanish moss afireJust such moss was the source of a fire that destroyed much of the city just 4 years after this picture was taken. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Florida, W.H. Jackson)
Splashdown: 1904
... Defying the cowering hordes of PC drones Big boat faw down and go boom! There!!! Inspired by the poster commenting on ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 1:21pm -

Ecorse, Michigan. November 1904. "Steamer Detroit, Michigan Central Transfer. The launch." 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Defying the cowering hordes of PC dronesBig boat faw down and go boom! There!!! Inspired by the poster commenting on the previous photo, I am defying (yes, defying!!) convention and going against the cowardly hive mindset by daring to comment on this photo where no other commentator has trod before (so to speak). Even the revelation that this could be the 12th post on this photo does not diminish the history being made here. Yea, even the impending discovery that Dave took Memorial Day weekend off and was not able to work up 512 comments for this photo does not tarnish what we have accomplished. Otherwise, note the rapt attention of the crowd for this. Would they be as focused if this were a movie or theater performance? Telekinetic ProdigyUnnoticed by the crowd, the young man at bottom center was able to project sufficient telekinetic force to prevent a disastrous flip-over. Oh No!Looks like the guy in front with his arms raised just realized that it might actually tip over -- or not. What a ride!!Those guys on the starboard rail sure got a heckuva ride!! Definitely a time before lawyers had their hands n everything. Sir Jethro of Raleigh, NC USA! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
C&O Canal (Colorized)c: 1925
... deck and crew cabin, and the board for passing between the boat and the land, indicate that these boats were in use. So: It is not ... a winter residence and who resided year-around on their boat, Georgetown being one of the places they did so. (Boats & Bridges, ... 
 
Posted by Dennis Klassen - 02/06/2011 - 7:08pm -

Glass Negative from the National Photo Company (Library Of Congress). View full size. location and dateThis is a great picture! It actually shows the Rock Creek basin for the C&O Canal. Note the Pennsylvania Ave. bridge over Rock Creek in the background. The canal proper begins at lock #1 which empties into Rock Creek a little ways down from the bridge (not visible upstream an on the left in this photo). The spit of land on the left was built by the C&O Canal Company and extended Rock Creek down to where the present mouth of the creek is. The original mouth was at K St. below Lock #1. At the new artificial mouth (behind the photographer) was tidelock and a low tumbling dam that created sufficient depth in the basin for the boats from the canal. The spit of land that now hosts the Thompson Boathouse was meant to be a transshipment point between boats using the Potomac and the canal boats. The canal was closed by a flood in March 1924 so I would date this photo c. 1920. actual location and dateThis is indeed a great picture. But, it is looking westbound and shows the Key Bridge in the background, not the Pa Ave bridge and everything else described previously by kmgrayphd. This picture is taken from the footbridge over the canal that leads to the Dean & Deluca courtyard today. The footbridge in the foreground leads to 33rd street and the brick building on the right still exists today. A close look and you can see the 34th street footbridge as well. A small building at the left of the 34th street footbridge may be Henry Foxall's old "city house", or it may have been torn down already by this point and the building there just a brief intermediary. Due to the existence of the Key Bridge, this photo is no earlier than 1924. Correction to my previous comment and more informationI was wrong in identifying this as the Rock Creek Basin (as I did in a previous posting). It is indeed the canal in Georgetown upstream from the Wisconsin Avenue Bridge. However, the date is most likely 1923 as Key Bridge is in the background and appears to have been completed--it even has lamps on it. 1923 was the year that Key Bridge was completed. The canal was never opened to navigation in 1924 due to a late-March flood that hit before the boating season began, and a subsequent decision not to repair and reopen it. Thus 1923 was the last year for boating on the canal and the first year for Key Bridge, so the photograph would seem to be from 1923. It should be noted, however, that the 5-mile Georgetown level (from the Dam 1 Inlet beside Lock 5 to Rock Creek) was watered after the canal closed to navigation. That repair allowed the C&O Canal Co. to continue to sell water to the industries in Georgetown, which helped pay for the minimal employees retained until the canal was sold by receivers to the government in 1938. The canvas awning over the tiller deck and crew cabin, and the board for passing between the boat and the land, indicate that these boats were in use. So: It is not entirely impossible that they were in the canal in Georgetown in December, 1923, when it closed for the winter (no one knowing it would never reopen). Such boats could have been re-floated for some period of time in 1924 and subsequently until eventually broken up for salvage. It is known that some boats in the last decades of the canal were run by families too poor to have a winter residence and who resided year-around on their boat, Georgetown being one of the places they did so. (Boats & Bridges, Colorized Photos)
Chez Philodendron: 1948
... All the other waitresses were Irish, recently off the boat and with dazzling brogues. They were whip smart, fast and efficient, older ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/08/2016 - 10:02pm -

June 9, 1948. "Schrafft's, Esso Building, Rockefeller Center, New York. Glass louvers, main dining room. Carson & Lundin, architect." The exterior seen here. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. "Scraps"My father worked for Esso for 47 years. He ate there often, but if asked where he had lunch he would say "Scraps". My mother was a fan of their ice cream sundaes. Their cheese bread is a long-lost recipe. Hello Wall --One-sided conversation for sure. Mid Century ModernNote the ashtrays on the tables. Everybody smoked then and the high ceiling of the restaurant would have been obscured by cigarette smoke. It must have taken a toll on the plants. Looking at this photo along with the one of its exterior, with its bridal dolls and gaudy window display, this was a schizophrenic Schraffs. High modern meets high kitsch. Schrafft's Cheese Bread Recipe, or close to itIntrigued by AleHouseMug's comment, I found an article about the cheese bread recipe here. Stupid ideaRegarding the humorous comment by "pennsylvaniaproud", I have been to a few restaurants arranged like this and always found it annoying and irritating to be dining among perfect strangers who are all within earshot of whatever discussion one may be having with the person across the table. At one place in particular, a rather rude pair even boldly joined in, took over and monopolized our entire dining conversation. This type of seating is not welcome unless one is at an automat (I think they are all extinct) or a really cheap fast food eatery. I can't imagine who dreamed up this style of table placement or who would think it was desirable. SchrafftsSchraffts food was better-than-average okay for lunch hour fare. My father claimed to have invented iced coffee by explaining what he wanted to Schraffts, as a regular. First JobWas just 18 and it was summer and I was a waitress at Schraffts. All the other waitresses were Irish, recently off the boat and with dazzling brogues. They were whip smart, fast and efficient, older than me, and with some contempt for my comparative slowness. Each morning we had to line up like soldiers before the Chief to get our uniform checked out. The white blouse had to be snowy, the collar straight, the bow on the apron had to be tied just so, and the hair had to be worn up and stray-free. I don't remember ever wearing a net. The tips were pretty good, the little free cheese toasts Schrafft's served free with some dishes, were eaten mostly by us! I lasted a month and then was glad to get an easier job at The city's Urban Corps, set up, I think by Mayor Lindsay, to employ us teens. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Union Stockyards: 1941
... the late '40s and early '50s, a day at the annual Chicago Boat Show with my parents was always followed up by dinner at the Stockyard ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/06/2020 - 12:23pm -

July 1941. "Union Stockyards. Chicago, Illinois." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. View from the El platformAt the very bottom of Vachon's image is the Exchange station platform of the Chicago Elevated rail transit line that served the Stockyards. You can see a billboard for Clorox bleach, among others. Here's how it looked if you were standing on the Exchange station platform. It is interesting to note that men were riding horses among the pens. The View Is Fine Depending on the WindIn one of his radio shows, penurious comedian Jack Benny bragged he was staying at the Stockyards Plaza hotel while his cohorts wasted money staying up town in the Ambassador East or the Drake. Requiem for some heavyweightsI thoroughly enjoy John Vachon's work. There are aspects of this photograph that are immensely pleasing from an aesthetic standpoint. But probably not if you're a cow. "How sad, to leave Chicago. I have had such a wonderful week."John Vachon's letters to his pregnant wife Penny sent during his week in Chicago at the end of June 1941 reflect a combination of emotional peaks and valleys. Expected by FSA to spend his time photographing cattle and produce, he experienced and photographed intriguing Chicagoans in many settings, and loved wandering through the Institute of Arts and seeing nightly movies (including, on this trip, Citizen Kane). Yet he was practically broke, wearing through his clothing, and neglected by a seemingly uncaring boss back in DC (Roy Stryker) who was slow to pay him, communicate to him, or to even like the negatives he was sending back to the office. This particular series of his letters to Penny appears, in full, in "John Vachon's America" (on Google Books). Stockyard InnIn the late '40s and early '50s, a day at the annual Chicago Boat Show with my parents was always followed up by dinner at the Stockyard Inn. I was just a kid, so I don't remember what I had, but it must have been good because I still remember how I looked forward to eating there. What I remember most was that I always wondered if it was going to smell as bad inside the restaurant as it did outside, but apparently it didn't, because my most two vivid memories from over 60 years ago are how bad the neighborhood smelled, and how much I looked forward to dinner at the Stockyard Inn! (The Gallery, Agriculture, Animals, Chicago, John Vachon, Railroads)
Lefty for Mayor: 1961
... school my dad had a '61 Dodge station wagon. It was a boat but cool in its own way. With a 318 and pushbutton transmission, it was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/23/2015 - 10:32am -

New York, 1961. "Mayoral campaign car with loudspeakers." Our second scary-looking Plymouth in as many days. State Attorney General Louis Lefkowitz, the Republican mayoral nominee, lost to Robert Wagner, the Democratic incumbent. 35mm negative, photographer unknown. View full size. I like itThis car is so ugly I actually like it. It's completely different to the ho-hum cars we see today. It doesn't look so bad in two-tone paint. The 1961 PlymouthWas voted the ugliest Plymouth ever made, according to the Plymouth Owner's Club. Very rare car nowadays. A loaded convertible is fairly pleasing to the eye now. '61 Sport Suburban Wagon. Lost the tailfins from its previous year. Lefkowitz, Gilhooley and FinoIn the 1961 mayoral election, Louis J. Lefkowitz ran on a ticket with Representative Paul A. Fino of the Bronx, running for City Council president and John J. Gilhooley of Brooklyn, a former assistant secretary of labor, for city comptroller. This led to a jingle broadcast from sound trucks: Let’s make a note To get out and vote For Lefkowitz, Gilhooley and Fino You’ll be safe in the park Any time after dark With Lefkowitz, Gilhooley and Fino There’ll be new golden rules You’ll be proud of your schools With Lefkowitz, Gilhooley and Fino. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/nyregion/answers-to-questions-about-ne... I drove its cousinWhen I was in high school my dad had a '61 Dodge station wagon. It was a boat but cool in its own way. With a 318 and pushbutton transmission, it was like driving a big spaceship. BullhornI just got back from another visit with my in-laws in Costa Rica. They still have cars that tool around through every neighborhood, broadcasting at top volume from a huge bullhorn (or sometimes, nowadays a speaker) mounted on top of the car. They seem especially fond of the very early morning hours. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Found Photos, NYC)
Growth Spurt: 1912
... is a Collier Collier Nr4 probably is a collier, a boat for handling coal, in this particular case, vertically. We've seen on ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/29/2017 - 7:16am -

Along the Monongahela circa 1912. "A group of skyscrapers, Pittsburgh." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. "River Combine" "River Coal"Pacific No. 2 was a steam powered stern wheel towboat of 570 gross and 416 net tons, with a length of 176 feet, a breadth of 32 feet, a depth/draft of 5 feet and a crew of 35. Owned by the Pacific Coal and Towboat Company, Captains Joe and Ab Gould and later Captain W. J. Wood, Pacific No. 2 was built in Pittsburgh in 1893 using the steam engines from the former steam towboat Lioness No. 2 which was built in 1869. Pacific No. 2 continued towing until retired about 1913 and was dismantled two years later at Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. The hull was converted into a barge and in 1920 was used by Follansbee Bros. to haul cement. In 1899, responding to economic conditions, disruptions in the coal industry, and the frequent loss of towboats and barges (often by collision with bridge piers) the Monongahela River Consolidated Coal and Coke Company was formed, absorbing the assets of most of the independent towboat companies. The amalgamated companies initialed their towboats and barges with the letters “RC” for “River Combine” or “River Coal.” The Pacific No. 2, prior to the “RC” logo: Very different skyline, but --That's the Smithfield Street Bridge on the right. Some of the buildings below Wood Street (first street to the left of Smithfield) remain today. Wabash BridgeOn the left is the Wabash Railroad Bridge that served the small station visible across the river. Trains reached this location through a tunnel under Mt. Washington (where, undoubtedly the photographer was standing when the photograph was taken). The tunnel is now used for vehicular traffic. It may not come as a shock to Shorpy visitors that the train station burned in 1946. The bridge was removed in 1948; in the modern view supplied by Kozel you can see one of the the still-standing ghostly piers of the bridge. Collier Nr 4Any idea what the Collier Nr 4, left side of photo, might be? It looks a lot like a coal mine headstock, but the location sort of precludes that it is a mine shaft (but anything is possible)! Perhaps a barge loader/unloader? Thanks! (In afterthought, I realized that a mine would be a COLLIERY, a barge or ship a COLLIER). Collier is a CollierCollier Nr4 probably is a collier, a boat for handling coal, in this particular case, vertically. We've seen on this site photos of New York Harbor with floating grain elevators, for handling smaller particles. Shove Me TimbersLooks like the locomotive lower left edge of photo just made a shove move on the four blurry box cars. The loco and 2 attached cars are only slightly fuzzy, indicating they had just about come to a stop when the shutter opened, while the four box cars picked up speed from the shove as the shutter remained open. Looks like one of the crew was on the ground directing the move (visible near the door of the white box car where the train was uncoupled for the shove move). (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Pittsburgh, Railroads)
Flood Relief: 1937
... Mack half track crane truck. What a monster. Lifting that boat was probably child's play Mack truck model AC The rounded cowl ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/14/2016 - 9:10pm -

Jan. 26, 1937. "Fort Belvoir troops proceed to flood area. Company B of the 5th Regiment of Engineers, stationed at this Virginia post a short distance from the Capitol, mobilized complete campaign equipment today and prepared to entrain immediately for the devastated flood area near Louisville, Kentucky. One of the boats to be used is shown being put aboard a railcar." View full size. The Beast of BelvoirLook at that Mack half track crane truck. What a monster. Lifting that boat was probably child's play Mack truck model ACThe rounded cowl mounted radiator shell makes this a 3 speed pre 1923 truck still at work 15+ years later if this is the correct date of the photo. By 1923 the AC Mack became a 4 speed truck with a cast radiator header with square corners and cast wheels. Pontoon BridgeI don't know much about boats, but these look more like pontoon bridge elements than "boats" (so called in the quoted statement). Pontoon bridges would have been sorely needed in Louisville as the bridges over the Ohio river were largely under water in that flood. I vote pontoonsI believe ausonius is right. This picture down from this page shows a 10-ton pontoon being manhandled by soldiers in 1941. Pontoon road segments?The supervisors on the far left rail car are standing on what appears to be a stack of the road segments which will go on top of the pontoons being loaded. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Harris + Ewing, Railroads)
Peerless Vicksburg: 1909
... of the remarkable steel cable rigging holding the whole boat together and the deck flat. As to the wind-vane, I don't know why it ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/25/2014 - 11:47am -

The Mississippi River circa 1909. "Vicksburg waterfront and sternwheeler Peerless." A segment from an alternate version of the panorama posted here yesterday. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. D.J. Shlenker & Co.609 Clay Street, view from Mulberry Street, 104 years later. Not only is the painted sign on the brick still there (albeit extremely faded), but also the roofline shadow of the building with the pitched roof set against the right side of the Shlenker building. http://goo.gl/maps/hG0Rp Really?Is that a weathervane on the Peerless? Packet Steamer PeerlessThe packet steamboat Peerless was built in Hermann, Missouri in 1893. She was owned by the Hermann Ferry and Packet Co. and primarily used for passenger trade. she was lighter than many boats with only a 3½ foot draft allowing for operation in shallower waters. Sunk by ice in 1903 but salvaged and continued operations till the 1920s. Shown below is the Peerless in 1893. The stacks and pilot house match but at that time in her life there were fewer cabins on the second deck and no railings. In 1909 she appears to have four or five private cabins on each side plus another narrow door towards the stern which I'm guessing is the head. The weight of the extra cabins apparently required the addition of the remarkable steel cable rigging holding the whole boat together and the deck flat. As to the wind-vane, I don't know why it is so large and fancy but a wind indicator would seem a handy aide for piloting river boats. But the smoke belched from their engines was typically a good wind indicator to anyone who learned to read it. Perhaps it's not a swinging vane but just a fixed ornament. Is it a kneeling archer? The Falls CityAnother view of the Falls City. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Vicksburg)
Gifted Children: 1941
... the harbor and catch a cool breeze as we watched a banana boat unloading on Pratt Street. We hoped to see but never did see a boa ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/22/2015 - 12:28pm -

December 1941. "Christmas in the home of a government executive in Virginia." Photo by John Collier taken in the home of his brother, Department of Agriculture official Charles Wood Collier. The boys are Charles's sons Lionel (Leo) and Charles Rawson Collier. View full size. Our United States PuzzlesFrom eBay. True colorsChristmas gifts are not supposed to be B&W. And 70 years laterFrom the Berkeley Daily Planet's obituary for Charles Rawson Collier (1935-2011): "Charles had a mischievous enjoyment and childlike enthusiasm for inventions, creations, and disruptions of the norm." Full obituary here. WilhelminaAs a Dutchman, I got intrigued by the book "Wilhelmina" among the gifts, as at that time (1941) Wilhelmina was Queen of the Netherlands (in exile in London). I could not imagine that a book for children could have anything to do with Queen Wilhelmina. It took me some time but I finally found the book, and to my surprise it did have a dutch connection! The book in question is: Wilhelmina - a little dutch girl by Janet P. Johl, illustrated by Rosalie L. Lane. In it an illustration which depicts Santa Claus' name giver: Sinterklaas. The Puzzle That Made War InterestingMy friend Robert B. and I used to spend many lazy summer evenings on his front porch playing the old card game War combined with the wooden US map puzzle (upper right on Vintagetvs' illustration). Win a trick and you win a state to add to your collection. We had many variations to make the usually boring and long lasting card game shorter and more interesting plus we learned the 48 states, their locations, shapes and capitols. Sounds boring compared to today's juvenile distractions but we had fun playing it plus while playing we could plan the adventures we would do the next day such as take a bike ride down to the harbor and catch a cool breeze as we watched a banana boat unloading on Pratt Street. We hoped to see but never did see a boa constrictor grab a stevedore. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Christmas, Kids)
Cuyahoga Lift Bridge: 1910
... throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- or double-leafed." At the bottom of the page ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/13/2018 - 10:36am -

Cleveland circa 1910. "Lift Bridge, Cuyahoga River." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Bascule BridgeThis is a bascule bridge. Often the counterweights, which offset the weight of the bridge itself so it balances and moves easily, are underground, like the ones on the Chicago River. This is a Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridgeknown as Baltimore & Ohio Bridge No. 464, built in 1907, which I believe still survives at Cleveland albeit unused other than as an icon of the industrial heritage of "The Flats." The steam barge in the distance is the Tempest, built 1876 by Duncan Robertson at Grand Haven, Michigan. It burned at Parry Sound, Ontario, on June 28, 1909. On the right is the Isabella J. Boyce, built by Burger & Burger at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in 1889. In use as a sand sucker at the time, it, too, burned off Middle Bass Island, Lake Erie, on June 1917. Since the Tempest was registered at Detroit until 1908 and the bridge built in 1907, I date the photograph to 1907-1908, probably 1907 soon after the completion of the structure. A beautiful dayIf you're not downwind of the mills. I am drawn to scenes like this because they show some of the conditions the working man endured in this time period. The industrial haze hanging low in the background meant that jobs were probably available. The steel industry was big in Cleveland. Corrigan-Mckinney, U.S. Steel, Cleveland Furnace Co. are some I can think of and there were a lot of jobs. Since the focus of this photograph is transportation it fits in with the background. Heavy industry grew where costs were low and for the steel industry transportation costs were a big factor. Both the importation of raw materials and shipping finished product. Here is a good example of an important water transportation corridor that fuels that haze and the railroads that needed to cross that corridor badly enough to spend the money to install a Sherzer rolling lift bridge. Now Who Do We Believe?Well. When I first saw this image the term bascule bridge popped into mind. But I am no expert on bridges. After seeing Willam Lafferty's and signalman's posts, I was a bit confused. So I turned to our famous online encyclopedia. The term is defined there as "a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or 'leaf', throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- or double-leafed." At the bottom of the page the single leaf rolling lift type bridge is one of the illustrations. If you want to take a look for yourself, and decide what kind of bridge this is, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bascule_bridge. Not BasculeThis is a Scherzer rolling lift bridge. The large circular arc segment is the support, and the bridge rolls on that arc as the bridge opens. The drive is at the center of the arc; a motor drives a small gear which rolls on the straight bar above the track level. A Scherzer is a type of BasculeA "rolling lift" bridge, sometimes called a Scherzer, is one of three distinct types of bascule bridge. Check it out on Wikipedia. No such thing as a dumb question?Would there be a right half of this bridge out of the frame, presumably already elevated when this picture was taken? How close do the segments of track have to come together to be a functional railroad bridge? Is it (was it) fairly precise and repeatable? (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cleveland, DPC, Railroads)
Naval Gazers: 1943
... A few years ago, my son, a Border Patrol agent, took a boat helming course there. Sure brought back some memories for me. AKA ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/15/2016 - 1:03am -

January 1943. "A blimp of the U.S. Navy is led onto the apron of an East Coast lighter-than-air station before taking off on a patrol flight over the Atlantic Ocean." 4x5 nitrate negative, Office of War Information. View full size. Hangar No.1, Lakehurst NAS, New JerseyBuilt for the dirigibles Shenandoah and Los Angeles. At 966 feet long, 350 feet wide and 224 feet high, with a floor area of 211,434 square feet, it could house them side by side. It could shelter six of the K Type blimps shown in the picture. When I was a lad we went there for the annual Armed Forces Day open house and rode to the top of the hangar in a hot air balloon. Today it holds a full scale mockup of an aircraft carrier deck that is used for training. This image shows the Hindenburg approaching during its first visit about a year before it would crash there: Airship In The BackgroundLooks like the USS Los Angeles (ZR-3). Up up and awayIn the late '50s, my dad was stationed at NAS Glynco, Brunswick, Georgia, which was a blimp base. I remember the huge wooden hangars. When the base finally closed, it morphed into the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, known better as FLETC. National Park Service, Border Patrol, and other LE-types train there now. A few years ago, my son, a Border Patrol agent, took a boat helming course there. Sure brought back some memories for me. AKAOmphaloskeptics. (The Gallery, Aviation, WW2, Zeppelins & Blimps)
The Imperial Twins: 1959
... giant Imperial much like this one. Washing and waxing that boat was an all-Saturday job; but I still had to find time to mow the grass! ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 06/23/2018 - 6:38pm -

My sister-in-law Gimi's maternal grandmother and her identical twin pose with a 1958 Imperial in this Kodacolor print from July 1959. That's all we know for sure, although Gimi believes this is in the Ozarks of Missouri. Other elements give rise to speculation: the right taillight assembly suggests a close encounter with some native plant life, perhaps on a narrow, winding road that brought us hither. The pointing finger I like to think indicates a voice exclaiming "Get those saddle shoes OFF the Imperial!" As for the other orphan footwear, I just want to say I'd rather not look under the Imperial. On a happier note, a 1955 Chevrolet. View full size. Missouri is a good betThe Chevy in back has a 1959 Missouri license plate. Imperial DutyWhen I was a kid, I worked summers and weekends at a motel whose owner drove a giant Imperial much like this one. Washing and waxing that boat was an all-Saturday job; but I still had to find time to mow the grass! Oh those wonderful tallightsChrysler folks nicknamed those taillamps "Sparrow Strainers". These might be referred to as "Shrub Strainers" though. [It was "Uncle" Tom McCahill, not Chrysler, who coined the term. - Dave] Uncle Tom McCahill!Thanks, Dave, for reminding us of this fine writer. He was the reason I subscribed to Mechanix Illustrated, and "Mail to McCahill" was the first thing I turned to when a new issue arrived. He could really turn a vivid phrase. Uncle Tom had a special place in my heart for disputing Ralph Nader's contention that the fun and handsome Corvairs were unsafe. If my 1965 Corvair, "Ol' Paint," was unsafe, it was due to its manic teenaged driver! Uncle TomThank you for reminding me of my old pal, Tom McCahill. As a young man intent on learning "everything" about automobiles, new and old, I turned to Roger Huntington for deep thinking and theory. But when it came to straight from the hip, no bull reporting, none but Uncle Tom was to be trusted. At least by me. If he said something wallowed in the turns or stopped like a mud flow, it was gospel. I never learned it all, but those two gave me a decent base for my automobile knowledge. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Sunrise Service Aboard USS Duane: 1944
... you look closely, you will see a cross at the bow of the boat, behind a chaplain reading from a bible. I find this photograph ... 
 
Posted by adam-randazzo - 04/27/2011 - 2:17pm -

This photograph was taken Easter Sunday, April 9th, 1944 aboard the USS Duane. This photograph was scanned from my grandfather John "Jack" Baker's Warbook. If you look closely, you will see a cross at the bow of the boat, behind a chaplain reading from a bible. I find this photograph particularly beautiful, with the sun rising between the clouds across the front of the ship. There is a stark contrast between the peacefulness of the men reading, and the reality of the massive guns pointed above their heads. This photograph wasn't marked, but it was likely taken by Dale Rooks. There are no identifiable men in the photograph. View full size. You're welcomeI am glad you are enjoying the photos. This one is a big contrast between the many "war" based shots that I have. I think you will also enjoy some of the graveyard photos I will be posting in the near future. NuminousThank you for this splendid photo. Layers of MeaningsTo these men, this was likely a routine part of their schedule and activities. The photographer has captured a beautiful moment with the scenic view and religious activity contrasting with the implements of destruction in the setting of wartime. I could easily see this as publishable in Life or Look magazines at the time it was taken. Thanks for sharing this series of WWII images. USCGC DuaneThough manned by US Navy personnel, Duane was actually registered to the Coast Guard, and retained its Coast Guard classification--USCGC Duane (WAGC-33). Along with USCGC Campbell, Ingham, Taney, Spencer and Bibb, it was converted to an Amphibious Force Flagship in 1944, and took part in the invasion of southern France in August 1944, four months after this photo was taken. https://www.navsource.org/archives/10/01/0106.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USCGC_Duane (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Easter, WW2)
San Juan Sailboats: 1906
... see Spencer Tracy pull up; with a huge Marlin tied to his boat, all chewed up by sharks. [One of these? Or did you mean "marlin"? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/06/2019 - 11:32am -

Puerto Rico circa 1906. "Native sailboats -- San Juan." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. At first "impression"This interesting photo brings fanciful thoughts of Claude Monet painting Ernest Hemingway's story of an old man. Theft preventionIt seems that you take your tiller bar with you like an ignition key. Rather a lot for the pocket! Looks Like A Still Out Of A Classic Bogey FilmIs it 'To Have And Have Not' or 'Key Largo'? The Old Man and the SeaI keep expecting to see Spencer Tracy pull up; with a huge Marlin tied to his boat, all chewed up by sharks. [One of these? Or did you mean "marlin"? -tterrace] Source MaterialThis photo could have been inspiration for a Winslow Homer watercolor. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Puerto Rico)
Truck Stop Cafe: 1940
... good! Not that different than today except for the boat captain hats, they just wear ball caps now. I drove truck OTR for about ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2012 - 2:10pm -

June 1940. Washington, D.C. "In the cafe at a truck drivers' service station on U.S. 1 (New York Avenue)." 35mm negative by Jack Delano. View full size. I'll have a slice of that cake, please.Even in black and white, it looks good! Not that different than todayexcept for the boat captain hats, they just wear ball caps now. I drove truck OTR for about 3 years, then went local when my wife grew sick, but that is a pretty good picture of the truckers today, give him a good meal, lots of coffee, (I've scene guys with half gallon mugs) and get him back on the road. No time for cake, the teamsters moved somewhere else! Salt (and Pepper) of the EarthThe salt and pepper shakers (just below the cake and elsewhere on the counter) were made by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Co.. Current Depression-glass book value for a nice-condition pair is $30.-$75., depending on the color and style of lettering or other decorations. This shaker design was larger than the usual table shakers of the day, so these Kings of the Road were getting their daily portion of salt and then some. Interesting windows...I'm trying to figure out how they tip out and are screened at the same time - seems quite complicated. (The Gallery, D.C., Eateries & Bars, Jack Delano)
Hoboken Public Bath: 1905
... She served as General Grant's personal dispatch boat on the Chesapeake Bay, and carried messages and troops across the bay and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/13/2017 - 10:44am -

1905. "Holland America line piers, Hoboken, N.J." Points of interest include the Hoboken Public Bath at center and S.S. Potsdam. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The steamboatat the upper right is the William F. Romer, launched in June 1881 by the Skinner Shipbuilding & Drydock Company at Baltimore for the Weems Steamboat Company as the Mason L. Weems. It operated between Baltimore and Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock River in the passenger and freight trade, one of the largest and fastest in that trade at the time. In 1890 Weems sold the vessel to Romer & Tremer Steamboat Company which had taken over the Cornell Steamboat Company route between Rondout and New York City on the Hudson and was renamed Willliam F. Romer. In 1899 Romer & Tremer sold out to the Central Hudson Steamboat Company and the Romer entered that firm's employment. It ran until the fall of 1918 when laid up at Newburgh. In 1920 the vessel was dismantled there and its hull sold to a brick manufacturer at Eavesport who intended to use the hull as a dock facing. That was never done, and the Romer's remains can still be seen there. The Potsdam, built at Hamburg in 1900 by Blohm & Voss, became the Stockholm of the Swedish-American line in 1915 and was converted into the Norwegian whale factory ship Solglimt in 1928 and served as such until seized by Germany in 1940 and transferred to the German Navy, renamed Sonderburg. It was sunk as a blockade ship at Cherbourg, France, 29 June 1944 and destroyed by British bombing soon after. Its remains were raised in 1947 and broken up at England. Remains of the DayThe remains of the William F. Romer can barely be seen at low tide in the cove formed by Eves Point at the end of Emerick Road, on the west bank of the Hudson (now part of Bristol Beach State Park), just over a mile up river from the Village of Saugerties. More visible is the better known M. Martin (1863-1918, scrapped 1920), named for Milton Martin, a prosperous Hudson merchant and banker. She was built at Jersey City for the Romer & Tremper Steamboat Company to run day passengers and freight from Catskill to Albany. Pressed into service during the Civil War, she became known as the Union Army's "greyhound" (not to be confused with the Union troop transport Greyhound, which was sunk by a Confederate "coal torpedo"). She served as General Grant's personal dispatch boat on the Chesapeake Bay, and carried messages and troops across the bay and river. Early in 1865 the Confederate peace commissioners, led by the Vice-President of the Confederacy Alexander H. Stephens, were quartered for several days as guests (without guards) on board the M. Martin at City Point, while they waited to negotiate terms of peace with someone that President Lincoln would designate for what became known as the Hampton Roads Conference. The conference, which ended in failure, was held on the River Queen and the Union was represented by Lincoln himself. Click on the photo to enlarge. SS Potsdam sailed from RotterdamThe "NASM" on the flag you see on the mast stands for "Nederlandsche-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij" or "Netherlands-American Steamship Company", the original Dutch name for the company. Like many other passenger ship lines, it was assimilated by the cruise line Borg -- Carnival Cruise Lines -- and continues zombie like as the "Holland America Line". The ship itself ended up being scuttled in the Cherbourg harbor by the Germans in 1944. NABISCOOver yonder across the North River (well, ok, Hudson River), is the Uneeda Biscuit bakery on the west side of Manhattan. Uneeda Biscuit later became part of National Biscuit Company, aka NABISCO. The Oar WeathervaneThis image is rich in salubrious period nautical detail. The bowsprits in the right foreground belong to Hudson River Sloops, of which the late Pete Seeger's Clearwater is a replica. These sailed up and down the Hudson carrying bluestone, hay for the city's horses, and, especially, bricks from the many brickworks of the Hudson valley. The steam yacht in the left foreground has beautiful flowing lines and a clipper bow. Modern yachts are clu8nky in comparison! The second building has a charming weathervane shaped like an oar. It must be a rowing club! The Uneeda Biscuit factory on the Manhattan shore in the left background later became part of Nabisco. Uneeda biscuits, which lasted until about a decade ago, were like thick matzos or unsalted saltines; basically "hardtack". Among other things, they could be used to make a truly excellent poultry stuffing. The real prize might be the side-wheel steamboat in the right background. Can't make out her entire name: Looks like William F. Bower or Rower. Have not been able to find a reference. The pier to which the S.S. Potsdam is tied has some sort of cargo rigging strung between heavy poles. It would be interesting to learn how this worked! Wireless Technology The Potsdam's wireless antenna was strung from the stack to aft. State of the art for its day. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC, Railroads)
Chicks Ahoy: 1927
... I would rather walk the plank than join those ladies in a boat ride. Their eyes look like they've been smokin' left-handed cigarettes. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 1:27pm -

March 23, 1927. Washington, D.C. "Sally Phillips, Fanny Dial, Frances Gore, Georgiana Joyes." View full size. National Photo Company glass negative. Man overboardI think I would rather walk the plank than join those ladies in a boat ride. Their eyes look like they've been smokin' left-handed cigarettes. Those choppers.Apparently, there was no orthodontist within cruising distance. Shark!Man do those teeth give me the willies! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, D.C., Natl Photo)
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