Friday, August 17, 2012

The little men in your head.

Pfft. Typical. No one working in the Willpower, Intelligence or Judgment departments.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Auxiliary Locomotives of the Pacific NW

I&M Speeder

The I&M [Independence & Monmouth Railway] speeder picks up a few passengers at Airlie. This town is the end of the old Oregonian Railway Co., Ltd. The narrow gauge tracks of this line later became part of the Southern Pacific lines."
-Culp, Edwin C. Stations West, the Story of the Oregon Railways (1972). p.159. 

Diminuative railcars being of course particularly charming and neat! From about 1913?

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Friday, June 15, 2012

sleeping off the effects of a debauch

Saloon Keeper Robbed - June 27 1883 Oregonian

SALOON KEEPER ROBBED. It leaked out yesterday that the private apartments of Hugh Fitzgerald, proprietor of the Pittsburgh beer hall, corner of Front and Main streets were robbed Thursday night of near ??? in coin. At the time the robbery is supposed to have been committed Fitzgerald and his wife were sleeping off the effects of a debauch of the preceding day. The place was left in charge of the barkeeper, who on closing up at night neglected to lock the door. the matter has been placed in the hands of detectives.  Loss of the money will seriously cripple Fitzgerald and will probably cause him to quit business. This would be sad.  Fitzgerald is one of the howlers against the ??????, claiming that the business will not stand such heavy tax. And he opposed to the bond ????. Abut six week ago his gentlemanly bar-keeper tried to a kill man with a beer glass, and got one year in the penitentiary for it, and Hugh does not want to give a guarantee for other ruffians he may employ in his dive.


- June 27 1883 Oregonian


"My restaurant review's ready, chief!"
"Well let's hear it, skippy."
"Ahem. 'The Pittsburgh Beer Hall offers over a dozen beers on tap at a central, convenient location. Thumbs up: owner Hughie Fitzgerald and wife can be frequently be found at your side sloshing down the swill. Also, free peanuts. Thumbs down: do not make eye contact with the staff."

Friday, May 11, 2012

The Nuge!

BLOODY FIGHT. Couch precinct, which as been quite orderdly since election day, furnished an item last night in teh shape of an old-fashioned hard fist fight on First Street, near F, not under the Marquis of Queensbury rules. The combatants were Ed. Nugent and John Reynolds, and each punished the other severely. Nugent was struck on the head, the blow cutting an artery, causing profuse hemorrhage [sic], Reynolds received two cuts, one over each eye, cutting small arteries. Services of a physician were required in both cases. Covered with blood, the men were taken to the city jail by policemen Belcher and Hair.

-June 26 1883 Oregonian

But but but WHO WON?

And I thought the names in Thomas Pynchon were goofy. Guess they were just authentic. Officers Hair and Belcher?

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

"Duly sober" my eye!

Boss Schenck Robbed - April 6 1881 Oregonian

"BOSS" SCHENCK ROBBED.-There is a trait of human nature, which might more properbly be called an inhuman trait, which has clung in the race since the days of the cave dwellers, which leads people to rejoice over the mishaps of thier friends. This is why the coterie with which Boss Schenk associates were making merry yesterday over the fact that he had been robbed. His room at his lodging house was entered during the night and all the coin taken from his purse. There were marks on the key which has been left in the lock, showing that it has been seized with nippers and the door thus unlocked. Mr. Schenck was escorted home the evening before at the usual hour by Mr. John Kelly, who took him under his umbrella, both being duly sober. Yesterday mutual friends were endeavoring to persuade Mr. Schenck that Mr. Kelly probably knew more about the affair than he was making public and the result was a slight [????] between the two cronies. It will be a very cold and rainy night when Mr. Kelly again asks any gentleman the accept the shelter of his umbrella.

-April 6 1881 Oregonian

Thursday, April 12, 2012

But dogs hate bagpipes.

Kohn Ad May 19 1886 Oregonian

Another Kohn advert from the Oregonian, May 19 1886. I adore that awkward unnecessary "charms" at the end of the sentence.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Remote supervisory control

Signallig by Remote Control
The postcard reproduced herewith has been sent to us by a correspondent. It was brought during a visit to South Africa, and according to the shop where it was sold the scene was a small wayside station just outside Port Elizabeth. The railwayman in the picture had both legs badly crushed in an accident. Being unable to operate the platform lever frame himself, he caught a baboon on a nearby mountain and trained it to pull the levers for him under his supervision - an unusual example of remote supervisory control.
Railway World Vol 37 No 431 (March 1976)
 My wife thinks the photo's fake (the baboon, not the crushed legs). You can see a bit of chain at the baboon's feet, suggesting... something.

Friday, March 02, 2012

Auxiliary Locos of the Pacific Northwest

RRV No. 1
RRV No. 1, the Doodle Bug, in front of the station at Jacksonville. The city has today rebuilt and preserved this historic structure as a remembrance of the railroad station so important to thier liitle town in the early part of the century. 
Culp, Edwin. Stations West, the Story of the Oregon Railways (1972). p.  169.
 I think I read that the Doodle Bug cost 25 cents to ride to either way.

-dd

Thursday, March 01, 2012

Auxiliary Locomotives of the Pacific Northwest

RRV No. 2

Rogue River Valley Raiload railcar no. 2 at Medford, 1915 or earlier.
 This car performed service between Medford and Jacksonville.
Culp, Edwin. Stations West, the Story of the Oregon Railways (1972). p. 170.

Another great looking railbus. The RRV had a lot of character. Entire thing was electrified in 1916.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Auxiliary Locomotives of the Pacific Northwest

Steam Dummy Albany c.1900
Steam dummy pulling a horsedrawn streetcar in Albany, Oregon, circa 1900.
The horsedrawn car of the 1890s was replaced with a steam dummy (pulling the same car) about the turn of the century. Then progress brought the small steam engine pulling one railroad passenger car. And this was followed by an electric car. 
Culp, Edwin. Stations West, the Story of the Oregon Railways (1972). p. 226.
Steam dummys are awesome because they are tantamount to homebrew steam locomotive-powered trolleys - no two look alike. This is in Albany. Note the dirt roads. Operators and/or patrons look a bit rough and tumble.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Auxiliary Locomotives of the Pacific Northwest

Railcar Milton Creek to Nehalem Valley 1916

A short line railroad built from Milton Creek on Scappoose bay along the Columbia River south to the Nehalem valley, penetrating one of the finest forest regions of the coastal region. Pasenger service was used here to reach some of these remote areas. This photograph was taken about 1915.
Culp, Edwin. Stations West, the Story of the Oregon Railways (1972), p.249.

Gorgeous railcar out of Scappoose, Oregon. The fella on the left appears to be a guard or something, judging by his danger flag there.