Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

1884 New York Street Car Scene Shows Carry of Pistols Common Before 1911
AmmoLand ^ | Dean Weingarten

Posted on 09/22/2022 5:45:01 AM PDT by marktwain

A version of the above image was published in the April 19, 1884 issue of the National Police Gazzette. The publisher was located at Franklin Square and Dover Street, New York. The location is in Manhattan, New York City.

The probably earlier version, shown above, is found in The Remington Historical Treasury of American Guns, published in 1966, taken from the New York Public Library Picture Collection.

Harper’s publishing house is shown at the Franklin Square location in this map from January of 1885.

In 1884, cable car lines were just starting to be considered in New York City, and electric trolleys were not yet in use. The street car in the image was almost certainly a horse-drawn street car, which existed in New York City until 1917.

The relevance of the image is pistols were commonly carried in New York City for self-defense in close proximity to the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868. Only six passengers are shown seated in the street car. Of those, four are not obscured by other people. All four of the unobscured passengers are shown as carrying pistols or revolvers in the illustration.

Public transportation was not considered to be a “sensitive location” where arms were not permitted.

The street car image was likely created before 1884; even so, 1884 is only 14 years after the Fourteenth Amendment was passed. There was no controversy. One of the major purposes of the Fourteenth Amendment was to ensure everyone in the USA had an enforceable right to keep and bear arms. One of the co-sponsors of the amendment pontificated on exactly that purpose.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: 2a; banglist; guns; heller; newyork; secondamendment; transportation
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last
To: marktwain

Thanks, but still can’t find him in search....weird


41 posted on 09/22/2022 7:33:01 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco (Don't walk thru the watermelon patch)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

That’s a scene from an Arec Ballwin movie!


42 posted on 09/22/2022 7:42:26 AM PDT by bigbob (z)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: teeman8r
that one guy pointing the pistol across the aisle is definitely in need of training.

That's Alec Baldwin's great-great-grandfather. I think it might even be the same weapon.
43 posted on 09/22/2022 7:46:52 AM PDT by Dr. Sivana (What was 35% of the Rep. Party is now 85%. And it’s too late to turn back—Mac Stipanovich )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: David Moser

An illustration scares you silly? Do comic books have the same effect on you? :)


44 posted on 09/22/2022 7:49:35 AM PDT by atc23 (The Matriarchal Society we embrace has led to masks and mandates and the cult of "safety")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

I’m not even very old and we used to carry our plinking rifles on city buses in Los Angeles County all the time. They asked you to have the breech visibly open - that’s all. For a little bolt action .22, you just had to slide the bolt back. We were all well behaved white boys, though. When the blacks started moving in and bringing property crimes, assaults and auto theft with them - that all ended.


45 posted on 09/22/2022 7:55:55 AM PDT by atc23 (The Matriarchal Society we embrace has led to masks and mandates and the cult of "safety")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: dljordan

Even so.... There had to be a protrusion to catch.


46 posted on 09/22/2022 8:02:04 AM PDT by gundog ( It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: M1903A1

You‘re thinking of the Patterson revolvers? There were some folding trigger models with concealed hammers.


47 posted on 09/22/2022 8:04:19 AM PDT by gundog ( It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: SES1066
...In the illustration, note the lack of ‘trigger guards’ on the visible handguns...

They all look like single action to me, no matter how hard one pulls the trigger, they would not fire until the hammer had been cocked.

North American Arms still makes and sells handguns of similar design with no trigger guards.

48 posted on 09/22/2022 8:15:45 AM PDT by CurlyDave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

I bet those streetcars were cleaner and safer than the subway and buses of New York!! 🤓


49 posted on 09/22/2022 8:56:16 AM PDT by Deplorable American1776 (Defund the FBI, the American Stasi..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 9422WMR
“ The illustrator was not concerned with fine details of firearm construction...”

He could have looked at the Sears and Roebuck catalog and there viewed drawings of many fine firearms.

It would have been difficult. The first Sears catalog was published five years later, in 1889.

50 posted on 09/22/2022 9:14:58 AM PDT by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

What’s a Sears? A teen in 2022! 🤓


51 posted on 09/22/2022 9:52:53 AM PDT by Deplorable American1776 (Defund the FBI, the American Stasi..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: Hot Tabasco

Well Heah I is!


52 posted on 09/22/2022 10:37:50 AM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar ( FR is on GAB! https://gab.com/groups/67851)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

They started off their kids young with guns back in the 1800s!

https://d3h6k4kfl8m9p0.cloudfront.net/stories/9HhWZucogxAR0.qmV.LJNg.jpg


53 posted on 09/22/2022 10:58:27 AM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar ( FR is on GAB! https://gab.com/groups/67851)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
Well Heah I is!

Ya'll jus' simmah down, now.

54 posted on 09/22/2022 12:13:25 PM PDT by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: SES1066

Well, the good news is, a lot of those old “pocket pistols” were relatively underpowered by today’s standards.


55 posted on 09/22/2022 12:42:49 PM PDT by Boogieman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: David Moser

Back in 1884 men were men and didn’t need “safety training” :)


56 posted on 09/22/2022 12:44:03 PM PDT by Boogieman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Dr. Sivana; teeman8r; David Moser ; marktwain; All

My take on the picture/investigation (did anyone read the caption?) is that GGGF of Baldwin and the notepad guy are doing the investigation. Looks like 2 guys on the left are primary suspects showing their guns defensively while Baldwin is pointing his gun and also holding a basket (stolen goods?) and the woman is asserting I have a gun too (”but it’s never been fired”). just my 2 cents.

Also thanks Mark Twain for the graph showing 94% decline in accidental shooting - had no idea prior. Col. Chuck Yeager, RIP, described an accidental shooting in his autobiography where he lost a baby sister. I’m sure anyone who ever encountered such a tragic loss would be happy to know at least how much gun safety has helped.

Just to nit-pick the graph has a series of typos for the 1980’s - becomes obvious if you examine 1988 closer.

Take care all y’all!


57 posted on 09/22/2022 1:29:44 PM PDT by BrandtMichaels ( Why I Oughta! Tired of leftards... Bang, Zoom, To The Moon!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
Well Heah I is!

Yes you is but try and search fer yerself.....ya don't exist on heah abouts........

58 posted on 09/22/2022 2:21:24 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (Don't walk thru the watermelon patch)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: BrandtMichaels
Just to nit-pick the graph has a series of typos for the 1980’s - becomes obvious if you examine 1988 closer.

Constructive criticism is always welcome.

I don't think I see what you are seeing.

Could you be a little more specific, please?

59 posted on 09/22/2022 3:30:25 PM PDT by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: Boogieman

How true. Bit those slow old bullets carried lots of dirt and filth into the wound. A minor wound might turn gangrene as infection sets in.


60 posted on 09/22/2022 3:54:46 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar ( FR is on GAB! https://gab.com/groups/67851)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson