Posted on 11/28/2009 2:30:35 AM PST by bogusname
This is a film taken from the dash of a San Francisco Trolley in 1909. The image flips just a few times but 99% of the video is good quality footage. It's interesting to see how the people on the street acted in those days. If there were any traffic or jaywalking laws at the time they clearly weren't enforced. If you can't stand modern drivers then take a look at what your grandparents and great grandparents had to deal with.
(Excerpt) Read more at liveleak.com ...
It IS remarkable. I’m guessing the people who transferred this footage projected it close to or at its original speed, maybe 16 frames per second. I read recently that before the standard 24 frames per second was established, cinematographers actually did NOT always stick to the 16 fps speed. There was no standard and some actually cranked the camera at 18, 19, even 20. Also, projectionists supposedly avoided 16 fps for fear that the nitrate based film might be susceptible to combustion! Others might correct me on the details here.
From the original website...it stated that the autos you see are actually going in circles around the trolley. Auto’s were prestigious object to own. They wanted to show that SF was prosperous.
Did you see the kids that were zig-zagging back and forth in front of the trolley?
Definitely a cable car - that’s the third slot in the middle between the rails. It has a moving cable in it. When the operator wants to go, he pushes his big lever which clamps on to the cable and the car goes forward. When he wants to stop or slow down, he releases the clamp. Still done the same way today, and if I’m not mistaken, the only active cable car system in teh world.
The thing I didn’t get was the kid who was riding his bike in front of the car - he went right over the cable slot but didn’t fall in.
I think the correct date of the film is 1905. Look on youtube; there are other SF post-earthquake films/pix. The devastation was incredible.
Film is misdated. It’s from 1905, not 1909.
I’m asking the moderator to change the date in the title.
The Ferry Building seen in the distance survived the 1906 and 1989 earthquakes with little damage. A picture of the Ferry Building after the 1906 earthquake can be seen on Wikipedia’s page.
Kids zig-zagging, grownups, cars, horse-drawn wagons, everything going every which way. It's amazing more people weren't injured, but I guess people learned the right moves; magically the path is always clear just in time before the cable-car passes. It's like a giant ballet.
True. However, I'm pretty sure I saw Nancy Pelosi.
Here’s a video after the 1906 earthquake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLoB1hg62J4&feature=related
Well, I don’t think the car is going very fast. Apparently it was not a secret that they were going to make a moving picture from the car, and this was these folk’s chance to be immortalized in film. I bet they got a HUGE kick out of seeing it afterward. I remember my grandparents still called them moving pictures.
Thanks Sharp. :)
Except, from what I understand, today in SF the excrement is on the sidewalks and it don’t come from horses.
Great video! Cars, horses, people ... none of them conforming to any rule. Delightful!
Thanks, I thought it was pretty cool too.
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