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The Alley: 1920
... the buildings did a switcheroo and traded places in the night. I was puzzled until I realized they must have razed the one brownstone ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/01/2011 - 2:36am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Smallwood, 1726 P Street." A variety of window treatments here. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. P StreetI've always loved the houses on this section of P Street. Looks like at some point the house at 1726 was torn down and the alley was shifted to accommodate an apartment building. 1728 remains. Looks like 1726 is now the alley.View Larger Map Watergate flowerpotThe apartment to the left was replaced by the Webster House, at 1718 P Street, built in 1968. Bob Woodward had a small studio apartment there during his Watergate adventures. He would put a flowerpot in the window of No. 617 as a signal to Deep Throat (Mark Felt) that he wanted to meet. Beautiful bayThe house on the left that was torn down was a beautiful building. I love the stonework around the bay window on the 2nd floor. What's going on today?Google Street View shows that #1726 still exists today in remarkably unchanged condition. Its neighbor to its right has been extensively modified and doesn't look all that nice anymore. Where things get confusing is to the left of #1726. A building now stands in what was once the alleyway, and from its appearance it probably was built not long after this photo's 1920 date. So what happened to the building that stood to the left of the alleyway? It must have been demolished when the new building went up shortly after 1920, but in this photo it hardly seemed anywhere ready for demolition. Did it burn down? Further note: the "new" building to the left of #1726 does not merely fill the old alleyway. It appears to the wider than the alleyway and therefore its construction would have required the demolition of the former #1724 decades before the construction of the Webster House in 1968. Alley lives; house not so much The alley would later expand and take over the house at 1726, but 1728 is still there and so is the tree out front, which you can see is a bit taller now Also you cannot give up a good parking spot even 91 years later. I want my MaypoleA Shorpy mainstay, the circular telephone drop. There must have been thousands of these back in the day. Some still there, sort ofThe houses to the right of the alley have undergone some changes, but parts of P street are as I remember them from Back in the Day. One third offThe uppermost floor and elegant roof details are gone from the Google view, which is unfortunate. Perhaps fallen victim to a fire at some point? [Look again. The upper floors are still there. - Dave] Want to be freaked out?It would appear that the buildings did a switcheroo and traded places in the night. I was puzzled until I realized they must have razed the one brownstone and moved the alley over for the newer building to the left. Freaky still. View Larger Map Alley GirlHer standing there staring at the photographer gives this photo a nice touch of mystery! The squiggly line down the side of the building, is it a scratch in the plate or maybe a firefly or a ball of St. Elmo's Fire running through the alley? Hudson - Performance, Service, ValueThe car is a circa 1914 - 1917 Hudson. The triangular logo on the radiator stood for performance, service, and value. The license plate appears to be a 1920 Washington D.C. plate. In 1929 Hudson would be the 3rd largest automobile manufacturer after Ford and Chevrolet. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Liberty Garter: 1908
... widow, earns 75 cents a day by working all day until 12 at night. Bessie works until 10 p.m., Sophie until 9. They expected to work until ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/12/2017 - 2:10pm -

        This just in from historian Joe Manning: An update on Yetta Finkelstein and her family. January 1908. New York. "Mrs. Finkelstein, 127 Monroe Street. Bessie (age 13), Sophie (age 7). Girls attend school. Making garters for Liberty Garter works, 413 Broadway. Mother, a widow, earns 75 cents a day by working all day until 12 at night. Bessie works until 10 p.m., Sophie until 9. They expected to work until 10 p.m. to finish the job, although they did not know when more work would come in. Witness Mrs. Hosford." Glass negative by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. VanishedOnly two blocks of Monroe Street survive today. They're in a neighborhood sometimes called "Two Bridges" but which most everyone considers part of Chinatown. One of the blocks is literally under the Manhattan Bridge, which would have been nearing completion at the time of this photo. The northern few blocks of the street, including the part where 127 would have been located, were obliterated about 50 years ago for construction of the Rutgers Houses project. Before Henry FordMrs. Finkelstein has devised an assembly line. The daughter on her left puts the hardware in place; Mrs. F lines them up so she can sew a bunch of garters without lifting the presser foot or snipping the threads. Her little girl counts and bundles. Possibly she also cuts the threads joining the garters and knots the threads. Socksand then some Genius invented socks that stay up and they all lost their jobs.....oh the humanity. My grand-mamoja babcia miała taką maszynę. Singer ... Robił ana niej cuda. Found themFound them in the 1919 and 1920 census in New York. Here is the 1910 one. Yetta 37 Ruso Yiddish Moses son 15 works in silver plate shop Bessie daughter 13 Sophie daughter 8 Henry son 6 Some minor changes and the addition of another son, omitted in 1910. Moses who becomes Morris still works in silver while the remaining kids are still producing garments. Liberty Garter 1908: the Finkelstein family This is Joe Manning, of the Lewis Hine Project. I have completed a story about this family. Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate any living descendants. Here is the story: http://morningsonmaplestreet.com/2015/01/18/yetta-finkelstein-family/ The story of Yetta Finkelstein and familyThis is Joe Manning, of the Lewis Hine Project. I finally connected with descendants, and finished my story of this family. The family faced enormous struggles when the children were young, but later managed to achieve a comfortable and relatively prosperous life. See the full story at this link: https://morningsonmaplestreet.com/2015/01/18/yetta-finkelstein-family/ Not far from the Tenement MuseumJust a few blocks from the Tenement Museum where the stories of families like the Finkelsteins are preserved and retold. Highly recommended for Shorpy denizens next time you're in the Big Apple. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, NYC)
Hotel Occidental: 1920
... I don't think it was open any more at that point. One night my mother saw Martin Luther King Jr. having dinner there. The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/23/2012 - 5:40pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. Gustav Buchholz's Occidental hotel and restaurant on Pennsylvania Avenue. Just out of frame to the left would be Childs' Restaurant, seen a few posts back. Rising on the right is the Willard Hotel. View full size. The Occidental.My parents went there all the time. (They met there!) I can remember them pointing it out when we would be downtown, though I don't think it was open any more at that point. One night my mother saw Martin Luther King Jr. having dinner there. The building immediately to the right and wrapping around to where you see it behind these two buildings is the Willard Hotel--a really great hotel for history buffs! The Occidental Restaurant has been resurrected in a complex of new buildings that were designed to complement the architecture of the Willard much the way the top of the restaurant building on the right did. The entrance to the New Occidental is hidden behind the pillar on the left. This one is going to end up on my wall! View Larger Map Gorgeous ironwork!I love the ironwork on the building. Also, I would have hated to paint that sign and I am NOT afraid of heights. That angle just gives me the shudders. Special Attention to Ladies Also seen in this 1925 Photo: Special Attention to Ladies Occidental Restaurant The Famous Place to Dine Before or After Theater. Brown's Cadillac Auto Service Competent Chauffers AAA logoDoes anybody know if the "AAA" on the medallion over the doorway is some sort of rating for the hotel or from the Automobile Assoc. of America? [American Automobile Association. - Dave] The W BuildingThe ornate sculptural pendant under the Occidental's balcony bears a shield with the initial W, not O. Was the hotel originally built as some kind of annex to the Willard? [The Occidental opened in 1905 next to the Willard Hotel, which was known at the time as the New Willard to distinguish it from the original building. The Occidental's owner was Henry A. Willard, who with his brother started the "old" Willard Hotel in the 1880s. - Dave] 1920 UV ProtectionThose ubiquitous awnings. Occidental signI remembered the Occidental sign from the creepy 1925 KKK march photo you posted last month. The sign had changed somewhat in five years. https://www.shorpy.com/node/5572?size=_original +95Below is the same view from May of 2015. It is interesting to note that on October 26, 1962, John Scali of ABC News met with Aleksandr Fomin, the counselor of the Soviet Embassy, in the Occidental Restaurant shown in the picture above. During dinner, they engaged in back-channel diplomacy that was key in diffusing the Cuban Missile Crisis. The booth in which they had dinner was moved to the new Occidental Grill (noted by C Kim below) a few doors down. A plaque notes the historic event over the table in that booth. It's where I usually sit when having lunch there and the booth is a real tight fit. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Eateries & Bars, Harris + Ewing)
Cranked: 1937
... scattered on that floor, I'd say someone got hammered last night. Well, I did say it was so wrong to say. Wallpaper As an ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/11/2012 - 4:45pm -

April 1937. "Bureau in the bedroom of the house occupied by the Ingrahams and the Smallwoods near Nelma, Wisconsin." A cryptic tableau if there ever was one. Medium-format nitrate negative by Russell Lee. View full size. Way "Up North"As a native Wisconsinite, I can honestly say that I have never heard of Nelma, WI, which appears to be a speck on the map. Nelma is about as far "up north" (a term used by natives to refer to the northern lakes and forest areas of the state where many have summer homes/cabins and where the deer hunting culture is king) as a Wisconsin town can be. And, it should be pointed out, that the Ingrahams's and Smallwood's home is only "near" Nelma, which makes it even further removed from civilization. The paper on the bedroom walls gives new meaning to the term "wall paper". (Let's hope that there is some insulation under it somewhere as the subzero temperatures in this neck of the woods can be extreme.) The artwork on the wall appears to be Dutch, but is not Vermeer. The bottles under the dresser could have contained liquor or liniment, both of which would have been necessary to survive life in Nelma. I don't want to think about the possibilities of why the hammer was lying side-by-side with a pair of boy's shoes. In addition, one can only hope that the two families were able to survive the seven years' bad luck that may have come as a result of the breaking of the mirror. As Dave stated, this indeed is a cryptic tableau. Old-school audioIn strictly temporal terms, playing a cylinder in 1937 would be like today sticking one of those round, silvery things - what are they called again? Oh yeah, CDs - into a machine rather than downloading or streaming an mp3 to your mobile device. Unless I'm MistakenThis tableau is one of the sets for Edison's lost 1909 version of The Shining. Functionality of wallpaperIn response to LilyPondLane's submittal: In our modern times, wallpaper is merely a form of wall decoration. Formerly, wallpaper had a utilitarian function to seal the interior space of the house, and prevent drafts. Many houses did not use sheetrock or plaster on the walls, and cold air could seep in past the wood siding and planking. Copyright InfringementI'd say this is a crime scene photo -- of a cylinder bootlegging operation! Why?My question is, why is there even a photo of this scene? It may be interesting to look at 75 years later but I doubt in 1937 it was that impressive. [It is one of the many thousands of pictures taken by Russell Lee and his colleagues documenting housing conditions for the Farm Security and Resettlement Administrations. - Dave] This is so wrong to sayJudging by those empties and what else is scattered on that floor, I'd say someone got hammered last night. Well, I did say it was so wrong to say. WallpaperAs an illustration for the utility of wallpaper as described by MaxCohoon, I have attached two photographs from the same series that show the house from the outside. It is constructed of logs. The caption for the detail photograph reads in part: "Note the earth fill around base to keep in warmth in the winter. The space between the logs is usually filled with cement or mud. The windows are removed when a house is abandoned; people cannot build glass." Old AudioEdison actually made cylinders until 1929. From a Victrola collectorThe mechanism looks like an Edison Amberola 30, but that cabinet is spartan. I'm not sure what the model number is without the ornate oak cabinet. Edison Amberola 30Agree with Michael that the machine is an Edison Amberola 30. The "-ola" suffix referred to an internal horn machine [Victor = Victrola, Columbia = Grafonola, etc.], and the cylinders made for use on the Edison machines were known as "Blue Amberols". Regarding sstucky's comment, Edison did make cylinders until the fall of 1929, by which point they were recorded using the electrical, rather than acoustical, recording process. Although cylinders had long since fallen out of favor with the record-buying public at large, Edison continued to produce them on the basis of many rural folks still having the older machines--this photo is a good indication of that marketing strategy. Ola!Victor claimed they chose the suffix -ola for their new internal horn machine because it had "a sound suggestive of music". Suggestive of music, perhaps, in that it was quite suggestive of another company's product: Aeolian's brand of player piano, the Pianola. Swiping other people's suffixes isn't without its poetic justice, and soon other phonograph companies began coming out with their own "olas" (actually the "o" was part of the word "piano"). Eventually an auto parts company, which had never manufactured pianos or phonographs, would appropriate it as a name for their new car radio, a name that's still around today. (Technology, The Gallery, Russell Lee)
Sun Belt: 1937
... mighty long fingernails for a fieldworker! Bet he has a night job with a banjo. Guitar Man Right hand fingernails long for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2014 - 3:21pm -

January 1937. "Deerfield, Florida. Migrant agricultural worker from Oklahoma." Photo by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. FlashbackMany times Shorpy pics remind me of past events, people and places. This man's face and expression brought me back to sometime in the early 60's. I had stopped and parked to get a burger and beverage at a drive in and park, Sonic like place. A guy that looked like our subject in the photo was leaning on his car playing a guitar. A drunk came up to him and all that I could hear from the "stewed" man was "I'm not afraid of you". I saw our guy slowly put his guitar down and next thing the drunk was lying on the ground knocked out cold. Picks More Than a GuitarSome good eyes here. He's well set up for playing a guitar or banjo, but if you'll look closely at the pinky on his left hand you'll notice that he can also pick his nose ambidextrously. Nothing is more frustrating when you find that you've broken your only pinky nail and you need to scratch that itch or do a little cleaning out. And having two increases the angle options for doing same. A familiar faceLooks like Richard Widmark is taking a break from the film set today. Tough Guy?Those are mighty long fingernails for a fieldworker! Bet he has a night job with a banjo. Guitar ManRight hand fingernails long for picking, left hand trimmed short for fretting. Great shotOddly long fingernails for an agricultural worker. Tough GuyBelt to the side, studs on the belt, leather wristband, sneer, and the cigarette. James Dean before James Dean. The Glowering InfernoAnd keep your cotton pickin' hands off my cigarette! Tough Guy, YesBut he always keeps his pinky up when smoking. Follicularly EnviousEven years ago when I had that much hair I didn't have that much hair. Outstanding!And they are mild! Admittedly, one tough image, except for the extended pinky. With earth-shattering events just over the horizon, one wonders how he made out. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Arthur Rothstein, Florida)
Joy Unconfined: 1915
... and banged into all the time. Especially on a saturday night with Grandma's homemade wine :):) Creepy Looks like he little girl ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 08/04/2012 - 2:01pm -

Summer 1915. Dancing to the tunes coming out of an Edison Home Phonograph at Broad Channel, N.Y. George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. PrecariousMy eyes were drawn to the huge 'speaker' on the phonograph. It looks far too easy for someone to come by and accidentally whack it. Although this is a staged photo, were phonographs placed so casually around a home? Were the speakers frequently snapped off and needing replacement? wow, that's neat!wow, that's neat! Yes the big horns wereYes the big horns were bumped and banged into all the time. Especially on a saturday night with Grandma's homemade wine :):) CreepyLooks like he little girl moved during the shot, giving her a creepy two-faced look. HornLooks like that horn was probably knocked around quite a bit. It appears to be hung from something with some string. Watch out for Two-faceI don't trust that girl. She's a two-face PhonographyA phonograph amplifying horn of that size was generally only attached to the machine when it was in use. When not being played, the horn was removed and the machine closed in a wooden cover somewhat similar to those for old sewing machines. "Cranes" -- devices which held large horns-- were sold seperately, but many folks got by with makeshift arrangements such as this with strings or chains attached to some handy object to support the horn. ghostlyWhy is this photo so creepy? Is it the exposure? No cylinder!This is a cylinder phonograph but there is no cylinder in the spindle so it can't be playing. [The cylinder is on the mandrel at right (enlarged below). The part to the left that you're calling the spindle is the feed screw. - Dave] (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Kids)
Million Dollar Highway: 1940
... but the car traffic was not conducive to this. The night before we left for the ride a shop owner in Ouray gave bikers this ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/23/2008 - 9:39am -

October 1940. "Million Dollar Highway is cut through massive rocks in Ouray County, Colorado." U.S. 550 between Silverton and Ouray. Now a paved modern highway, this is a spectacular mountain route that I've driven many times over the years. View full size. 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Russell Lee. Ouray ActivitiesThe creek you see at the bottom of the photo flows into Ouray and is diverted through perforated pipes set along the canyon rim in the winter. The sheets of ice formed by the water trickling over the rocks create a perfect ice climbing venue, with competitions every January and February. The creek flows into the Uncompaghre River (Native American name meaning "no cell service"). The hot springs in town are a great way to take the chill off your bones after a day on the ice. [My favorite summer activity: Jeeping the Alpine Loop and exploring the ghost towns along the way. Especially Animas Forks. The Western Hotel in Ouray is a good place to stay. Or the Beaumont if you want fancy. - Dave] Red Mountain Pass If I am not mistaken this section of road climbs over Red Mountain Pass. A few years back I rode my bicycle over this pass, with 750 other riders,on the way to Durango. While it is now a "modern paved highway" it still has no guardrails as they would be an impairment to clearing the many feet of snow they get each year. The drop off right next to the edge of the road(first on the right side then the left) made some want to hug the center line, but the car traffic was not conducive to this. The night before we left for the ride a shop owner in Ouray gave bikers this advice. "For the first 12 miles lean left. For the next 12 miles lean right." Bus ride anyone?This is truly one of the greatest last frontier drives ever. We used to drive up from New Mexico to play basketball with Ouray and Silverton. This road made bus trips very interesting. Great photo. HistoryThe Million Dollar Highway got its start in the 1880s as a 12-mile toll road between Ironton and Ouray, a remarkable feat considering it was before the age of the internal combustion engine and done by men with picks and shovels, working in snow and very low temperatures. Drive thru in the winter to appreciate. I've jeeped this area extensively... see pics at www.fotki.com/tbill and www.fotki.com/tbilmelms 550I remember riding over this highway during WW2 when I was a very small child. It wasn't paved yet and was just barely passable for two vehicles going in opposite directions. The driver always had to honk when approaching a blind curve, and the car on the outside had to move over and stop for the inside vehicle. I was terrified and spent much of the trip huddled down in the back seat with my eyes closed. We lived in Pagosa Springs at the time, and I am a Colorado native, so mountain roads were nothing new to me. But this one was the worst. I was between 3 and 4 at the time. Eek!I have driven this during the summer and even then I wanted to hug the centerline. I can't imagine driving this during the winter. Golden RuleWhen I was a kid in the 40's, we were taught that the name for the Million Dollar Highway comes from the value of the ore-bearing fill that was used to construct it. As kids, we would gather mill tailings from the road sides in the mountains and take them home to extract gold by crushing and panning. We would alway get a few flakes of gold. I'm sure that there are few or none of these piles of tailings left because the price of gold now makes it profitable to use the very low grade ore. (The Gallery, On the Road, Russell Lee)
Co-op Gas: 1941
... you find out here -- Neon Tower I'd love to see a night photo of this Moderne gas station, since the tower has lots of neon ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/13/2020 - 8:31pm -

August 1941. "Cooperative gas station in Minneapolis, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Co-Op Doo-WopThis photo has a very 1950s look to it. I suppose life, fashion, architecture and design in particular, took a break during the '40s while all efforts focused on WWII. Sometimes I wonder how different the 1950s would have been if the war had never taken place. I only know of co-ops in New York CityI thought co-ops were member owned apartments in the Big Apple. Well, they are. I didn't know about other co-op ventures, like this service station. By the way, if you look by the left shoulder of the attendant, you'll see Walker Mufflers for sale. I did a search on Walker exhaust and muffler systems, and by golly, they are still in business. The things you find out here -- Neon TowerI'd love to see a night photo of this Moderne gas station, since the tower has lots of neon tubing on it. There is some neon around the overhang as well. Canada has lots of Co-op gas stations, particularly on the Prairies and in the West. Here is a list of Co-op stations on Vancouver Island, with the Canadian term "gas bar" used. Fill it Up?Just think, most people under 40 or so have never had a person come out and fill up their tank at the gas station.* I remember the first time I had to do it myself. It was down south in 1976. We ended up with self-serve up north where I lived a few years later. [*Unless you live in New Jersey or Oregon. - Dave] TiresI remember when they came spiral-wrapped in brown paper. August 1941Four more months that pile of tires will be just a memory. All the rubber for the war effort among a host of other sacrifices by Americans and their families. Co-OpedThere was a Co-Op gas station in my home town in central Ohio in the 1950s and '60s. It was part of the Farm Bureau agricultural supplies center, which was run as a cooperative with local farmers. CO-OP ragtopWow! All the way from Virginia in a 1941 Buick convertible (rag top). Probably not many convertibles in Minneapolis due to the short top down season and long northern winters. Pre-war good times. Red River Co-opThe full name of the Co-op gas stations and supermarkets in Manitoba is Red River Co-op. Photos below are of Winnipeg, my hometown. The Virginian brideA plausible candidate for the driver of the car in the Minneapolis gas station in August 1941 with Virginia plates is photographer Post Wolcott. Before the war and rationing FSA photographers drove more than they hopped trains. We know Marion Post had wed Leon Oliver Wolcott by August because her colleague John Vachon reported the news to his wife Penny in a June 27, 1941 letter. Her groom was a deputy director of a section of the Department of Agriculture, and in her 1965 oral history she explained that her marriage came with two children and a farm. Her Smithsonian bio places the farm in Virginia. Before August 1941 was over, her car had reached grain elevators in Minot, North Dakota, dude ranchers in Birney, Montana and a farm family in Laredo, and main street in Sheridan, Wyoming. Massachusetts has a local option Attendant required to fill tank in the next town over. Yeah, it's weird. Since only the folks who live there are inexperienced at filling their own tanks. The rest of us come from places where we're trusted to manage on our own. It's a "safety" thing, I guess, like the stickers requiring you to turn off your cellphone while filling, which seem to have disappeared. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, M.P. Wolcott, Minneapolis-St. Paul)
Sideways: 1919
... who received a deep gash in her head in the accident, last night reported to the police that in the accident or while she was on the way ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/24/2013 - 12:44pm -

Washington, D.C., August 1919. "Street car wreck, Eckington." View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Details here, thanks to P.E.R. Wow ...... now that's a pretty good wreck. Bet it was an interesting afternoon for spectators. SidewaysDid the trolley tip over from speeding or did something hit it? What's interesting to me and I'm sure other transit fans, is that only the inside axles were powered on the trucks not all four axles as I thought, another thing learned thanks to Shorpy. Maximum traction trucksThis car was equipped with an early Brill maximum traction truck. These trucks were notorious for derailing as the small wheeled lead axle had not enough weight on it. It is entirely possible that the whole tip over was caused by these lousy trucks derailing Eckington DisasterWashington Post, Aug 2 1919 City and W.R.& E. Officials Probe Eckington Disaster Officials of the Washington Railway and Electric Company and the Public Utilities Commission are today carrying on an extensive investigation to fix the responsibility for the accident which occurred yesterday at Second and R streets northeast, when a street car turned over, injuring 35 persons. ... Thirty-five passengers are known to have been injured, and it is believed that at least a score besides are suffering from shock and minor bruises as a result of the accident, which is one of the most serious that has occurred in the history of the line. The accident occurred when the car approached a sharp curve at Second and R streets. The curve is at the foot of the steep incline. The car was bound for the city and was loaded with men and women. The register shows that there were 95 persons on the car. The car was southbound on Second street. It attempted to round the curve, but was traveling at too high a rate of speed to make the turn. The front wheel truck left the track and continued across the street until it stopped by the curbing. The impact of the truck with the curb caused the body of the car to become loosened. With a crash, the body left the trucks and fell across the eastbound tracks on R street. The glass flew, and fragments inflicted severe injuries on the passengers. For a few moments after the crash pandemonium reigned. Women screamed as they were thrown to the left side of the car. The passengers fell in bunches, with fragments of the car and pieces of glass flying around them. ... A crowd soon gathered, and with several men who were uninjured, helped the men and women out of the car. As soon as the passengers were taken from the car they were placed in automobiles and trucks which had been commandeered by Capt. Robert E. Doyle of the Eighth precinct, and taken to the various hospitals. The work of getting the passengers out of the car and to the hospitals was helped by Lieut. Langdon Spooner and Lieut. J. H. Robbins, a navy medical officer. Lieut. Spooner, who belongs to the motor transport corps, was a passenger on the car and saved himself from injury by jumping through a window just as the car turned over. He ran to the quartermaster's warehouse on Eckington Place and ordered several trucks to take the people to the hospital. Lieut. Robbins lives at 149 E street northeast (sic), about one block from the scene of the accident. He administered first-aid to the injured passengers. He was at home when he heard the crash, and as soon as he ascertained the cause, hurried to the scene. He said afterwards that he did not think any of the passengers had been seriously injured, but that all had received shock. Benjamin Maddox, 39, of 2118 Fourth street northeast, was the conductor of the car, and John Riley of 302 V street, was the motorman. Both of the men were arrested by Capt. Doyle and Detective Jerry Sullivan. Maddox received slight injuries and was treated at Casualty Hospital, but was later taken to Police Station No. 8. Riley was thrown through the front window of the car, receiving slight injuries to his leg, but was also taken to Police Station No. 8. Riley claims that we was going about 12 miles an hour when the accident occurred. He says that as the car approached the curve he tried to slow down to make it by cutting down on the controller. This seemed to have no effect, he says, so he applied the air brake. "The air must have gone bad for the brake did not work," says the motorman. "I could not get to the handbrake because of the crowd around me." Riley says he then he threw the car into reverse as a last resort. As he did so the fuse blew out. "The car went along until it reached the curve, the trucks left the tracks, the body gave a lurch and the next I knew I had been thrown through the window an the body had turned over." Several of the passengers said that there had been trouble with the brakes at the railroad crossing on Rhode Island avenue. This, however Riley denies. He says that he stopped the car there, but it was merely to look at the lead and fix the trolley wire. He says that the brakes worked alright there. The car again had trouble at the pit at Third and T streets, where the overhead is changed for the underground trolley. This was not due to the brakes, Riley says, but was caused by a defective plow. ... A number of passengers, particularly, the women war workers, seemed to be more concerned about the loss of their personal effects than the minor injuries which they received. Many of them lost bags, pocketbooks and umbrellas. These were gathered by officers of the Eighth precinct and turned over to the company. Anita Sweaninger of 2912 Sixteenth street, who received a deep gash in her head in the accident, last night reported to the police that in the accident or while she was on the way to the Casualty Hospital in a private care she was robbed of $40 which she was carrying in the pocket of her middy blouse. Adaline Bartlett, of 1838 Jackson street northeast, reported to the police that she lost during the accident a purse containing $100. ============================================= Washington Post, Aug 3 1919 District Officials Order Arrest of Offending Motormen. W.R.& E. Company Says Disaster Was Occasioned by Excessive Speed at Which Car Was Run. Brakes and Equipment Found Properly Working Throughout. Steps to stop reckless driving of street cars was taken yesterday by the public authorities immediately following the announcement by the Washington Railway and Electric Company that the cause of the derailment of the streetcar at Second an R streets northeast Friday was the excessive speed at which the car had been driven. Colonel Kutz, chairman of the public utilities commission, yesterday said, that whenever a motorman ins found driving his car at a speed which would impair control over the car he would be arrested. ... S.R. Bowen, treasurer of the company, said that the completed investigation of the accident had shown that the brakes and equipment of the car were in proper working order. Before the car was removed from the scene of the accident the investigation brought out that the wheels were locked, he added. This, the treasurer said, was conclusive proof that the brakes were in working order. The reason the car did not stop when the brakes were applied was because the air had been applied to suddenly and had locked the wheels. This nullifies the power of the brakes and the car continues on. The car which was wrecked was inspected on Tuesday and the equipment had been found in working order. Mr. Bowen said that the car had been driven in disregard of the orders of the company, which provide that "in approaching a curve motormen must slow down the car so as to have it under complete control to make the turn." ... Benjamin Maddox, the conductor, and John Riley, the motorman of the wrecked car, were yesterday released from the Eighth police precinct on $500 bonds. Although there were 35 persons injured in the crash, only 14 were seriously enough hurt to continue in the hospitals yesterday. Streetcar WreckThe "pit" and "plow" mentioned had to do with electrical pickup. The dark slot between the rails (especially visible in the foreground) led to a channel with a third rail. The plow was a contact which was lowered into the slot for the system used within the city limits; outside D.C. they used overhead lines, which were cheaper and more easily maintained. At the boundary the plow had to be put in or pulled out at the pit, and the trolley pole raised or lowered. Obviously if the plow got caught it could derail the trolley, which is why the motorman was pointing that out. This line survived to the end and can be seen on this map of the lines in 1958. The accident site is at the lower left corner of that little rectangle just SE of the Eckington car barn (see the red triangle at the upper right of the map). You can see the pit marked in-between. The reason for the rectangle is that for whatever reason the inbound and outbound lines diverged for a block at this point. The car actually was running on the near track -- he must really have been flying! "Minimum Traction" trucksI was going to mention that myself. The idea behind "max trax" trucks was to maximize the tractive effort (i.e. moving force) by judicious location of the motors, which would put the full weight of the motors over the powered axle. In practice, probably because the weight distribution became so lopsided, they tended to be unstable. (Milwaukee went so far as to motorize the small wheel axles, which apparently helped to some degree.) They were an industry fad that did not last beyond World War I. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Streetcars)
Winning Swimmers: 1927
... outstanding athletes of the world, died at 7 o'clock last night at the age of 27 in Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center from the effects ... outstanding athletes of the world, died at 7 o'clock last night at the age of 27 in Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center from the effects ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2016 - 3:52pm -

August 27, 1927. "Raymond Ruddy, 15-year-old New York Athletic Club swimmer who won the race on the Potomac, with members of the victorious team -- Lee, Fissler, Farley and Geibel -- on Washington Canoe Club float at Chain Bridge." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. NEW YORK BOY, 15, IS WINNER OF THREE-MILE SWIM ON POTOMAC Raymond Ruddy First in Test for President's Cup       "His tapering legs and well-formed body apparently visualized the Greek athlete to all, as this comparison was general as he stood on the Washington Canoe Club float at the finish." -- Washington Post RAY RUDDY, OLYMPIC SWIM STAR, KILLED BY PLUNGE DOWN FLIGHT OF STAIRS       Raymond Ruddy, whose achievements as a swimmer and water-poloist caused him to be ranked among the outstanding athletes of the world, died at 7 o'clock last night at the age of 27 in Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center from the effects of a fall twenty-four hours earlier.       The swimmer was about to leave the home of his aunt when his foot caught in the carpet of a stairway leading down from the second floor. He lost his balance and fell nearly the entire flight, striking his head against a radiator on the first floor. -- New York Times, Dec. 5, 1938 RAYMOND RUDDY DEAD AT 27New York Times, Dec. 5, 1938. RAY RUDDY, OLYMPIC SWIM STAR, KILLED BY PLUNGE DOWN FLIGHT OF STAIRS         Raymond Ruddy, whose achievements as a swimmer and water-poloist caused him to be ranked among the outstanding athletes of the world, died at 7 o'clock last night at the age of 27 in Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center from the effects of a fall twenty-four hours earlier.         The swimmer was about to leave the home of his aunt, Mrs. Walter Leary, 68-47 Exeter Street, Forest Hills, Queens, Saturday evening when his foot caught in the carpet of a stairway leading down from the second floor. He lost his balance and fell nearly the entire flight, striking his head against a radiator on the first floor.         He was able to rise, but was forced to abandon a plan to go to the New York Athletic Club, for which he had competed during most of his career.         Instead, he went to bed and apparently fell asleep. In the morning, however, members of the family found it impossible to arouse him. He was taken to the Medical Center, where it was found he had suffered a fracture at the base of the skull. He died without regaining consciousness. The scene of the accidentGoogle of course can't go inside the house (yet) to see the actual stairs. PhotobombCould that possibly be Gilligan at the far right? Poor young man. How sad. Even today many people don't realize that a head injury can be fatal hours later, even though the victim is able to walk away, thought to be unscathed. That is how Vanessa Redgrave's daughter Natasha Richardson died after a skiing accident. Olympic Silver MedalGeorge R. Fissler, the one with arms crossed, was a member of the 1932 Olympic team and won a Silver medal, in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay. Ruddy competed in the 1928 Olympics, and also the 1936, Berlin, Olympics, as a member of the US water polo team. (The Gallery, D.C., Sports, Swimming)
.. : 1920
... assembly witnessed a survival of the ballet Coppelia last night, staged in the large ballroom of the Hotel Plaza." You Got Me OK - ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/04/2012 - 10:28am -

New York circa 1920. "Dorothy Leary & Dorothy Quinn." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Double Doh!At first I thought it was braille. Yes, computer monitor braille. Dancing Dolls at the PlazaThe photo appears to document the costumes of two socially prominent debutantes who appeared in a charity performance of "Coppelia" held at the Plaza Hotel on January 27, 1920, a benefit for the Orphaned Babies' Home. The amateur performers were all alumnae of Miss Clara Spence's School for Girls on West 48th Street, and the production was staged by the Metropolitan Opera's truly game choreographer, Ottokar Bartik. As usual for this kind of society event, the New York Times lead paragraph described those who attended as a "brilliant assembly," but included a rare and brilliant typo in the lead sentence: "A brilliant assembly witnessed a survival of the ballet Coppelia last night, staged in the large ballroom of the Hotel Plaza." You Got MeOK - that title took me a little while to figure out. Touché. Doh!It's the two Dots. NOW I get it. Alternate Title: 1920 Period humorSometimes it's hard to get the point. [Punctuation! - Dave] Oh, Doctor!I see Dots before my eyes! The Evil TwinWhen comparing the two, the standing Dorothy seems to be rougher around the edges. A sterner face, frizzier hair, and wrinklier dress. Where the sitting Dorothy seems sweeter, softer and smoother. And look who got to sit down for the picture. I've had itI told you I wanted to sit in the chair. Standing Dot appears a little angry. Re: Period humorDave and tterrace have set the barre high for the next calembour. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Portraits)
Apples for Orphans: 1925
... She was 12 and she and her friend would sneak out at night. There was an Army camp nearby and the soldiers would gather around to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 8:34pm -

November 5, 1925. "National Apple Week at Washington Orphanage." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Grandma's placeMy grandmother stayed in an orphanage for a short while, about a year I think, around 1917-1918 when her parents divorced. She never complained about the orphanage or said she was mistreated in any way. She had fond memories of the place. She was 12 and she and her friend would sneak out at night. There was an Army camp nearby and the soldiers would gather around to hear my grandmother and her friend sing for them. A very different world back then. It's a hard knock lifeBut at least they have apples. Too cute! Shortage of male orphansFascinating, this one's a keeper...been gazing at it for ages. What happened to them all? Why 17 girls and only 4 boys? Is there more chance of dying young if you give birth to girls? Is it just the haircuts or are there a fair number of sisters? Do the TwistGrowing up reading Dickens, the word "orphanage" conjures up a place of poverty-stricken wretchedness. It's nice to see these kids are just...the ones with the apples just hanging in their teeth are amusing. I'm sure the matron behind them didn't know they were doing that! Another thing that stuck out to me was the eerie similarities in the girls -- dress, glasses, hair. I know that they must have all shared one barber amongst the girls and the boys, so he or she had one cut, and efficiently went with it. Lucky, lucky girl on the left whose coat fits so well; no one else seems to be quite so well pulled-together. Girls' haircutsI would posit the haircuts would have been for ease of care and cleanliness, not that "bobbed" hair was in fashion in 1925. What a joy.What a joy. Why do we grow up and lose this wonderful sense of play? This photo is a much better advertisement for apples than the "King of Fruit" one. Relevant Quote"Why any kid would want to be an orphan is beyond me." -- Miss Hannigan in the movie version of "Annie" OrphansMy grandfather and some of his brothers were in an orphanage in Davenport, Iowa in the early 30's. His parents were alive but they couldn't afford to feed & clothe all their children. All my grandfather (who is an outrageous liar) would say about his time in the orphanage is that Leana Horne was also there! Orphan questionsMy mom was an orphan in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The hair cut is called the "Dutch Boy." It was preferred by most of the children, because if you wore long hair, you were required to keep it neat. Most boys went to work for pay outside the orphanage in which she stayed. They were more readily adopted than girls because of this. Even if they were living in the orphanage, they worked. There were gardens to keep and trades to learn, if not at the asylum than nearby at a farm or apprenticeship. Girls learned home economics, typing, shorthand and bookkeeping at the orphanage my mother stayed in. Lessons also included "Fannie Farmer" cooking and dress-making. Scholarships for business school and nearby colleges were available to those with aptitude. (The Gallery, D.C., Kids, Natl Photo)
Drill and Tool: 1942
... She ground with precision all day ... then partied all night! Progressive, in its time RD&T was considered a very ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 10:53am -

August 1942. "Women at work for victory. Republic Drill and Tool Company, Chicago. These young employees of a Midwest drill and tool plant are operating cylindrical grinders which taper drills to specified size. Used in the manufacture of guns, ships and tanks, these drills demand precise and accurate grinding." Medium format negative by Ann Rosener, Office of War Information. View full size. SpectacularThe eyewear that Ms 103 is wearing does nothing to enhance her beauty. Assuming they were some sort of safety glasses, as all the women appear to be wearing them, they were a necessary accouterment. Not that today's goggles would have made them look any better. Inspected by #103Were those safety gasses of the day? Maybe they magnified? That woman with the poodle hairstyle was clearly a cut-up. In the name of victoryDrill baby, drill! Clean & NeatLook how clean and neat the machinery is. Perhaps brand new or just well-kept? And the surrounding workplace is spotless. Not what I might expect in a room where they must be creating uncountable metal shavings as they grind and taper their drills. She ground with precision all day... then partied all night! Progressive, in its timeRD&T was considered a very progressive company, relatively speaking. With women making up nearly all of its workforce, it was the first war production company in the Chicago area to add a beauty salon onsite, and to reward exceptional performance with free cosmetics and beauty treatments. In 1943 its director of health and personnel presented a study at a conference of engineers that concluded: "It is very difficult for many men to learn it is impossible to order a woman to do anything, but they will literally work their fingers to the bone for a man they like if they are asked to do things in a courteous manner." The machinesJust yesterday, I was holding a twist drill and wondering how they were made. Now I know. Safety glassesI have an old set of safety glasses that look just like these. They're in a metal case with the American Optical logo with the words "Wear these goggles Protect your eyes" stamped on top. I think it's interesting that everyone in the picture is wearing them. It wasn't always mandatory to wear them when operating machinery in those days. It's unfortunate that attitudes putting appearance ahead of safety persist. In my view, Ms 103 is quite attractive. (The Gallery, Ann Rosener, Chicago, Factories, WW2)
Truck Museum: 1941
... of either power steering or air conditioning. I drove the night shift from 6PM to 6AM in a tanker carrying 80000 pounds when full and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 9:54pm -

Chicago, July 1941. "Produce market where commission merchants sell to retailers." Photo by John Vachon, Farm Security Administration. View full size. Bald tires!The Wulfstat Brothers better get some new tires soon, the cords are showing on that rear tire! Hey buddy!I'm taking a picture here! Cab OversIn the center of the photo there are a trio of cab-overs. Could these be Autocars from the later 20's/early 30's? The Trucks Are Long GoneI drive past these buildings on the way to work. They have been converted to condos. This area is known as University Village, just south of the University of Illinois at Chicago. As a former truck driverIn a truck with power steering, modern air brakes, 500 horsepower and a/c, I wonder what it was like to drive one of these, especially the semi on the right. Safety FirstNo right side mirrors, tiny left side mirrors make lane changes a crapshoot, but reinforce the back to the left rule. Suicide DoorsI don't know the make, but unit #110 of Green Bay Chicago Lines has suicide doors. I've never seen those on a truck tractor before. Comment for Glocke380The last company I drove for back in the '90s before disability claimed me offered us as drivers when our trucks needed replacing the choice of either power steering or air conditioning. I drove the night shift from 6PM to 6AM in a tanker carrying 80000 pounds when full and weighing about 27000 empty. The day driver with whom I shared the tractor wanted power steering so that is what we ended up with. The units without power steering had a steering wheel over 2.5 feet in diameter. The new fangled power steering made keeping the shiny side up very easy and you didn't have to be Charles Atlas to drive it. Six months after we got our new tractor, the company changed the replacement program to all new units had power steering and air conditioning. Because of my day driver's seniority (he had been driving for them since 1971 when he came home from the Army. We thought we had died and gone to heaven! As for that kind of tractor in the picture, cab overs are very hard on you ride wise but steer quickly. I drove a cab over with a sleeper when I drove over the road before the gas tanker job. You have to pay very close attention because they tend to oversteer and can go into the ditch very easily if you get distracted. Driving big trucks - the best job I ever had till I couldn't do it anymore. Too old and wore out now but it was great while it lasted. Ahhh Lackawana 9868Before there was Caller I.D., there was the telephone exchange. This is a term that must baffle those who know only touch tone, area code, star and pound. Back in the day in Baltimore the names which still reside in my memory are Calvert, Eastern, Broadway, Saratoga, Belmont and Orleans. Those were telephone exchanges -- actual neighborhood buildings where operators toiled to hand-connect wires on a switchboard. You knew if a girl gave you an Orleans number she lived around Belair Road or if it was Broadway than maybe she was a Fells Point girl (present Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski had that one) and Eastern ordinarily made her a Highlandtown girl. The present day strings of number have no romance or adventure but a number preceded by Plaza, Chesapeake or Belmont could only lead to fantastic fantasy. Like my SSN and USN service number my first phone number Orleans 5-1418 remains firmly in my databank. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chicago, John Vachon)
Lincoln Park: 1905
... with young men and women "spooning" under the bridge at night! Looks so peaceful But remember, all of the people in this photo ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 7:12pm -

Chicago circa 1905. "The bridge, Lincoln Park." We'll meet under the tree at noon for egg salad sandwiches. Detroit Publishing Glass negatives. View full size. The Bewitching PoolPicture in your mind an idyllic place. A place with no hustle, no hurry, no worry. A place where the greatest care a child ever will have is the flavor of cookies or type of pie being baked by this world's sole adult inhabitant, the kindly caretaker known to all as "Aunt T". On the bridge over a brook brother and sister known simply as Jeb and Sport have dropped in from an alien world. A world unlike Aunt T's place near her beautiful, bewitching pool. For this pool truly covers the entrance of the Twilight Zone. Take us back, Aunt T! I promise I won't ever leave again. Rod Serling be praised. His storytelling in that episode was so complete and compelling that after nearly 45 years I remembered at once that episode just from seeing the children pictured in an otherwise unrelated image. In truth, I see nothing but Aunt T's refuge and I'm certain she resides just beyond that bridge. Thanks, Dave. I needed that today. Look up "idyllic" in the dictionaryand it will have this picture. Simpler times.This picture is so appealing. Makes me wish I could climb into it and start over. Re: "Idyllic"This is a photo of Chicago, not Larkspur! Under-bridge lightingNotice the arc lamp under the bridge superstructure. Perhaps they had a problem with young men and women "spooning" under the bridge at night! Looks so peacefulBut remember, all of the people in this photo will see the devastation in San Francisco after the quake. They will suffer through influenza, WWI, the market crash, the depression and WWII. I think I will stay in my own time thank you. Lincoln Park: 2011Chicago, August 28 2011. The South Pond bridge, Lincoln Park. A perfect summer Sunday - 75 degrees F and a slight breeze. Chicagoans of yore left current residents an amazing legacy in our 500+ parks. Lincoln Park may be the best park of all. 1200 acres along Lake Michigan, with facilities for almost every popular sport, including golf, soccer, field hockey, baseball, tennis and beach volleyball. There's a zoo and several small-boat harbors. I commute by bicycle in fair weather. If I take the Lincoln Park lakefront path, it adds 4 miles to my trip. And I opt for the lakefront path almost every day. This bridge shows up elsewhere in ShorpyHello Dave! I left an earlier comment & photo for this photo, and neglected to include an obvious cross-reference. This bridge is visible at the center of another Shorpy view of Lincoln Park (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Chicago, DPC)
Pioneer Parachute Packs: 1942
... of parachutes being made and packed properly. It was the night of the Christmas program of my son's preschool class. A friend of mine ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 7:36pm -

August 1942. Manchester, Connecticut. "The utmost precision is required of these operators who are cutting and drilling parachute packs in an Eastern factory. Their work is under constant close supervision. Pioneer Parachute Company." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by William M. Rittase, OWI. View full size. The silk cityIt's not surprising that WWII parachutes were manufactured in Manchester. Parachutes were made of silk back then, and Manchester had been a center of silk textile production since the mid-1800's. Soon after the end of the war Manchester's silk industry went into a steep decline and soon vanished. GoalAre those hockey pucks they're using to weigh down the patterns? Iron weightsThose are not hockey pucks, not unless you wanted a broken hand when you hit them! They are weights typical of the clothing industry. Usually made from iron but sometimes steel disk, even lead. When I worked in the elevator industry we serviced several units located in the textile/clothing locality in Sydney, Australia, and this sight was very common. SHARP!I recall working (fixing) an electric scissors. No one in his right mind would cut with their hand in front of the cutter. Like a red hot knife thru (warm) butter! What I don't remember is, what was the function of the Tee handle on the top Eastman kinife"what was the function of the Tee handle on the top" Simply a carry handle. tone straight cutters are made pretty much the same way today. the newer ones have a loop handle on top instead of the T. The other unit is a drill. In Flanders Fields the Poppies BlowJust above the cutter's left pocket is something red with a white tag. It looks to me very similar to those crepe-paper red Buddy Poppies made by disabled vets and distributed by the VFW as a fund raiser. This picture was taken in August, not around Memorial Day (May 30th), but a war was on and U.S. involvement was ramping up fast. So maybe it is a poppy? Thoughts? Their work could be a matter of life or deathBack in 1989, when we were at Hahn AFB, West Germany, we had an event that underscored the importance of parachutes being made and packed properly. It was the night of the Christmas program of my son's preschool class. A friend of mine brought her child and another little boy, whose mother was waiting for her husband to get home, so that they could go to the program together. She arrived, alone, just as the program was ending. Her husband and a colleague had gotten into some kind of trouble flying their F-16s, and had needed to bail out. The one pilot's parachute had functioned properly and he had landed on the ground on his feet. The father of my son's little classmate had been killed. He had made it out of his plane OK, but his parachute had not opened. I've never forgotten that. The tee handleon top is just that, a handle for lifting the machine, today those machines run around $2,500. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, WW2)
A Summer Place: 1906
... would make the heat more than bearable, especially at night. You got your path down to the beach, your baby banana trees, your ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 4:27pm -

Ormond Beach, Florida, circa 1906. "Chaco Chulee, a summer cottage." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. What you don't seeThe picture makes the scene look quaint, as a lifelong resident of Florida I can tell you what a photograph cannot. The oppressive heat, the swarms of mosquitoes, the pesky feral hogs, rattlesnakes and scorpions. Florida before air conditioning was pure hell, it's not much better since then either. Just So We're ClearShooting is positively prohibited. Got it. Is bludgeoning okay? Gotta be summerI see clothes on the line to the left of the porch. Not in the house, PleaseYup, sign at the entrance is quite specific, "No Shooting." Looks remarkably similar1886 Santa Lucia Plantation Cottage, built of palm logs. Hugh C. Leighton Company #2293According to Google, Chaco Chulee is best known for its appearance on a collectible postcard published by the Hugh Leighton Company of Portland, Maine. The caption reads: "Chaco Chulee" The House of the Pine Tree. A Winter Camp on Santa Lucia Plantation. Apparently there is a good deal of confusion regarding the location; some postcard dealers have taken the notion that this is somewhere in California or the Caribbean, despite the fact that the other cards in the 229x range all have "Ormond, Fla." in the title. Looks like Florida to me. Scorpions and coral snakes, oh myThis looks so unprotected from the local wildlife. My father was in Florida in 1947 and when he opened his box of shirts fresh from the laundry, a scorpion jumped out. I would be unable to rest in this open abode. Not in summer, thank you very much!I would not have had the courage to make a summer visit on any of Florida's beach communities in the years before mosquito control. They still, on islands like Cayo Costa that feature salt marshes and no mosquito management, will eat you alive. Pre-Bug SprayThis picture makes me itchy. Why all the bellyachingLook at the surroundings: this is semi-arid coastal scrub (sadly, it's almost all gone now), so the mosquito threat is minimal, even in summer. Those leaning pines mean a steady wind off the Atlantic, which would make the heat more than bearable, especially at night. You got your path down to the beach, your baby banana trees, your "shooting positively prohibited" sign - looks like Paradise to me. Of course, that's also prime rattler habitat. Ah, the anesthesthetic balm of old age! Well, I've stayed in meaner digs than these. But a good onshore breeze, while often intolerably humid, cleared out most of the skeeters. Even the ones afraid to carry you home where the 'Big Skeeters' might take you away! Oh, That looks like a 'Honey Bucket', out front. Usually emptied by poor Blacks, these buckets served as an indoor outhouse in most cabins up to the sixties. (The Gallery, DPC, Florida)
In My Room: 1941
... on floor under sink, wallpaper that won't keep you up at night. Wisconsin was a home game for the Gideons, so that is certainly covered ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/26/2020 - 8:01pm -

June 1941. "Untitled (Hotel room, Milwaukee, Wisconsin)." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. The everyday worldI like some of these photos by Vachon - no drama. no pathos, no unusual point to be made, just a document showing how things were and what they were. The "stick" telephone, the sink, the style of furniture, all these give a feeling of the time and place. The Hotel WisconsinA July 5, 1941 letter to Vachon from FSA's Roy Stryker indicates Vachon was staying in the Hotel Wisconsin on this visit. That 500-room hotel, constructed in downtown Milwaukee in 1913, survives today as a renovated apartment building. Chicken wireIs that what was used for a screen? Can't imagine it would keep too many insects out! [Zero chickens here, so it must work. - Dave] That ashtrayDAMN that's a big ashtray. I assume that's what the flat glass object on the dresser is. High-capacity, perhaps, as a safety measure, to reduce the frequency with which it would be dumped into the trash, with the attendant fire risk? Signs of the TimesI love the placement of the faucet spout. So high up the wall. It would be great for washing your hair. Although the splashing from so high up could be messy. With his wallet out and so close to the pillow, do you think this could have been for police evidence? Taken just after his room was broken into? And a soon to be a vanishing relic from the past. The telephone book. It was such a basic necessity back in the day. Now you can hardly find one. Dang I love this site. Thanks guys. Welcome to the Hotel WisconsinLooks like John Vachon is staying at the Hotel Wisconsin, which is now the Grand Wisconsin Apartments. The view is looking east toward Waldheim's Furniture, and that building also still exists. ChickenwireThe chickenwire was embedded in the glass to prevent it from shattering. Used to be quite common. Re: Chicken wireI think that is that kind of glass they used to have in old schools that had wire embedded in it to keep it from shattering. re: Chicken WireLooks like a kind of safety glass. It had 'chicken wire' embedded in it. My grade school had this in all the ground floor windows and doors. Nothing missingSteam heat, operable window with shade and drapes, dresser with mirror, ashtray the size of a wading pool, comfy bed, Ameche with directory, nightstand with lamp, sink for morning wash & brush-up, mystery ellipse on floor under sink, wallpaper that won't keep you up at night. Wisconsin was a home game for the Gideons, so that is certainly covered also. All you could expect of a downtown hotel room in 1941. I'm guessing that it's about a $5 room. 700 Block of North Plankinton AvenueI don't think the hotel is still there, but the building across the street still is. It is the old Waldheim's Furniture Building. Now loft condos. https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM47664 https://www.corleyrealestate.com/idx/listings/river-front-lofts/ Where's the Beer?I guess some things are best kept out of sight. re: Chicken WireThe wire mesh glass is more fire-resistant than regular glass (but less tough). And Shorpyites know all about hotels and fires... (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon, Milwaukee)
Birthday Party with Grandma, 1953
... goils had their hair set, no doubt in rubber curlers, the night before. By the way, I'll have a slice of that cake with my coffee please. ... 
 
Posted by der_bingle - 09/12/2011 - 4:41pm -

My cousins, Oak Park, Illinois. 1953. Tom (left) is the Birthday Boy. 35mm slide. View full size. The living room was seen earlier in this post. Lovely birthday table setLovely birthday table set with Fiestaware in assorted colors. And what grandma's house would not be perfect without antimacassars on the chair? But more importantly, look at those sweet faces. Camera caseUnless my eyes deceive me that's a Kodak carrying case on the table behind Grandma, and that's definitely a Kodak yellow box. Slide film? It could be 8mm movie film, too. Hello!I would dearly love to have that Western Electric model 202 telephone on the table behind Granny. It was probably pushing 20 years old when this photo was taken. Harlequin ChinaWe owned this very same china which my mom bought in Woolworth's. It came in colors like Fiesta but was shaped differently, a little more streamlined, and was called the "poor man's Fiesta." I believe it was reproduced in the early 70's in different colors. Some people still call it Fiesta. All of it was made by Homer Laughlin China Co. The little goils had their hair set, no doubt in rubber curlers, the night before. By the way, I'll have a slice of that cake with my coffee please. Ain't Grandmas GRAND? It's HeeeeeeeereMeanwhile, biding its sweet time against the living room wall, lurks what would become the devouring beast of the second half of the century. Sweetly simple treatsLooks like an angel food cake by the shape of it, with tiny cups of mints beside plates of ice cream. Perhaps someone called out to hurry up and snap the picture because those ice cream slices are just about to melt! Compared to the mountains of trash generated by today's paper party supplies and the expensive favors and goody bags, this party looks wonderful. Everybody's enjoying cake- and time with Grandma. I love this photo. Nice slice of lifeSomeone should have reminded them it was time to blow out the candles. Motorola TVGrandma is right up to date with her new Motorola TV, probably made right in Oak Park. It looks to feature a 16" (measured diagonally) rectangular picture tube, which was likely made for Motorola by National Video Corp. the company that along with Motorola later introduced the first successful rectangular color CRT. Motorola's advertising jingle was sung to the tune of "Happy Birthday" using the words "Motorola TV." Re: It's HeeeeeeereGreat observation/comment, Vic. Who could have imagined that we'd go from an unobtrusive box to a monstrous 62-inch flat screen "devouring beast?" I remain faithful to my 32-inch Magnavox encased in a simulated wood-grain cabinet. It's a retro dinosaur! GE whizThat's a General Electric TV, a 1951 model. I do agree that it's probably a 16 inch set as it looks almost identical to Model 16T3, but for the fact that the top appears to be flat rather than arched. [General Electric 16T5. - Dave] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids)
Obligatory Awnings: 1901
... displayed watches at 10:10 to commemorate the time of night that Lincoln was assassinated. Seems to be a false tale. (The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/01/2020 - 10:57am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1901. "View of F Street N.W., north side, between 12th & 13th Streets, showing various business fronts along the block." 5x7 inch glass negative. View full size. I was told- - -the reason for the clock hands in the 8:20 position was to not obscure the watchmaker's name that was located beneath the centre. THE GOOD OLD DAYSI can remember when almost all the shops in the downtown area where I grew up had those awnings out front. That was in the days before AC units on the roof. The stores tried to keep out the direct sunlight and they had ceiling fans in the store and swamp coolers on the roof. Elegant EdificeSeen on the right is the impressive Shorpy building. Rising high above F St NW. Probably lost to a fire at some time. Missed opportunityI was thinking that it would have been clever if Mr. Ramsay had painted the hands of the clock face on his sign to read 12:21, his street address. Gone, But Not Forgotten.The buildings and facades in this photo are long gone - including the Shorpy edifice - replaced by larger, taller, more modern structures. Fortunately, Shorpy is still very much alive and well, having relocated to a virtual community in a virtual world. 12:21My dad once told me that clocks and watches in advertisements always have their hands at 20 after 8 or 10 to 2, not just for the pleasing symmetry but to keep the fields of the clock/watch-face clear directly beneath the 12 and above the 6 so as not to obscure any ancillary dials or timepiece insignias. Watchmaker, Watchmaker, make me a watchI love that business names were straightforward and to the point. No confusion about the services or goods they offer. Happy face not discoveredApparently the modern psychological discovery of the 10 and 2 happy face hands vs the frown on timepieces had not be discovered or Mr. Ramsay was a rebel. If you notice virtually all timepieces for sale are set at 10 and 2 so you are happy to buy. [As veteran Shorpyites will tell you, it's always coming up on 8:20 at the local jeweler's. - Dave] The Hands of TimeThe 8:20 time strategically places the hands in a position where they do not cover jeweler's name. Looks like good marketing to me. TimeSixty years ago my granddad told me that the only person who knows the correct time is the one with only one watch or clock. Nixon Importers, right next doorI wonder what they imported? Coming soon: Topham's Trunks for TravelersThe new "Shorpy" building immediately to the right of 1221 F. Street NW address was soon occupied by an enterprise owned by James S. Topham, selling steamer trunks for travelers. Thankfully, a reference librarian in the Prints and Photographs Division at the Library of Congress was interested in discovering the history of that building, and blogging about it on the Library of Congress's website: https://blogs.loc.gov/picturethis/2019/04/double-take-a-trunk-full-of-qu... 10 and 2I had heard years ago that jewelers displayed watches at 10:10 to commemorate the time of night that Lincoln was assassinated. Seems to be a false tale. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., D.C. Street Survey, Stores & Markets)
Round Two: 1897
... happening as fast as a boxing match in this period? At night in low light conditions? I'm starting to develop a bit of skepticism on ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 11:42pm -

Aboard the warship U.S.S. Oregon circa 1897. "Second round." Our third look at this nighttime boxing match. 8x10 glass negative by E.H. Hart. View full size. These Boots Were Made for WatchingI wonder what is the story about the guy with the boots. Re: CookieCan't be. No ciggie with an inch of ashes hanging over the guy below him. Cf. Camp Swampy. Down goes Frazier!!If radio had been invented by 1897, I would have loved to have heard the great sportscaster Clem McCarthy call this fight. No one did boxing or horse racing better than Clem. CookieI just bet this guy was the ship's cook -- looks like he belongs over a pot of boiling potatoes somehow. At least if every military cook in every war movie ever made is an accurate guide. The eye of the tigerThat's the way the fighters seem to look at each other. I wonder who won. Who's Next?That guy whose face is right in the middle of the two fighters. I remember him from a recent Shorpy post. He still looks ready to get into the ring. By the way, my money would be on the boxer on the right, if I was willing to wager. He seems to have a little better defensive stance. The fighter on the left just left his face wide open. Staged?Could photography freeze the motion of something happening as fast as a boxing match in this period? At night in low light conditions? I'm starting to develop a bit of skepticism on whether we're really seeing what we think we're seeing in this one. Maybe this was a staged "tableau" where the fighters and audience were all told not to move for a minute for the photographer. [I think you mean "posed." Most flash photos of the eras were time exposures; you can tell how much the various sailors were moving by how blurred they are. - Dave] (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, E.H. Hart, Sports)
Texas Tourists: 1920
... for the tin-can tourist. Where the tidal basin basks at night under the hush of the star-flecked sky, where the moonlight falls in soft ... travel and fold down outside the camper to make beds at night. Similar to a modern day tent camper. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/22/2013 - 9:10am -

Washington, D.C., or vicinity circa 1920. "Dr. A.A. Foster and family of Dallas, Texas." A second look at the auto-tourists seen here yesterday, and their modified Model T Ford. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Not Just a CageThe cage walls are bed springs. I'd bet they either fold down for sleeping or detach to be set up as cots. Cheap But Seldom CheerfulThe best feature of a Model T (aside from the admittedly low purchase price) was that almost anything one did to change it resulted in something better than that with which one started. Tin-Can Tourists Washington Post, August 21, 1921. Washington Is the Mecca of Open Air Auto Tourist Washington this season has been the mecca for the tin-can tourist. Where the tidal basin basks at night under the hush of the star-flecked sky, where the moonlight falls in soft spray on the banks of the Potomac, just east of the railroad bridge, the officials have designated a spot where the tin-can tourist may make his bed. There he is cushioned on tufted lawn far away from the hue and cry of the city, out of the canopy of heaven, but near enough at all times to be within reach of things that civilization demands. … The main attraction to touring in this fashion, all the tourists agree, is that it gives opportunity to study the country, its peoples and their ways. … All agree that the West is where they find the greatest hospitality. The East is not yet ready for the open-air tourist. For the most part, the tourists run well into age. That is, some of them are nearing the 80-year-old mark. Occasionally there are middle-aged couples, who have with them their children, and once in a while there is a young couple on their honeymoon. … MomShe still looks just as thrilled. [Waiting for someone to invent Four-Zone Climate Control. - Dave] Axe mountI just wanted to point out the slick axe mount on the side of the car. Perfect for clearing the road of fallen trees I suppose. Kid cage!"Throw the kids in the cage, Maw, it's time to shove off!" Noting safer for the lil ones than a wire mesh matress-padded compartment for travel. "With roll-down curtains, in case there's a change in the weather." Pop Up CamperVery practical bed arrangement. The beds fold up to keep the kids on board during travel and fold down outside the camper to make beds at night. Similar to a modern day tent camper. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Dogs, Harris + Ewing, Kids)
State-of-the-Art Facilities: 1941
... with my grandparents. I especially hated them during the night, especially hot weather, when the wasps made nests there. It's hell to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/06/2008 - 3:32pm -

Minnesota, 1941. "Complete sanitary privy properly protected to prevent flies from spreading diseases. Concrete floor slab, riser stool and building are fabricated at central yard for environmental sanitation program." View full size. Medium format safety negative by Shipman for the Farm Security Administration. "Stinkies"Funny how nothing has changed since the first outhouses. They still look the same, still feel the same, and I bet they still smell the same! I had to use one in minus-25 temps at my friend's log cabin 3 weeks ago, brrrr! TP or not TPIndeed, that must have been a pretty fancy/rich outhouse to have TP! I remember my grandfather telling me that when he was growing up on the farm, the outhouse was pretty far from the house and they did not have TP... they would cut strips from the evening paper or expired mail order catalogues... Apparently only "rich" families had TP and the really rich ones even had a small oil heater in the outhouse! I really like the design of this outhouse with the cesspool vent tube coming up behind the seat and venting on the sides, and I assume there is probably screening in the vents to stop the flies. It's a really fancy design! KEEP LID CLOSED DURING FLY SEASON!Ewww ... Perhaps I'm being priggish, but why not just keep the lid closed all the time? TPObserve the toilet paper, has it really not changed at all? A subject we can all relate toYes, a lot of thought has gone into this outhouse, verily a modern design. But the TP in the picture is probably closer to what we in the modern day refer to as fine-grain sandpaper, or perhaps burlap. In which case I'd prefer last year's Sears. The stink in the modern porta-potties is wholly different, though. They all smell of perfumed antiseptics, ie. evil - at least the vintage version smells honest! Our farm toilet until 1972No nostalgia here just crude sanitation ... and we used sears catalogues for paper to boot! San Diego vs. MinnesotaSo, on January 18, as one sits reading one's Sears Catalog and minding one's own business while performing one's business, does one want to be doing so while it is 77 degrees (oops, just went up to 78) or minus 19? Not to mention, it is never "fly season" in San Diego, unless you are a Blue Angel. Well, this picture cements it. I'm staying. Just when I was on the verge of returning to Minnesota where the hardy stock thrives, this picture comes along and upends the privy, so to speak. The OuthouseI cannot begin to tell you how I HATE outhouses. I grew up with them since I spent time with my grandparents. I especially hated them during the night, especially hot weather, when the wasps made nests there. It's hell to have to go and worry about being stung several times in the process. I was 16 when grandpa finally put the toilet in the house. God, what rejoicing there was! And I ain't lyin'. You never heard such whoopin' and hollerin' from a bunch of girls! (I had lots of cousins). Sears was bestGrandpa always used the Sears Roebuck catalogue. He said the Monkey Ward ones were too slick to do any good. He was right too. San Diego vs. Minnesota # 2I was visiting Tucson this past June and was seriously considering relocating there. During that brief visit, I came across two very large and creepy spiders: one was in my room and was promptly dispatched under a mound of bathroom spray while the other one - a startlingly massive, flesh-colored, jointed-legged eye-popper - was covered with a stray towel and stomped. That experience got me to thinking about black widow spiders, which I'd seen in San Diego and also on a previous Tucson visit. I began wondering about the incidence of spider bites and started doing some googlin'. What I discovered surprised and alarmed me. Most reported cases of black widow spider bites in the American Southwest from the late 1800s through the early 1900s were contracted by men using outhouses. All the bites were on their genitals. It makes you wonder why nobody installed hinged seats that could be lifted and checked under. I'm thinking that Minnesota is looking pretty good from where I'm sitting right now. (The Gallery, Rural America)
Outing Equipment: 1920
... calls from anywhere in the vicinity of Washington, night or day, is on the streets. 1920s ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/10/2015 - 10:24am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "National Service Co. front, 1610 14th Street N.W." Home of 24-hour tire service. National Photo Co. glass negative. View full size. Seal of ApprovalThese days, we rotate our tires every 6000 miles. So much for the 6000 mi guarantee! Then and NowView Larger Map Roadside Service: 50 cents Washington Post, Apr 6, 1919 24-Hour Tire Service Begins J.H. Robison Head of Company Installing Apparatus for Heavy Work Twenty-four-hour tire service is something new to Washington. It has just been introduced by the National Service Company, which has opened a tire store at 1610 Fourteenth street northwest for both solid and pneumatic tires. J.H. Robison is active head of the new company, which is specializing on the Firestone line of tires and tubes. Mr. Robison has been for a number of years connected with the American University in the capacity of purchasing agent. Previous to this he filled a like position for the bureau of mines in the Pittsburgh district. A 150-ton hydraulic press has been installed for handling the sold tire work. There is also set up an oxacetylene welding outfit for cutting off old tire bands and tire bases from wheels fitted with the pressed-on type of solid tires. A service wagon, specially designed, with an overhead trolley and chain hoist for handling heavy wheels, is in operation. For the pneumatic tire business a complete vulcanizing plant is being installed and a service wagon that will answer telephone calls from anywhere in the vicinity of Washington, night or day, is on the streets. 1920s Taggers!Apparently, graffiti was a problem back in 1920, as well. Take a close look at the lamppost. Danged whippersnappers! Free AirProprietor: "That'll be fifty cents for the tire fill." Customer: "I thought the air was free." Proprietor: "It is but there's a non-waivable atmosphere-to-tire transfer fee." P.S. The lady in the window is reverse trick of the eye - she's real but looks like a cardboard picture. [She is covered with mold (on the emulsion, at least), which gives her that washed-out look. - Dave] Some things never changeI have a fondness for company logos that have remained in use for decades. The Firestone logotype hasn't changed in at least 90 years. That's a good one. Auto BedsI guess Motel 6 leaving the light on for you wasn't around yet! Dapper CasperThe ghost in front of 1612 appears to have had his shoes shined. ChillinI like the milk bottle on the window ledge -- cheaper than buying an icebox, I guess. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
33 Center Street: 1910
... Post. Damn Shutters I can hear them banging all night long! [Try leaving Mr. Shutter a note. - Dave] Amazing, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/04/2011 - 2:16pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "No. 33 Center Street." Why this little house is in the Detroit Publishing archive is a mystery to me. Note yet another of those maypole-style telephone line drops. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Central AnnexThe Milner Hotel now occupies the spot where this building once stood. According to the 1910 Polk City Directory, the building at the right, 31 Center Street, was occupied by one Henry M. Catton. The building at the left was the Central Apartments at 35-41. 33 Center was the "Central Annex" and you can see that there is a connection between the Annex and the larger Central Apartments. Perhaps one of the residents of the Annex gained notoriety, prompting the photograph of their residence? [My guess would be that whatever historical significance this place has lies back in the 19th century. A Google Books search shows that 33 Centre Street was headquarters of the Detroit Woman's Christian Association in 1890. There may have been some connection with the temperance movement. - Dave] View Larger Map PhotoworthyMaybe the entry to No. 33 is at the end of that narrow passageway and that is unusual enough to be both noteworthy and photoworthy. CuriosityJust curious if the pole is actually an electric power drop.The insulators appear to be quite large. This area is in the general area where Edison Electric Illuminating was supplying DC power in the very early part of the 1900's. I want my Maypole!That's a telephone drop. Single-wire conductors with a ground return. Power lines would be two conductors widely separated. One more detailAnd a tip of the Hatlo Hat to the Old Hitching Post. Damn ShuttersI can hear them banging all night long! [Try leaving Mr. Shutter a note. - Dave] Amazing, I'm thereI can actually see the Milner and Center street from my window at work right now. No sign of this house. Thanks for the time-travel-moment, Shorpy. The paversLook to be wood, probably soaked in creosote. Window treatmentI like the way that the pediment over the window of the house next door matches the one over the door. Obviously the houses have come down in the world. Re: I want my Maypole!Actually telephone lines are symmetrical, so they always are a pair of conductors. [A lot of early systems used a single conductor with ground return. - Dave] (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Keeping a Low Profile: 1948
... Two's company. Three's a crowd! 2001 Later that night she said: "Stop! Dave!" He began to sing the words to the 1890's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/12/2013 - 12:21pm -

1948. Mooseheart, Illinois. "Activities at Mooseheart orphanage. High school boy and girl in their Cadet Corps uniforms." And their chaperone. Kodachrome by Stanley Kubrick for Look magazine. View full size. HahahaIt took me a minute to spot the chaperone. Love it. Best boyNo, not him, but the chap(erone) on the floor holding the light aimed up the wall. Must have won the war for usI did four years in Marine Corps during wartime and had no idea a man could be so decorated. I'm thinking if he can dodge the chaperone with the nurse he might win another medal. That Lad Has been very busy. Mussolini's leftoversLooks like the orphanage secured the lad's uniform at Fascist Surplus. He's just missing the cap tassel. Scram Buddy!Two's company. Three's a crowd! 2001Later that night she said: "Stop! Dave!" He began to sing the words to the 1890's classic "Daisy" The words stayed with Stanley for years. . . Still There and still helping kidshttp://www.mooseheart.org/ I didn't realizethe U.S. had a space cadet corps, guess it must have been in the early 50's. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, LOOK, Stanley Kubrick)
Grand Hotel: 1908
... Ransom I'll bet that penthouse suite cost $10 or $12 a night! So hard to imagine These things ever existed. Thank God these ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 4:07pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1908. "Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel." All this needs is some icing and a bride and groom on top. View full size. Fabulous!Up till then, the largest reinforced concrete building in the world. Razed in 1979. What the heckLos Angeles Chamber of Commerce on the Boardwalk ? No, No, Nanette!This fabulous hotel had famously fabulous afternoon teas. Irving Caesar wrote the words to the song "Tea for Two" here in the hotel's lobby in 1925. A King's RansomI'll bet that penthouse suite cost $10 or $12 a night! So hard to imagineThese things ever existed. Thank God these photos do. Inn-cineratorI hope those twin towers at the front are smokestacks -- to have them belching oodles of black smoke would complete the sinister look! Whoa Nouveau!That's grand, all right. If I ever get my time machine working, I'm using Shorpy as the GPS. Profit can be a HUGE motiveThis 1753-room casino (Bally's Atlantic City) replaced it. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Hotel Harrington: 1917
... image. Home of the Pink Elephant Room Spent many a night there in the early 1960s as an Air Force officer on TDY. The first floor ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/06/2013 - 12:22pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1917. "Hotel Harrington, 11th and E Sts. N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Still there and with the same name![Ironically not still there: The Perpetual Building Association building. - Dave] View Larger Map Still a great placeI took the family there a couple of years ago to see the Washington sights. It shows its age in many places, but is still a great hotel bargain within walking distance of all the monuments and museums. It has an incredible spiral staircase fire escape inside as well. Harrington MinutiaeInteresting to note that there's still a fire hydrant-- same location-- on the southwest corner across the street from the hotel. Similarly, the "modern" pay phone on the east side appears in the same spot as the police call box in the 1917 image. Home of the Pink Elephant RoomSpent many a night there in the early 1960s as an Air Force officer on TDY. The first floor bar was called the "Pink Elephant Room" and it was said that if you were an Air Force officer and walked in for a drink at least one person you knew would be there. Per diem then was $16 a day. A room at the Harrington was $11, breakfast in the basement cafeteria was six bits, and you loaded up at lunch in the Pentagon cafeteria. That left enough for a shot of really vile bar scotch in the PEO. Then off to bed, on the top floor just under the elevator motors. Our Honeymoon Hotel 40 Years AgoKathleen and I stayed here on our honeymoon in 1973. The Pink Elephant Lounge was still there, though we never ventured inside. (It's since been replaced by the Hemingwayesque Harry's Bar.) The Harrington made it possible for a young couple without a lot of money to have a honeymoon in the nation's capital. And the fresh blueberries in the cafeteria were wonderful! P.S. We're still happily married. June, 1977I stayed here in June of 1977 with 200 other "Junior Safety Patrol" 12 year olds. We arrived on about seven Trailways buses for a one week stay and the hotel has probably never been the same since. I remember our group getting some very ugly looks from the folks who were staying there and I'm sure we deserved it. One memorable incident involved a wino getting pelted with wet toilet paper from a 5th floor window and the D.C. Police going door to door, trying to locate the culprits. Fresh air fiends?The trees don't have leaves and the pedestrians are wearing overcoats, giving the impression of winter. Yet there are numerous open windows in these buildings. [It's what you do when your room is overheated. -Dave] Also GoneAlso gone from the neighborhood, to the left of the hotel, is Judd & Detweiler, printers, where they used to make National Geographic. TeeVee at the TopThe penthouse of the Hotel Harrington was home to Washington's first TV station, W3XWT, which took the air in 1945 under the guidance of Dr. Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. of Du Mont Labs. Dr. Goldsmith would be rewarded by the use of his initials for the station's final call sign, WTTG-TV. Short clip about the birth of the capital's first TV station: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyA0Cod-r9k Shave and a HaircutBetween 1973 to 1976 I worked for United Press International at the National Press Building about 3 blocks from the Harrington. There was a barbershop on the ground level where I used to go for a haircut and a shave. That was my treat to myself on the odd occasion. Always loved the hot towels on the face and the feel of a really good shave. Sure can't get that anymore at a barbershop. +98Below is the same view from May of 2015. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Central Heat: 1932
... plant, especially if the fire was about to go out from the night before! Nice photo, Dave! [This boiler served, as the caption ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 3:27pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1932. "Ben Franklin Press" is all it says here. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Both!At least in our house. It was a gravity-feed system. Hot water rose through the pipes, cool water returned - no pumps at all. Hot water was fed through the thing in a separate coil, I guess. It worked great the first year I lived here. It's a Clinker!I'm reminded of the scene in A Christmas Story when Ralphie's Dad is doing battle with the furnace. We run that movie on continuous loop Christmas Eve and Day. MemoriesMan oh man! Where are Ralphie and The Old Man??? Boiler or water heater?I grew up helping my father replace old boilers. The picture is in my opinion a hot water heater. My rationale is there is incoming water, and no pump to circulate the water. The blower on the floor blew air into the fuel area to maximize burning. I would guess this thing used coke. That thought coming from a lack of coal dust around the container. Not sure I am spelling coke correctly, but describing the by product of burning coal in the steel mills. Coke did require extra oxygen to generate heat quickly. Must be someone out there with more knowledge than me about these things! After Star WarsR2D2 found himself another job. Turbo charged.Powered by 6' of wire in a 5' BX cable. Looks familiarWe had one of these babies in the basement of our 1928 row home when we purchased it a couple of years ago. It was still running strong (converted to oil). I was sad to see it go. Shoulda took a picture! Common to Uncommon; Known to UnknownWhy would one take a picture of something so unremarkable as a steam boiler? And yet had they not, many of us would never have seen such a setup. I imagine some in 1932 thought it was a waste of supplies to take this particular photo -- and perhaps some today think so as well. But now something that was quite routine in that day proves to be a point of conversation and contemplation for us today. It's interesting to note what appears to be a thermostat on the pipe on the left side, just above the thermometer. Apparently it triggered the blower to fan the fuel source, and hopefully increase the water temperature. [National Photo took pictures like this because they were commissioned by a client. - Dave] Steam HeatThis is just your run of the mill residential steam heat boiler. The tipoff is that half-full glass of water in the sight glass. With the ashpit clean the way it is, it's either summertime or Dad just finished up with the chore of removing the ashes and was so proud of himself, he took a picture! The vertical pipe leading down to the bottom of the boiler is the boiler feed valve. Since it looks like there's no automatic boiler feed assembly, Dad had to check the water level in the sight glass maybe a few times a week (more if it really cold out) and add water to the boiler when needed. That blower fan to the bottom left was a nice addition to the plant, especially if the fire was about to go out from the night before! Nice photo, Dave! [This boiler served, as the caption indicates, a business establishment -- the printing plant of the Ben Franklin Press, 1320 F Street NW. - Dave] Full of "Go" National Heating Guide, 1930. National Round Boiler This boiler makes a powerful appeal to all seeking a business-like efficient heating unit, free of frills, but full of "go." A total of eighteen sizes, covering 6 grate diameters, provide an extremely wide variety of applications. The boilers are bonded to heat from 175 to 925 square feet of steam radiation, and 285 to 1530 feet of water radiation. National Round Boilers are designed to perform with all types of fuel: domestic sizes of anthracite and bituminous coal, oil, gas and coke. They can be converted on the job to meet the individual requirements of the fuel selected. The design of the grate and heating surface; the scientific size and shape of the combustion chamber; the serpentine fire travel; the properly proportioned waterways, and the balanced system of air intake and damper controls, all unite to deliver a heating service eminently satisfactory because of maximum heating results from minimum fuel consumption. Gravity Heating.JK - there is no sight glass. Not a steam boiler. SD - not a water heater. jojodc - is correct. It's a gravity heating boiler, but there is no domestic water heating coil in this boiler. The electric blower was usually for anthracite coal. The studs-and-plank wall to the right is one wall of the coal bin. Also of note - the foundation of the building shown behind the boiler is structural terra cotta. http://historicbldgs.com/terra_cotta.htm farkedhttp://www.fark.com/comments/7267203/Photoshop-this-old-clinker (Technology, The Gallery, Natl Photo)
Li'l Darlin's: 1955
... got "dressed up." Dream come true Tterrace, last night I dreamed I met you. All I could think of to say was, "Keep posting ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/20/2011 - 1:12pm -

Thanksgiving Day, 1955 My cousin's wife cuddles her baby, her father cuddles her doggie, Fifi, at our dining room table. Pumpkin pie remains on the plate show the meal's over, so no, Fifi was not a guest for dinner itself. I wonder how our own dog, Missie, felt about this interloper being allowed in the dining room when she was always restricted to the kitchen. Those were always my favorites of my mother's curtains, but photos show that by 1958 they'd been replaced with some boring ones. Kodachrome slide by my brother. View full size. What's in the glass?And has your cousin-in-law been feeding it to Baby? He looks like most of us feel when we've reached the pumpkin pie stage: where's a good spot for a nap? Times They Have ChangedI look at this picture with the older gentleman in a suit and tie and think how we have downgraded our everyday appearance. I was in my teens in 1955 and my father dressed "up" when we went to my grandmother's house for Thanksgiving while I was only required to wear dress slacks, nice shirt and sweater. Now when we have family over for Thanksgiving they dress is jeans, sport shirts for the men and tennis shoes. I liked it better when we had occasions that we actually got "dressed up." Dream come trueTterrace, last night I dreamed I met you. All I could think of to say was, "Keep posting those great pictures!" Thanks for listening to me. This one fits the bill. Annette!Your cousin's wife is so fresh-faced and gorgeous -- and geez, so young, like this is just the neighbor's kid she's holding for fun. Close to the NormAlmost Rockwellian. But there would be more pie and less Fifi. I love seeing your picturesIt's as though I've come to know your family personally and I've watched your childhood evolve as if I was actually there too. The crispness and rich color and casual, familial settings are so wonderful. Please keep posting them! I can't believe the quality of this pic! It's just gorgeous! ClassyThe older gent is so refined in appearance. Do you know what he did for a living? I agree with Mattie....Really enjoy looking at your photo's photos, they make me feel nostalgic for an era when I wasn't even thought of (I debuted in '78). Your posts are like a time machine for us "retro junkies." Dress upThanksgiving 1955 was my first one too. Growing up, the only parties I can remember my male relatives NOT wearing ties to were the Fourth of July picnics. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Thanksgiving, tterrapix)
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