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Video 1906

Posted by Mr.Copper @ 18:53 on June 13, 2021  

THIS IS REALLY UNBELIEVABLE!  NO TRAFFIC LIGHTS, NO

 RULES.

  This is a fascinating movie. A camera was mounted on the front of a street car in San Francisco 104 years ago (1906).  Perhaps the oldest “home movie” that you will ever see!   Look at the hats the ladies were wearing and the  long dresses.  

  Some of the cars had the steering wheels on the right side.  I wonder when they standardized on the left?  

Sure were still a lot of horse drawn vehicles in use.    Mass transit looked like the way to get around.  Looks like everybody had the right of way.

 

 Watch the beginning carefully. At the 33 second mark and immediately after an oncoming trolley clears the screen, a well dressed

 policeman walks across the street from left to right.  Notice his right hand that he’s carrying a truncheon (26 inch police baton) and

 although he appears walking his beat, he looks ready to use it. Imagine the police of today walking down the street carrying a 26 inch

 club in their hand…???also notice every man is wearing a suit

 

 This film was “lost” for many years.  It was the first 35mm film ever. The number of automobiles is staggering for 1906. The clock  tower at the end of Market Street at the Embarcadero wharf is still there.

How many “street cleaning” people were employed to pick up  after the horses?  Talk about going green!

 

This  film was originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out

 exactly when it was shot.  From New York trade papers announcing the film showing to the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows

 indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them

 and when the plates were issued!).  It was filmed only four days before the Great California Earthquake of April  18th 1906 and

shipped by train to NY for processing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NINOxRxze9k

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Post by the Golden Rule. Oasis not responsible for content/accuracy of posts. DYODD.