August 1918. “In the kitchen preparing food for wounded American soldiers in U.S. Army Base Hospital No. 41, at St. Denis, France. This was formerly a school for about 500 daughters of French army officers and officers of the Legion of Honor, and has now been loaned to the AMERICAN RED CROSS, which has equipped the building for the use of the U.S. Army.” 5×7 glass negative.
An old-school gasworks (back in the days before the widespread use of natural gas) where coal was heated to produce “city gas” or “illuminating gas,” which was so poisonously toxic that people inhaled it to commit suicide (“taking the gas pipe”). The tank-like structure, called a gasometer or gas holder, telescoped up and down depending on how much gas was inside, its weight serving to pressurize the system and push gas through the lines.
1937. “Charlotte Street Gas Works, Charleston, South Carolina.” 8×10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston.
April 1943. The PBR R.R.: “Pabst Beer sign over the Illinois Central freight yard at South Water Street, Chicago.” Kodachrome by Jack Delano.
February 16, 1951. “Hahne & Co. department store in Montclair, New Jersey. Toward escalator. Fellheimer & Wagner, client.” Miss Marsha White, about to step out. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner.
