Historic Hood River
E. E. Phelps
6-24-2020
Notes
The caption indicates this is E. E. Phelps with the Lofts & Company dray team, about 1912. They’re down on Cascade Avenue, just east of 2nd Street. That’s the Gerdes Hotel in the background.
The History Museum of Hood River County
Bringing the Rich History of Hood River County to Life
Gladys
His name was Eddie Edward Phelps. Born in 1883 in Kansas. Came to Hood River with his family at about 5 years of age. He lived out his life here and died in 1951. His wife died in 1919, leaving him with 7 children.
He spent most of his life as a building carpenter.
The bed of that wagon looks funny. The front seems to be tilted upwards. Trying to figure out exactly what he is hauling. Kind of looks like railroad ties, but then again it might definitely be something else.
Nice looking horses.
L.E.
Sure looks like railroad ties. I wonder if the back of the wagon bed could be dropped and then everything could slide off.
E.E. Phelps’ mother was a Nealeigh, an early HR family.
Kyle
Front and rear halves of the cart tip down towards the center, making a shallow trough. Must’ve helped keep the coal on the cart?
Andy B
I think those railroad ties are the bed of the trailer. It looks like a heavy load trailer.
nels
More beautiful horses. They are a matched pair, so wondering if this is a breed of work horses. How many of you could hook up a team with all those leathers?!
They look to have large hooves.
nels
And lots of manure in the street, a normal thing back then but would have the town in an uproar now. And a normal windy day in HR.
L.E.
In the June 04, 1914 HR Glacier P6 there is an add for "WOOD and COAL: Slabs-Fir-Oak: Agency for Genuine Rock Springs Coal. A. C. Lofts.
From the May 06, 1915 HR Glacier P.7
Lofts Sells to Taft
A.C. Lofts has disposed of his fuel business to the Taft Transfer Co., and he and his family are preparing to leave immediately for Yamhill county, where he will engage in ranching. George Sharp, a brother-in-law of Mr. Lofts, formerly a local resident, is now living in Yamhill.
Mr. Lofts has sold the lot recently purchased from Mrs. C.A. Bell to J.E. Robertson whose home adjoins the plot of ground.
Steve Gibson
Keeping it local – I figured out my Fathers sister Ruth Gibson Pruden married a son named Harry. As a child I fondly remember Summer visits to the Corn Cob Ranch near Spray OR. More info on Harry buried nearby at Idelwild. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54336655.
L.E.
This link should work:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54336655/harry-donald-phelps
Dale Nicol
I think the bed of the trailer is broken and if you look at the left rear wheel, the tie appears to be rubbing on it.
This only adds extra drag for the team of horses to pull and would not be a normal condition.
Is the block of wood attached to a chain, behind the right rear wheel a chock?
LMH
Given the fact Mr. Phelps was a carpenter I suspect he was using the lumber for a building project. I think the wagon was modified to keep the lumber on the wagon from bouncing off while traversing the rough and hilly roadways in Hood River.
Ben
They look like grey Percheron horses. I would suggest the lumber might actually be just the deck of the wagon. Otherwise there is no deck under those boards which doesn’t make much sense. Perhaps the loads of coal were so heavy that they need that heavy of boards to support the loads of coal. And the shape of the wagon would help keep the coal from bouncing off?
M. K. W.
Anyone know if A.C. Lofts or any family members stuck around Hood River? I know of a Lofts that was there in 1935 and just wondering if they’re related!