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Author Topic: Old San Fran: A trip back in time Post a Reply Back to Topics
PD

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 10:07:57 AM

***See the article with video on the blog*** A trip back in time is in order for today... to San Fransisco. The video embedded in this blog post was shot over a century ago and was recently rediscovered. So take today- let your gas price concerns go- and see how things were done in 1905... a few buggies, a few cars, bikes, and walking.

Back in 1905, if someone was lucky (or well off), they might be sporting a 1905 Cadillac Model E- an 1100lb vehicle with just one cylinder that produced just ten horsepower. The displacement was 1.6l, the bore and stroke of five inches. Compare that to today- many 1.6l engines boast power ten times more than that engine in 1905, also have three more cylinders for a total of four, and a bore and stroke...

Visit GasBuddy Blog for full article
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torn8owx
Champion Author Philadelphia

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Message Posted: Oct 24, 2010 4:44:16 PM

Easy to see how traffic laws were needed judging from the chaos in the street. Traffic I bet doesn't flow that much faster today than it did back then with traffic lights, etc...
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Sneakers55
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 10:56:00 PM

comprof wrote:

>A lot more people had to work much harder to survive during that
>period but values were different and being well off required much
>less material things.

When I was studying US History, I expressed surprise that a Presidential candidate would run on the slogan "a chicken in every pot."

Mom's comment at the time was when they said that a chicken in every pot would have been a sign of prosperity. (One advantage of growing up on a farm is you can make your own chicken. We ate our way through about 100 a year.)

Nowadays, they have food stamp debit cards and they can be used to buy carbonated soft drinks. IMHO, they should say: "Nutritious food only. A bottle full of flavored bubbly HFCS-laden water does not qualify." IIRC, some politicians are talking that way.


[Edited by: Sneakers55 at 10/23/2010 10:57:28 PM EST]
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Sneakers55
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 10:45:36 PM

slgas wrote:

>It's good to see a flashback to remind us of the way it was.

I think I wouldn't like the days before modern medicine (even with its price nowadays).

>Too many people can't even remember the days before televisions

Always had some sort of TV. It may have been black and white and without a remote but it was TV.

>cordless/cell phones

At least in my workgroup at the time, I was the next to last to get a cell phone. IIRC about the holdout: as of the time I left he was still wireline only.

>remotes.

I was poor when I started working. First TV was an old black and white that was used in a hospital. It had a wired remote control capability.

Then, when I went color, it didn't have a remote.

All the sets after that had remotes.
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Sneakers55
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 9:29:07 PM

Traffic was utter bedlam in 1905 and nearly everyone wore dark colors.

One thing that didn't change were electrically driven public transit vehicles with pantographs on top. Guess they haven't figured out how to improve that in a century.
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SAIT Degree
Champion Author Calgary

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 2:33:58 PM

That was a great video, I enjoyed watching it. There was no structure at all in 1905 as people walked in front of street cars and horse buggys, while cars drove in from of street cars. I was amazed at the dramatic change from 1905 to 1941. You can see the Ferry Building at the end of the line, great architecture in SF.
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comprof
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 4:24:00 AM

A lot more people had to work much harder to survive during that period but values were different and being well off required much less material things.
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genef01
Champion Author Nashville

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 3:57:22 AM

Wish life today was that simple.
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HA4CNN
Champion Author Toronto

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 1:53:17 AM

It sure was care free back then in 1905.
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spike1zz
Champion Author Indiana

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 1:32:32 AM

I can't believe all the dumbasses running right in front. Nobody was looking where they were going
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vulcan96
Champion Author Ohio

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 1:29:52 AM

i have seen that video several times this year - very interesting still....
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JohnofGB
Champion Author Flint

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 1:28:44 AM

It was an interesting film to watch. They nailed the time down to about a week before the San Francisco earthquake.
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mvosevich
Champion Author St. Louis

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 1:25:24 AM

What kinda mileage did that Caddy get?
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CPGas1815
Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 1:24:25 AM

Reminiscing about times of lore is nice, but what does that have to do with the price at the pump where we are being taken for a ride on the "BIG OIL" roller coaster to economic and ecological demise.
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TBONE3
Champion Author Pennsylvania

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 1:21:14 AM

Saw it on TV about a week ago. Those were the good old days until but I prefer NOW thank you.
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nurdco
Champion Author Colorado Springs

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 1:16:47 AM

What is so important?

Refinement always follows in time...
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Prodaddy
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 1:14:35 AM

This was a cool video
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IamWhoIam
Champion Author San Francisco

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 1:14:34 AM

I wasn't there but I did see the film a number of times. It was on 60 minutes and they did a nice job of remixing it so that it was clearer and they also did some research and came up with the day before the Quake. Since we get quakes all the time it may happen again but those street cars and cable cars are the best things we have around here. I go to work by public transit and it is excellent.
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hubcapLA
Champion Author Louisiana

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 1:12:58 AM

Interesting film but ho hum!
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Sody33
Champion Author Las Vegas

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:58:19 AM

We have been seeing this a whole lot lately but we finally found out that it was shot in 1906 the DAY BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE and fire that destroyed the entire downtown area.

Just think, no one was going fast enough to seriously damage anyone else. My wife's stepmother's Dad was killed in the earthquake and fire and she is in one of those tents on the hillside above the melee. She remembered it well. She has passed away now but told us a lot about those days and she was young but remembered so well. In the third grade I believe she said. Her school bit the dust.

[Edited by: Sody33 at 10/23/2010 1:02:37 AM EST]
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Z51Corvette
Champion Author Austin

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:53:34 AM

Wonder if this video was shot when proposed...
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250FORD
Champion Author Minnesota

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:50:50 AM

Buddy2264


You speak the truth on that.
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10k
Champion Author North Carolina

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:49:57 AM

nice story, but there is one slight prob: it was determined that this video was actually shot in march, 1906, one month before the quake..

gotta be one valuable video..
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TIGERPAW46
Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:49:35 AM

Simpler maybe someways, But also had to carry a scooper & pail to clean up behind your horse.

[Edited by: TIGERPAW46 at 10/23/2010 12:53:03 AM EST]
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Buddy2264
Champion Author Tampa

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:37:09 AM

We should all go back to a simpler life. When they did get cars they traveled with more than one per car. Conservation keeps your money in your pocket.
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Lou08
Champion Author California

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:32:57 AM

Go Atomic!

Those were the good old days. I was born and raised in San Francisco, Cal. around Market St. downtown.

Attorney General J.Brown on Cal. payroll for 40 years, now California is rated #1 as the WORST RUN state out of 50 other states. Also rated #2 for the WORST INVESTITURE FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL out of 50 other states. Me think, throw the PC politicians out in a couple weeks, maybe when the Covenantor leaves Meg will do much better??
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jrsva
Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:30:34 AM


This is a really neat video. I saw excerpts from it on the evening news a couple days ago.
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goodbuy
Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:26:59 AM

Yes, but this is 2010.
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Saturn93
Champion Author Salt Lake City

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:24:26 AM

With the higher compression ratios of earlier cars, they also got much better gas mileage.
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Beboper
Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:20:06 AM

oh yes the good old days
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Bigwaynef
Champion Author South Carolina

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:17:13 AM

Well they definately had great horse power!
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Zonk
Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:16:29 AM

The Cable cars are fun but....Who knows
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rxman1
Champion Author Toledo

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:14:03 AM

Nice video.
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CobraLeader
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:10:13 AM



... Those cable cars are nice! Too bad they aren't used elsewhere! ...
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Quick68
Champion Author Columbus

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:02:07 AM

Gas keeps going up we will see these days again.
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uptherefiners
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Oct 23, 2010 12:01:27 AM

dirt girl, you're parents had bologna?

mine mostly ate cardboard...shoe leather on a good day

well, if you believe the 'stories'
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waynemustang
Champion Author Indiana

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:58:06 PM

Today's "progressives" wouldn't be caught dead walking in SF
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Buck_on_Bass
Champion Author Tennessee

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:57:36 PM

Public transit is needed in most big cities. The cable cars still run and are a constant over the century.
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OGW
Champion Author London

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:55:52 PM

Just give the 1905 Caddy.
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dirt girl
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:53:32 PM

uptherefiners, Don't forget they did all that while carrying their bologna sandwiches. ;)
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mberg
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:50:47 PM

Brings back memories of the 30's for many cities.
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Tatalah
Champion Author Riverside

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:46:35 PM

SF is a great old city.
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Art48
Champion Author Sacramento

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:46:30 PM

This film recently surfaced. It was taken by a camera mounted on the front of a cable car
This film, 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 quake and shipped by train to NY for processing. Amazing but true!
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uptherefiners
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:42:40 PM

1905 clip is too funny.....btw, when my parents were kids, they used to walk to school on their hands, backwards, through three feet of snow, uphill both ways.....
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slgas
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:38:08 PM

It's good to see a flashback to remind us of the way it was. Too many people can't even remember the days before televisions, cordless/cell phones, or remotes.
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zeddieiv
Champion Author Columbia

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:36:54 PM

um, ok
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FlyNFool
Champion Author South Carolina

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:36:15 PM

The good old days!
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ThatHunt
Champion Author Dallas

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:30:05 PM

wow.
olden times.
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AKmailman
Champion Author Alaska

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:27:46 PM

looks like one dangerous fuster cluck
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traindude
Champion Author Virginia Beach

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:27:01 PM

if those were the good ole days, why did they walk 10 miles to school?
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carter84262
All-Star Author Detroit

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Message Posted: Oct 22, 2010 11:25:42 PM

Just like then we have to go through some big changes and put up with growing pains of changing technology. People want the progress without the effort and it just doesn't work that way.
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