http://www.shorpy.com/node/1804?size=_original#caption
Looks like they did ! and the FDNY drove the Buicks?
Eric,
Thanks for posting the great photo. I like the Policeman on the horse next to the 1914 NYPD touring (the windshield folds to the rear vs 1913 model year when the windshield folded forward). Thank you for the link.
According to Wagner's "Ford Trucks since 1905" page 11, the New York Fire Department in 1911 used a fire chief’s Ford "Open Runabout" RHD (that's according to the photo and there is a 2nd photo of the same or similarly equipped car also showing RHD. ) It has an American-LaFrance bell, instead of a windshield mounted to the top of the dash/firewall, equipment box on the back and a removable lantern in place of the normal taillight. I would guess but it is only a guess that American-LaFrance repainted the car and added the other items (including what looks like six lug demountable rims)?
Respectfully submitted,
Hap l9l5 cut off
Check out the touring on the right of the photo, and look at that big bell mounted off the firewall! Must be the fire chiefs car.
Almost all cars with rope "chains".
What a great photo! It's interesting that it's dated 1/6/15 but the two state-issued license plates shown are still from 1914. Also, with the Buick dealership, I only see one Buick. The grey touring car on the right facing the camera is a 1913 Model 31. The small truck on the extreme right may be a 2-cylinder Buick. The touring car at the bottom of the photo looks like a Baker electric. Very unusual in full touring form.
The steel chains and the cover over the radiator tell us that the streets were ice covered.
It was a cold day and had rained.
Remember to that before Henry made the T left hand drive everything was right hand drive. It took a while for the others to convert over and fire dept. cars were not replaced with new as often as police and other business vehicles.
I remember in the forties, even fifties, fire departments had cars and trucks from the thirties that were still being used as the main vehicles.
In 1904 New York had a law that cars driving at night must have a tail light. It was a problem of fire fighting rigs rear ending private cars and trucks and wagons at night. I guess tail lights were not required before 1904.
As an old firefighter and firefighting history buff what I like about this photo is the three-horse team at the upper left of the photo. Firefighters loved their horses and took exceptional care of them; note the blankets which were put on after arrival at the fire to protect the animals. Also in the window to the right of the horses (ironically in the "Complete Motor Car Outf[itter] building) you can see the reflection of one and possibly a second steam fire engine. Having restored and operated steam fire engines I love to see them in their original setting.
Couple of neat old films at
http://youtu.be/vf4WTmXUd7c
http://youtu.be/eiO69wlvcm8
http://youtu.be/Ppbco_NN6Dw
There's a Ford dealership there too. To the left of the Buick dealership. The covered horses are in front of the it.
I was very interested to see the bumper on the front of the 1914 touring police car beside the horse mounted policeman. Was that common to the police cars or was it something that the general public would install as well?
Long time ago, somebody posted pix of a fleet of NYPD/FD 1911 Roadsters. They had wheel brakes on the rear.
rdr
Yes, I have a filed copy of that photo somewhere -- but I have not been able to locate it. If someone else could repost or point us to a link of that photo.
Respectfully submitted,
Hap l9l5 cut off
This one?
: ^ )
Keith
Great photo, what is the car in the forground?
electric lights may not be originals. There is a klaxon horn on the driver's door and no passenger front door.
No filler on the "radiator"... obviously not a radiator... air cooled, doesn't look Franklin. Or is it a steam car?
Is that a burner under the front tag?
TH
It's most definitely a Baker Electric as Chris Paulsen pointed out earlier.
Baker made some models that emulated gasoline automobiles. Some of the roadsters have survived. Note that the sidelights are also electric.
I'd have to look in the Beverly Kimes book to pinpoint the model and year.
By the way, there is a passenger door - it's in the open position and the interior side of it can be seen in the photo.
Erik, you are right. Thanks. I missed Chris' answer whilst skimming the responses. A little clean up on the photo and the door is clear. Also you can see the side lights have no fonts!
I had no idea that Baker ever produced such a nice looking car... now I have something to add to my wish list!
I had thought that all Bakers (and almost all other electrics) either looked like a stanhope or a phone booth! I couldn't find a year Baker which looked as nice as that photo above, but did find two of the 1908 runabouts, model M... also a nice looking vehicle (Notice the acetylene headlights!):
IMHO, TH
Here is a picture of a Baker Electric in the Wells Museum in Maine.
Wow, electric, racy looking, rear entrance tonneau, left hand drive, all electric lights!
It looks like about 13 batteries! Must be a really heavy car, none-the--less this car has it all. I'd trade my T for that... if it came with the charging station! I wonder what year this one is, except for the tonneau it looks just like the '08 model M.
TH
I grew up as the third generation in a Ford dealership family, so old photos and memorabilia from such are very interesting to me. In fact, there's a pretty cool story about the history of the '22 Roadster I recently came to own. (That's another thread for another day...)
I find it pretty cool that the Buick dealership in this photo has cars on display on the second floor. I wonder about the Ford showroom.....
Love to see these old photos, etc. on this site. Keep it up!!
Lettering on the window of the second floor says "Springfield (something) Body Co." I think what you are seeing in the window is only an automobile body, not a complete car.
Also, note the two guys standing on the window ledge.
Similar view from a different angle.
http://www.shorpy.com/node/1805
Nice collection of pictures credited to the Library of Congress. This site has an interesting story line behind the pictures taken by George Bain.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2107888/The-day-exhausted-firefighters-b attled-New-York-subway-blaze-1915.html