Tag Archives: Streetcars

6,000 Union Army Veterans Gather to Recall the Campfires of Old

Posted on August 27, 2013 by lmharnisch

The entire Aug. 27, 1903, edition of the Herald is available here. Aug. 27, 1903: The Los Angeles Times (and by extension, the Chandler family) is frequently treated as if it was the only paper in the city’s history. Those … Continue reading →

Posted in 1903, African Americans, Civil War, Parks, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hero Stops Runaway L.A. Streetcar

Posted on August 15, 2013 by lmharnisch

Aug. 15, 1943: Los Angeles’ long-gone streetcar system has achieved sainthood, but here’s an incident suggesting that in reality, it was less than perfect. (Heresy, I know). Shura Cherkassky performs at the Greek Theatre. Hedda Hopper with her version of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Art & Artists, Columnists, Comics, Film, Hollywood, Music, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Action by FDR Averts Streetcar Strike!

Posted on July 25, 2013 by lmharnisch

July 25, 1943: President Roosevelt intervenes in the planned Pacific Electric Railway strike, saying that he did not want to use Army trucks to transport war supplies. The strike centered on a raise of 13 cents an hour, which has … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Columnists, Labor, Streetcars, Tom Treanor, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Streetcar Strike Could Paralyze Los Angeles!

Posted on July 24, 2013 by lmharnisch

July 24, 1943: Labor problems threaten to paralyze mass transportation in Los Angeles. The Times says that 3,000 Los Angeles Railway workers have ended a 24-hour walkout while 2,500 Pacific Electric workers are scheduled to strike. Marion “More Curves Than … Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Art & Artists, Aviation, Comics, Labor, Main Street, Streetcars, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Streetcar Strike Could Paralyze Los Angeles!

Getting L.A. Traffic Wrong

Posted on July 10, 2013 by lmharnisch

Zocalo repeats the old bromide that “once upon a time” the streets of Los Angeles were empty and getting around was simple. Nothing could be further from the truth. After years of reading old newspapers, I can say with authority … Continue reading →

Posted in A Kinder, Simpler Time, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

LAPD Chief Wants More Police; Terrible Traffic – 1913

Posted on April 3, 2013 by lmharnisch

April 3, 1913: That is author L. Frank Baum and composer Louis F. Gottschalk, the team behind “The Tik-Tok Man of Oz,” which was a blockbuster in Los Angeles. The Times said it “is the reigning sensation of the local … Continue reading →

Posted in 1913, Books and Authors, City Hall, LAPD, Stage, Streetcars, Theaters | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A 100-Year-Old Lesson on L.A. Traffic

Posted on December 14, 2012 by lmharnisch

A Times graphic shows the problem of passengers caught between the streetcars and lanes of traffic. Broadway and 7th Street in 1934, showing a man crossing through a lane of traffic to get to a streetcar. Notice that the driver … Continue reading →

Posted in 1912, Downtown, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Church Organist Accused of Killing Parents

Posted on June 20, 2012 by lmharnisch

June 20, 1942: Officials of San Diego’s streetcar system are dismayed that the 20 surplus cars obtained from New York are in worse shape than the ones San Diego scrapped two years earlier. San Diego acquired the cars in an … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Streetcars, Transportation, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Church Organist Accused of Killing Parents

Doolittle Raiders Bomb Tokyo

Posted on April 18, 2012 by lmharnisch

April 18, 1942:  The Doolittle Raiders, flying from the carrier Hornet, bomb Tokyo. According to DoolittleRaider.com, the  five surviving crew members are scheduled to attend the 70th reunion, which is being held through April 20 at the National Museum of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, African Americans, Columnists, Comics, Crime and Courts, Labor, Streetcars, Tom Treanor | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Nuestro Pueblo

Posted on July 22, 2008 by lmharnisch

ow this was truly a happy discovery: Someone turned two streetcars into a house. Alas, it’s not there anymore. I would love to know the story behind the home, I’m sure it’s an interesting one. At left, an update on … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Nuestro Pueblo, Real Estate, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Nuestro Pueblo

And commuting was born

Posted on July 22, 2008 by lmharnisch

    Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Except this was published in The Times on July 1, 1901. Today, we shake our heads when we read about someone who works in Santa Monica or downtown Los Angeles and lives in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Freeways, Real Estate, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Spring Street revisited

Posted on July 21, 2008 by lmharnisch

Photograph by Munsey Studios, winter 1900 found another image of the Ramona Hotel on Spring Street from about the same era as the earlier picture.  Unfortunately, I scanned it at such great resolution that my computer can’t handle the whole … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Spring Street

Posted on July 20, 2008 by lmharnisch

Photograph by Munsey StudiosThe Hotel Ramona was on the southwest corner of Spring and 3rd streets (305 1/2 S. Spring) on the Ramona Block. It apparently went out of business in 1912, when its furnishings were auctioned off. By 1917 … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

July 7, 1908

Posted on July 7, 2008 by lmharnisch

e have a bounty of news today. Above, Mexican troops put down an insurrection in the state of Coahuila. And turmoil in the Mideast. At left, Mayor Harper urges Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan to accept Capt. Eugene Merrick … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, books, Front Pages, Suicide, Transportation, travel | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on July 7, 1908

June 25, 1908

Posted on June 25, 2008 by lmharnisch

  rue confession: I mixed up June 26, 1908 and June 25, 1908. I suppose that happens more often that one might suspect–or not. Readers either politely didn’t bring it to my attention or didn’t notice. Thank you for your … Continue reading →

Posted in @news, Front Pages, Politics, Religion, Transportation | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

June 17, 1908

Posted on June 17, 2008 by lmharnisch

Alas, I can’t find any photos of the original Thomas taxicabs that debuted in Los Angeles in 1908. The Western Motor Car Co. put this Chalmers-Detroit into service in Los Angeles in 1909. ere we have a truly historic moment: … Continue reading →

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June 16, 1938

Posted on June 16, 2008 by lmharnisch

ou might well wonder whether the designers actually expected to run "motorways" right through buildings in downtown Los Angeles — the answer is yes, they did. There’s quite a bit of data in this installment of Ed Ainsworth’s series on … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, City Hall, Freeways, Front Pages, LAPD, Politics, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on June 16, 1938

June 15, 1938

Posted on June 15, 2008 by lmharnisch

A detail of the arch, as shown on San Pedro High School’s website. For the full image, go here.   A cloverleaf interchange, as envisioned in 1938. Note the extensive landscaping on both sides of the freeway. A map of … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Architecture, City Hall, Current Affairs, Downtown, Freeways, Front Pages, LAPD, Politics, Real Estate | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on June 15, 1938

June 12, 1938

Posted on June 12, 2008 by lmharnisch

he unidentified Times photographer who took this picture at Wilshire Boulevard and Alvarado Street in 1938  had no idea we would be dissecting it today. My best guess is that this is looking south on Alvarado rather than west on … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Freeways, Front Pages, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on June 12, 1938

The streetcars

Posted on June 11, 2008 by lmharnisch

Photograph by the Los Angeles Times, 1911 seem to have antagonized some people by having the audacity to question the notion that Los Angeles’ streetcar system was anything less than a shining glory and by poking fun of the idea … Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown, Freeways, Transportation | Tagged , , | 14 Comments