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Philadelphia circa 1905. "Pennsylvania Railroad ferry terminal, Market Street." A busier view of the streetcar loop seen here a couple weeks ago. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
Actually the ladder is still there! I missed it the first time but it seems the man finished his work and now has collapsed the ladder to its smallest size with the help of the "Army" men.
They are all holding the ladder! It is still in the frame they have yet to move it off the sidewalk.
Funny I thought the same thing, these guys are in the army, or something standing around talking.
The ladder guy is still in the scene, he and some helpers are in the process of removing the ladder, it is still vertical but not extended and being held up by several people.
The "military or police" looking folks with the handcuffs are actually the linemen. The you can see the safety belt hanging down on the man facing right looking toward the ladder. The "handcuff" looking things are probably part of another line mans tool belt.
The fellows with the "handcuffs" are the lineman and his helper the "grunt". They are holding the ladder vertically. The "handcuff" on the lineman is one of the D rings on his belt, and hanging at his side is his "Scare-strap" or pole safety strap. Maybe that is a roll of tape on the other one's belt backside.
George Washington never threw a silver dollar across the Delaware; he was alleged to have thrown one across the Potomac River (considered "an impossible feat" by the friendly folks at Mount Vernon). It seems that George's cousin told a story about young George throwing a stone across the Rappahannock River, which is narrower. I've always wondered where Washington was able to find a silver dollar in those days ... At least this tale isn't totally invented, like the one about the cherry tree.
Richietwo makes a great observation. The two individuals on the roof of the ferry building overhang are still there, too. Interestingly, the person and his ladder that were up against the pole are gone -- in the first picture he seemed to be fairly involved at the top. He must've worked pretty fast to finsh, climb down, collapse the ladder and get out of the scene before the next shot was taken.
Not much of a voyage over to Camden, since George Washington was able to throw a dollar across the Delaware. But the 55 mile trip to Atlantic City by electric train sounds attractive.
According to the clock on the dome, this picture was taken just five minutes after the picture posted here several weeks ago. In that small amount of time it seems that just about everyone and everything has moved!
Except for our friend in the light colored cap on the sidewalk on the right side of the street who seems glued to some kind of sidewalk sale.
The boy on the right walking towards the camera appears to have sunglasses on...guess I didn't know they existed back then! Also just to the left of him are two men talking to each other in the background, they appear to be dressed almost like military or police, and have handcuffs or something like them hanging off their backsides and hooked to their belts. Anyone know what those might be?
The two guys are probably with cap or hat, but maybe have tipped them for a lady coming down from a buggy.
How many guys must have stopped there for a quick one after getting back from work, but before heading home on the trolley? (And how many guys must have gotten the cold shoulder at home, because they got off the trolley smelling of booze?)
Then there are the tales told by folks about to leave, perhaps forever - on their way to Army camp, or the even bigger city of New York, or perhaps about to seek their fortunes further West...
There are always saloons around the train stations of (what is now called) the Northeast Corridor Line. Many a fortifying shot is needed when debarking or embarking on those trips. Back then, a arriving traveler probably called for something to "cut the dust" - those coal engines made the air in the cars pretty gritty.
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