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Cross-Country: 1915
... Still, it makes my trip harrowing to 1000/1500 IBA ride to Colorado, Pikes Peak and points west last summer pale in comparison. Right ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 11:50am -

1915. "Baker and O'Brien, transcontinental motorcyclists, back of White House." Bud Baker and Dick O'Brien, whom we first met here. In May 1915 they embarked on a five-month, 10,000-mile jaunt to the West Coast via Indian motorcycle to see the California expositions. Harris & Ewing. View full size. Hard to believe this actually happened....10 K miles, 5 months--1 K a week? Seems hard to believe--no headlight so no night riding; tires no good for the muddy roads they'd meet with after every thunderstorm; the stone exhaustion riding that unmuffled, suicide-clutched, barely-sprung boneshaker; the flat tires, the dust, the breakdowns.... Where are their goggles (they wouldn't get far without eye protection.) Where are their gloves? Where's their repair kit--that box on the gas tank won't begin to hold their spares? Where's their tent, gear, clothing, canteens? Apart from the breeches and puttees or gaiters and that snappy Indian pennant, they seem woefully unprepared. [Not to belabor the obvious, but: This not during their trip. They lived in Washington. - Dave] Cool Boys of the RoadAdmire these guys immensely. What an adventure. With a great masculine style. I'm fascinated by those shin guards. Modern armor for the modern man, very chic. Handsome DevilThat one on the left is dreamy. I wonder if he's got a great-grandson... Leather putteesThe "shin guards" appear to be standard-issue Army leather puttees, as used by the cavalry starting in 1911: http://onlinemilitaria.net/shopexd.asp?id=3138 ArithmeticNot to further belabor, but 10,000 miles over five months works out to about 475 miles a week, or less than 70 miles a day. Raindrops keep falling on my shin guardsIt's so late '60s, early '70s. This would have made a great property for Paul Newman and Robert Redford back in the day. 70 miles....70 miles a day on dusty, muddy, ungraded country roads or greasy city cobblestones. 70 miles a day on tires regularly puncturing. 70 miles a day over mountain passes with thin oxygen (check that carburetor!) and nighttime temps below freezing. 70 miles a day in Plains thunderstorms, desert dust (check that carburetor again, boys!), across skittery rail and trolley tracks, through piles of slithery horse poop. 70 miles a day without decent roadmaps. It would have been a grand odyssey, but I’d dearly love to know what actually happened. If they were simply swanning around DC on their cherry Indian looking intrepid and not yet actually prepping to leave, fine, but I wish there were a later picture of them suited, geared, gauntleted, goggles, and ready to roll. I wouldn’t ride around the block dressed this way, sexy puttees or no. Indian PowerplusDecember 1915 ad from a Kingston, Jamaica, newspaper that mentions the boys' trip. Where's their book!?Dear Lord - what an adventure -- where's their book? I hope these two guys lived to enjoy enormous notoriety and maybe a few $$ Did they really make the trip? The suspense is killing this 76 y-o scooterist! Amazing adventureIt was a different time. I saw a documentary about Indian cycles. One of the selling points of the early models including this one was its ability to go through muddy, nasty, rough road conditions where cars would be stuck. If it got to bad you could get out and push/pull the bike where a car needed a team of horses to get it out. Still, it makes my trip harrowing to 1000/1500 IBA ride to Colorado, Pikes Peak and points west last summer pale in comparison. Right Write a book? Probably not though they more than likely wrote letters to their loved ones all along the route. It was a different time. Mail traveled by rail. Phones were in 30% of the homes. Tennessee wasn't electrified and these guys road rode two-up on a motorcycle across the same place where barely more than 50 years earlier the Poney Pony Express riders road rode. I guess we all have hero's heroes. There's two more for my list. William Crane (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Motorcycles)
Careful, Kitten: 1916
... The first US battleship to mount 16 inch guns was the Colorado class BB, the Maryland, laid down in 1917 and commissioned in 1921. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/11/2008 - 2:06pm -

1916. "Indian Head, Maryland. Navy proving ground. Residence of George Swann, damaged by 16-inch shell that hit another in sandbank, and was deflected over country at 3/4 angle. The shell, where it stopped in dooryard." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size. Gee, Mr. Swann, Sorry About ThatPresumably it had been determined by the time the photo was taken that the shell was harmless...still, if I'm Geo. Swann, I'm getting my daughter and kitten off the porch ASAP, and calling the Navy to make sure they come and get the thing. I wonder what was in those buckets on the table? Questions, questions...How long was the shell sitting there? Was it a dummy round used for testing? How long did it take them to make some makeshift repairs, like moving the porch railing over, and removing much of the debris? What's up with the "scaffolding" on the side of the house? Where did the shell land, and which way did it come from? Is that where it ended up after it landed, or did someone move it there? Is that a piece of window on the porch roof? Is the kid watching ants? 16 inch?I certainly am not a naval historian by any means but the caption having 16 inch shell and 1916 made me do a quick internet search on US naval gun sizes and when these took place. The first US battleship to mount 16 inch guns was the Colorado class BB, the Maryland, laid down in 1917 and commissioned in 1921. Previous classes (and there were many in the 1905-1917 timeframe) went from 12 inch to 14 inch. Of course, 12, 14 or most likely incorrectly stated as 16 inch will not help the porch or Mr. Swann's condition! [The shell was not fired from a battleship, and 16 inches seems to be correct. See below. Before a new gun is mounted on a ship, it has to be tested, which is what the Indian Head Proving Ground was for. - Dave] Worthy of another look.This incident has not just occurred. Temporary posts (sapling trunks, by the look of it!) have been erected to hold up the porch roof. Therefore I conclude that the round is a dummy, thus the lack of urgency in removing it and the fact that child and kitten are allowed in such close proximity. Elementary, my dear Watson. The gov'mentI wonder if the Navy paid for repairs. DahlgrenThis kind of testing was moved to Dahlgren, VA in the 20s These Things Happen...As we used to say in artillery: "Shot OVER." "Shot OUT!" Green AcresI half expected to see Lisa and Oliver Douglas standing on the porch as Mr. Haney drives up to sell them a new one. What a different world it was in 1916.Love Government's response: Give us a bigger proving ground or just get used to stray naval shells flying every which way. Indian HeadAs a native of Indian Head, the Naval Ordnance Station is still an integral part of life in Southern Maryland, about 25 miles from Washington, DC and sitting just across the river from Quantico. Many of our families' livelihoods depended upon the important defense work being done at the "Naval Propellant Plant," as it was called when I was growing up. Because of its location on the Potomac, a lot of testing was done in the water. Several times when I was a kid, some horrible accident would occur when explosive dust, accumulated over time or through carelessness, exploded. I remember our house shaking as if an earthquake had hit and then hearing the sirens on the base, knowing that there had been an explosion and praying my father had not been in it. He was a sheet and plate metal worker and retired from the base after 30 years of service and became a vocational education teacher in the Charles County school system. He lived to be 81 and he and my mother were two of the oldest residents when the town of Indian Head celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1990. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Harris + Ewing)
Georgetown: 1939
October 1939. "Georgetown, Colorado -- an old mining town in the mountains." Medium format acetate ... Georgetown Georgetown is one of my favorite spots in Colorado. This shot would have been taken in what is now the parking lot next ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2020 - 1:17pm -

October 1939. "Georgetown, Colorado -- an old mining town in the mountains." Medium format acetate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Immortal GeorgetownGeorgetown is one of my favorite spots in Colorado. This shot would have been taken in what is now the parking lot next to the Hotel de Paris which is, incidentally, where my maternal grandparents spent part of their honeymoon in 1925. The buildings on the left and right of the attached block, plus the fire tower, still exist. The building in the middle of the three is, sadly, gone. https://goo.gl/maps/zhJv2CZaot3msM2X7 Commonwealth TunnelThe far-left building carries a sign for the Commonwealth Tunnel Transportation Company. How exactly does one transport a tunnel for the commonwealth, anyway? +73Georgetown is beautiful. Below is the same view from October of 2012. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Frontier Life, Mining, Small Towns)
Yesterday's Headlines: 1941
... of Mr. Williams' rig. Hot Leadville In Saguache, Colorado, there's a newspaper called the Saguache Crescent that is still ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/12/2018 - 9:30am -

June 1941. "Mr. Cary Williams, editor of the Greensboro Herald Journal, a newspaper in Greensboro, Georgia." Spitting hot lead at an ancient Linotype machine. Note the custom-fitted ergonomic back support and whittled-down chair. Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Amazing technologyIn the late 1970s I was studying graphic design, and our instructor took a group of us to the offices of Sunset Magazine to see a linotype in action. The publication was just weeks away from going computerized, but the operator put on quite a show for us. There's nothing like moving parts to make work seem entertaining. etaoin shrdluI still have-and use regularly-a Linotype machine. Also, the metal is melted and used at around 535 to 545 degrees. Less than that it won't melt properly, and much above that is when you are apt to get squirts. The aroma is uniqueI worked in the office of a hot lead Hearst paper in Baltimore in the '70s. The building’s back stairs included a landing that was open to the pressroom, and the odor of molten lead poured into stairwell. Nothing else smells quite like that. Shorpy brought it all back to me! Printer's DevilThis reminds me of one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes starring Burgess Meredith as the devil masquerading as a reporter who promises to salvage a failing newspaper in exchange for the editor's soul. LineageI believe Etaoin Shrdlu was Lorem Ipsum's grandpa. ETAOIN SHRDLUA well-known "phrase", but I followed Dave's LMGTFY link, and was surprised not to find the reference that first came to mind -- "Etaoin Shrdlu" is the title of a 1942 short story by Fredric Brown about a sentient Linotype machine. Etaoin shrdluIt had to be said. Huh?Over my head this morning. [Google it. - Dave] ProgressEarlier this week, I ran across a story of an 8 monitor, 18 million pixel custom workstation with a sling chair that is like a modern incarnation of Mr. Williams' rig. Hot LeadvilleIn Saguache, Colorado, there's a newspaper called the Saguache Crescent that is still produced daily on an old linotype machine. Ah, yesterdayIn the 1960s when the Comanche (Texas) Chief was still a hot-type operation, I used to hang out in their print shop, watching Bob Carpenter set type (he was good enough as a reporter AND printman that he would sometimes compose his articles directly on the lino) and Minor Taber and Woody Ormsby run the jobbing presses. If I hit at the right time on Thursday afternoon, I could watch the crew wind up the big rotary press to run the week's edition of the Chief; that was a special treat. A Blast from the PastWhen I was a high school senior in Chicago I took a print shop class, where we were taught to operate a Linotype machine just like this one. It always scared the hell out of me; we were warned that if we mistakenly left an open space in one of the lines of brass keys we were assembling, molten lead at 700 degrees Fahrenheit would "squirt" in our faces. Our machines were old and cranky, and I could rarely type out more than three lines before something would jam. Now I see them on display as museum pieces ... yikes! Spitting LinotypeI have a documentary on the Linotype. (www.linotypefilm.com) Apparently, experienced operators could hear a warning sound to back off quickly to avoid getting hit by a bit of hot lead. I got a chance in the 1960s to see a room full of them at the News Call Bulletin in San Francisco. You don't forget a mechanical wonder like that. Family TraditionCarey Jones Williams, April 6, 1901 - July 9, 1991 Carey (with an "e") later served on the University of Georgia Board of Regents. His son Carey Jr. is the current editor (and owner) of the Greensboro Herald Journal. Not dead yetThere's a movie: http://www.linotypefilm.com and the Linotype is so loved that there are at least two organizations in my immediate area (Waltham and Haverhill, Mass.) with one or two working units: https://www.charlesrivermuseum.org/ https://museumofprinting.org/collection/ I love old, well built, intricate and obsolete machinery. And Real Computers have switches and blinking lights. LinosaursBoth The Printing Museum in Houston and the Baltimore Museum of Industry have full print shops on display, and if you hit 'em on the right days a retired operator (from The Houston Chronicle or Baltimore Sun) will be there to make them sit up and talk for you. (Technology, The Gallery, Jack Delano, The Office)
Telluride Tracks: 1940
... gauge railway yards, train and water tank at Telluride, Colorado." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security ... was used in her later years as a switcher in the Durango, Colorado yard, finally meeting the scrapper’s torch in 1954. The last ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/22/2019 - 9:34am -

September 1940. "Narrow gauge railway yards, train and water tank at Telluride, Colorado." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Aspen & DepotThe photo is taken from near the present location of the Cosmopolitan restaurant, looking west along what is now Depot Avenue. Most of the houses and sheds just to the right of frame are still there and in great condition. Here's a more recent photo (at night) looking west along Depot Avenue toward the original Telluride depot: Victim of the scrapyardBaldwin built #453 and fourteen of her sisters in the 125 class (later reclassed as K-27 and nicknamed “Mudhens”) in 1903 for the Denver & Rio Grande. 453 was used in her later years as a switcher in the Durango, Colorado yard, finally meeting the scrapper’s torch in 1954. The last two K-27s built are preserved and still in operation: #463 on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad running between Antonito, CO and Chama, NM, and #464 on the Huckleberry Railroad near Flint, MI. (The Gallery, Frontier Life, Railroads, Russell Lee)
"Old 71": 1941
September 1941. Central City, Colorado. "The 'Old 71' engine of the Colorado and Southern Railway, which carried ore and passenger cars from Denver ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/17/2019 - 5:02pm -

September 1941. Central City, Colorado. "The 'Old 71' engine of the Colorado and Southern Railway, which carried ore and passenger cars from Denver to 'the richest square mile on earth'." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. The latest news on "Old 71"Click here to download the PDF. Just like Joe LouisAs of 2017, Old 71 was the greeter for the Reserve casino. (The Gallery, Frontier Life, M.P. Wolcott, Mining, Railroads)
On the Road: 1942
... 1942. "Highway view along U.S. 40 in Mount Vernon Canyon, Colorado. Looking east toward Green Mountain, with Shingle Creek below." ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/26/2017 - 3:36pm -

December 1942. "Highway view along U.S. 40 in Mount Vernon Canyon, Colorado. Looking east toward Green Mountain, with Shingle Creek below." Kodachrome transparency by Andreas Feininger, Office of War Information. View full size. Can that bea 1941 Lincoln? I've heard about them but don't remember seeing many photos of them. [The car is a Buick. - Dave] The Jade JalopyWhat a beautiful shade of green. I'll take anything in it, thanks. Gorgeous ShotCan anyone read that yellow sign? I think the top word is "Wrong". ["Winding Road" -tterrace] (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Andreas Feininger, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Crossroads: 1939
... PA. The scene above reminds me of the 'highlands' of Colorado just outside of Pubelo. Rural Routes going away It is becoming ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 7:06pm -

October 1939. "Crossroads off the highway in a cut-over area. Boundary County, Idaho." View full size. Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange. Box numbersInteresting that the mailboxes have box numbers rather than addresses. I guess they're the equivalent of post office boxes, except they're not in a post office. [Rural delivery addresses were usually box numbers combined with a route number. The farm I grew up on in Florida in the 1970s was Route 1, Box 66. - Dave] Rural RoutesMy parents still have a Rural Route x, Box y address just outside of Birmingham, Alabama. Apparently the Post Office is doing away with it, though. RR & BoxWe had a Rural Route prior to purchasing our new house. Still don't have home delivery and have to drive to the Post Office to retrieve our mail here in PA. The scene above reminds me of the 'highlands' of Colorado just outside of Pubelo. Rural Routes going awayIt is becoming more and more unusual to see Rural Route addresses in most places; when 911 became more common all addresses had to be changed to something physical. Typically the Post Office and some sort of regional planning council made the address changes. [Our "Route 1, Box 66" got changed to "4397 154th Terrace." Bleh. - Dave] Rural RoutesStill have rural delivery here in Missouri. But the weekend vandals enjoy bashing our mailboxes so it may not last much longer. KFOGDave - You're the morning guy on KFOG, right? I think so.... [Um, no. - Dave] CountiesI live in Kootenai, about thirty minutes away from Boundary. It's so very interesting to see a local picture, especially one taken by the talented Dorothea Lange! Thank you very much for posting it! (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Rural America)
Payne and Twomey: 1925
... the wording on the lower banner. Its offices were in the Colorado Building in downtown Washington. I'm still trying to figure out where ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/03/2012 - 3:33pm -

Washington, D.C. "Texas Company. Payne & Twomey, 1925." View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Who wants tobacco cakes? Chero-ColaPayne & Twomey's is apparently a proud purveyor of Chero-Cola. I looked it up and it was one of several soft drinks under the umbrella of Chero-Cola Co. which was later renamed the Nehi Corporation. Chero-Cola was revamped in the mid-30s and rebranded as Royal Crown. [Below, a 1922 Chero-Cola ad from an Ohio newspaper. - Dave] Hydraulic Press BrickBased on a bit of reading between the lines, I believe the industrial building in the background is the Hydraulic-Press Brick Company. In the 1920s it specialized in a face brick called Hy-tex, which could be the wording on the lower banner. Its offices were in the Colorado Building in downtown Washington. I'm still trying to figure out where the plant was. [Washpost archives: In 1932 the Hytex brick plant was on the Alexandria Pike. - Dave] Utility polesHow crude those posts look. They appear to be as is tree trunks. I wonder if the were coated with something like creosote. How did they stand up over the years? Shorpy, You've Done it AgainAnother fantastic photo. I notice the poles all look like raw trees pressed into quick service. I love the humble gas station building; it reminds me of ones you might have seen in the south, yet here it is in D.C. The industrial tanks and buildings that curve along the road on our left make for even more interest. This tiny store and gas station is the "grandfather" of today's convenience store. P&TI just wanna try the Tobacco Cakes. Sounds yummy. Intriguing!Okay, kids, let's get our Sherlock Holmes hats on. Bare trees indicate not Summer months; not many leaves around, probably end of Winter into Spring; tilth of soil supports late Spring; light source would be biased to the South, so we're probably looking in a southerly direction; smoke blowing stiffly to left, a strong breeze usually from the North West in this area; and to the right, the embankment seems to be for a railroad. Hmmmm. If in D.C., this would be North East, and I'd have to guess betwixt Rhode Island and New York Avenues. Any guesses? This is an incredible photograph. Thanks! (The Gallery, D.C., Gas Stations, Natl Photo)
Gold Coin Mine: 1900
Circa 1900. "Victor, Colorado. Gold Coin Mine." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 1:38pm -

Circa 1900. "Victor, Colorado. Gold Coin Mine." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Coontown 400Just to the right of the building with the painted advertisement for "Elector" cigars, you can see a fence plastered with advertising for "Coontown 400", a variety troupe. Whether it is the same troupe as below or not, I'm not sure. Perhaps they had already made bookings and then went bust. I couldn't find another revue by the same name. Although there is a cartoon book called "Coontown's 400" by E.W. Kemble, published in 1899, "with what we would today consider racist portrayals of "darkies". "Coontown Four Hundred (also Coontown 400). Variety troupe, active at the turn of the century, which underwent a number of changes of name and management. The orig. troupe, under white proprietorship, played Cincinnati, OH, in May 1899 with a roster that included the Blackstone Quartet, Tom Brown, Edna Alexander, Ida Forsyne, Whitney and Tutt, and others; it then disbanded in Nov. of the same year for non-payment of salaries. Management was taken over by Howard McCarver in September 1901, and the name was changed to A Honolulu Coon Co..." "The African American theatre directory, 1816-1960" "One of Arthur Marshall's anecdotes has Marshall and [Scott] Hayden both living with the Joplins. This had to have been in late 1902 or 1903, for Marshall had been on a two-year tour with the Dan McCabe's Coontown 400 until the fall of 1902. It was probably at the end of the tour that he moved in with the Joplins, for Dan McCane in December was in St. Louis and visited the Joplins" "King of Ragtime: Scott Joplin and his era" One Hundred and thirteen polesAmazing. Telephone, telegraph, electric, I counted one hundred and three poles before I started seeing double. Then spotted several more. You could spend days studying the histories of technology, architecture, construction, transportation, manufacturing, marketing and more, just in this single photograph. I love it. Still haven't found Waldo, however. What a Project!Super photo from which to fashion a scratch built model railroading site in one's basement. So much going on, track at several different levels, limitless building designs, and a background that leads into a diorama-like mountain scenic. I'd put a flag on that pole next to the smokestack, however. Victor RR Depot - then and nowFrom the building with the Elector Cigars sign, follow that street to the right and where it ends you will find the Victor Midland RR Depot. The depot's overhanging roof casts dark shadows on the side of the building, which was the center of much activity at the time this photo was taken. The depot still stands today in relative isolation and four photos of it taken in 2006 can be viewed on this page. The eastern end of the depot is closest to the camera in the 1900 photo, which looks to the southwest. August 1899 FireA large part of Victor burned to the ground in 1899, and it is said that most of the town was rebuilt in six months of brick instead of wood. It does seem as though there is a lot of "new construction" around! (The Gallery, Mining, Railroads, W.H. Jackson)
Battle Fleet Champions
... relatively short barrels and an open foredeck while the Colorado class Battleships had a much longer barrel as it was standardized ... last A turret when mounted in a B turret. Addtionally, Colorado's didn't have the open foredeck, they had a gunwale that would have ... 
 
Posted by thomas - 02/09/2011 - 8:45am -

I believe that one of these men was an uncle of one of my parents. It was likely taken during WWI. These guys appear to be extremely physically fit and I'm sure they acquitted themselves well in their service. View full size. Battle FleetThe Battle Fleet (later Battle Force) was part of the Navy's organization from 1922 to 1941. If this was not taken on the West Virginia (BB-48) then perhaps it was on another ship that was hosting the All Navy competition. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Fleet ACR West VirginiaThat's the Armored Cruiser West Virginia, not the battleship. The proof is not so much the caliber of the barrel but their length, although those are not 14" guns. ACR West Virginia had 8" guns, which were Battleship size just ten years earlier than her design. But all of the Pennsylvana class cruisers had relatively short barrels and an open foredeck while the Colorado class Battleships had a much longer barrel as it was standardized length, but would need to be long enough to superfire over the last A turret when mounted in a B turret. Addtionally, Colorado's didn't have the open foredeck, they had a gunwale that would have been obvious in this picture, as it would be where the sailors are arrayed. However, that does mean this is NOT a World War I photo, but one taken shortly before the war, say 1916ish. Probably the Second USS West VirginiaThe first ship of this name was an armored cruiser, renamed the USS Huntington in 1916. The battleship West Virginia was commissioned in December 1923. The guns behind the sailors appear to be much too large for an AC. The photo probably was taken on the battleship in the late 1920s. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Municipal Light: 1940
... September 1940. "Derelict lighting plant in Silverton, Colorado." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security ... City, Volume 7, July-December 1912 Silverton, Colorado, a thriving town of nearly 3,000 people, at an altitude of over 9,000 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/01/2018 - 6:07pm -

September 1940. "Derelict lighting plant in Silverton, Colorado." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. LighthouseA few miles from our home is the village of Boalsburg, Pa. The community has preserved its "Lighthouse," which contained a waterwheel that supplied Direct Current to all the structures in the village. When the Lighthouse operator awoke and activated the wheel, all the lights came on. And when he decided it was time for bed, he shut down the wheel and the town went dark. Some progress has been achieved in this field in the past century-plus. A Town Without Municipal TaxesA Town Without Municipal Taxes The American City, Volume 7, July-December 1912 Silverton, Colorado, a thriving town of nearly 3,000 people, at an altitude of over 9,000 feet, has the distinction of being one of the very few municipalities in the United States where no city tax is levied. The running expenses are paid from the income of the water and light systems, both owned and operated by the municipality, and from various licenses. The town owns its teams, sprinklers and wagons, and has recently completed and entirely paid for a handsome city hall costing $55,000. In this building there is sufficient room for all the city offices, court room, assembly room and fire apparatus. The successful operation of municipally owned public utilities in Silverton extends over a period of nine years. For electric current the rate to very small consumers is 7½ cents net per k.w. hour, and to large consumers a little over 5 cents net. The water rates vary for different classes of users. A one-family residence of four rooms pays $8 per annum, with $1 extra for each additional room; or the consumer may install a meter at his own expense, the rental varying from 45 cents to 10 cents per thousand gallons, with a minimum charge of $20 per year. All water bills are subject to a 15 per cent discount if paid by the 5th day of the month. (The Gallery, Frontier Life, Railroads, Russell Lee, Small Towns)
Golden Boys: 1942
October 1942. State School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. "Speed in metallurgical anal­ysis, to match the rapidity with ... "The Age of the Golden Wireless." Great school! The Colorado School of Mines in Golden is one of the best engineering schools in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/30/2014 - 7:52am -

October 1942. State School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. "Speed in metallurgical anal­ysis, to match the rapidity with which the nation arms itself, is possible through use of the spectrograph, a marvelous new machine used for study of materials through measurements of the arc of light they emit when heated. The aluminum and magnesium industries, steel companies and foundries use it for quick study of metals. Mines use it for exploration. The spectrograph will yield an analysis of seven elements in 15 minutes, which would require up to four hours by old chemical methods. Students in defense training courses at a famous mining-engineering school listen as an instructor shows them how the machine operates." Photo by Andreas Feininger, Office of War Information. View full size. Baird Associates Grating SpectrometerI love this photo, partly because I have personal experience working with a grating spectrometer of similar vintage. I’ll try to give an overview of what is going on in the photo but if someone knows more, please chime in. On the right, the sample is being heated by high voltage to the point where it is glowing. The emitted light is focused by the lens in the middle onto the aperture of the spectrometer, which is mostly located off-camera to the left: Baird spectrometers, manufactured in Cambridge, MA, were 3 meter long boxes. Only the front face of this box is visible in the photo. The light enters at the front end and travels the length of the box. At the far end is a mirrored surface scored with thousands of fine parallel lines (the grating), positioned on a platform which can be rotated to alter the angle of incident light. The grating breaks the light into different wavelengths similar to the effect of prism. The reflected light returns as a rainbow to the front of the spectrometer where it can either be visually examined or directed towards some type of photo-dectector for more quantitive analysis. I’m not sure what type of detector they would have been using here but the hinged door on the front of the spectrometer would have allowed access. Perhaps they used photographic plates. In any case, by slowly rotating the grating, perhaps using the controls along the bottom of the spectrometer face, different wavelengths of light are cast onto the detector allowing the users to measure the spectral peaks and valleys which uniquely identify the different elements. Gratings were used instead of prisms because they could be more precisely calibrated. Likewise, the large size of the spectrometer, 3 meters long, was necessary at the time to achieve high resolution to discriminate between closely spaced lines in the light spectrum. I’m a little confused by the aperture where the light enters the spectrometer. Normally this would be a fine slit but that is not visible. Perhaps the screen just above the man’s head was used to focus the light and then could be swung out of the way to reveal the slit. The fellows appear far more fixated on the heated sample rather than the operations of the spectrometer. Size matters, guys.Yet another gadget that has gone to desktop size and below over the years. Moore's Law at work, probably. Golden GuysThe photograph is reminiscent of the Thomas Dolby cover album "The Age of the Golden Wireless." Great school!The Colorado School of Mines in Golden is one of the best engineering schools in the country. Golden, just outside Denver, is also the home of Coors beer and close to Red Rocks Amphitheater, the most awesome concert venue in the country. All of this spells a great college experience for any young man or woman with the bona fides to be accepted there. (Technology, The Gallery, Andreas Feininger, Mining, WW2)
High Court: 1940
... September 1940. "San Juan County Courthouse. Silverton, Colorado." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security ... county and has the smallest population of any in Colorado and this structure must really stand out there. There's some colour ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/30/2020 - 2:08pm -

September 1940. "San Juan County Courthouse. Silverton, Colorado." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Beautiful in SpringIt still stands. It was designed by architect James Murdoch and built in 1908. San Juan is a mountainous county and has the smallest population of any in Colorado and this structure must really stand out there. There's some colour photos I've seen of the mountains behind it in the springtime and it is a lovely place. (The Gallery, Frontier Life, Russell Lee, Small Towns)
Crossing Guard: 1943
... (vicinity). Military sentry stationed at a bridge over the Colorado River along the Santa Fe Railroad between Seligman, Arizona, and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/12/2014 - 5:05pm -

March 1943. "Topock, Arizona (vicinity). Military sentry stationed at a bridge over the Colorado River along the Santa Fe Railroad between Seligman, Arizona, and Needles, California." Photo by Jack Delano. View full size. How in the worldcan you tell this is a shotgun? What software are you using to blow up this picture? [Distinctive profile. -tterrace] He Means BusinessSomething you don't often see in pictures. The guard is armed with a pump shotgun, probably either a Model 1897 or a Model 12. Most often you'll see soldiers on guard duty armed with an M1 or occasionally with M1903. There may have been other guards here armed with rifles to deter saboteurs at a distance, but this guy is ready for close-in defense. Sentry duty shotgunI think the guard is armed with a pump action shotgun. I've read that shotguns were often used on various guard and protection details during the war. Red Rock BridgeThis is Santa Fe's Red Rock Bridge, completed in 1890, and due to be replaced with a new bridge just two years after this photo was made. This then became the US 66 bridge for another 20 years. More here. Hot DutyThe last time I was in Needles, the temerature was 119 degrees. I felt like I was going to die walking between my air conditioned car and the air conditioned gas station. This is not the place where you want to be standing outside in battle fatigues and a steel helmet. This poor soldier may have screwed up somewhere else in order to draw this grueling duty. 6 Rails Across the BridgeWhy 6 rails across the bridge? Gantlet track. There is double track on each side of the bridge, which was built when a single track was sufficient for the traffic on the line. Traffic increased to where it became necessary to double track the line, but as a cost savings the bridge, only wide enough for a single track, was retained. Rather than put switches at each end of the single track segment, the bridge was laid with gantlet track. The two rails of each of the tracks for each direction were merged together about 6" apart. Counting from the left, the first and fifth rails are for trains in the approaching direction. The second and sixth for trains moving away from the photographer (as in, the caboose seen beyond the bridge.) The two center rails are guard rails, as a safety measure common on all bridges in case of derailment. My Two PelletsCall me a scatterhead, but that barrel looks too thin to be a scattergun barrel. In other words, it's hard to gauge but it seems too thin to be a shotgun barrel. AFAIK sentry duty shotguns in WWII were 12 gauge. That barrel looks no bigger than a .410, if that. I think I figured it outIt's a .30 cal. Springfield shotgun. Light And DistanceI'm no expert in photography, but I'd say the reason the barrel looks so thin is because of the effect of light, background and distance on a cylindrical surface. I've seen this before on items much closer. By the way, the barrel has been shortened to 18 to 20 inches, just right for up close shooting. I don't know if this was factory done or done by an armorer in the field. After looking at it more, I'm also not sure it's a Model 12 or a '97. The forearm looks a little fat for those. Could be a Mossberg. [Here's a closeup. -tterrace] Three pumpsI can't find a record of any Mossberg shotgun being used by the US military in WW II, so the choices are: Winchester M1897, Winchester M12, Remington M31 The picture (on screen, at least) is too bad to tell for certain. If I had to guess I'd say it was the 1897. If it's possible to see the receiver and grip on a high quality print, one can tell for certain. The M1897 has an exposed hammer and a flatter, longer grip section than the M12 between the receiver and the top of the stock. The M12 and M31 are easy to tell apart. The Browning Auto 5 was also used, but the weapon in the picture is definitely not one of those. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Fill In the Blanks: 1931
... her involvement with the Order of the Eastern Star (in Colorado, apparently), as hinted by her ring. A search on Ancestry.com ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/20/2013 - 9:03pm -

UPDATE: The photo now has a caption. Signs the president's name. Mrs. Leafie E. Dietz, recently appointed the "Secretary to Sign Land Patents," a position in the Government Land Office which, since its creation under President Arthur, has been held only by women. She signs "Herbert Hoover" to land patents and is the only person who has authority to sign the President's name. Washington circa 1930. The document at hand in this unlabeled Harris & Ewing negative is a form ready for the signature of Herbert Hoover. Perhaps someone versed in bureaucratic history will recognize this lady. View full size. CylindersCould they be for sending messages through a pneumatic tubing system? The Mysterious CylindersThe Land Office probably trafficked in large documents -- maps and such. The cylinders might have to do with storing, transmitting or duplicating them. They look too long to be dictation cylinders or radio batteries. Difficult JobCan you imagine how difficult it must have been for a woman in those days to be part of the White House staff? I love her glasses and her very direct, no nonsense look. There is a small star on her ring. I imagine someone will recognize its significance. I bet those flowers wiltedThe moment she sat next to them. Possible identificationI'm not sure, but I think that might be Ed Wynn. A woman before her time?It looks like she was married and had a successful career, too! Not an Ordinary Worker BeeWell dressed, with a fat engagement/wedding ring combo and what looks like an Order of the Eastern Star ring. Job DescriptionThe document is a form of the General Land Office, predecessor to the Bureau of Land Management; the lady is authorized to sign the President's name as described in a caption accompanying a 1937 Harris & Ewing photo of another lady in what may be the same room: Signs president's name. Washington, D.C., Sept. 8. Affixing the signature "Franklin D. Roosevelt" to land grants and patents, Jeanne [...], 20, is getting a great thrill out of her new [...]h the General Land Office. As "Secretary to the President [...]ning Land Grants and Patents," she is the only [...] authorized to sign the president's signature to documents. She is the youngest person ever appointed to the position. 9/8/37 Cylinders????What are the tall cylindrical objects against the wall? If we could identify them it might give us a clue as to what department she works in. The labels on them are far too out of focus to read. Soil samplesSince this is a land management office, the tubes might well be soil sample cores. Contemporary tubes are a similar size and shape. [The Land Office didn't have anything to do with dirt. - Dave] Pot MarigoldThe flowers appear to be the common calendula officianalis, or the more common name of pot marigold. A popular cut flower back in the day, it has the unusual characteristic of sleeping, or folding up at night time. Much used in present day lotions and fragrances. Re: Cylinders?My first thought, as well, but aren't they awfully long canisters? The required bend radius in the pneumatic lines would be huge! Her name is Leafie E. DietzAfter a fun little search these past couple of hours, I've discovered her identity. It is Leafie E. Dietz, designated by President Hoover in 1931 to sign land patents, by Executive Order 5529. This photograph shows the preparation of a land patent granted to Janie Furr, for 640 acres of land in two sections (8 and 17) in Grant County, New Mexico, dated Jan. 21, 1931. The most exciting part was the hunt! I work in land administration, so I immediately recognized the document as a patent or similar document. I rotated the image and messed with the contrast to try and read the document. I immediately recognized a chunk of the writing as a legal description. At first, I couldn't make out much, but after recognizing the words "New Mexico Meridian" (23rd Meridian) and "six hundred forty acres", I was able to discern the township and range: T16S R15W (or "Township sixteen south of Range fifteen west" as it is written on the patent). From there, I did a simple search of the BLM's land documents using the legal description, which pulled the original patent (fully filled out by that point!) image with matching description! (attached below, original accession # 1043289). Stupidly, I did not look down at the signature block, and attempted to locate the identity of this woman through a search of the congressional registry for 1931. After searching the GLO's employees, as well as the executive office's employees (thanks to the hint from Dave's comment), I was not able to find anything further...until... I took another look at the patent, and voila! How blind could I be?! There, under "Herbert Hoover"'s signature, is the notation "By Leafie E. Dietz, Secretary." It's her! A quick Google search turns up the executive order by Pres. Hoover designating her to sign land patents, and also some results regarding her involvement with the Order of the Eastern Star (in Colorado, apparently), as hinted by her ring. A search on Ancestry.com returns census records, indicating she was born in Iowa about 1878 (making her about 53 in this photo), and the 1920 and 1930 censuses show she lived in Washington, D.C. The 1920 census lists Joseph, Dorothy and John as children (22, 16 and 14 respectively). Interestingly, it also shows George working as a law clerk in the Land Office, but Leafie with no occupation. She must have started the position after the children were grown, perhaps hearing of the opening through her husband. Joseph is listed as a stenographer. Also see the image below of a snippet from the New York Sun, (Jan. 13, 1931, only days before the Shorpy photo above!) highlighting her new post. A fun way to pass a couple of hours! I love research/genealogy (and land records!). I'm glad I found this site!! Wow!Wow, jordannelson, that's an amazing piece of sleuthing. Good thing Mrs. Dietz has long departed this vale of tears, or Mr. Dietz might accuse you of stalking his wife. Petworth Lady Washington Post, May 25, 1954. Mrs. Dietz Dies; Worked at Interior Mrs. Leafie E. Dietz, 78, who put the signatures of two presidents to homestead land grants as part of her job at the Interior Department, died yesterday at the Washington Sanitarium. She lived at 8424 Queen Anne's dr., Silver Spring. After her husband, George C. Dietz, an Interior Department lawyer, died in 1929, Mrs. Dietz was appointed a clerk in the General Land Office of the Interior Department. There she was legally empowered to sign land patents for homesteaders with Presidential signatures. She served under Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Mrs. Dietz, who retired in 1944, moved to Washington in 1918. She was a native of Keokuk, Iowa, and was married in Silver Cliff, Colo., in 1895 during a silver rush there. Active in the the Order of the Eastern Star, she helped found the Joppa Lodge Chapter in Petworth. She was a member of the Petworth Women's Club and the Petworth Methodist church. Surviving are two sons, John E. Dietz of 9143 Sligo Creek parkway, Silver Spring, and Joseph M. Dietz, of Harrisonburg, Va.; one daughter, Mrs. Dorothy Trautman, of 8424 Queen Anne's dr., Silver Spring; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. … (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, The Office)
Good Roads: 1914
... be one of them. 100 years later and here in rural Colorado this is what the road to my house still looks like. The interurban ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/15/2011 - 12:16am -

New Jersey circa 1914. "Good Roads -- a scraper." One manifestation of the "Good Roads" movement, started by bicyclists in the late 19th century and carried on by advocates of the automobile. G.G. Bain Collection glass negative. View full size. Farm ScraperWe had one like it on the farm still made of wood but we put steel wheels from a seeder on it and pulled it with the tractor to maintain our road. Not exactly smooth sailingAnd people today complain about the occasional pothole. Imagine riding down a road like that for hours in a turn-of-the-century automobile. You would have a mouth full of loose teeth. Fresno Scraper"Easily made from the simplest materials". The planks go over the logs (lifted aside to reveal the construction), and the driver stands on top with reins in hand to urge the team forward. A common, and frequent, maintenance task to smooth down the ruts that form on a dirt road. Good road?I'd call that a hard road -- a hard road to make! Is this the infancy of the DOT perhaps? Let's hear it for the cyclists!The Good Roads program was started by bicyclists so let's give them credit for our good roads and stop telling them to get off the street. Innocents At HomeI remember from The Innocents Abroad that when Mark Twain visited Paris, he was extremely impressed with their paved roads (they were covered in the finest "macadam," I think his phrase was). His visit was in 1868 or so. By 1914, there would have been plenty of good roads in the United States, I believe. This just happened not to be one of them. 100 years laterand here in rural Colorado this is what the road to my house still looks like. The interurbanAfter the bicycle, before the automobile, for a brief time there was the interurban electric railway. Paralleling the muddy road is a single-track rail line, lined with wooden poles that support the electric wire to power the interurban cars. After the road is improved, the line will eventually be abandoned. Electric interurbanI'd take odds that the citizens of New Jersey would love to have the Interurban line back with $4 gas and the crowded roadways of 2011. Fresno ScraperThe Fresno Scraper was an iron improvement on the wood scraper developed by James Porteous in 1883 and built by Fresno Agricultural Works. They were so popular that the term "Fresno" was synonymous with scraper. The horse pulled the metal scraper and a strong fellow followed along behind to guide it with a wood handle called a Johnson Bar. He could also be an unlucky fellow as the scoop could catch and the Johnson bar could whack you on the jaw, or worse, on your Johnson! My grandfather leveled a lot of ground with a Fresno and I am happy to say he fathered five children despite the Johnson bar. :) (The Gallery, G.G. Bain)
Grub Rustler: 1939
... hat and the others would be worth a small fortune here in Colorado. And the hot sauce toothpick holder will be instituted here on our ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/04/2018 - 1:10pm -

November 1939. "West Texan at eating house at auction. Stockyards, San Angelo, Texas." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Admin. View full size. Two Happy Truckers!Absolutely enjoying lunch/dinner, and not worried a bit if Hitler will invade Poland or not! $kinsThese two hard-working fellows would be amazed at what their "worn" jackets would bring on the vintage clothing market in just 79 years. I Love My SandwichOh sandwich you are the greatest sandwich I have ever had. I wish I could marry you and keep you around always. I want you to last forever but with every mouthwatering bite you keep getting smaller. I am in a quandary. To bite or not to bite? To just admire your beautiful lines and appealing aroma or to consume you with animal passion? Oh what to do? Oops there goes another bite and another and oh horrors you are gone. What am I to do? I know. I'll ask the waitress for another. Bing CrosbyIncognito. DaaaaaaaaaaangThat ol' boy's been rode hard and put up wet. No HopeJust Crosby. RepurposingI like the use of sundae glasses to hold spoons and napkins. And the hot sauce bottle reused as a toothpick dispenser is a pretty neat idea. Hard-working REAL cowboysThis reminds me of many days I have spent bringing visitors (who wanted to see real working cowboys) to visit the Okla. City Stockyards which I'm sure are similar to those everywhere. The workers who herd the cattle into the auction arenas must get very down and dirty and have to be exhausted after showing dozens of head of cattle on "auction day" and must ignore the, shall we say, sweet smell of success, particularly on hot summer days when the temp. is in the triple digits. These men work their butts off and it can't be easy. Our nearby cafe also has tables and a bar, but this old marble counter is a beauty and the display of depression glass utilitarian wares makes me nostalgic for days of yore. Aches and Pains I noticed an aspirin tin over by his coffee and the hot sauce. Hard working guy probably full of aches and pains. Cafe RorschachTook a minute to figure out that Royal Crown poster in the upper left was just a picture of knees. OMGIt's a BLT! EtiquetteWasn't it customary to remove your hat indoors? [Not in places like this. - Dave] Keeps you regular!The other two posters on the wall next to the "knees" are given away by their clock rounds denoting 10, 2 and 4. Dr. Pepper's sales gimmick at the time was to prevent periodic midday slumps by obtaining a sugar blast at 10 am, 2 pm and 4 pm. All HatThat hat and the others would be worth a small fortune here in Colorado. And the hot sauce toothpick holder will be instituted here on our table. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Russell Lee)
C. City City Hall: 1942
... an old mining town in the mountainous region of Central Colorado." Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/15/2022 - 11:54am -

May 1942. "Central City, an old mining town in the mountainous region of Central Colorado." Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pretty much all intactExcept that Central City is a bunch of casinos now. Only the SECOND most important civic buildingfor an aging "ghost town" like CC; the most important being a firehouse: for half-deserted and closely-built towns such as this, burning was the biggest danger (or a very close second to obsolescence). Unchanged Yet Completely DifferentToday Central City looks almost identical to its appearance in this photo except for one key element. Gambling was voted in in the '80s, and today most of the buildings in town have been gutted and turned into one continuous casino space inside. It's a sad example of how a town can die from too little money - or too much. Pole Town?It's amazing that those decidedly odd light poles at the entrance to the Teller Hotel have survived all these years later, although the further one in the 1942 Picture is missing it's globe. +70Below is the same view from October of 2012. Casinos or mines?Ya gotta mine something, might as well be tourist pockets, right? (The Gallery, John Vachon, Small Towns)
Farm to Table: 1939
October 1939. Greeley, Colorado. "Mrs. Milton Robinson, wife of Farm Security Administration borrower, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/27/2017 - 10:44am -

October 1939. Greeley, Colorado. "Mrs. Milton Robinson, wife of Farm Security Administration borrower, in the kitchen of her farm home." Medium format nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the FSA. View full size. Looks familiarMy grandmother (mother's mother) had chickens, and my mom (born in 1919) used to tell me about the first time, as a child, she was sent out by Granny to kill a chicken. Her attempt to wring its neck failed, after which the prospective dinner chased her around the chicken yard. You know it's freshThis could be my immigrant grandmother. You got a live bird and would wring its neck, pluck it, take out the innards and into the pot it goes for dinner. This is real farm to table. Just like Grandma used to doThis takes me back to when I was 11 or 12 and "Nan", as we called her, would take the chicken she just killed from the coop at the back of the house and do this. You know I was fascinated with the dexterity and expertise that she used to wash, pluck and cook the bird. But I have to tell you , this lady looks just like her. Excuse while I wipe away a small wet space close to my eyes. Re-thinking McNuggetsSometimes I forget that my Chicken McNuggets start with an actual bird. Thanks for the reminder. HungryThis makes me hungry. You just know that Mrs. Robinson knew how to cook up a proper bird. Cluck cluckThis reminds me of the annual trip over to my grandparents to kill and butcher chickens on an industrial scale. My grandfather and grandmother would behead the bird; after it stopped flopping around, it was dipped in boiling water to loosen the feathers. Then it was out behind the shed with my grandfather to pluck the carcasses. Mounds of feathers blew around in the Kansas wind. Then the plucked birds went to the kitchen, where my grandmother and mother cut them up and wrapped them in paper. Finally, we went home and put our share in the freezer. Then we ate chicken until I was sick of it. Drumstick anybody?This lady looks like she knows her way around the chicken coop. feathersNothing will plug up a sink drain like a few handfuls of feathers. How cute, she's giving her pet chicken a bath!Oh wait - no she isn't. Those were the daysReminds me of when my sister and I would visit our grandparents on their big farm out in the flat lands of SW Oklahoma. The highlight of the trip would be to watch the macabre dance of the unfortunate headless hen that grandma had selected for our dinner. One time, there were so many guests for dinner that she beheaded two of them at the same time! What a mesmerizing sight to see them flopping around and even bouncing into each other in their finals throes. An unforgettable sight when you're 5 or 6 years old! Funny now to think back when I was a USDA poultry inspector in Arkansas for a couple of years. And where did we go for lunch more often than not? Why, KFC, of course! (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Kitchens etc.)
No Horseplay: 1923
... slide at the hot springs pool in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. As a child in the 70's who could hardly swim, I made the regrettable ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 12:01pm -

June 26, 1923. Back at the Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Taken a year after the pool's opening in 1922, this photo shows the addition of a slide. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. That slide is really steepI imagine coming down that slide would be quite a rush. It really reminds me of the (long-gone) slide at the hot springs pool in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. As a child in the 70's who could hardly swim, I made the regrettable decision to try it out with the big kids and grownups. It shot me straight into the middle of the pool, in all of my arm-thrashing, snotty-nosed, "Daddy, help! Come save me!" glory. So embarrassing looking back on it now. Stay FocusedRight hand side of the picture, almost half way up. Is that boy really wearing glasses while swimming? Unfair!As a child in the 1940's I always wondered why girls were required to wear bathing caps in pools, while boys never were. And many of us had hair pretty much the same length. Sometime in the 60's (I think) bathing caps were no longer required. SpecsThat kid on the right looks like he has his ordinary glasses on. Either that or swimming goggles were invented a lot earlier than I suspected. Spectacular SwimmerI wear my glasses in the pool. And am fortunate to live in a time when swimsuits are no longer made of 100 percent wool. TopsWell, good, I'm relieved to see we're on the topic of recreational aquatic attire, because I was wanting to ask what men's tops were supposed to be covering in this era. Why were they worn? And were the tops age-specific, like did the youngest boys go topless but older boys on up wore tops? Or was it more of a cultural thing — city males wore them, country males didn't? It just seems like an odd accessory given what I perceive as the acceptance of skinny-dipping in rural swimming holes in this general time frame. (Sure, I could go to Google for answers to these questions, but I trust Shorpy readers more.) [Men's tops were de rigueur at Washington's coed pools and bathing beaches in the 1920s. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Sports, Swimming)
Pike's Peak: 1901
Colorado circa 1901. "Station and hotel, summit of Pike's Peak." 8x10 inch ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 3:07pm -

Colorado circa 1901. "Station and hotel, summit of Pike's Peak." 8x10 inch glass transparency, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Isn't it amazingthat the Pikes Peak summit station and hotel were built only 110 years ago? That is so relatively recent in the exploration and history of the U.S. I like the three "Mary Poppins" dressed ladies who seem out of place in a rough and unfinished construction zone. I bet they're looking for the Ladies Room. This is a unique photo, very interesting. Pikes Peak in colorAn example of the Photochrom prints that were made from these glass negatives. They were used for postcards and also for larger artwork that you might hang in your parlor. Click to enlarge. +106Below is the same view from June of 2007. Photo opCheck out the "other" photographer reclining and reading next to his camera/tripod setup. SerendipityThis photo appeared on the same day I first found this site devoted to the PP Cog Railway on a family newsletter from folks who live nearby in CO. It has some videos and a pair of web cams. Awesome!!!!Dave: this "stone-by-stone" colorized version is definitely one of the best I've seen on Shorpy. Some piece of work you did here. Thanks and congrats, pal! [I didn't colorize it. As noted below, the image is a Photochrom print. - Dave] (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
Barrel of Monkeys
... front steps of the family home on Curtis Street in Denver, Colorado, 1980 by James Arroyo. These children are descendants from the original Hispanic settlers in Colorado and New Mexico. View full size. Smiley! Look at all of ... 
 
Posted by SanLuis - 12/26/2011 - 8:29am -

Many of the Arroyo grandchildren taken on the front steps of the family home on Curtis Street in Denver, Colorado, 1980 by James Arroyo. These children are descendants from the original Hispanic settlers in Colorado and New Mexico. View full size. Smiley!Look at all of those happy faces! I am hispanic and this picture looks like it could come from my family album! My cousins all were happy and a bit goofy like the kid in the back! I am surprised there isn't a pair of bunny ears in the bunch! And isn't it nice NOT to see a gameboy or cellphone texter in the picture? You just know they were/are playing outside all day! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Polaroid Portrait
... on the step of the family home on Curtis Street, Denver, Colorado. Mary Ann's family is originally from Antonito, Colorado and Truchas, New Mexico. View full size. Correction That ... 
 
Posted by SanLuis - 01/22/2012 - 9:49pm -

Mary Ann Arroyo, 1978, taken by son James Arroyo on the step of the family home on Curtis Street, Denver, Colorado. Mary Ann's family is originally from Antonito, Colorado and Truchas, New Mexico. View full size. CorrectionThat should be Truchas NM. [Done. You can edit your submissions by clicking the "Edit" tab above the photo.] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
The Grill Room: 1912
... The Overlook When I look at this, all I can see is the Colorado Lounge. Poached eggs, rarebit, and coffee The Edelweiss Cafe ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 7:12pm -

Detroit circa 1912. "Edelweiss Cafe -- The Grill Room." There may be a slight wait. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The OverlookWhen I look at this, all I can see is the Colorado Lounge. Poached eggs, rarebit, and coffeeThe Edelweiss Cafe was previously seen in this exterior shot. The interior picture could have been taken this morning. As strange as every aspect of life in 1910 would seem to us today, I think restaurants would be the one place the average modern person would see little difference, allowing for the prices and a few out of fashion foods like sardine sandwiches. I was hoping to find a menu, but the only old article I could find is behind a Detroit Free Press paywall. Looks like the owner was planning some civil disobedience. CAFE OWNERS PLAN TEST OF DANCE EDICT Mar 10, 1914: Determined to test the right of the police department to order dancing stopped in cafes. Manager Charles Glaser, of the Edelweiss cafe, will ignore the police order of Saturday night. HVACI wonder if those 4 wall mounted oscillating fans really solved their hot weather problems? Optional"Would you like a regular table or the deluxe option that includes silverware?" I'd like a booth, pleaseHow about a table for five? Hardly my concept of a "cafe." The extensive linen creates an elegant atmosphere, but must have been an expensive operating cost. The chairs don't look comfortable. Dancing in cafes is the least of Detroit's problems today. When one sees such a genteel scene, one is left to wonder if we are progressing as a culture. Fans and their fernsThere are two fans in the "middle" of the room near the tops of their columns. Each fan is partially blocked by ferns. I know I didn't see them at first. What was the address?Does anyone know the exact address? (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Eateries & Bars)
Welcome to Denver: 1908
... for a view of the arch from the depot. Denver, Colorado, circa 1908. "Welcome arch and Union Depot." Where blurry pedestrians ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/17/2014 - 9:35am -

        Click here for a view of the arch from the depot. Denver, Colorado, circa 1908. "Welcome arch and Union Depot." Where blurry pedestrians risk the retoucher's brush. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Because ...that's much less noticeable than a blurred pedestrian, right? +104Below is the same view from July of 2012. SuperheroI think that might be the Human Torch crossing the street there. My kind of place !The Oxford Hotel looks like my kind of place. Cigars on one side, bar and restaurant on the other and a nice group of chairs in the middle! Time to sit down and have a smoke! Photo RetouchingBy the time this photo was taken in 1908, the airbrush had been around for nearly a decade. It's level of sophistication and ease of operation may not have been quite on par with modern machines, but would have definitely done a better retouching job on the blurred pedestrian than this feeble attempt done by a regular brush. From someone who did his share of photo retouching the old school way with an airbrush, retouch grays, and frisket paper, let me tell you that I love PhotoShop immensely. [The actual "retouching" would be done while preparing the lithograph printing stones, in effect repainting the area. My guess is that the scratching out of the pedestrian was a method of calling attention to the necessity of doing so. -tterrace] Right you are! My remarks would only pertain to photographic print retouching. Thanks! Modern advertising skillsThe Depot Drug Store's slogan, painted on the side of the building, is "Come In and Wait". I'm not sure that kind of slogan would work today. Welcome ArchShortly after this photo was taken, this side of the arch was changed to "Mizpah" - Hebrew for "God watch over you while we are apart" - after some citizens pointed out that "Welcome" didn't make sense for people passing under as they departed. "Welcome" remained on the arrival side until the arch was declared a traffic hazard and removed in 1931. The central portion of the depot lost its tower when it was rebuilt in Romanesque style in 1914 WhenWas the Arch installed and by whom? (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Paonia High School: 1926
The 1926 Paonia, Colorado high school girls basketball team. My grandmother is 4th from the ... who was the only junior that season. They were the western Colorado girls champions that year. Grandma died just last year (2010) at the ... 
 
Posted by fred58 - 09/14/2011 - 10:46am -

The 1926 Paonia, Colorado high school girls basketball team. My grandmother is 4th from the right - "Humphry" - and they're all seniors except for Miss Watson (far left) who was the only junior that season. They were the western Colorado girls champions that year. Grandma died just last year (2010) at the age of 101. She out-survived the entire class and virtually all of her peers for sure, and she didn't play competitive basketball after high school. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Cafe Ginza: 1941
... years of internees at the Granada relocation center in Colorado. Poster on the Left The poster on the left is for "Niji tatsu ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/07/2012 - 3:19pm -

San Francisco on Dec. 8, 1941. "Japanese restaurant, Monday morning after the attack on Pearl Harbor." Empires may crumble and Reichs turn to dust, but the Coca-Cola Company endures. Photo by John Collier. View full size. Dark days aheadSadly, within a year most of the business owners on this street would find themselves shipped off to relocation camps in the worst assault on civil liberties in the 20th century. USO supportAll of the signage is written in pre-reform style, with non-simplified characters (Japan simplified some characters after the war in 1946, though not nearly as many as mainland China did - today there are characters with three forms: the original, the PRC simplified form, and the Japan form) and with horizontal writing going from right to left. Modern Japanese horizontal writing goes from left to right (like English). The two posters are obviously movie posters. Dr. Kahn Uyeyama (that's a common old spelling for what more modern people probably would write "Kan Ueyama") has a normal Japanese translation of his sign but also in Japanese pronunciation characters a "dokutoru obu medeshin". The sign tacked to the bottom of the movie poster on the right says "December 6 and 7, both nights. Buddhist Community Hall sponsored, USO support event." So yeah. EyecatcherThat Coke bottle balanced on the signpost really gets your attention! Smart advertising. Nisei NeonGreat early birthday presents to me to peer back into everyday American streets (in "Cafe Ginza" and "War News") on fateful December 8, 1941, the day exactly five years before I was born. If the Cafe Ginza's (presumably) Japanese-American proprietors were evicted and relocated during the fifth-column paranoias of 1942, I hope somebody at least rescued their neon sign, as it's fantastic. And the movie posters somehow look much later than 1941, maybe because the characters' traditionally-Japanese clothing takes away the usual Western-fashion clues we use to date such images. Japantown (Nihonmachi)By 1976, this area had been rebuilt with the Peace Plaza and Peace Pagoda, and the stretch of Buchanan Street in the 1941 photo was turned into a pedestrian mall. In the Street View below, the Cafe Ginza would be about mid-way up the block, on the right (it's long gone, of course, along with the Bo-Chow Hotel and the Eagle Bakery & Restaurant - this document shows how the area has changed over the years). Street View today (as close as you can get): View Larger Map Really, the worst assault of the entire century?Worse than Hitler? Worse than Stalin? Worse than the rape of Nanking? Worse than Mao? Worse than PolPot? Stick to photography. Re: Poster on the LeftThe large picture poster on the left is for "Fujigawa no chikemuri" (1939; title means something like "Blood Spray at the Fuji River"), directed by Shichinosuke Oshimoto and starring Hideo Otani et al. The one to the right has the title in romanization (1940; Ōoka seidan tōrima), directed by Norihiko Nishina and starring Utaemon Ichikawa. Dr. Uyeyama's unfortunate neighborsThe restaurateurs who lived above the Cafe Ginza in 1940 likely ended up in internment camps. According to the 1940 census, the residents at that address were Yaneo (age 39) and Shizuko (age 34) Shimizu, identified as the proprietor and manager of a restaurant. Their names and ages match the names and birth years of internees in the Manzanar and Heart Mountain relocation centers listed in the Department of Justice's database of War Relocation Authority information. Dr. Uyeyama's other neighbors, longtime dentist Masuichi Higaki and his family, match the names and birth years of internees at the Granada relocation center in Colorado. Poster on the LeftThe poster on the left is for "Niji tatsu oka", which was released in 1938. It's advertised as a "Toho All Talkie." Even in the late 1930's about one-third of the films produced in Japan were silent. Since I don't read Japanese I can't offer anything on the other poster. The English letters at the top apparently don't refer to its title. Dr. Uyeyama's familyI can find no information about whether or where Dr. Kahn Uyeyama and his family were interned during the war, but I did find that Dr. Uyeyama, a 1934 graduate and clinical faculty member at UC-San Francisco, left the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel in 1947. Census records from 1940 reflect that Dr. Uyeyama and his family (of 1735 Buchanan Street) were all born in the U.S., and included a four-year old son named Terry. Other military records tell of a U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Terry Uyeyama, born in San Francisco, who would have been four when that census was taken. He was interned - by the North Vietnamese as a POW from 1968 to 1973. His honors include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, Silver Star, and Prisoner of War Medal. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, John Collier, San Francisco, WW2)
Woodman Home: 1919
... were sanatoriums (tuberculosis hospitals). Woodman Home in Colorado Springs, Colorado was one of those. She does not say who the four women posed in the ... 
 
Posted by aenthal - 07/01/2016 - 8:58pm -

High school student Christine Bader assembled a photo scrapbook from 1919 through her graduation in 1921. In it she pasted pictures of her friends, family, and places she visited. I bought her scrapbook at an ephemera show in Pasadena, California. Some of the places she visited were sanatoriums (tuberculosis hospitals). Woodman Home in Colorado Springs, Colorado was one of those. She does not say who the four women posed in the gateway were. The hospital was set up by the printer's union to handle both tuberculosis and black lung disease in printers, which was caused when they breathed in the carbon-based inks of the era. View full size. Still thereAmazingly, the Union Printers' Home is still there and functioning as a nursing home, although no longer run by the Union. The grounds and the buildings themselves haven't' changed much. They, like many buildings in the Springs and Denver (including many sidewalks in Denver's older neighborhoods), were built with Lyons sandstone, which was quarried nearby. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Human Roulette: 1908
... I puked Probably 1941 at an amusement park in Denver Colorado, I got in the center and was the last one off. No Human Pool ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/25/2014 - 8:16pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1908. "Atlantic City bathing beach and Steeplechase Pier." Who out there can fill us in on "Human Roulette" and "Human Niagara"? 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Human roulette wheelSee The Street Railway Journal, Volume 31, pg 132: Human Niagara in legal termsFrom New Jersey Law Reports, 1914: The plaintiff was injured while riding upon an amusement device known as "Human Niagara Falls," maintained and operated by the defendant company upon the Steeplechase Pier in Atlantic City. The Steeplechase Pier is an amusement resort upon which is maintained and operated a number of mechanical contrivances for the use and amusement of its patrons. There were displayed all about signs reading "All amusements at your own risk." Several of these devices were maintained for the purpose of allowing patrons to take rides or slides of a more or less thrilling nature, and the "Human Niagara Falls" was a structure of this character. Patrons of the pier were charged a fee of twenty-five cents upon entering, and this entitled them, if they chose to put themselves in a position of obvious danger, to the use of all the devices plainly designed to produce unusual excitement and sensations. The plaintiff paid the entrance fee on the day of the accident, and thus became entitled to all the rights and privileges of patrons of the pier. The "Human Niagara Falls" consisted of an incline upon which was fastened a series of rollers, about eighteen in number. The rollers were about seven feet wide by eighteen inches in diameter. Persons using the device seated themselves upon the topmost roller of the incline and were then propelled by the force of gravity, over the rollers, to the bottom. The weight of the person passing over them caused the rollers to revolve. There was a space of from three-sixteenths to one-quarter of an inch left between the rollers for clearance so that they would revolve without touching. At the trial the plaintiff's version of the accident was that, having chosen to ride on the "Human Niagara Falls," when she reached about the fourth or fifth roller on the way down, her heel caught between the rollers and she was twisted around, thrown forward head foremost, and bumped over every roller to the bottom, and was thus injured. We are of opinion that the direction of a verdict for the defendant was justified. Wheeee! Ouch.Human Roulette was an amusement park ride where one sat on a giant wheel and tried to hang on as it spun faster and faster. If you could stay on the center you had a better chance of staying in place longer. The losers got flung to the sides by centrifugal force. This ride looks more dangerous than fun to the modern viewer. Give me a 450 foot tall roller coaster any day. Loose Extra from the Walking DeadSeems to be approaching the woman sitting at the waterline. I Rode One as a KidThe Excelsior Amusement Park in Excelsior, MN had a fun house that included the Human Roulette Wheel. By the time I went there in the mid-sixties and early seventies, it was always a crap shoot as to which of the fun house attractions would actually be working, but I remember the one time I rode the Human Roulette Wheel. I think it was pure luck, but I was very near the center, and my palms had just enough sweat on them to provide some extra gripping power. I didn't spin off, and the guy finally shut it down. Good times! Rolly SlideA park near my home has a Human Niagara, but we call it Rolly Slide. It's just a slide with the equivalent of rolling pins tightly packed together, and it's quite amusing to slide down. Google for "roller slide" to see photos and videos. Well informed people visit ShorpyI knew what Human Roulette is but Human Niagara was a new one on me. Thank you! Social MixerThe Clara Bow classic "It" has a scene with a Human Roulette wheel in action, billed as the "Social Mixer." She and her not-quite-beau also ride a long, wavy slide, though I don't recall it having rollers. Given the fashions of the late 1920s, those who paid admission to watch the roulette wheel (as noted in the article jwp quoted) would get rather more for their money than patrons of 1908. And since "It" is of course a pre-Code movie, there is also rather a lot of Clara to be seen. I pukedProbably 1941 at an amusement park in Denver Colorado, I got in the center and was the last one off. No Human Pool Table?Coney Island's Steeplechase had one, along with the Roulette Wheel and a large wooden slide.(I don't recall rollers.) The ride began with a spiral slide down an enclosed tube. Then the rider was ejected onto a polished floor with several flush-mounted 24"-36" rotating discs. After being violently tossed around at random, the victim was thrown into a padded gutter around the edge. As a ten-year-old, I never mustered the courage to ride it. The floor looked fun, but the dark slide scared me. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
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