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Diamond T: 1920
... growing up in the East, my father ran an old sea coast hotel in King's Lynn (Norfolk) for one of the breweries. When the men ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/24/2014 - 8:21pm -

San Francisco, 1920. "Diamond T truck -- DeLand & Son Draymen." Draymen and drayage being haulage-related terms that eventually became as extinct as the Diamond T. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Without fixed sidesAnother aspect in the definition of dray is a cart without fixed sides, as illustrated in our current photo. Drays.Dray and Draymen are still in common usage in England to describe specifically beer deliveries to pubs and bars. But I've never heard of 'drayage' before. Not quite dead yet"Drayage" survives! At least in exhibition halls and trade show venues, where the cost of having forty packing crates conveyed from a loading dock to a trade show booth site might just eclipse the value of the display materials themselves. In modern times, the term "drayage" connotes a mashup of operational logistics, fork lifts, and an occupational fervor reminiscent of medieval guilds. It's nice to remember the word, but you'd really better remember to allocate a big pile of cash for drayage. TeamsterDraymen maybe extinct, but the term teamster is alive even though teams of horses were on there way out in 1920. In horse drawn parlance a dray had the rear wheels no higher than the deck of the body; a wagon with rear wheels that extended above the deck was called a truck.(simplified explanation) DrayageDrayage as a term is not extinct yet! Here in SC, we have Smith Dray Line http://www.smithdray.com/ . Moving and storing since 1888! Not that anyone would ever suggest SC is mired in the past or anything.... Last MileGranted, the term may be extinct, but draymen and drayage are here to stay. Drayage hauling is one of the most critical components of the global economy's intermodal transportation system. Goods crisscross the globe by rail and ocean freight faster and cheaper per ton than ever before, but still must get from the rail yard or port to customers. This "last mile" of delivery is still done by truck, though Diamond Ts are hard to find. All of those brown trucks and red-white-blue trucks delivering Amazon, Zappos, and sexynighties.com packages are draymen. The packages arrive by air and make their "last mile" in an panel truck operated by an independent contractor, though the transportation unions would prefer employment. Check out www.drayage.com My great-great grandfather ran a drayage company by covered wagon from the rail yards to rural customers in Comanche County, TX. He died of pneumonia in his wagon on the banks of the Brazos River in the rain waiting for the flooding river to subside so he could ford it. More Inventions NeededSomeone needs to invent a forklift. Those crates look very heavy even if they were empty. This truck has solid rubber tires. The cargo and driver have to endure a bone shattering ride. UK ExtinctionBritish English near equivalents for extinction are 'carrier', 'carter' & 'haulier'. Drayage Historical Turning PointDrayage got a lot easier when they started using wheels. That didn't affect the term, however. [A dray is a cart or wagon, so presumably they've always had wheels. - Dave] I knew a Drayman onceAs a youth in England growing up in the East, my father ran an old sea coast hotel in King's Lynn (Norfolk) for one of the breweries. When the men delivered the beer barrels and such, my dad referred to them as Draymen. That was back in the early 70's. Dray definitionAccording to the Oxford English Dictionary a dray was originally a sled and later the term became applied to the low heavy wagons with wheels particularly used by brewers. The lap of luxuryRoof, tilting "wiggly" glass windshield, padded seat & backrest, leaf springs with maybe a half inch of travel. The life of the drayman. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Larry's Beer Garden: 1934
... It was featured in Joseph Mitchell's "Up in the Old Hotel." To the left (slightly darker) was Sloppy Louie's. Just to the right was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 1:59pm -

April 20, 1934. "New York. Fulton Market pier, view to Manhattan over East River." 4x5 inch nitrate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. South StreetAny idea of where that Manhattan neighborhood was? The buildings along the waterfront look like South Street, near Fulton or Peck Slip. I'll bet you could buy a cold Rhinegold, Trommer's, Ruppert, Schaeffer, Rupson & Horman, or even a Ballantine at Larry's. Strong manI don't believe I would want to tangle with the guy on the boat. Look at those thick wrists and forearms, likely from years of hard work. On the Waterfront"I coulda been a contender ... now I'm just a bum who gets blotto every night at Larry's Beer Garden." I knew guys like this, they worked very hard and had hearts of gold, would give the shirts off their backs, not at all the thugs fiction would have you believe, at least not the ones from the mid-20th century. Today's longshoremen might be a different story as I am out of the loop. A wonderful photo. Naturally"Larry's," like Duffy's Tavern, would be where "the elite meet" to share tales of the sea and Wall Street wizardry over a stein of beer. Seems logical, just a step away from the docks and near the City canyons. Great photo. Primo locationLarry's must've done a booming business with longshoremen coming in every day after work. I wish there was a tavern in the lobby of my office building, but then I'd probably never go home. Gloucester SchoonerHas no one recognized the classic lines of the fishing schooner alongside the pier at bottom left? Visible are 2 nested dories on the starboard side, the tackles used to launch them immediately forward and aft, respectively, of the shrouds of the masts, the curved molding at the rail that marks the "great beam" where the deck stepped up to provide more room in the officers' cabin, and what's even more unusual, a power "donkey" winch in the little house amidships alongside the dories. This winch would have been powered by a gas or diesel engine. The ship might or might not have had a main propulsion engine; if she had it, it would have been used only in calms or to get in or out of harbor. Most of these schooners were built in Essex, Mass, by a handful of specialist yards, one of which was still in business when I visited the town in the 1970's. Almost all were homeported in Gloucester, Mass, and I wasn't aware they routinely traded into New York. Their main catch was cod, which was cleaned and salted on board. Some halibut and a few other species were also caught. The fishermen used longlines -- lines more than 1000 feet long with hundreds of hooks that all had to be baited separately -- that were set and recovered from the small dories shown, with one or two men to a dory, while the captain and cook managed the ship. This was one of the toughest ways of fishing, as it went on even in winter. The schooners were of highly refined design because the first back to port got a premium price for its catch, and very seaworthy because of the extreme northern fishing grounds off Newfoundland. (There were also a large number of similar schooners under the Canadian flag, most sailing out of Nova Scotian ports such as Lunenberg). In the 1920's and 30's, many replicas of them were built on a smaller scale for use as yachts. I spent a week on one of these replicas in 1969 so I can testify first hand to their superb sailing and seaworthy qualities. Grand BanksThe schooner appears to be a Grand Banks fishing boat, the dorys would be lowered over the side and set adrift with a fisherman aboard. Hopefully when the boat was full of fish the schooner would come back and find the fisherman. South and Fulton.This is taken on Pier 17, where Fulton Street ends at South Street along the East River. The corner building is at the end of Schermerhorn Row (1810). It was featured in Joseph Mitchell's "Up in the Old Hotel." To the left (slightly darker) was Sloppy Louie's. Just to the right was the Fulton Fish Market, and a few blocks farther, the Brooklyn Bridge. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
The Club: 1916
Circa 1916. "Detroit Athletic Club from the Plaza Hotel." Evidently something of a motorcar magnet. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit ... made their deals in the bar in the Pontchartrain Hotel , where the tables in the "barroom were occupied with men so intent on ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/14/2014 - 12:25pm -

Circa 1916. "Detroit Athletic Club from the Plaza Hotel." Evidently something of a motorcar magnet. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. DAC magazineContributors to the DAC monthly magazine in days of yore included Robert Benchley and James Thurber. I miss my days as a DAC member - great work-out facilities and superb cuisine in the dining areas. Also, not only does membership include parking for Lions and Tigers games, but you get a fairly decent view of Comerica Park from the upper floors of the parking garage. It's a storm drain@Zoreo, I disagree. I think that "behind the couple just stepping off the curve" is a storm sewer catchbasin. Note the square cement panel is similar to one directly across the street without a hydrant. Also visible is the sewer inlet drain in the gutter. Still fit as a fiddle!In fine shape after all these years: View Larger Map Never too many Hydrants!If you are a dog or an insurance underwriter! Seriously, many intersections in high-value areas had a hydrant on each corner. The "stubby" hydrant looks to me like a high-pressure hydrant, part of a separate system that supplied high-pressure water capable of supplying a heavy stream as high as 15-20 stories without a pumper. Where's the fire?Four hydrants at one intersection. It is Motown.One benefit of DAC membership is secure free parking, including parking for Lions and Tigers games. ChangeNobody locks their car. No hydrant standardizationWhen were hose connections on hydrants standardized as a result of a major Baltimore fire? Fire departments from outside Baltimore discovered that they couldn't connect their hoses to city hydrants. That could explain why there were multiple hydrants so close together in the Detroit picture. Five fire hydrants?Actually, Jimmy, I think there are five fire hydrants- I think there is one behind the couple just stepping off the curve at the top corner and the corner on the right has two. What were they expecting? Detroit Automobile ClubThe early auto pioneers made their deals in the bar in the Pontchartrain Hotel, where the tables in the "barroom were occupied with men so intent on studying blueprints spread out before them that they paid little heed to the drinks at their elbows." As they prospered, they decided to "organize a club to get them out of the saloons of Woodward Avenue." They took over the sleepy Detroit Athletic Club (founded in 1887), built the building shown in 1915, and invited in anyone important to the auto industry. There were so many that the publisher of it's club magazine made $50K a year in the 1920's, all from advertising revenue. There are many stories of the club's founding in the first chapter of Malcolm Bingay's book Detroit Is My Own Hometown. Not a hydrantFWIW, I think that the concrete slab behind the two people is a manhole cover for access to the street storm drain. Similar manhole covers can be found at two of the three other corners of the intersection. The Detroit Athletic Club is the most prominent building when looking out over the left field wall at Comerica Park where the Detroit Tigers play. Thanks to archfan for the link to "Detroit Is My Home Town". I delivered the Detroit Free Press in the late 1960's but never knew the history behind Iffy the Dopester. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC)
Allyn House: 1908
... Historical Society , the Allyn house was the finest hotel in Hartford when constructed in 1857. It was designed by Octavius J. ... with the rug shop, seems to overlap the front wall of the hotel proper. I wonder if that structure was part of the hotel. Probably not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/06/2012 - 5:55am -

Circa 1908. "Allyn House, Hartford, Conn." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Allyn HouseAccording to the Connecticut Historical Society, the Allyn house was the finest hotel in Hartford when constructed in 1857. It was designed by Octavius J. Jordan and was located near the railroad station. It was demolished in 1960. Someone is slacking offI see the street sweepers broom, but no sign of the street sweeper. Think he snuck into the drug store for a cream soda? He better get finished- there is work for him out on the street. And it may be a coincidence, but the broom is right near the storm drain- they didn't just sweep the 'debris' into the storm drain did they? Interesting DetailThe building, to the right with the rug shop, seems to overlap the front wall of the hotel proper. I wonder if that structure was part of the hotel. Probably not as the floors don't seem to line up correctly. Curious. Or built later? A good question for a Surveyor. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC)
Gilded Age: 1905
... at 57th Street, looking toward Vanderbilt House, Plaza Hotel and entrance to Central Park." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/24/2016 - 3:39pm -

New York circa 1905. "Fifth Avenue at 57th Street, looking toward Vanderbilt House, Plaza Hotel and entrance to Central Park." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. 3/4 " G1SThe south entrance of the building at 58th street looks to be temporarily plywooded over. I didn't think it was available then . But it was developed in England in the 1860s and was common by the turn of the century . The 4 x 8 sheets standard today were not produced until 1928 . 1928 was also the year that this building and the 2 past it were replaced by the Bergdorf Goodman building. Gates.Wonderful photo but what's with all the gates surrounding the buildings? Does anyone know? [You mean the fences? -tterrace] Sorry, correct. +107Below is the same view from April of 2012. Summer board'emBy the time of the picture, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, had been dead for six years. His widow Alice still lived in the house, but no longer entertained. The boards might be up because she no longer needed the grand entrance for parties. Also, since it's summertime, she was probably out at her other house, the Breakers in Newport, and had shut this house down for the summer - although boarding up the doors seems excessive. Tick ... tick ... tickAnd here we are, on the cusp! By the time of this photo, with the center of New York commerce moving inexorably uptown and steel-framed skyscrapers beginning their proliferation, the land on which these magnificent buildings stood was already more valuable for commercial purposes than for residential. The generation that built these mansions usually stuck it out, but when they passed from the scene and multiple beneficiaries inherited, expediency demanded liquidation. Concomitantly, and especially after World War I relaxed social divisions and occupational constraints, the availability of cheap staff to maintain such homes dwindled. While technological advances partially compensated for that social trend ("Look Cedric, I made toast!"), it nevertheless soon eventuated that only the richest of the rich could afford the huge staffs necessary to clean, maintain, and make comfortable such ostentatious lodgings. While one certainly rues the loss of such architecture, it's worth considering that the economic and social trends that caused that loss are also the reason that more of us are not now scrubbing pots in some basement scullery. And the fences (with their gates) are for what fences are always: to exclude those who do not belong (non-members of the Four Hundred) or, in other cases not depicted here, to keep those deprived of their liberty in. Modern ClothingMaybe my tired old eyes are deceiving me but it looks to me as if the woman standing in the street with the cart is wearing a skirt whose length is more appropriate for a later era. Maybe she's the 1905 version of a 1920's flapper. [She and the chap both appear to be youngsters, which would make her skirt length appropriate for the time. -tterrace] Thanks for the clarification, tterrace. Re: Modern ClothingGranted, the female in question is a young girl, but we still do see the occasional Shorpy picture from the 1900s where obviously mature women are wearing short(er) skirts. For instance, the two women on the right, here: https://www.shorpy.com/node/7880?size=_original#caption It looks like hem length was more a matter of style and use than modesty; how else to explain the absolute ease with which women of the era wore bathing dress? Fences/Gates Relocated http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2010/06/vanderbilt-gates.html (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Pennsy Parthenon: 1909
... size. Hold your Horses While I was working in the Hotel Pennsylvania (where that hole is in the foreground) a few years ago, I ... bulk of the construction material for the Station, and the hotel, were brought there by horse and wagon. Now look at the size of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/31/2017 - 4:54pm -

Manhattan circa 1909. "New Pennsylvania Station, New York, N.Y." The Beaux-Arts behemoth whose demolition in 1963 lit a fire under the nation's armchair architects. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Hold your HorsesWhile I was working in the Hotel Pennsylvania (where that hole is in the foreground) a few years ago, I realized that the bulk of the construction material for the Station, and the hotel, were brought there by horse and wagon. Now look at the size of the building materials. Did you know?That it took about nine years to build the station. It was completed about a year after this picture was taken. The building itself covers about 8 acres and is about 1150 ft. tall. When the station was demolished in 1963, only the above ground portion was torn down. The train tracks and lower platforms still exist. This is now the site of Madison Square Garden and the Penn Hotel. [Over a thousand feet tall? I definitely did not know that. - Dave] The size of itThe size and scale of the building becomes really apparent when compared to the men working on the roof. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Railroads)
Bull Street: 1901
... can see the spires of the (I think) the Oglethorpe House Hotel where Robert E. Lee and other Confederate dignitaries stayed while in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 10:21pm -

Savannah, Georgia, circa 1901. "Bull Street." Glass negative by William Henry Jackson, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. BS is interestingI believe this is the first segmented street I have seen. Obscured by growthEach of the spires, steeples, and towers visible in this photograph is still standing, as are a number of the other buildings. Fortunately for the city, but unfortunately for Google Street View tourists, so are most of the trees, which have grown so thick that it's hard to see much of the architecture from ground-level. That, coupled with the position of the sun when Google's van made its appointed rounds, makes the Street View tour somewhat disappointing. If you're game to go looking, though, there are a few treasures to be found. The original photograph was apparently taken from about 30 feet off the ground at the south end of Johnson Square; you can start your tour about 30 feet below that by clicking here. (If you find Bing's "bird's eye" view to be more to your liking, start here instead.) Old GrowthYes, the tree growth is startling. I believe this photo was taken from the upper floors of City Hall on Bay St. Looking at GoogleMaps, the first building on the left, the U.S. Customs House, and the first building on the right still appear the same today. SawhorseThe sawhorse sitting on the roof of the building at extreme right seemed out of place until I noticed the objects sitting along the crosspiece which seem to be insulators. If you look carefully you can see wires coming up from the left so it must have been used to pass the them along to a hopefully more solid termination. I wonder if they even bothered to nail it to the roof? The Original Traffic CalmerYou simply cannot cut through the historic district quickly. It' can be a little frustrating if you are in a hurry. Lesson here is: don't be in a hurry. From City HallPhoto is from the top of City Hall (tallest building in the city). Lower left is the Custom's House. Directly behind at the Tobacconist sign is the old Confederate Navy Offices directly across Bull Street from the Telegraph office. You can see the spires of the (I think) the Oglethorpe House Hotel where Robert E. Lee and other Confederate dignitaries stayed while in Savannah. Interesting photo. Many of these parks are still there. Notice the cupola on the building on the left above the Telegraph Office. From that position observers could see ships arriving on the Savannah River and send telegraphs to the owners/receivers. Savannah was laid out on a grid by J. E. Oglethorpe is 1733 and still retains the original design in the Historic District. Lay You 10-1      Lay you 10-1 that in these two groups is a local bookie and a couple of ne'er-do-well sporting men putting a golden eagle on a bob-tailed nag while someone else was putting a few Morgan dollars on the grey. Oh, de doo-da day Still The SameThe amazing thing is, if you go to Bull Street today, in 2012, it will still look very similar to the image in the photo. There will be a whole lot more traffic, but it would all basically look the same. (The Gallery, DPC, Savannah, W.H. Jackson)
Hamilton Court Courtyard: 1908
... rooms there (suggesting it was built as an apartment hotel rather than a strict apartment house) -- but its it's unusual not to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/22/2022 - 1:57pm -

Philadelphia circa 1908. "Hamilton Court -- front interior court." Our second look at these imposing apartments. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. It's all about highest and best useWell, the original layout was all well and good if you want a nice open space to look at and the ability to maybe drive a small vehicle near your front door to quickly load and unload people or heavy items in bad weather. But that doesn't make any money! A-B-(not A)This view demostrates well the lack of symmetry in the design: the tower block on the left is essentially square in plan, whereas the right is a rectangle; there's also a porte cochere only on the right. The latter fact is explained, somewhat, by the floor plan posted yesterday -- there are dining rooms there (suggesting it was built as an apartment hotel rather than a strict apartment house) -- but its it's unusual not to have carried a balanced layout in the upper floors. If Messrs Milligan and Webber wanted to make people ask "why?" they succeeded -- 120 years later I'm asking. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia)
Battleship: 1940
... at which point it went to Seattle to serve as a floating hotel during that city's World's Fair. In late 1962 the Dominion Monarch was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/16/2013 - 11:06pm -

Circa 1940, somewhere on the high seas. "Boxing match in progress on the deck of New Zealand troopship Dominion Monarch, carrying 2nd Echelon 4th Reinforcements to the United Kingdom. Probably Empress of Russia seen sailing in the background." View full size. Distant ShipWhile similar, the distant ship does not have the funnels rake of the Queen Mary. Life of the "Dominion Monarch" at sea. Here's the sailing history of the "Dominion Monarch." http://www.nzmaritime.co.nz/dm01.htm Luxury liner, interruptedBuilt on the River Tyne in the late 1930's for the Shaw Savill Line, the Dominion Monarch was a rare example of a passenger liner that also could carry large amounts of cargo: to be specific, 525 passengers, 3,600 tons of dry cargo and 12,800 tons of frozen or refrigerated cargo. It served the Britain-Australia/New Zealand route for only about a year until the outbreak of war. Shortly thereafter, the British government requisitioned the ship and had it re-outfitted as a troopship, with its passenger capacity increased dramatically to over 3,500 ... clearly, the soldiers were packed in pretty tightly. After the war, having regained ownership, Shaw Savill converted the Dominion Monarch back to passenger/cargo service and returned it to the Britain - Down Under route. Over the years, however, that service began to make less and less economic sense. Its last regular trip was in early 1962, at which point it went to Seattle to serve as a floating hotel during that city's World's Fair. In late 1962 the Dominion Monarch was scrapped in Japan. The RMS Empress of Russia began service in 1913 and served as a troopship in both world wars. Between the wars it mainly served trans-Pacific routes. Despite its age, plans were to return the ship to passenger service after World War II ended, but shortly after the end of the war it was destroyed by fire while docked in Britain. Not Romanov but Windsor.The ship in the background is actually the Queen Mary. The Empress of Russia had a lower freeboard and more spindly funnels. Bare Knuckle BoutWatch your step. Montana peakNote the campaign hats shown being worn by some of these Kiwi troops (those ain't Boy Scouts, bub!). New Zealand and the US were the only two nations to pair that kind of hat with that crown configuration -- the so-called Montana peak. The US Army abandoned the hat shortly after we entered WWII, for obvious reasons, but I believe the New Zealand forces kept it on for a while. I still have my father's US Army campaign hat, a Stetson for which he paid $100 in 1925. Along with the saber, riding boots, and Sam Browne belt he was also required to purchase upon commissioning (which I also keep but rarely have occasion to use!), it took him a year to get his accounts back in the black. It's worth mentioning that the Government-issue enlisted version of said hat, in the US at least, was an execrably cheap and shoddy affair, impossible to cram into a duffle bag without being permanently deformed, hard to keep on one's head during strenuous activity, and a lot less protective than a steel helmet in combat. Nonetheless, many photos verify that it remained a favorite with General Vinegar Joe Stilwell long after it ceased to be part of the official uniform. For keeping the sun and rain out of one's eyes, it was nonpareil. More on Montana PeakThe hats may have been called that in the US, but in New Zealand they are affectionately called "lemon squeezers", for obvious reasons. Date and number discrepanciesIf it's 1940, it's very late 1940, since according to this page she wasn't requisitioned until August of that year. An odd tidbit that I notice: it says she carried "over 29,000" troops, which at 3550 bunks implies only around 8 trips. Seems low, for 5 years of war. Perhaps it was in truth over 290,000? Or is that too high? Handsome Rakes : GroupMy wife insists that she has never seen a group of men with such sweet smiles, pleasing visages and so delicious masculiny (her adjective)fit. To keep peace in the family and my changing screensaver of Pretty Girls please include these gentleman in the Handsome Rakes category. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, New Zealand, WW2)
Cured: 1913
... Dr. Friedmann, in fact, retired to his new quarters in the Hotel Ansonia in a very nervous and excited condition. A physician in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 8:11pm -

Washington, 1913. "Dr. Freedman -- Children cured by his cure." Regardless of what the story is here (and I have high hopes that we'll find out), this girl looks like a real piece of work. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Friedrich Franz FriedmannA 1913 New York Times article on Dr. F, if this is the same person. Evidently he was regarded as something of a quack. Dr. Friedrich Franz Friedmann, the Berlin scientist who recently came to New York to demonstrate his so-called "cure" for consumption, gave his first treatment in this country yesterday at the People's Hospital, 203 Second Avenue. The turtle-serum was injected into one woman and two men in the presence of fifty physicians and after the demonstration there was more of criticism than praise for the visiting scientist. Dr. Friedmann, in fact, retired to his new quarters in the Hotel Ansonia in a very nervous and excited condition. A physician in conversation on the street used the term "fakir" in discussing Dr. Friedmann. ... TB "Miracle Cure"I believe this is probably a "Dr. Friedmann" who was in the New York Times on 16 March 1913, amid discussions of his "miracle cure" for tuberculosis. See the article here. [These are fascinating. (BTW this is not the same article as the one linked below.) Thanks to all who posted. - Dave] "Cured" by SerumWashington Post, Sep 9, 1913 "Cured" By Serum "Blessing From God," declares mother of little girl, who had been given up "by ten doctors" - Has doubled in weight and is every way normal. Other Washington sufferers treated by German said to show improvement Two of the worst cases treated by Dr. Frederick Friedmann, the noted German physician, on his visit here have been absolutely cured, the sufferers themselves declare, and a number of others have shown such improvement, they assert, as to warrant the patients' hope of ultimate recovery. This statement is the outcome of an investigation into the cases conducted yesterday by a Post reporter. The two patients who it is claimed have been cured are Philip Chase, age 5, of 2114 Fourteenth street southeast, and Edith Strauser, aged 7, of 3221 Reservoir street northwest. ... The mother of little Edith Strauser yesterday was one of the happiest women in Washington. "Oh to think that my little one has been cured," she cried. "And after ten doctors had given her up. When I took her to the hospital for Dr. Friedmann to operate on her, I did not believe that she had a chance for recovery. The doctors told me that there was no hope. He gave my daughter only one treatment, and within five weeks she showed great improvement. Before I took her to him she had not been able to move in bed for eight months. During those whole eight months she was in agony. Not a muscle could she stir, she was so weak. Today she is able to play with the other children in the neighborhood, although I believe she would still be better if she could get just one more treatment from Dr. Friedmann." At the time the treatment was given the Strauser child weighed only 23 pounds. Her mother said yesterday that at the end of the five weeks after the operation she had gained fifteen pounds and today weights 45 pounds. Her eyes are a clear as crystal. Her cheeks are ruddy, her complexion fair. She looks like a child that has never been sick in her life. ... One of the remarkable facts pertaining to the case of the Strauser girl is the disappearance of a large lump that was formed on her back. At the time she was taken to the German physician she was deformed by this protuberance. Today the lump has entirely disappeared. The mother attributes her daughter's recovery in part, to the manner in which the instruction of Dr. Friedmann was obeyed. "He told me not to give her any medicine after he had given her the serum," she said, "and I have not. I followed his instructions to the letter, and have not let any doctor near her. I have been in communication with a number of his other patients and I find that those who failed to obey his instructions have not fared so well." Re: Little EdithFascinating. For so many reasons. One of which is that there's not one word in that account about what Herr Doktor is supposed to be curing little Edith of. She's just "sick," was going to have "an operation," but got "serum" instead and was "cured." It's like something out of Dickens! Although in the Washington Post's defense I will note that an earlier (April 1913) article mentioning Edith describes the treatment as being injections of "turtle serum" for tuberculosis. A search on his name in the New York Times archive turns up hundreds of citations for 1913 and 1914. He evidently caused quite a stir in this country, going from cause celebre to pariah in a matter of months. The final headline for 1914 reads HEALTH BOARD BANS FRIEDMANN CURE. He died in 1953 in Monte Carlo. Someone should write a book. Friedmann and HundtOn the LOC site, there are several pictures of the doctor, including one showing him with his secretary, Charles de Vidal Hundt: Quacked All the Way to the Bank.According to the January-March 1918 issue of The Theosophist, Dr. Friedmann managed to sell his turtle serum cure for a million dollars. Let us shed no tears for the poor doctor. I've got a secretThis little girl knows something that we do not. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Kids, Medicine)
The Louisburg: 1901
... morning and evening. After Miss Balch's death, the hotel was leased, in 1911 to J.A. Sherrad and for two years to L.C. Prior, proprietor of the Lenox Hotel in Boston. In 1916 the Misses Healey of Saratoga Springs ran it. It ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/12/2015 - 9:48am -

Circa 1901. "The Louisburg, Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island, Maine." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. A Souvenir of Bar HarborPlenty of photos of rich industrialists mansions, sorry cottages in this publication. In Living ColorAnd here's the state-of-the-art, colorized, "penny postcard" version. The Louisburg (formerly Atlantic House) stood on the south side of Atlantic Avenue, a couple blocks southeast of Bar Harbor's village green. It survived longer than most of the grand hotels of the era, until its demolition in 1939. Lost Bar HarborI lived in Bar Harbor from 1993-1998 and used to love to research the history. There are still a lot of ruins in the woods around Bar Harbor where mansions and hotels burned down in the fire of 1947. The Louisburg sat on Atlantic Ave and was torn down before the fire of '47 in 1939 and divided into house lots. It was originally the Atlantic House built in 1873 and when that burned they built a new Atlantic House which was purchased in 1887 by Miss M.L. Balch and named the Louisburg after Louisburg Square in Boston. From "Lost Bar Harbor": "Miss Balch added a tennis court and a music room where the Louisburg Orchestra, 'composed of eminent artists,'gave concerts morning and evening. After Miss Balch's death, the hotel was leased, in 1911 to J.A. Sherrad and for two years to L.C. Prior, proprietor of the Lenox Hotel in Boston. In 1916 the Misses Healey of Saratoga Springs ran it. It became the Lorraine when purchased by the Layfayette Hotel Corporation in 1921, and it managed, incredibly, to stay afloat until 1939, when it was leveled and the property was divided into house lots." Here is roughly where it stood on Atlantic Ave. in Bar Harbor. I used to live with a girlfriend right down the street in 1994. Such a beautiful place. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses)
Cross-Country: 1906
... and back." Percy Megargel and David Fassett pass Huber's Hotel on 162nd Street in the Bronx at the end of their 10-month, 11,000-mile ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 2:06pm -

New York, June 1906. "REO Mountaineer, New York to San Francisco and back." Percy Megargel and David Fassett pass Huber's Hotel on 162nd Street in the Bronx at the end of their 10-month, 11,000-mile trip in a 16-horsepower touring car. Note the unpaved street at the present-day location of Yankee Stadium. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Have we got a spare?Back in those days, before steel belted tires, it was not unusual for cars to experience flat tires every few miles. I wonder how many tires they took with them for that 11,000 mile journey, especially driving through Death Valley. +59It's the opening of The Great Race. Ready for troubleIt appears they were ready for serious trouble with the rifle in the side holster. Or maybe a little game hunting? [The gun was for wolves. Details in the comments here. - Dave] The suspension is killing meMr. Megargel appears to be suffering a bit in the sacroiliac. Wore out!Back in those days, a car would need major maintinance after 11,000 miles. Rods and main bearings needed adjusting and valves needed lapping. Most likely these vary things were done on the trip. No telling how many tires and how much oil they went through. re: +59That was hysterical. More on their tripCan be found in the comments for the previous post on the trip. Including this article. And interestingly enough, Percy Megargel wrote "The Car and the Lady," a fictionalized account of his journey wrapped in a love story. Blurred photographerThe young man in front of the car is holding a "portable" camera. Looks like a single lens reflex large format camera. Working pretty much like a Hasselblad, but with much better resolution than a medium format camera like the Hasselblad. Very cool to see such a camera in action. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, NYC)
Fun in the Sun: 1901
... northwest." A mere fraction of Henry Flagler's immense hotel , at one time the largest wood-frame structure in the world. 8x10 glass ... Henry Jackson. View full size. Amazingly This hotel survived unscathed by fire until its owners razed it as unprofitable, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/25/2014 - 11:47am -

Palm Beach circa 1901. "The Royal Poinciana, from northwest." A mere fraction of Henry Flagler's immense hotel, at one time the largest wood-frame structure in the world. 8x10 glass negative by William Henry Jackson. View full size. AmazinglyThis hotel survived unscathed by fire until its owners razed it as unprofitable, unlike its companion hostelry, The Breakers, which suffered not one but two major fires, being rehabilitated after each. Huge wood frame complexes like this must have given fire marshals pre-traumatic stress syndrome in spades! Delonix regiaThe hotel's namesake is a vividly spectacular flowering tree, endangered in its native Madagascar but cultivated widely throughout the tropics and sub-tropics. One might assume that the grounds of the hotel were planted with at least a few of the eponymous tree. (The Gallery, DPC, Florida, W.H. Jackson)
Ladies Who Lance: 1930
... fencing title of the District of Columbia at the Mayflower Hotel this week. Left to right: Elizabeth Bunting, judge; Priscilla Holcombe; ... April 18 and 19 in the Italian garden of the Mayflower Hotel. Entries closed Thursday night and the following were named to compete ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/26/2013 - 4:36pm -

April 16, 1930. "These Washington society girls will compete for fencing title of the District of Columbia at the Mayflower Hotel this week. Left to right: Elizabeth Bunting, judge; Priscilla Holcombe; Maj. Walter E. Blunt, referee; Margaret Montgomery; and Lillian Shuman, judge." Harris & Ewing. View full size. Righty fencing lefty?Looks like they had Priscilla Holcombe switch weapon hands so her face could be seen by the camera. Hence her awkward stance. Either that or Margaret Montgomery is just a way better fencer than Priscilla. Priscilla Was a Lefty@bubrahucuze: Nah, Pricilla is a lefty fencer. Note the gloved left hand (and ungloved right hand). Also note her tunic buttons on her right side. If it buttoned on the left, she'd be in danger, literally. Priscilla's awkward stance is probably due to the optical illusion caused by her being closer to the camera than her "opponent". The camera is not perpendicular to the fencers' plane. Note their feet in relation to the playground pavement gridlines. I'd say you're right (pun intended) about Margaret being a better fencer, IF Priscilla doesn't hike-up her skirt like Margaret did. Awfully hard to lunge with a below-the-knee skirt binding you up! But seriously, some believe lefty fencers have a slight edge over righty fencers due to the righty/lefty percentage of fencers. Similar to lefty batters having an edge on righty pitchers (supposedly), etc. And who do we have here?Looks like they are getting 'photo bombed' by the young lad at the top of the slide. The best partis the kid atop the slide expressing "whatever." The greatest phys-ed class I ever had was fencing in college. I only wish I could afford membership in the Minnesota Sword Club about a mile from home. Anyone for street fencing? Is MargaretMontgomery wearing a nifty pair of Red Ball Jets? Tourney Prep Washington Post, March 23, 1930. 13 Fencers Qualify For Tourney Here Thirteen fencers, eight women and five men, have qualified for the fencing tournament which will be held April 18 and 19 in the Italian garden of the Mayflower Hotel. Entries closed Thursday night and the following were named to compete for the individual championship for the District: Women, Miss Christine Ekengren, Miss Dudley Breckinridge, Miss Marjorie Montgomery, Miss Priscilla Holcombe, Miss Elizabeth Bunting, Miss Mildred English, Miss Adeline Furness, and Miss Francesca Underwood; men, Senor Paul Vianello, Senor Margin Arostegui, Capt. Frank B. Hayne, Lieut. Helmer W. Lystad, and Lieut. T.J. Sands. Washington Post, May 22, 1931. Fencing Captain Miss Priscilla Holcombe, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.M. Holcombe, has been elected to membership in the Foil, the women's honorary fencing club of Cornell University, which she is captain of the freshmen's fencing team, according to word received here. Miss Holcombe is well known in local fencing circles, having captained the senior fencing team at Holton-Arms, where she was graduated last year. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Sports)
Ghost Town: 1921
... Railway, and Post Office Department, from the Willard Hotel roof." An ethereal, almost spectral view of Pennsylvania Avenue at 14th ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 7:12pm -

"Municipal Building, Southern Railway, and Post Office Department, from the Willard Hotel roof." An ethereal, almost spectral view of Pennsylvania Avenue at 14th Street N.W. in Washington circa 1921, with the Old Post Office tower at left. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Another BeautyThis is another one of those shots that's going to have me looking at it every time I log on, starting with surveyor in the lower left. There appears to be flagpoles on top of the buildings (or are they lightning rods?). I guess it's early a.m. and the flag raisers haven't come in yet, or it might be a non-work day. Dark ShadowsReally enjoy all of the pictures; I do notice that it always looks cloudy in the sky but yet there are clearly shadows. Is is something to do with the development or age of the picture? 14th and PennsylvaniaYou can see from the image below that the center building in the old image is gone. The building on the right side still exists but the road was changed and there is no property in front of it. The Old Post Office is preserved and in beautiful shape. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Win: 1896
... the American baseball team, registered at the Occidental Hotel last evening and was found asphyxiated in his room to-day. Mercer was ... gave his residence as Philadelphia. The watchman of the hotel in making his rounds detected the odor of gas coming from Mercer's room, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/20/2017 - 8:58pm -

Circa 1896. "Mercer, Washington baseball." George Barclay "Win" Mercer (1874-1903). Glass negative from the C.M. Bell portrait studio. View full size. MERCER'S TRAGIC END Ball Player, 28, Takes Own Life in San Francisco.         SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 13 -- Winnie D. Mercer, a pitcher for the American baseball team, registered at the Occidental Hotel last evening and was found asphyxiated in his room to-day. Mercer was registered under the name of George Murray and gave his residence as Philadelphia. The watchman of the hotel in making his rounds detected the odor of gas coming from Mercer's room, and, failing to receive a response to his knocking, broke down the door. Clad in his night clothes and lying in the bed with his coat and vest covering his head, Mercer was found. From the gas jet in the center of the room was suspended a rubber tube, and the end of this Mercer had placed in his mouth, after turning the gas full on.         Mercer's identity was established by papers found among his effects, one of which read: "Tell Mr. Van Horn, of the Langham Hotel, that Winnie Mercer has taken his life." He also left letters, one to his mother and another to a young lady of East Liverpool, Ohio, expressing regret over his deed and bidding them fond farewells. He left a statement of his financial accounts addressed to Tip O'Neill, and advised his friends to avoid games of chance and women. -- Washington Post, January 14, 1903. Alternative FactAn odd mistake for the WaPo to have made here, especially for one as well known at the time as Win Mercer was. It should have read "former" pitcher with the Washington Americans, as many called them--because in fact he had been gone from there more than a year, playing for the Detroit Tigers in 1902 and expected to serve as their player-manager in "03. After his sudden demise, Ed Barrow was hired and later saw great fame as Yankees exec in the Ruth/Gehrig era. [The newspaper article is correct. At the time of his death, Win played for the American League. - Dave] Cigarettes, whiskey and wild women... threw him a curve he couldn't hit. Positions: Pitcher, Third Baseman and Outfielder Bats: Left • Throws: Right 5-9, 154lb (175cm, 69kg) Born: June 20, 1874 in Chester, WV USA Died: January 12, 1903 (Aged 28-206d) in San Francisco, CA Debut: April 21, 1894 (Age 19-305d, 1,762nd in MLB history) He played 9 years with a record of 132W-164L with an ERA of 3.98 and a BA .285 and OPS .689 In 1901 at the age of 27 he made $3,600.00 which is $105,282.66 in today's dollars. That would be a bargain for a three position player today since the average MLB salary is over $4 million and players still get $100 a day in meal money. Teams Washington NL 1894-1899 New York Giants 1900 Washington AL 1901 Detroit Tigers 1902 Career Stats Baseball Reference Expanded Bio from Society for American Baseball ResearchIt throws a little more light on his sad ending. (The Gallery, Bell Studio, D.C., Handsome Rakes, Sports)
More Marquette: 1908
... of the most Southern ore dock is located the new Raddison Hotel, this area is known as Founder's Landing. The open deck in the right ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2012 - 4:13pm -

Resuming our visit to the Great Lakes port of Marquette, Michigan, circa 1908 in a view joining two 8x10 glass negatives. At right is another glimpse of Front Street, showing many of the same buildings seen here yesterday. Moving out of the frame, we continue into the panorama that was the subject of the previous post. Points of interest here include various signs, a baby and a cat. View full size. Look CloselyCan you spot the broom lying on the rooftop? "Undertakers Furniture"Not sure what all that would entail, but there must be a market for it somewhere. Must be payday!Just behind the "Welcome" banner on the right, there's a big lineup of people. Looking at yesterday's "High Noon: 1909" picture, the shop on that corner is the liquor dealer. I spyAnybody spotted the woman holding the baby yet? [And a cat! - tterrace] Roof RoofYes, Phillips, the broom is lying just to the right of a chimney atop the building across the street from B. Neidhardt Sporting Goods and Fishing Tackle, pretty much in the middle of the photograph. The roofs of buildings in those days are a world of their own, far more interesting than anything today! Chimneys, smoke or steam pipes rising up everywhere, dormer rooms, and everything seems to have been built in such a haphazard fashion. So many rooms or wings appear to have been added to buildings after they were built. I guess some kind of code existed then, but it must have been very lax. And it's 11:45 and all's well! Aha !I found two brooms! Sixty years before my time! I live near Marquette and this has so much familiar in it! A big fire in 1938 took many buildings from Washington and Front street. Even though automobiles were common at this time, none to be seen here! In the distance overlooking the ore dock can be seen the Lower Harbor Light House and it is still there along with the stack of the Water Works building. Where the curved track of the most Southern ore dock is located the new Raddison Hotel, this area is known as Founder's Landing. The open deck in the right foreground in now a parking lot where my wife and I have a geocache! (Panoramas, DPC, Railroads)
Electri City 1906
... recognized this scene. The magnificent Douglas House hotel is still there and looks amazingly unchanged, as are many of the other ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 11:05am -

Houghton, Michigan, circa 1906. "Shelden Street." Houghton was nothing if not well wired. 8x10 dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Butterick patternsThese are still sold today. I looked them up and they are selling their closeout styles for 3 bucks each. They retailed for 50 cents new in the early 60's when I sold them. A memoryMore going on then than today. It could almost be todayI immediately recognized it. I wish I still lived there-- I'd shoot you a picture. Of the four buildings in the foreground, three are still there. The one front left is gone. The back right one still has the tiny windowed panels over the main windows. Bright Lights, Big CityI never realized Houghton was that large of a town at the turn of the century. My great grandparents emigrated from Canada to Houghton in the late 1870s. My grandfather worked as a sawyer in the lumber industry till about 1905, when he moved to the really big city -- Detroit. Hey, I live there!Here's an updated view from 2008. Since then, they've replaced the streetlights, removed that skywalk, and the street is now brick. Houghton memoriesI attended Michigan Technological University in Houghton in the '60s and immediately recognized this scene. The magnificent Douglas House hotel is still there and looks amazingly unchanged, as are many of the other downtown building on Shelden Avenue. The wires are gone, though. Digital City 2010The location of the photographer crouched under the hot black cloth is exactly where "Welcome to Houghton" walkway currently is. [Or was. The skywalk is gone now (see below). - Dave] View Larger Map Organic movement of 104 years agoAw, it WAS something beyond well wired. The streets were well fertilized. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses)
The Device: 1938
... Spa Treatment She's lying on a towel from the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC. The towel and fan and neck seal suggest some spa ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/28/2015 - 9:16am -

Washington, D.C., 1938. "Marie Passapae, C. Coy Honsaker" is all it says here. Are there enough clues to tell us what's going on? 4x5 glass negative. View full size. Details.The nameplate. Honsaker Sauna CabinOr cabinet. Iron LungEarly prototype. [At first glance. But iron lungs aren't top-loading. - Dave] Spa TreatmentShe's lying on a towel from the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC. The towel and fan and neck seal suggest some spa treatment. Apparatus for and method of inducing pyrexiaLooks like it was patented by Charles C. Honsaker: http://www.google.com/patents/US2203263 "This invention relates generally to the art of "hydrotherapeutics and more particularly to an apparatus for and method of inducing pyrexia in the treatment of various diseases and disorders of the body." Hot Fog BoxThat's what the inventor, Mr. Honsaker, called it when he exhibited it at a conference on "fever therapy" in New York in 1937. Water at 130 degrees is sprayed on the patient in such fine droplets "that it feels like the sensation of drifting fog," claimed Mr. Honsaker. SleekPretty nifty, sleek design, and notice the pinstriping too! Someone took pride in their work! Hot FlashRaising body temperature was an accepted treatment for syphilis before the discovery of penicillin. Typical article from the Western Journal of Medicine, March 1934: (Technology, The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Medicine)
National Theatre: 1918
... several times but other than the scene in the Plaza Hotel where Kaplan's suit is being delivered to the room or is that what you're ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 3:21pm -

March 1918. The National Theatre on E Street. At right is Shoomaker's, a favorite Shorpy hangout. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Back to the SpongeDave, I've seen North By Northwest several times but other than the scene in the Plaza Hotel where Kaplan's suit is being delivered to the room or is that what you're referring to. [Not sure I follow the question. Script below. - Dave] Cary Grant at the Ambassador East, on phone to valet: "Room 463. How quickly can you get a suit sponged and pressed? Yes, fast. 20 minutes? Fine." Sponge Again Part 2Ok, but how did you remember such an insignificant piece of dialogue from a 50 year old movie. [I've seen the movie and remembered the line is the best explanation I can give! - Dave] Sponge AgainThanks, you answered my question. My new question is: How did you come up with that answer to a question so obscure, that quickly? You never cease to amaze me. [I Googled the script for "North by Northwest." - Dave] Out With The OldDid the "old" National Theatre burn down? [The National had been "new" for more than 20 years, having been rebuilt following a fire in February 1885. The building in this photo was was torn down in 1923 and replaced with the current structure. This section of E Street is now part of Pennsylvania Avenue. - Dave] WindowsThe one thing that always strikes me is all the open windows in these old large buildings, even in the winter. Today, working in Downtown anywhere, the windows will almost certainly be sealed shut, a consequence of our new ventilation systems. What we have lost is the connectedness to the street. It's like walking into a cocoon. Dairy Lunch"Dairy Lunch" for a restaurant seems so unpalatable. I am wondering if there is some other reason to the name? Did it signify that it was non-kosher because dairy was served there? Or was it the other way around--meaning that there was no meat(only fish) served there? ["Milk bars" and "dairy lunches" were a phenomenon of the 1910s, 20s and 30s, a byproduct of the temperance movement. A lot of these places were bars and pubs before Prohibition. - Dave] Baths?The pole on the sidewalk on the left side of the image appears to say "Baths." Would this be correct? [Yes, if you needed one. - Dave] SpongeThe tailor shop, to the left of National Dairy Lunch, has a sign in its window "Suits Sponged and Pressed." I've never seen or heard that term before. Was it an early form of dry cleaning or an expeditious way of getting the garment clean. [So you've never seen "North by Northwest." - Dave] Shows at the National"The Land of Joy" was a Spanish musical revue that opened on Broadway on Oct. 31, 1917 and closed in January 1918 after 100 performances. "Friendly Enemies" opened in New York on July 22, 1918, and closed in August 1919 after 440 performances--a major hit for 1918. The posters must be announcing an out-of-town tryout. [A January 1918 item in the New York Times has "Friendly Enemies" set for a February opening in New York. For reasons unknown, it didn't happen. The play opened in Atlantic City before going to Washington. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Performing Arts)
Six and the City Club: 1906
... tell me that 12 Wyandotte Plaza was preceded by the Hotel State, which was there from about 1923 to 1973. I can't readily find ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/15/2017 - 8:53am -

Kansas City, Mo., circa 1906. "Kansas City Club, Wyandotte and 12th." We count three up and three down. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. I'm with zvbxrplThis is Richardson Romanesque with Queen Anne details creeping in, very typical for 1880s commercial architecture ... I'm pretty okay with this building. Everything's up to date in Kansas CityThey gone about as fer as they can go That SlotYes, Kansas City still has cable cars, and they will run for six more years, although electric trolley cars are already sharing the tracks. This photo is fun!I spy six people! In Passing"The Kansas City Club, after 133 years, has closed its doors," as its "cash flow situation has become untenable," a note to members said. The club, founded in 1882, has struggled financially but remained open with the help of loans and gifts and the personal time and very often personal funds of members and the club's board of directors, club officials said in the note. More here. A lot of architecturefor such a small building. And that's a good thing. It's hard to feel any affection for a box. I wonder what surprises are hiding on the other two sides? I don't want to be too harsh here, but -This is possibly the most godawful ugly building I have seen on Shorpy...posthumous (I hope) winner of the Pontiac Aztek Award for Design Malfeasance. Ugh. Cars still stop nearby; popcorn is further away.Based on the shadows, and the fact that 12th Street goes downhill to the right of the photo, I'm pretty sure this was on the northeast corner of 12th and Wyandotte. That corner is currently occupied by the 12 Wyandotte Plaza office building, which was built from 1984 to 1986. The Internets tell me that 12 Wyandotte Plaza was preceded by the Hotel State, which was there from about 1923 to 1973. I can't readily find anything older than that. The closest place today where CARS STOP HERE is two blocks west, at 12th and Main, where the new streetcar line runs north and south along Main. I'm not sure where the closest place is today to reliably obtain popcorn. I *know* you can get some at Topsy's, but that's several blocks southeast, at 24th and Grand. The Marriott, on the northwest corner of 12th and Wyandotte, probably has a popcorn machine, but I don't know if it's a regular menu item. (That Marriott is the one with LEDs all over the south side that gets used to spell out messages to the whole city.) On a more aesthetic note... the Wyandotte Street frontage of this building certainly has a lot going on. Three joined arches, a second-floor patio, that rounded section, a fourth-floor patio, and a single arch up there on the fourth floor. It's almost like it was made by taking leftover pieces of other buildings and making them fit on the lot. One Of The Handsomest Structures Of Its KindHeadlined: WEST SIDE IMPROVEMENT, Kansas City Star, March 3, 1887 I would have to agree about the aestheticsGoodness, what a God-awful mess - pick a theme and stick with it. You don't get bonus points for mixing 3-4 different styles! Eye of the BeholderI dunno, bohneyjones. Maybe not to contemporary tastes, but it's not a bad example of Romanesque revival. And that is some pretty sporty brickwork. But then again, I LOVE Frank Furness, and his stuff gets a hearty thumbs down from most Shorpy-ites. (The Gallery, DPC)
ADT Messengers: 1908
... called the Rhodius Building and contained the Circle Park Hotel. Look closely at the gap between these two buildings. It and the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 4:02pm -

A. D. T. Messengers, August 1908. Location: Indianapolis, Indiana. (ADT, or American District Telegraph, was the forerunner of today's home security company.) Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. ADTFinally, now I know what ADT stands for, even the people working there today didn't know what ADT stood for. Thanks to Shorpy, now I know. Well at least some of us do...I am a current ADT employee American District Telegraph locationI found a copy of the 1909 Indianapolis City Directory and located ADT's office at 29 Monument Circle (formerly known as 'Monument Place'). This is on the southeast quadrant of the Circle. See the Google pic below: The location is now occupied by the Indianapolis Power & Light headquarters (1 Monument Circle). The marquee of the Circle Theater next door can be seen, the address of which is 45. I also included a section from the City Directory for 'Telegraph Companies." {edit] I came across a wider shot of this same corner, taken in 1905. At the time, the building on the right is where Western Union had their offices. The next building over was called the Rhodius Building and contained the Circle Park Hotel. Look closely at the gap between these two buildings. It and the building to the right are also in the ADT photo. The white pillar can be seen on both views, as can the ironwork supporting the hanging sign. No FendersOn those bikes. Trust me: you will get very wet on a street with any amount of water. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Indianapolis, Kids, Lewis Hine)
The Wild, Wild East: 1911
... Boardwalk Empire Is that Nucky Thompson looking out the hotel window? (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Horses, Swimming) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2011 - 1:23pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1911. "Savoy Theatre, Schlitz & Young's hotels." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Re: I'm Freaked OutOh, good. I saw too many '50's sci-fi flicks without my mom's permission and she always warned me they'd warp my brain. Best-dressedI must say, the young woman all decked out in classic riding habit at the center is stylin' indeed. Complete with riding crop*, useful should that chap get fresh. *You can easily make out the handle in her hand, but as she's swinging it slightly, the rest is blurred and blends in with the folds of her skirt. I'm freaked outWhat the devil IS this? [Two saddles. - Dave] For the fairer sex Ladies' side-saddles to be exact. On the sideNeat! I'm a side saddle rider and I always scan any photo with horses for a glimpse of side saddles or ladies riding aside. Cool to see a side saddle in its original time. The lady is most likely holding a "hunt whip," which is different from a crop. Hunt whips have an L-shaped handle, usually made of antler, which is handy for hooking onto gates to open them without dismounting. The lash of the hunt whip is used to control the hounds on a hunt. Weird that the two side saddles that freaked out Rip seem to be "for hire." Riding side saddle is not something you can just hop and and do without some training. Boardwalk EmpireIs that Nucky Thompson looking out the hotel window? (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Horses, Swimming)
Sailing Along: 1903
... as far as the eye can see. A bit of history for the Hotel Ormond here . (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Florida) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:55pm -

Volusia County, Florida, circa 1903. "Sailing bicycles on the beach at Ormond." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A spot of botherI see the man on the right had a serious control malfunction about 30 feet back. Now that would have been a picture! Uh oh, watch out!You couldn't see where you were heading, but it got you there! Sail-Bike v. Motor The Strand, Vol 21, 1901 Sail-Bike v. Motor "This is what might be called a twentieth century race, and it is undoubtedly the first photograph ever published of a contest between an automobile and a bicycle 'under sail.' The affair came off recently at Ormond, Fla. Here the beach along the coast is so smooth and hard that it has long been a favourite place for trotting horses and for taking bicycle trips. This winter several 'mobile' owners brought their machines with them. Taking advantage of a favourable wind, two of the wheelmen 'rigged up' sails by attaching masts to the front framework of the bicycles. Hoisting the sails they jumped on and let the wind carry them. Frequently the wheelmen can coast at a speed from twenty to twenty-five miles an hour. In the contest illustrated the automobile won by only a few lengths." So writes Mr. D.A. Willey, of Baltimore. Great work!Well done stanton_square, good work! Is this how James Finlayson made ends meet before his supporting role in Laurel and Hardy films? Still a vacation spotVery cool! I spent my winter vacations on Ormond Beach for the last 2 years! The beach and dune on the left hasn't changed a bit. The beautiful old houses and hotels on the other hand are gone. It's now "Florida A1A" on top of the dune and across from the road: condos condos and more condos as far as the eye can see. A bit of history for the Hotel Ormond here. (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Florida)
Foreign Fruits: 1905
... we concluded that Light Street ran between the Fountain Hotel and F. Border's Son, both of which face onto Pratt Street, so definitely ... Calvert and Cheapside The street between the Fountain Hotel and Border's is Calvert. A December 23, 1905, F. Border's Son ad in the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/12/2017 - 11:25pm -

Circa 1905. "The Basin -- Baltimore, Maryland." Panorama made from three 8x10 inch glass negatives. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. All gone nowThe steamship company was headquartered in the Inner Harbor on Light St., so I suppose that's what we're looking at. Sure looks different today, though--pretty much everything that existed back then is gone, at least on this side of the harbor. Federal Hill is on the other side, and that's largely the same as it would have been then. So many menAnd not a single woman? I'd imagine that there are few more gender-segregated spaces in the turn-of-the-century urban landscape than the wharfside. It's a joy to look at all the little interactions - clustered conversations, side-by-side tête-à-têtes, collective inspection of goods. Magnificent! Over a Century AgoNot really that long as history measures things, but lots is different! Oyster dredging fleet is almost all bugeyes, not skipjacks like the few survivors in existence now (even fewer of them actually dredge); steamboats carry passengers to Philadelphia and New York; all the transportation of cargoes from the docks inland is horse and cart. Where is this "basin?" Same as today's Inner Harbor? The steamship in the backgroundis the iron-hulled Anthony Groves, Jr., launched 18 February 1893 and christened by the namesake's granddaughter, Louisa Groves. It was built by the Hillman Ship & Engine Building Company at Philadelphia for the Baltimore & Philadelphia Steamboat Company (the "Ericsson Line"), founded by Groves, and at the time was the largest vessel operating on the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal at 210 feet in length and a gross tonnage of 605 tons. The Depression took its toll on the B&PSBCo and the vessel was reduced to a barge and converted to a gasoline tanker in 1933 for the Chesapeake Oil Transport Company, Inc. Its career almost ended in tragedy when the Groves exploded on Chesapeake Bay in tow of the tug Frances on 6 April 1936, killing the barge's three crewmen. The following year Baltimore's Harbor Towing Corporation bought the hull and rebuilt it as the tank barge Tarco No. 1 to transport tar to Philadelphia from Baltimore. It was broken up in 1947 at Baltimore by the Boston Metals Company. The Basin = Inner HarborThere was a long discussion about location on an earlier version of this photo. In the end we concluded that Light Street ran between the Fountain Hotel and F. Border's Son, both of which face onto Pratt Street, so definitely Inner Harbor. Pratt, Calvert and CheapsideThe street between the Fountain Hotel and Border's is Calvert. A December 23, 1905, F. Border's Son ad in the Fruit Trade Journal and Produce Record places the location at Pratt, Calvert and Cheapside (the latter no longer exists). Light Street doesn't end at Inner Harbor, but runs along the west side of it and continues through South Baltimore. (Panoramas, Baltimore, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
Uncle Sam: 1908
... gentlemen meet regularly in the bar of a Manhattan hotel to trade stories about their shooting accomplishments and the talents of ... they form a club and name it after their favorite hotel: The Westminster Breeding Association. (The Gallery, Dogs, G.G. Bain, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/10/2013 - 11:06am -

"Uncle Sam," one of the St. Bernards at the 1908 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. WonderfulEverything about this picture is perfect. Beautiful ghost dogs.Beautiful ghost dogs. Uncle SamN.Y. Times article from 1904 with a photo of "Uncle Sam." Not sure if it's the same dog, but it's a St. Bernard Westminster Kennel ClubHow the WKC got its name: 1876 (or earlier) - A group of sporting gentlemen meet regularly in the bar of a Manhattan hotel to trade stories about their shooting accomplishments and the talents of their dogs. Eventually they form a club and name it after their favorite hotel: The Westminster Breeding Association. (The Gallery, Dogs, G.G. Bain, Sports)
Mr. O.K.: 1942
... well worth visiting. The Wilbur's building is a nice hotel now, fortunately retaining most of the original factory part of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/05/2021 - 10:55am -

November 1942. Lititz, Pennsylvania. "Mr. O.K. Bushong, express agent. Two trains a day pass through Lititz on the Lancaster-Reading Railroad. He says that passenger trade has increased 100 percent since war." Photo by Marjory Collins, Office of War Information. View full size. Looks like the same spot. O.K. Not O.K.Name: Ohmer King Bushong Age: 57 Born: 1885 Died: Feb. 20, 1945 Education: 2 years high school Employment: R.R. Station Agent Address: 202 S. Broad St. Lititz, Pennsylvania Wife: Gertrude O.K. Bushong died at age 60 about 27 months after this photo was taken. Railroad RhetoricYou want to look and listen, not listen and look, because the light arrives before the sound. In any case "Stop, look, and listen" is hendiadys - substitution of conjunction for subordination. The original would be "Stop to look and listen." Stop Listen LookMakes a lot of sense to keep you ears as well as your eyes open for a train. I’ve found listening is very important in some other aspects of driving. There’s a curving hilly road I park and drive on once a week, and whole flocks of cyclists come whizzing down the hill after doing the challenge of going up. When I pull out into traffic from parking at the curb, I can hear the pack coming before I see them coming around the bend, and I always leave my window open and tune my ears to the street for the sound of the speeding bikes. Over his shoulderHome of the Wilbur Chocolate Company Nice story about the property here: https://www.wilburbuds.com/revitalization-wilbur-factory How times changeI was taught "STOP, LOOK, LISTEN." Progress, I suppose. Something's not rightShouldn't the sign read " Stop Look Listen"? It's things like this that keep me awake at night. [When your sign is a circle, the longest word has to be in the middle. - Dave] OK hairpieceWould you call that a rug? Glad he is proud of his work. I guess railroads were not hurt by the wartime rationing? What is he leaning on?That thing with the words ROAD PILOT cast into it, what is it? ["The perfect highway signal." - Dave] Railroad RationingRationing did impact the railroads in many ways and just about anything that could be moved was pressed into service as a result. As big users of steel, many alloys simply weren't available, and the War Production Board limited locomotive production to existing designs for freight or dual-service engines. Railroads were also obliged to locate and provide parts for these new engines from suppliers or make substitutions. Passenger ridership skyrocketed, but production of new cars was prohibited after 1942. Dining cars were subject to the same food restrictions as consumers. Freight cars weren't immune either, with "war emergency" boxcars and hoppers built with wooden sides. Been Here Many TimesI've been over this RR crossing many times in my life, this being maybe 15 minutes from where I live. Lititz is my dad's hometown, and most of his side of the family lived there. For many years, being there meant the ever-present aroma of Wilbur's Chocolate wafting throughout the town, now just a memory. Same goes for most of the relatives who once lived there. Lititz is a quaint town with many nice little shops, well worth visiting. The Wilbur's building is a nice hotel now, fortunately retaining most of the original factory part of the structure. Many locals, myself included, considered the chocolate once made there, especially "Wilbur Buds," superior to Hershey's. (The Gallery, Marjory Collins, Railroads, WW2)
The Dining Car: 1902
... the traveler the same dining experience as the First Class hotel they left and the one they were traveling too. Re: Strange Display? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2012 - 7:03pm -

Circa 1902. "Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad dining car." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. More on The SilverwareI believe that the waiter would set the appropriate utensils for each course from the attractive arrangement. There isn’t a lot of room at these tables and I have been to restaurants where the waiter set the silver before each course. Strange Display?The Silver Ware display on the tables looks awfully strange...wonder why that was placed that way? DL&WThis is what train buffs call "High Varnish." Mighty nice. I'm pretty sure I haven't missed an opportunity, every time the DL&W is featured here, to mention that when my grandmother rode that line, over 100 years ago, they all said that the letters DL&W stood for Delay, Linger and Wait. Style of Long Ago....Incredible elegance that was probably taken for granted back then. Superbly designed (notice the condiment racks on the bulkheads), hat racks, nighttime dining with electric lights overhead. And electric fans! What will they think of next. The use of mirrors that visually make the dining car larger than it appears. This dining car appears to have it all! The man in the aisle does have a bit of a ghostly appearance, though. According to Lucius BeebeThe varnish diners were meant to give the traveler the same dining experience as the First Class hotel they left and the one they were traveling too. Re: Strange Display?I didn't notice it at first, but you are correct in that the layout is quite unusual. Of course, I absolutely love it, and will try the layout the next time I have a formal dinner party. It almost looks as if it is supposed to represent the railroad crossing sign. Thanks to a co-worker, the silverware layout has been identified as a "Dragonfly Pattern". - gen81465 Try Your SkillHit the fork handle, flip the knife and spoon into the vase. Win a free order of fries. Railroad nicknamesRegarding Jazznocracy's comment, it reminded me of a small rail line many years ago that served the timber areas of East Texas. Its official name was the Waco, Beaumont, Trinity and Sabine Railway [WBT & S]. However, due to a constantly precarious financial situation throughout its short life, combined with improper track maintenance as a result, most folks said WBT & S stood for Wobbledy, Bobbledy, Turnover and Stop. It would be interesting to find out how many other "unofficial" railroad nicknames were out there using the letters of the rail companies. DL&WAlong with "Delay, Linger and Wait," another DL&W nickname was "Dread, Long and Weary." My dad was a lifelong DL&W/EL employee and I often heard those as a kid. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
Johns Hopkins: 1903
... of W. Monument and Cathedral is gone. Peabody Court Hotel, originally built as luxury apartments in 1928, occupies that space now. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 12:57pm -

Baltimore circa 1903. "Johns Hopkins University from Washington Monument." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Think I can see my house.So awesome to see my neighborhood that long ago. Thanks to ShorpyEvery time I see a photo of roof tops I look for a broom. Don't do it!Man on the edge of the roof, thee story townhouse, right side of photo. Today's View View Larger Map The picture would have been taken from the window high up the monument facing east towards Johns Hopkins. Do a 180 on the Google view and you can see Monument Street as it goes towards the hospital. The Washington Monument was a favorite destination when we felt like a bike ride. The main attraction was a great view of our town and the cost was right (free). We would run up the spiral staircase and take in the wonders of the town. To the South was the sprawling port, tall buildings and the infamous Baltimore Street, to the North was the newly built Memorial Stadium home of the Orioles and Colts, to the Northeast was our home turf along Belair Road, to the Northwest was Pimlico Race track. Not the Johns Hopkins of todayThis downtown campus was a temporary home from the start. Legal and financial problems kept Johns Hopkins in this crowded neighborhood for over 30 years. But around the time this picture was taken, previously secret plans were revealed to move a couple of miles north to what is now known as the Homewood campus. The relocation wasn't complete until 1924. I may be more than a tad conservativewhen it comes to architecture. But when I see photos like that I wonder why we let architects, builders, clients, planners, authorities and regulators to lose all artistry, skill and craftmanship. Especially (but not limited to) when it is about every-day urban architecture. It's a west view from the Washington MonumentThe camera is looking west toward W. Monument Street. W. Mount Vernon Place is in the foreground. Cathedral Street runs north and south just beyond that. Many of the buildings are still there, but the partially ivy-covered mansion at the southwest corner of W. Monument and Cathedral is gone. Peabody Court Hotel, originally built as luxury apartments in 1928, occupies that space now. (The Gallery, Baltimore, DPC, Education, Schools)
River City: 1910
... "New Orleans, Louisiana. N.O. & Mississippi river from Hotel Grunewald." At left, the Maison Blanche department store on Canal Street. ... Sorry, could not resist that Still standing The Hotel Grunewald which became the Roosevelt which became the Fairmont and is now ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/07/2016 - 12:30pm -

Circa 1910. "New Orleans, Louisiana. N.O. & Mississippi river from Hotel Grunewald." At left, the Maison Blanche department store on Canal Street. Panorama made from five 8x10 inch glass negatives. View full size. Oh! We Got Trouble!Right here in River City, I mean trouble, that starts with T and rhymes with P and that stands for POOL! Trouble, trouble, trouble. Sorry, could not resist that Still standingThe Hotel Grunewald which became the Roosevelt which became the Fairmont and is now the Roosevelt again. The Grunewald was almost a grownup when this photo was taken, having opened in 1893. The Maison Blanch building is still there and it's now a Ritz Carlton. YowzaThanks for the great panoramic Dave, haven't seen one of these in a while. Any chance of a Shorpy movie coming soon? Not much earlier than 1910Louisiana Supreme Court building (large, tall, white stone Beaux Arts structure in middle of Quarter) opened in 1910, main construction finished 1909. A whole block of early 19c buildings was razed to build this out-of-place structure. Supreme court moved out in 1958 as building was crumbling. The Wildlife and Fisheries Commision was last occupant until early 1980s (locals still call it "The Wildlife and Fisheries Building)." After many years vacancy, the building was totally renovated and the Supreme Court is back there since 2004. Probably 191114-story Whitney National Bank Building, 228 St Charles seen under construction in 1911 (Panoramas, DPC, New Orleans, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
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