Happy Halloween #6 -- October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween to all. Betty Grable relaxes with a good book in this photo from http://www.lucywho.com/

Waterless Knox #16 -- October 30, 2012

The Waterless (air-cooled) Knox automobile was manufactured in Springfield, Massachusetts. I like the name Waterless Knox. It reminds me of a Doctor Seuss character. This ad, for Knox autos, is from Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, 07-July-1904.  Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version. 

I like "The Car that Obviates the Tow."  The ad touts the car's value for doctors, who needed a dependable ride.  

World Series Champions -- October 29, 2012

The victory parade for the Giants will be held on Halloween, at 11am.  It will run from the foot of Market to Civic Center.  This photo is from the 2010 parade, which ran on Montgomery and Market.  

1931 Chrysler Imperial GC Custom Line Coupe October 28, 2012

San Francisco's Academy of Art University has a fine collection of classic cars available for study by its design students. They shared the collection at the 2010 San Francisco International Auto Show.

The Imperial was Chrysler's top-of-the-line model.  Al Leamy designed the coachwork for this Imperial GC Custom Line Coupe.

The Giants beat the Tigers 4-3 in 10 innings to sweep the World Series.  The lead went back and forth a few times.  Matt Cain pitched well.  Sergio Romo saved it.  It was a suspenseful game.  I am happy.

Fireworks are blasting away in Pacifica.  This is the Giants' seventh win in the World Series, their 19th World Series.  They won the pennant in 1904, but refused to play in what would have been the second World Series against Boston because manager John McGraw felt he had been cheated by American League founder Ban Johnson.  They also won the Temple Cup against Baltimore in 1894. 

Pablo Sandoval is the World Series MVP.  Well deserved.  

International Orange -- October 27, 2012

Today we went to Fort Point.  Traffic was horrible in the Presidio, especially on the road to the fort.  The International Orange art exhibit will close tomorrow.  16 artists created installations to honor the 75th birthday of the bridge.  The bunting in the casemates is Alison Smith's Fort Point Bunting.  On the back of each bunting is a photo and a quote from a veteran.  Other exhibits included a camera obscura, video, photos and a mock store that included only International Orange items.

Up on the barbette tier, we were shocked to find that it was warm and windless.  I don't think I have ever been that warm at Fort Point.

We went to Laurel Village, had lunch at AG Ferrari, and visited Books Inc.  At mass my wife and I took the October census again.  After mass we went to Rockin Robs for dinner.

The Giants beat the Tigers 2-0 in Detroit in the third game of the World Series, the second shutout in a row.  Ryan Vogelsong started and pitched well.  Tim Lincecum and  Sergio Romo relieved.  I'm happy. 

Rescued From a Wave-Swept Rock -- October 26, 2012

From the 15-March-1899 San Francisco Call. William A Coulter did many maritime drawings for the newspaper. The same lighthouse still stands at Point Bonita, on the north side of the Golden Gate.  Crab fishing is still dangerous work.  Click on the image to see a larger version.

RESCUED FROM A WAVE-SWEPT ROCK

Terrible Experience of a Crab-Fisher off Point Bonita During Yesterday's Storm.

FIVE short blasts and a long one from the lighthouse station on Point Bonita created consternation in shipping circles yesterday morning. It was the distress signal, and the first time it echoed across the Golden Gate was when the mail company's steamer City of New York went ashore in a fog below the lighthouse.

When the signal blew for the second time yesterday the wind was blowing 60 miles an hour from the northeast, the fog had shut down until it was impossible to see across the Golden Gate, squall after squall struck the lighthouse, and it was a nasty morning.


During a lull in the storm the lightkeeper fancied he heard a cry for help.  He waited until the squall had passed.  The cry came again, and again was drowned by the gale. The keeper made a tour of the reservation, but the fog was so thick that he could not see anything, nor could he locate the direction from which the cries came.  It was then he sounded the distress signal.

Across the Golden Gate John Hyslop was on the lookout for the Merchants' Exchange, while a short distance from him was the lookout for the Golden Gate Life Saving station. Hyslop was the first to make out the "distress signal," and he at once notified the exchange. It did not take long to let the tug companies know, and in a few moments the Shipowners' Company had the Sea King and the Spreckels Company the Relief on the way to the scene. The King had a good three-quarters of a mile start, but the Relief overhauled her at Fort Point and was easily first to Point Bonita. Captain Clem Randall slowed down and made an examination of the shore line, but could see no trace of a disaster.

Half a dozen crab nets were out, but there was no sign of the crab boats, and the captain remarked to his mate: "I wouldn't be a bit surprised if a few fishermen had been drowned."

From Point Bonita the Sea King and Relief went out through the north channel and up the coast as far as
Bolinas. No sign of a wreck could be seen nor was any vessel in distress sighted, so both tugs returned to port.

In the meantime the life saving stations had been notified and Captain Hodgson of the Fort Point station, Captain Varney of the Golden Gate station and Captain Smith of the South Side station soon had their boats in the water and under way.  Smith and his crew had to go from four miles south of the Cliff House to Bakers Beach, as they could not launch their own boat, but even with that handicap they were not far behind the others. When they all got across the Golden Gate no trace of a disaster could be found. Captain Hodgson ran his boat in as close to the beach as possible and then jumped ashore, taking with him a gun and shot line. He clambered up the face of the cliff and joined the lighthouse keeper, who was waiting for him.

At that instant the cry for help came again. It seemed to come from the ocean side of the promontory and thither the men made their way. Another faint and despairing cry brought them to the cave where the new life saving station is to be built. The men made their way around the cliff and heard the cry of help distinctly.

Clinging to a rock, over which the waves broke every few seconds, was a fisherman. His boat was not far away, bottom up, but the rock was the better refuge, and to it the fisherman clung.

Hodgson and the men from the lighthouse did not waste any time about getting the man off the rock. He was on the outermost end of a small reef and hard to get at, but with the aid of the gun and the shot line he was finally landed on the beach more dead than alive. The boat, although capsized, was anchored, and after some dangerous work it also was secured, righted and anchored in a sheltered spot.

The crab fisherman's name is Antone Razeto. According to his story told in the lighthouse, he went out early to catch crabs. It was not blowing hard and he did very well. About 9 o'clock it began to blow and he made up his mind to get back inside. An hour later it was blowing a gale and the fisherman found he could not weather Point Bonita. He got into the little cove and there came to anchor, but the big seas came rolling in and capsized the boat. He got on the bottom, but was washed off again and again.  Then he managed to get on the rock and to it he clung, calling for help every time there was a lull in the wind, until his rescuers came. Had it not been for Captain Hodgson of the life-saving station Razeto would have undoubtedly been drowned, as there are neither life lines nor boat at the lighthouse. To the lightkeeper belongs a good share of credit, however.

On the way back from Bolinas the tug picked up the lifeboats and towed them to Fort Point. Razeto was too exhausted to be moved, so he was left at the lighthouse.

It's Hard Work Being a Cat #64 -- October 25, 2012

I took this photo on 13-October-2012. 

The actor who plays the teacher on Glee sang the National Anthem. Marine Corporal Nicholas Kimmel, who lost an arm and both legs in Afghanistan, threw out the first pitch, accompanied by Willie Mays and Barry Zito. Kimmel made a good throw and Sergio Romo caught it on the fly.

Madison Bumgarner and Doug Fister both pitched well.  There was no score until the 7th inning.  Romo saved it in the 9th.  The Giants won 2-1, and lead the series 2-0.  I'm enjoying myself.

Fister got hit in the head by a line drive, but continued to pitch well.  

Orlando Cepeda #2 -- October 24, 2012

Before game one of the World Series, the Giants brought out a group of Hall of Famers including Orlando Cepeda, whose statue is here in a photo I took on 10-September-2008, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and  Gaylord Perry, who threw out the first pitch.

I missed the National Anthem.  Pablo Sandoval hit home runs in his first three at-bats. Barry Zito started and has pitched well. Tim Lincecum relieved in the sixth.  Sergeant Jerry D'Arcy of the SFPD sang "God Bless America." 

The Giants beat the Tigers 8-3 in the first game of the World Series.  I'm happy. 

Ghost Sign #12 -- October 23, 2012

The letters "YMCA" are barely visible on the former Army-Navy YMCA building on the Embarcadero. 

Comic Book #17 -- October 22, 2012

The October-November 1952 issue of Mad, published in August, was the beginning of a great American tradition.  EC, famous up to that time for horror comics, moved in a new direction.  Published by Bill Gaines and edited by Harvey Kurtzman, Mad introduced sharp satire (Humor in a Jugular Vein) to comic books.  Mad became a magazine in 1955.  Legend said it was because of the growing controversy about comic books, but it was done to satisfy Kurtzman's ambition.  I read Mad for many years and it certainly influenced my sense of humor.  I know some movies better through reading the Mad parodies rather than seeing the movies themselves.

The image is from the wonderful site CoverBrowser (http://www.coverbrowser.com/) 

To quote Russ Hodges:  "The Giants win the pennant.  The Giants win the pennant.  The Giants win the pennant."  The Giants beat the Cardinals 9-0 in game 7.  It was raining hard at the end.  They will face the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.  

George McGovern RIP -- October 21, 2012

George McGovern of South Dakota served in the US Army Air Force during World War II, piloting B 24 Liberators and earning a Distinguished Flying Cross.  A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the House of Representatives and the Senate.  He ran for President in 1972 against incumbent Richard M Nixon.  McGovern might have lost anyway, but Nixon disgraced the office of President through a horrible campaign to discredit and harm McGovern.  McGovern continued to lead a useful life. 


"It doesn't require any particular bravery to stand on the floor of the Senate and urge our boys in Vietnam to fight harder, and if this war mushrooms into a major conflict and a hundred thousand young Americans are killed, it won't be U. S. Senators who die. It will be American soldiers who are too young to qualify for the senate."

"No man should advocate a course in private that he's ashamed to admit in public."

Grauman's Chinese #19 -- October 19, 2012

In July, 2012 we paid a return visit to Hollywood and Grauman's Chinese Theater.  Sid Grauman was a San Francisco showman who came to Los Angeles and built three major houses, the Million Dollar, the Egyptian, and the Chinese. The theater has hosted many film premieres, but is most famous for the hand and footprints (and hoofprints and nose prints and other types of prints) in the forecourt.

Tom Mix was the biggest cowboy star in silent movies.  On 12-December-1927, Tom and Tony the Wonder Horse visited Grauman's Chinese to leave Tom's hand and boot prints and Tony's hoof prints.  I like the caricature of Tom's white hat.  The text at the top is hard to read, but I think it says "1000 Good Lucks to/My Pal and Friend S.G."

Barry Zito pitched an excellent game.  The Giants beat the Cardinals.  The Cardinals still lead the series 3-2.  

Pulp #36 -- October 18, 2012

This is a repost of an entry from October, 2010.  

The cover of the Summer, 1947 Baseball Stories.

The image is from a wonderful site called Cover Browser: http://www.coverbrowser.com/.

The Cardinals beat the Giants and lead the series 3-1.

We had an earthquake drill today at 10:18am as part of the Great ShakeOut.  

A Keystone Every Monday -- October 17, 2012

This year we mark the 100th anniversary of the Keystone company.  Here is an ad for Keystone's first release, a split reel of "The Water Nymph" and "Cohen Collects a Debt," from the 28-September-1912 Moving Picture World.  Most 1912 film ads did not name the performers, but this one talks about "Four Famous Comedians," Mack Sennett, Mabel Normand, Fred Mace and Ford Sterling. That's a nice photo of Mabel. 

The Giants lost the second game to the Cardinals, after a 3.5 hour rain delay.  

Cable Car Clothiers Has Moved -- October 16, 2012

Cable Car Clothiers has opened at its new location on Sutter Street.  Trinity Alley is visible next to the store. 

Nickname #19 -- October 15, 2012

Travis Jackson played shortstop for the New York Giants for many years in the 1920s and 1930s.  His nickname, Stonewall, was obviously borrowed from the Confederate General Stonewall Jackson, but it conveys a good idea of Travis Jackson's defensive abilities as a shortstop.  Despite various health and injury problems, Jackson served as team captain for two years, appeared in the 1934 All Star Game, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982. 

The Giants won the second game of the National League Championship series.  

The Patchwork Girl of Oz #2 -- October 14, 2012

The Oz Film Manufacturing Company, located in Los Angeles, was formed in 1914 to produce movies based on stories by L Frank Baum, the creator of The Wizard of Oz. The company made some movies, but was not a financial success. The ad is from the 27-June-1914 edition of Moving Picture World. The images are by John R Neill. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

Pierre Couderc, L'étoile grotesque (the grotesque star) of the Folies-Bergere played the lead role in their first feature, The Patchwork Girl of Oz. He went on to write and direct movies.Director J Farrell MacDonald went on to have a long career as a supporting actor.

The Giants lost the first game of the National League Championship Series to the Cardinals.  

The Ships With the Perfect Service -- October 13, 2012

The Harvard and the Yale were fast turbine steamers brought from the east coast by the Pacific Navigation Company to operate between San Francisco and San Pedro, the port of Los Angeles. They sailed the route from 1911 until World War One and from 1921 until 1931 (by the Los Angeles-San Francisco Steamship Company), when Harvard hit rocks near Point Arguello and sank. The effects of the Great Depression and competition from autos and railroads caused LASSCO to stop service with the Yale after 1936. Both ships carried troops to Europe during WWI and Yale served the Navy during WWII.

This advertisement, from the April, 1914 Navy Magazine, advertises services between San Francisco, Los Angeles, Long Beach or San Diego. 

Happy Columbus Day #6 -- October 12, 2012

Happy Columbus Day to those of you who still remember it.

Vatican II 50 Years -- October 11, 2012

On 11-October-1962, the Second Vatican Council opened in Rome.  Pope John XXIII had called for the council to "open the windows...and let in some fresh air."

Among the results of the council were mass in the vernacular, the presider facing the congregation during mass, involvement of the laity during mass and in many operations of the church and countless other changes.  Some people still find the results of the council controversial.  

Pope John XXIII was Time Magazine's Man of the Year in the 04-January-1963 edition.

The Giants beat the Reds for the third time in Cincinnati, to win the National League Championship Series.  

Alley #35 -- October 10, 2012

Looking down Maiden Lane on 12-January-2009, toward Union Square and the Dewey Monument, topped with a statue of Alma de Bretteville, later Alma Spreckels. Before the 18-April-1906 Earthquake and Fire, this was Morton Street, a red light district.  Now it is lined with genteel restaurants and art galleries.  Beyond the Dewey Monument is the Saint Francis Hotel. 

The Giants beat the Reds in Cincinnati. The series is tied at 2.  Barry Zito started but didn't go very far.  Tim Lincecum relieved and did great.  

The Maple Leaf Route -- October 9, 2012

This ad, from Railway Agent, February 1892, touts the A La Carte Dining Car service of the Chicago Great Western Railway.  The CGW was a Midwestern Class I railroad.  I don't remember seeing it referred to as the Maple Leaf Route.

Update:  The Giants beat the Reds.  The Reds lead the series 2-1.  

The Holland Society of New York -- October 8, 2012

 

Doctor Peter Henri Van Der Weyde wrote the series of articles which gave this blog its name.   Here is an excerpt from an item in an 1886 New Amsterdam Gazette about a January 27 meeting of the Holland Society of New York.  The image comes from the February, 1893 issue of Manufacturer and Builder.

from NEW YORK'S TRIBUTE TO THE FOUNDERS OF THE NEW NETHERLANDS.

Mr. Geo. W. Van Siclen, the active secretary of the society, who takes the utmost pains to become thoroughly acquainted with the Dutch language, in which he indeed is making great progress, had the kindness to present to the members of the society an excellent English translation of the old Dutch song, DE ZILVERVLOOT, (1626), "The Silver Fleet," a song of the "Beggars of the Sea." It was printed on orange colored paper, and the music arranged for the society by Professor Piet Hein van der Weyde. Another Dutch song was also printed and distributed that evening, called AL IS ONS LANDJE NOG ZOO KLEIN, TOCH ZAL 'T ONS HOLLAND ZIJN! ORANJE BOVEN AL! (Melody composed 1672). It was arranged, with accompaniment for the pianoforte, by the same professor, van der Weyde.

Train Station #52 -- October 7, 2012

This doorway leads to the waiting area at the Main Street Depot in Disneyland. I took the photo during our visit in July. 

Fleet Week -- October 6, 2012

This is a busy weekend in the city with Fleet Week, the Double 10 Parade, the Columbus Day Parade, the America's Cup World Series and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the Giants in the playoffs, the 49ers.  We parked at Colma and took BART downtown.  The train was crowded when it arrived at Colma.  Lots of people got off of our train and a Daly City train at the Embarcadero.  There was an F line shuttle bus to Fishermans' Wharf.  We saw Car One.

We went to the Ferry Building and bought some lunch.  We found a bench on the viewing area of the Golden Gate Ferry terminal and ate.  I took this photo of ferry Sonoma.

We walked through the Embarcadero Center and over to Union Square.  We visited Macy's.  We got on another busy BART train at Powell.

We stopped at the Metro Center on the way back and saw the Blue Angels fly past.  

At 5 o'clock mass, my wife and I took the census.

We had dinner at Guerrero's.

The Reds are leading the Giants in the first playoff game. 

Update:  The Giants went on to lose a sloppy game.  

Firehouse #60 -- October 5, 2012

This year the firetruck was back in front of Disneyland's Toontown firehouse.  I like the dog that pops up in one of the windows.  I took the photo during our visit in July.

The Blue Angels were practicing yesterday and today.  We can't see much from the new office. 

The Cardinals were playing the Braves in Atlanta for the new one-game wild card playoff.  With two on and one out, a Brave hit a fly ball to the outfield.  Two Cardinal outfielders let it drop between them.  The crowd cheered until an umpire called the batter out.  The umpire on the left field line had called the infield fly rule.  The fans threw things on the field.  I'm surprised the Atlanta manager didn't get thrown out.  The Braves filed a protest.  Chipper Jones got an official scorer-aided infield hit in his last at bat.  The Cardinals won.  

Feast of Saint Francis #3 -- October 4, 2012

Today is the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi.

“Lord make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
And where there is sadness, joy.

"O divine master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive-
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
And its in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.” 

Saint Francis Church in North Beach is now the National Shrine of Saint Francis. The former gym/church hall contains the Nuova Porziuncola, a model of the little church rebuilt by Saint Francis.I took the photo on 20-August-2011.

Also today Salvatore Cordileone will be installed as the ninth Archbishop of San Francisco.  

French Comedy Conjurors -- October 3, 2012

San Francisco's Orpheum  Theater had a wonderful bill this week. Les Marco Belli were apparently a team of comic magicians from France.  I can't find anything about them.  Headliner Maria Galvany was a Spanish opera singer.  I don't know what a "sub-vocalist" is.  Amelia Bingham was a popular dramatic actress.  I am sad to say that the Giants lost the 1912 World Series to the Red Sox.  I would still like to see the movies. 

The ad is from the 03-November-1912 San Francisco Call.

BART 40 -- October 2, 2012

BART celebrated its 40th birthday last month.  I remember when the trains first started to run in the East Bay.  I went to visit a friend who had moved there and saw them.  We didn't walk through the transbay tube when they offered the opportunity and I have regretted it ever since.  I remember when trains ran on both sides of the bay, but did not carry passengers through the tube.  I remember when full service started.

I took a photo of this sign on the side of a train at Colma Station on 25-September-2012. 

It was very warm yesterday and today. 

A Dash Through the Clouds -- October 1, 2012

Before Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand left the Biograph Company to found Keystone in 1912, they produced many comedies, including "A Dash Through the Clouds."  Here, Mabel rides in pilot Phillip Parmalee's Wright Model B and fires a pistol at a group of Mexican-Americans who are attacking her soon-to-be former suitor, Fred Mace.   The "Mexican Quarter" includes views of Mission San Fernando (I think), where Biograph set several movies during their winter visits to California.  Parmalee died in an airshow crash on 01-June-1912.  This film was released later in the same month.