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Detroit circa 1910. "Campus Martius -- Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Elks Monument and Wayne County Building." Far right, the Hotel Pontchartrain. 8x10 glass negative. View full size.
Although it would be another 19 years or so before the Edward Bernays ‘Torches of Freedom’ campaign kicked in, it appears as if some of the tobacco companies had already taken such initiatives as early as 1910, if not earlier. True, the Turkish Trophies cigarette billboard does not show the woman actually smoking, but in my mind the connection is clear.
Okay, let’s do the math: 23 cents per pound, or two and a quarter pounds for 50 cents, which is 22.22 cents per pound. Which is such a bargain?
The arch was a temporary build celebrating the 1910 convention of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The inscription is the Elks' motto: "The fault of our brothers we write upon the sand. Their virtues upon tablets of love and memory." There was another, larger arch at the other end of downtown; the Elks must have brought a lot of business.
There are better photographs of the Hotel Pontchartrain. But I'm taking this opportunity to share what I found.
There was a good article with photographs in the January 1908 Architects' and Builders' Magazine, when the Pontchartrain was new. The architect, George D. Mason described the mechanics, features, and decor of the hotel. He wrote the hotel was designed anticipating four stories might be added later. In April 1908, an ad said rates were $2 per day and up.
In 1913 five stories were added, and a review in The Architectural Review included exterior and interior photographs, plus floor plans. Here is the basement.
At the bottom right is an interurban streetcar that would have travelled to any number of Michigan locations, and even Toledo, Ohio. The interurban system was extensive, covering over 500 miles of track. This car looked quite deluxe compared to the city cars -- in railway car style, it even has an open rear platform.
This looks a lot like the still photo that opens the film version of Hello, Dolly. Is it?
[That was New York on a Hollywood backlot -- a still that morphs into live action. - Dave]
Usually Shorpy hotels burn. But here, we have the Burns Hotel.
I can find the Soldiers and Sailors monument on googmaps, but looks like the arch thing with Bambi's mom and dad on top is no longer with us?
Comparing 1910 to 2022, seems like I always prefer the old to the new. So much more lively and real.
Wow! - wethinks - wouldn't it be swell if the truly ginormous D.M. Ferry warehouse was still around ?? Well we're (sort of) in luck: it (sort of) is.
The "sort of" part being, sadly, that the westernmost building in the complex (above) - the back of which we see in the main picture, isn't the part that's still around.
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