Sunset -- December 4, 2021

I took this while we were on our way to five o'clock mass at Good Shepherd Church on 20-November-2021.

Krazy Kat -- It Was a Sad Sad Day for Me -- December 3, 2021

Washington Times, 16-December-1921

I love George Herriman's Krazy Kat. Krazy Kat bemoans the effects of disarmament. This was a hot topic in 1921. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

Washington Times, 30-June-1918

Gas Prices -- December 2, 2021

No comment. I took this at the Union 76 on Oddstad yesterday.

I took this at the Chevron on Oceana on 21-April-2008.

U. S. Navy Blimp, First in World to Use Helium, Makes Successful Flight Here From Norfolk -- December 1, 2021

Washington Times, 16-December-1921

100 years ago today, on 01-December-1921, US Navy blimp C-7 made the first successful dirigible flight using helium as the lifting gas. The crew needed lots of coffee when they landed near Washington, DC. Commander Zachary Lansdowne died in 1925 in the crash of USS Shenandoah, ZR-1. The Assistant Secretary of the Navy was Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. Rear Admiral William A Moffett died in 1935 in the crash of USS Akron, ZRS-4. 

Naval Blimp C-7 Circles the City;

Successful Test of Helium Gas

Naval blimp C 7 pointed its nose out of the south shortly after 10 o'clock this morning, circled the city, and came to earth at the Anacostia naval air station to complete successfully the first flight ever attempted with helium gas in lieu of hydrogen.

The blimp, like a huge silver cigar, came proudly around into the wind and settled down with the ease of a veteran at 10:20 o'clock, completing the trip from Hampton roads in three hours and forty-three minutes, under adverse weather conditions. She braved a snow flurry on the last forty miles of her trip, which left the gasbag shimmering and shining when | she landed.

The crew, which included Lieut. Commander Zachary Lansdowne, commanding: Lieut. Commander R. F. Wood. Lieut. A. T. Sewell and Chief Machinist G. C. Ferris, were suffering slightly from the effects of the cold weather, hopping to the ground with benumbed hands and chattering teeth.

Commander Proud of the Ship.

"I'm proud of the ship." said her commander when she landed. "Helium is a great product. It may not have the lift that hydrogen gives, but it gave us no trouble whatever during this flight. We came up in nice time, but were never more than 300 feet high on account of the condition of the weather. It's a great product."

A number of officials of the Navy department visited the ship this morning. These included Rear Admiral Moffett and Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt. Both congratulated the commander and crew on the success of the flight.

Hot coffee awaited the crew, while batteries of photographers held them up for snapshots and motion pictures. A naval plane went up and circled the blimp to secure motion pictures of record for the completion of the flight.

The air ship departed again for Hampton roads at about 12 noon and was expected to arrive at the base before 3:30 o'clock.

The C-7 is the first lighter-than-air craft in the world to make a flight inflated with helium gas. Practically the world's entire supply of this gas was carried in the silver bag. The big advantage of the helium is that it is non-explosive, while hydrogen is high-explosive. Static or electric connections provide no liability for explosions in a helium bag, nor is there danger of ignition from sparks of motor exhausts. Probably the greatest disadvantage in the use of helium is its cost of production, its availability and its buoyancy compared to that of hydrogen. Hydrogen, with 100 per cent purity and under standard atmospheric conditions. has a buoyancy of 70 pounds per 1,000 cubic feet of air displaced, while helium under similar conditions has 64.4 pounds lift.

The Navy maintains a helium plant at Fort Worth, Tex., where helium is extracted from natural gas by compressor systems. It is required that a plant of this character be located where there is an abundance of gas and also an abundance of water for cooling the numerous compressors. The natural gas, after passing through this plant becomes a purer illuminating gas than before, when it is then returned to the gas company for commercial use. The natural gas is first passed through lime, which removes carbon dioxide; it is then liquefied, leaving nitrogen and helium gases, which are drawn off and further compressed. thereby liquefying the nitrogen and leaving the helium, which is drawn off and compressed into cylinders and placed in storage for shipment.

C Ships Especially Reliable.

The class C ships, under which C-7 comes, are twin engined, and especially reliable for patrol and convoy work. Their dimensions are: Length, 192 feet; maximum diameter of envelope, 41 feet 9 inches; maximum height, 60 feet; maximum width, 53 feet 7 inches. The envelope has a designed volume of 181,000 cubic feet. Their fixed weight ready to fly is 7,940 pounds, leaving the balance for disposable weights consisting of crew, gasoline, oil. navigating equipment, radio, food, drinking water, ballast, bombs, guns etc.

December, 2021 Version of the Cable Car Home Page -- December 1, 2021

Trolley Topics, January, 1952

I just put the December, 2021 version of my Cable Car Home Page on the server:

http://www.cable-car-guy.com/

It includes some new items:
1. Picture of the Month: Cable car crew members watch car 504 being decorated as Santa's sleigh. (source: Trolley Topics, January, 1952).
2. With Christmas coming, it's a good time to visit the late Joe Lacey's article Christmas on the Cables (21st anniversary this year), and the Decorated Cable Cars page.
3. On the Cable Tramways in Australia and New Zealand page: Wellington's Kelburn Cable Car, a funicular, allows dogs to ride the line as a test.
4. On the Links page: Bruce Kliewe's site about the Great Reconstruction has a new url. It is a great site to visit
5. Added News items about the Dunedin Cable Tram Calendar, the death of engineer Dr Peter Pfaelzer and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

Ten years ago this month (December, 2011):
1. The picture of the month: A fly-wheel for Sydney's Ocean Street cable tramway, at the Hudson Brothers' Works in Clyde. I like the dude in the bowler. Source: "Sydney's New Tramway. The Ocean-Street Cable Line.", Australian Town and Country Journal, 11-August-1894.
2. On the Cable Tramways in Australia and New Zealand page, more about Sydney's New South Wales Government Tramways. Includes two illustrated newspaper articles about the Ocean Street cable tramway's powerhouse and one about the Ultimo electric powerhouse. Two newspaper articles about the beginning of Sydney's two cable tram lines:
-- North Sydney Line Opens (Melbourne Argus, Monday May 24, 1886)
-- Sydney/King Street Line Opens (Adelaide Advertiser, Thursday, September 20, 1894)
3. With Christmas coming, it's a good time to visit Joe Lacey's article Christmas on the Cables, and the Decorated Cable Cars page.

Twenty years ago this month (December, 2001):
1. Picture of the Month: North Sydney cable tram
2. Roll out new Cable Tramways in Australia and New Zealand page with an article on the Sydney's New South Wales Government Tramways. Also photos of Dunedin's Roslyn Tramway and Wellington's Kelburn Cable Car, a funicular.
3. Add George Smith Duncan to the Who page
4. Add another photo to the Presidio and Ferries page and make images into thumbnails. Add Sanborn maps of Union & Leavenworth powerhouse and the Jefferson/Lyon roundhouse.
5. Add Sanborn maps of Sacramento Street carhouse and California/Laurel roundhouse to the Ferries and Cliff House and more Sacramento/Clay photos to the More Ferries and Cliff House page.
6. Add photo of Santa arriving at the Emporium to Joe Lacey's Christmas on the Cables article.
7. Revise Mount Lowe article with corrections and new information. Thanks to Michael Patris.

Coming in January, 2022: On the Cable Car Lines in New York and New Jersey page: A ten and twenty year update about Hoboken's elevated North Hudson County Railway

125 years ago this month (December, 1896):
December 14 - The cable-driven Glasgow District Subway opened and was immediately closed because of an accident

The Cable Car Home Page now has a Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/CableCarHomePage/

Joe Thompson
The Cable Car Home Page (updated 01-December-2021)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/
San Francisco Bay Ferryboats (updated 31-January-2020)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/ferry/
Park Trains and Tourist Trains (updated 30-November-2021)
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/ptrain/
The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion (updated spasmodically)
http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com
The Big V Riot Squad (new blog)
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/

COVID-19, Vaccine, Masks, Church, Baseball and School -- November 30, 2021

nytimes.com

The Omicron variant of the TrumpVirus has turned up in South Africa and is seen as a new threat. In general, there is fear of a new spike during the holidays when people gather together indoors.

The 5pm Saturday mass at Good Shepherd Church in Pacifica still has low turnout. I continued to do the census during November. We may have passed 40 one weekend. Most were in the 30s.

Buster Posey won Comeback Player of the Year for the second time.

I started to teach coding to Third Graders at Good Shepherd School in Pacifica. They are a lively bunch. I will start teaching Fourth Grade in January.

Flag of Indian Revolutionists Shown by Princess in U. S. -- November 29, 2021

Grand Forks Herald, 28-November-1921

I was interested to see the connection described between the Irish and Indian independence movements. 

FLAG OF INDIAN REVOLUTIONISTS

SHOWN BY PRINCESS IN U. S.

India now wants the freedom from England given Ireland by the recent treaty which accords Ireland dominion rule. The flag used by the Indian nationalists consists of three colors, red, yellow and green. The symbols are the sun. for energy, the moon for beauty, and the lotus blossoms for the provinces of India. Dr. Sarat Mukerji and Mme. Mukerji are now in this country aiding the cause of the Friends for Freedom in India, working for independence in their native country. Mme. Mukerji is shown above with the revolutionary flag.