One Hundred Years Ago

[albrecht]

Mr. John Malek and Miss Agata Banas, married at Lawrence, Mass., January 30, 1916

Relations? One thing I like about the old photos in my family is they are so severe. Granted things were tough, I know, but even in celebratory photos (such as this, a marriage) or 4th of July, etc everyone has a grim face. But especially in portraits or family photos or funeral photos. Smiling was loathe to happen, it appears. No "say cheese" -even for kids. Of course, even today I sometimes come out like this! When faced with multiple photographs and 'hold on' one more and realize that then they can to sit still for longer time frame for exposures to 'work'. And it was more of a bigger deal (cost wise.)

[Walks_At_Night]

Relations? One thing I like about the old photos in my family is they are so severe. Granted things were tough, I know, but even in celebratory photos (such as this, a marriage) or 4th of July, etc everyone has a grim face. But especially in portraits or family photos or funeral photos. Smiling was loathe to happen, it appears. No "say cheese" -even for kids. Of course, even today I sometimes come out like this! When faced with multiple photographs and 'hold on' one more and realize that then they can to sit still for longer time frame for exposures to 'work'. And it was more of a bigger deal (cost wise.)

No relation.   Just thought it was a neat 100 year old tomorrow pick.    You see pictures like that and you wonder what kind of people they were.   The guy in the back probably is a real bung hole. 

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

No relation.   Just thought it was a neat 100 year old tomorrow pick.    You see pictures like that and you wonder what kind of people they were.   The guy in the back probably is a real bung hole.

Old photos of ordinary people are fascinating, in large part because they tend to look so grim as albrecht mentioned.  Given her expression, I hope that didn't wind up being the happiest day of Agata's life!  Any idea which one's the lucky groom?  I'm guessing he's either the "bung hole" or the guy with the gaudy boutonnière on the left.

[Rix Gins]

Relations? One thing I like about the old photos in my family is they are so severe. Granted things were tough, I know, but even in celebratory photos (such as this, a marriage) or 4th of July, etc everyone has a grim face. But especially in portraits or family photos or funeral photos. Smiling was loathe to happen, it appears. No "say cheese" -even for kids. Of course, even today I sometimes come out like this! When faced with multiple photographs and 'hold on' one more and realize that then they can to sit still for longer time frame for exposures to 'work'. And it was more of a bigger deal (cost wise.)

Interesting comments on the poses - non smiles of the participants in the photo.  It reminded me of early day group photos of my youth, when my grandparents were still living.  We would all stand in a group, smiling into the camera, except for my grandfather.  For some reason, he preferred to stand shifted at an angle to the left, smiling into the distance.  One thing for sure, it always set him apart from everybody else.  Funny thing is, I have carried on the same tradition when it comes to having photos taken.  I prefer to stare away from the camera lens and not directly into it.  Nice to carry on a family tradition right?  Well, not the case...my wife says I look like I had a stroke whenever I attempt the pose.  Oh well.  Here's how Grand Dad stood when he posed for pictures.  The only descent example I could find was old Honest Abe himself.

     

[albrecht]

Old photos of ordinary people are fascinating, in large part because they tend to look so grim as albrecht mentioned.  Given her expression, I hope that didn't wind up being the happiest day of Agata's life!  Any idea which one's the lucky groom?  I'm guessing he's either the "bung hole" or the guy with the gaudy boutonnière on the left.

I like though sometime don't, going to estate sales and such. And finding stuff. But always sad when I see family photos, awards, etc priced out. Like Geez "to use a Norry." I do say tho old photographs, lithographs, and older guerro-whatever. Are pretty cool. Also like that previous post (silhouette stuff, of various types are neat.) My old family photos etc almost nobody smiles (which is why I commented.) Even in the some, later, who weren't poor farmers or immigrants but got leadership positions in government, military, judges, state senators, etc. I think it was a "thing" like look serious. Or, maybe, just having to sit still for a photo? There also could be a cultural thing. If you look at portraits in photo or paint, it seems, like over time, we now want more 'positive'? Even in the Presidential ones and photo ops. If you look at old ones it is serious, pondering, substance. Now it is is "Hey, How Are You?!" type.

[albrecht]

Interesting comments on the poses - non smiles of the participants in the photo.  It reminded me of early day group photos of my youth, when my grandparents were still living.  We would all stand in a group, smiling into the camera, except for my grandfather.  For some reason, he preferred to stand shifted at an angle to the left, smiling into the distance.  One thing for sure, it always set him apart from everybody else.  Funny thing is, I have carried on the same tradition when it comes to having photos taken.  I prefer to stare away from the camera lens and not directly into it.  Nice to carry on a family tradition right?  Well, not the case...my wife says I look like I had a stroke whenever I attempt the pose.  Oh well.  Here's how Grand Dad stood when he posed for pictures.  The only descent example I could find was old Honest Abe himself.

     

Yep, see my comment above. I laugh because decades ago with a large group I was with we decided to do an "old style" photo and everyone was staid or even grimaced. It looked much more "for posterity" than the usual stuff these days!

[Walks_At_Night]

Interesting comments on the poses - non smiles of the participants in the photo.  It reminded me of early day group photos of my youth, when my grandparents were still living.  We would all stand in a group, smiling into the camera, except for my grandfather.  For some reason, he preferred to stand shifted at an angle to the left, smiling into the distance.  One thing for sure, it always set him apart from everybody else.  Funny thing is, I have carried on the same tradition when it comes to having photos taken.  I prefer to stare away from the camera lens and not directly into it.  Nice to carry on a family tradition right?  Well, not the case...my wife says I look like I had a stroke whenever I attempt the pose.  Oh well.  Here's how Grand Dad stood when he posed for pictures.  The only descent example I could find was old Honest Abe himself.

     

Abe probably didn't want his retina's fried out by the flash powder

[Robert Ghostwolf's Ghost]

Yep, see my comment above. I laugh because decades ago with a large group I was with we decided to do an "old style" photo and everyone was staid or even grimaced. It looked much more "for posterity" than the usual stuff these days!

I don't know when it stopped being an issue, but for a good part of the nineteenth century it took so long to fully expose a plate that subjects had to hold steady poses for a couple of minutes to preven blurring, which is one reason nobody smiled.  It was much easier just to stare stonily at the lens. I've seen a few old photos in which someone who moved too much too soon was just a mass of fuzzy trails.

[albrecht]

I don't know when it stopped being an issue, but for a good part of the nineteenth century it took so long to fully expose a plate that subjects had to hold steady poses for a couple of minutes to preven blurring, which is one reason nobody smiled.  It was much easier just to stare stonily at the lens. I've seen a few old photos in which someone who moved too much too soon was just a mass of fuzzy trails.

There was a trick where you could run around the back and be twice in those old school (or mass) photographs also, which is neat.
I'm not sure, if it was, as I initially suspected, like your theory, about the "time" of exposure. We've all been there- not to that extent. At some point, forget smiling- get it over with! But also, at least with my relatives, if not the usual sorta "don't be happy" strife, just work type of deal and the photos were, if not devil-like, at least should show not "having fun" here, lest others see them!

[Meister_000]

Popular Mechanics: January 1916, p.78-9

Blind Man (without arms) Reads with His Tongue

[Meister_000]

Silhouette photography - The latest fad!

What attracts men and women in 1916?
. . . she told him it was the shape of a man’s wrist that counts.

From the Los Angeles Herald, 1916
Los Angeles public school children are to have better manners and a higher standard of etiquette in the future. To accomplish this both the children and their parents are to be educated in courtesy and manners in the homes.

One might say we need a bit of this nowadays. 

These are Great Shay! 

[Meister_000]

Good luck with that! 
[Socrates quote]

Nice one Bob! 

[trostol]

missed this

January 29 â€" WWI: Paris is bombed by German zeppelins for the first time.

[Walks_At_Night]

missed this

January 29 â€" WWI: Paris is bombed by German zeppelins for the first time.

Pix of the funeral for the victims of this raid:



And of some of the damage:

[GravitySucks]

Old photos of ordinary people are fascinating, in large part because they tend to look so grim as albrecht mentioned.  Given her expression, I hope that didn't wind up being the happiest day of Agata's life!  Any idea which one's the lucky groom?  I'm guessing he's either the "bung hole" or the guy with the gaudy boutonnière on the left.

Has to be the guy on the left. His bout' is on his right. The other two guys having matching ones on their left.

[Walks_At_Night]

In 1916 Michigan Central Station was still essentially brand new, having opened in January, 1914.   It was owned by the Michigan Central Railroad and at one time over 200 trains a day arrived and departed from it.  It is designed in the Beaux-Arts style of architecture and was designed and built by the same firm that did Grand Central Station in NYC.   It is 18 stories tall, as the original plan was for a Hotel to be included - however that never happened and the while some of the floors were used for  office space many were never used at all.  Being a train station in the Motor City was probably not a great thing for the structure over the decades and Amtrak finally stopped service in 1988.  It has been unused since then.   There have been some efforts at restoring it but it's future remains unclear.



Under construction:



In it's heyday:







floor plan:




Modern day Michigan Central Station:







Restoration Efforts:

[Walks_At_Night]

On January 30th, 1916 the Sweetwater Dam across the the Sweetwater river in San Diego County was breached by floodwaters.  Apparently there had been an extended drought so of course they got a rainmaker:

In the winter of 1915, southern California was experiencing a devastating drought that had drained area reservoirs to record low levels over more than three consecutive years, causing massive agricultural and ranching losses. Residents of San Diego County were so desperate that the city of San Diego hired a man called Charles Hatfield, known as "the Rainmaker". The city promised Hatfield $10,000 if he could make it rain significantly by the end of the year.

Hatfield did such a good job that things quickly spun out of control:

More than thirty-nine inches (991 mm) of rain fell during the following month, and storms continued deluging the county well into early 1916. The area's rivers and streams rose to their highest recorded levels in years. More than 200 bridges were washed out, entire communities were swept away, levees collapsed, and valleys were inundated. All the bridges along the San Diego, Sweetwater and Otay rivers were washed out except for a rail bridge that was left standing alone with its ends missing

On January 30th, 1916 the Sweetwater Dam relented to the pressure and failed:

The failure of the dam caused extensive damage downstream, including the destruction of over 15,000 ft  of Sweetwater Water Co. pipeline, all railway track and electric utility lines. The dam was subsequently rebuilt and an additional spillway added to pass future floods

Hatfield was kind of an interesting cat.  He used a secret mixture of 23 chemicals in large tanks that he claimed attracted rain as they evaporated. He started small but soon was commanding fees of up to $10,000.   The San Diego City Council voted 4 to 1 in favor of hiring Hatfield to fill their  reservoir.   A formal agreement was never written up but Hatfield got busy based on a verbal understanding.  After all the flooding, damn  failures and damage Hatfield went to the press on February 4th.  His
opinion was that the damage was not his fault and the City Council should have taken this into account when they hired him. 

Things got even uglier from there and it wouldn't get cleared up for decades:

Hatfield had fulfilled the requirements of his contract - filling the reservoir - but the city council refused to pay the money unless Hatfield would accept liability for damages; there were already claims worth $3.5 million. Besides, there was no written contract. Hatfield tried to settle for $4000 and then sued the council.  In two trials, the rain was ruled an act of God but Hatfield continued the suit until 1938 when two courts decided that the rain was an act of God, which absolved him of any wrongdoing, but also meant he did not get his fee.

Hatfield would ultimately claim 500 successes in his rain making career.   Critics would say that they were mainly due to his meteorological skill and sense of timing, selecting periods where there was a high probability of rain anyway.  He would state it was the 23 chemicals that would do the trick.   He would take his secret formula to the grave.

Hatfield

[Rix Gins]

In 1916 Michigan Central Station was still essentially brand new, having opened in January, 1914.   It was owned by the Michigan Central Railroad and at one time over 200 trains a day arrived and departed from it.  It is designed in the Beaux-Arts style of architecture and was designed and built by the same firm that did Grand Central Station in NYC.   It is 18 stories tall, as the original plan was for a Hotel to be included - however that never happened and the while some of the floors were used for  office space many were never used at all.  Being a train station in the Motor City was probably not a great thing for the structure over the decades and Amtrak finally stopped service in 1988.  It has been unused since then.   There have been some efforts at restoring it but it's future remains unclear.

Now that is one fantastic building.  I would so love to go back in time and have a burger and cola at that eatery.  Watch all the hustle and bustle of people catching trains, and the overhead speaker system calling out departures.

[Rix Gins]

Fascinating Rainmaker story!  You bring so many interesting tidbits to this thread, Walks.  I guess one thing we can possibly ascertain from above photo of Mr. Hatfield... His chemicals weren't volatile in nature, hence he wouldn't be mixing them with a lit stogie in his mouth.  If indeed, he is mixing them in the photo.

[pate]

In 1916 Michigan Central Station was still essentially brand new, having opened in January, 1914.   It was owned by the Michigan Central Railroad and at one time over 200 trains a day arrived and departed from it.  It is designed in the Beaux-Arts style of architecture and was designed and built by the same firm that did Grand Central Station in NYC.   It is 18 stories tall, as the original plan was for a Hotel to be included - however that never happened and the while some of the floors were used for  office space many were never used at all.  Being a train station in the Motor City was probably not a great thing for the structure over the decades and Amtrak finally stopped service in 1988.  It has been unused since then.   There have been some efforts at restoring it but it's future remains unclear.

I hope they do restore it, Kansas City's Union Station (opened Oct. 30, 1914{?wiki}) was restored and re-opened for business many moons ago (1999?).  It is still a going concern, as a matter of fact my sister had her wedding reception in the grand hall several years ago...

I am sure something happened there this day 100 years ago, but nothing like the Kansas City Massacre which I will make a post about in this thread in 17.5 years or so...  If I live that long and can remember.

cool pics, WaN!

[Walks_At_Night]

Fascinating Rainmaker story!  You bring so many interesting tidbits to this thread, Walks.  I guess one thing we can possibly ascertain from above photo of Mr. Hatfield... His chemicals weren't volatile in nature, hence he wouldn't be mixing them with a lit stogie in his mouth.  If indeed, he is mixing them in the photo.

Well thanks....   All the contributors to this thread do a good job.   I've had alot of fun with it and have learned a bunch to boot.

Did you happen to notice the crazy mother in the first picture of the dam breech?   

[Rix Gins]

Well thanks....   All the contributors to this thread do a good job.   I've had alot of fun with it and have learned a bunch to boot.

Did you happen to notice the crazy mother in the first picture of the dam breech?

Yeah, I think I spotted two of them.  lol

[Rix Gins]

I hope they do restore it, Kansas City's Union Station (opened Oct. 30, 1914{?wiki}) was restored and re-opened for business many moons ago (1999?).  It is still a going concern, as a matter of fact my sister had her wedding reception in the grand hall several years ago...

I am sure something happened there this day 100 years ago, but nothing like the Kansas City Massacre which I will make a post about in this thread in 17.5 years or so...  If I live that long and can remember.

cool pics, WaN!

Might as well know Pate, I'm psychic.  You will be around and you will remember.

[Rix Gins]

Here is a newspaper that you can zoom in on and read.  It covers Trostol's Zep raid story and Walk's flood in San Diego.

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025182/1916-01-30/ed-1/seq-1/

[Walks_At_Night]

Here is a newspaper that you can zoom in on and read.  It covers Trostol's Zep raid story and Walk's flood in San Diego.

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025182/1916-01-30/ed-1/seq-1/

Cool!   Also has an article on Louis Brandeis's nomination to the Supreme Court by Woody Wilson.   I think the thread missed that
somehow.

[Rix Gins]

Cool!   Also has an article on Louis Brandeis's nomination to the Supreme Court by Woody Wilson.   I think the thread missed that
somehow.

Yup.  Partly my fault.  Was never a big Wilson fan so will gladly let others report on him.

[Walks_At_Night]

Continuing our way through the alphabet of auto companies of the early 20th century we have worked our way up to the  Briggs-Detroiter Motor Car Company which was formed in 1912 and would build cars up until 1917.   The would produce a pretty healthy number of units -  1,100 in 1912, 2750 in 1913, 1600 in 1914.  In 1915 it appears they would move away from 4 cylinder vehicles and move up to a 200 cubic inch eight cylinder engine.  This apparently got them into trouble as the company went into receivership only to be rescued by A.O. Dunk of the Puritan Stitching Machine Company.   He would rename the company to the Detroiter Motor Car Company but by 1917 it would fail for good.   





I have not been able to confirm it but I suspect that Briggs-Detroiter was an offshoot of the Briggs Manufacturing owned by Walter Briggs.  Briggs would have a huge impact in Detroit over time - he would start the Detroit Zoo, the Detroit Orchestra and would own the Detroit Tigers for many decades.  It was Briggs who would put the second tier on what would become Tiger Stadium which would result in the wonderful short port overhang in right field.   

Research has shown that the Briggs-Detroiter factory was located on Holbrook Avenue and actually it would be located in the city of Hamtramck.  Hamtramck was the heart of all that is Polish in North America.  As late as 1970 the city was over 90% Polish and as a kid Pączki Day was always a big deal.   We'd drive over to Hamtramck and pick up some Pączki's [a Polish doughnut thingy of goodness]. Today the Polish have left Hamtramck - the single largest demographic in the city is Bangladeshi.

The location of the Briggs-Detroiter factory would become the home of the American Axle & Manufacturing Company.  The AAM plant in Hamtramck would hang on up until 2012 when the location was closed and the work moved to Mexico.   The site is currently vacant but the city was hoping that a Target would move in [a NAFTA wet dream - wipe out the skilled machinist jobs and replace them with a few 'service' gigs].

The destruction of the AA&M plant:

[albrecht]

Yup.  Partly my fault.  Was never a big Wilson fan so will gladly let others report on him.

Wilson was one of the first, at least in modern times and commonly acknowledged, of our presidents to be 'controlled' to an extent. Col. House was the man behind him. He also "made" several Texas governors and was an operator before that was a common thing. We have a local HS football stadium named after him. Interestingly the "Colonel" (not a real one but like Elvis's manager and Kentucky-style; an honorific title) wrote a book, "Philip Dru: Administrator: A Story of Tomorrow, 1920-1935", about a new Civil War in which a benevolent dictator would set things "right" in America.

[Walks_At_Night]

Wilson was one of the first, at least in modern times and commonly acknowledged, of our presidents to be 'controlled' to an extent. Col. House was the man behind him. He also "made" several Texas governors and was an operator before that was a common thing. We have a local HS football stadium named after him. Interestingly the "Colonel" (not a real one but like Elvis's manager and Kentucky-style; an honorific title) wrote a book, "Philip Dru: Administrator: A Story of Tomorrow, 1920-1935", about a new Civil War in which a benevolent dictator would set things "right" in America.

Not to mention the bastard would stroke out, become a drooling turnip and his wife would run the country for a year and a half

[albrecht]

Not to mention the bastard would stroke out, become a drooling turnip and his wife would run the country for a year and a half

Out of curiosity, why the vehemence? I'm against internationalism, our tax scheme, monetary system, and foreign wars/entanglements (created all under his aegis) and don't like much of what he did, etc but your comment seems particularly strident against Wilson. Just curious, especially since much of what he did was of Col. House and then his wife's influence/doings?